Blue Cedar Peter (PP)
Simmental bull sells for 20,000gns at Worcester
Selling at 20,000gns and setting a new all-breeds centre record at Worcester, and a new record for a Simmental bull sold at a Society sale in England, was the homozygous polled homebred Blue Cedar Peter 23 (PP) from Nigel Darling, Norwich.
December 2023-born, Blue Cedar Peter 23 (PP) is by Sneumgaard Imperator (PP) out of Blue Cedar Edwina 4 (PP). The buyer was stock manager, Richard Bell for the 300-cow Bowley herd of C.M. Mercer, Hope-Under-Dinmore, Herefordshire.
Mr Bell also bought pre-sale show champion for 9,000gns. This was the heterozygous polled Wroxall Pornstar (P) by Corskie Megastar 21 (P), out of Wroxall Lovely-Moira (P), a Coose Gambler (P) daughter form C.H. Evans and Son, Claverdon, Warwickshire.
The second highest price was 11,000gns for Beanhill Ryan 24 from R.J. and B.E. Kimber, Chippenham. January 2024 born by the AI sire Broombrae Major M3 21 out of Beanhill Inca EX 90, a Tillbrook Earl daughter, it sold to R.B. Gough, Shrewsbury.
Average: 5 bulls, £10,248.
Auctioneers: McCartneys.
Rawburn Angus sell to 32,500gns online
The 4th Rawburn Aberdeen-Angus online sale for John Elliot, Kelso, topped at 32,500gns for the young bull, Rawburn Brigadoon A227, a March-2024 born son of Rawburn Loaded, which sold to Mackas Angus from New South Wales, Australia. Brigadoon's dam is a daughter of TC Stockman 365 and out of the high feed efficiency Nichols Bonnie line.
Carrying 14 EBVs in the top 10% of the breed, including a top 1% terminal index and a top 1% self-replacing index along with a calving ease of +4.6, Brigadoon converted at a 3.26kg DM to gain 1Kg of bodyweight and required approximately 25% less dry matter of the average bull on test to gain the same weight.
The 35 heifers averaged £5,436, topping at 14,000gns for Rawburn Ebony A383. With an eye muscle area EBV of +8.8 and both indexes in the top 10% of the breed, Ebony sold to Yester Estate, East Lothian.
Embryos sold to 1,360gns for Rawburn Joy Erica V049 /Texas Thunderstruck embryos, selling to Marko Niedermüller, Austria. The 26 embryos averaged £1,160. The sale had 100% clearance and grossed £255,486.
Auctioneers: Halls with Dowbiggin Marketing.
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Records smashed at Bishops Castle
The highest ever averaging sale of store cattle at Bishops Castle saw a heifer sell for £4,020, 17 head make more than £3,000, and 60 sell for more than 500p/kg.
Pre-sale show judge Anthony Kitson, North Yorkshire, awarded champion honours to E.H. Pennie and Sons, Montgomery, for a Limousin heifer which sold for £3,600.
The reserve champion, which was the first prize steer, also came from the same farm, as did a Limousin heifer which claimed the top price of £4,020 and 878p/kg.
Limousin steers averaged £2,042 (465p/kg) topping at £2,580/head for M.E. and G.E. Jones, Newtown, and 545p/kg for Messrs Pennie, who also topped the British Blue steers at £3,100 and 533p/kg.
British Blonde steers averaged £1,998 and 438p/kg, peaking at £2,240 and 478p/kg for D.E. Morgan and Son, Welshpool.
British Blue heifers sold to £3,600 for both J.A. Wood and Son, Ratlinghope, and Messrs Pennie, to average £2,390 and 565p/kg.
A show potential Limousin heifer from M. and A. Powell, Drefor, sold for 807p/kg, with the section averaging £1,889 and 483p/kg.
Charolais heifers sold to £1,800 for G.E. Davies and Son, Sarn, and 474p/kg for Messrs Powell.
Averages - overall £2,053.43; steers £2,025 (458p/kg); heifers £2,102 (511p/kg); feeding bulls £1,508 (370p/kg).
Auctioneers: Halls.
British Blues to 7,200gns at Skipton
At Skipton's first pedigree beef sale of the year, top price was 7,200gns for the reserve champion British Blue, an April 2023-born bull, Greystone Tarzan, from Graham Coates, Stainforth. By Almeley Ginola, it sold to T. and K. Ellison, Sedbergh.
The champion was Springfield Timmins, a two-year-old bull by Round Hill Ice from Alan and Deirdrie Wilkinson, Out Rawcliffe, was knocked down for 4,600gns to Ed Middleton, Spilsby.
The Wilkinsons also sold the 13-month-old heifer, first prize winner, Springfield U Bonnie by Ballygrange Alex, for 6,500gns to an undisclosed buyer.
Reaching 4,800gns was 19-month-old Sand Lane Terrance by Greystone Noveltee, from Guy Elsworth, Raskelf, which was bought by W.H. Dixon and Son, Pembrokeshire.
Beef Shorthorns
Beef Shorthorn breeding cattle classes were dominated by Stuart and Sue Hardcastle, Brough, who consigned first and second prize bulls later tapped out as champion and reserve.
Both are 2023 sons of Mountbenger Lucas, and while the victor returned home, the reserve champion, Marrgrange Trojan, claimed top price of 3,900gns to Andrew Fisher, Pateley Bridge.
Andrew Thornber and daughters, Halifax, sold the young bull, Blackbrook Valiant, a son of Highlee Phoenix, at 3,300gns to Messrs Dixon.
At the same price and top call among the females was a two-year-old heifer from Andrew and Kate McNeil, Doncaster. Katem Rothes Tweed, by Willingham Pallas sold in-calf to Langhams Red Ridge Buffalo, to Sledmere Estate, Driffield.
The winning cow and calf from Steve Swales, Cliviger, was Featherstone Lovely Heather, a 2017-born roan by Hallsford Hector which sold with its fifth November-born calf, Bradfield Viking and served to Stonehouse Timone, for 3,200gns to P. Osborne, Trawden.
The 15 Beef Shorthorn bulls averaged £3,780 and females £2,635.
Lincoln Reds sold to 3,200gns for the show victor, Holthead Clifford, a two-year-old bull by Holegate Yeti from Jonathan and Elaine Bradley, Slaithwaite, which sold to Ingram Brothers, Atherstone.
Auctioneers: CCM.
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Calves to £1,100 twice at Leyburn
Rearing calves topped at £1,100 twice at Leyburn. Firstly, for the reserve champion, a Charolais bull from David Smith, Keighley, and then for a suckler-bred British Blue bull from Mick Garrity, Colne, which sold to Ben Jones, Derbyshire.
The champion, a Charolais heifer from Mr Smith sold for £1,040 to Tom Pattinson, Northallerton.
The best Limousin from W.C. Porter and Son, Riddings, made £1,040.
The May Fair sale of store cattle saw the champion, a 21-month-old Limousin from Alan Kendall, Reeth, sell for £2,620 to Brian Phillips, Northallerton.
In reserve was a 14-month-old British Blue heifer from Bainbridge Bros, Marrick Abbey, which sold for £2,540 to Cannon Hall Farms, Barnsley, who also paid £2,330 for a home-bred 13-month-old British Blue heifer from the same home.
Lawrence and Stephen Allison, Arkengarthdale, were first prize in the feeding bull section with a Limousin which made £2,320.
Top priced bull at £4,500 from David Amsden, Hawes, was a 13-month-old pedigree Limousin which sold to Robert Tiplady, Walden.
Pedigree Limousin heifers from Messrs Amsden sold to £2,600 to Ian Maughan, Hamsterley, with another by Huntershall Rosco at £2,400 to the Wilkinsons, Leyburn.
Auctioneers: Leyburn Auction Mart.
Store cattle in demand at Barnard Castle
The Centenary show and sale of 115 feeding bulls and 300 store cattle at Barnard Castle topped at £2,900 for a British Blue steer from D. and J. Hunnam and Son, Bishop Auckland.
Top price heifer was the reserve champion, a Limousin at £2,680 from J.E. and E. Dobson and Son, Frosterley, who also had the second prize steer which made £2,620.
Bulls sold to £2,850 for a Limousin from D. and P.H. Brown, Aldbrough St John, with the winning bull, a Limousin from C.A. and J. Kipling, Scargill, making £2,800.
The store cattle were judged by Holly Cornforth, Tadcaster, who gave the championship to a British Blue steer from W. and J. Rain, Alston which later sold for £2,540.
Averages: Steers, £2,037.92; heifers, £1,863.71; bulls, £2,266.38.
Auctioneers: Barnard Castle and Teesdale Farmers Auction Mart Co.
Store cattle in demand at Cirencester
Trade at Cirencester's sale of 346 bovine TB restricted store cattle was one of the best of the year with 10 cattle over £2,500 and 52 selling at more than 400p/kg.
Two British Blue steers sold to a new market record of £3,440 (430p/kg and 405p/kg) for R. and E. Townsend, Clapton.
Stronger steers were all £2,200-£2,500 (380-410p/kg) topping at £2,550 (405p/kg) for an Aberdeen-Angus from K.P. Silverthorne, Clapton, and £2,510 (433p/kg) for S. and G. Jenkins, Hilcott.
Short-term heifers sold between £2,100 and £2,500 (370-410p/kg) topping at £2,690 (384p/kg) for a British Blue from Messrs Candy. Aberdeen-Angus heifers sold to £2,500 (385p/kg) from Messrs Jenkins.
A run of 13- to 15-month-old Limousin heifers sold to £2,100 (412p/kg) and £1,800 (429p/kg) from Stratton Farms, Kingsclere.
The sale of 324 store cattle the following day saw the best animals sell for £2,300-£2,500 (370-410p/kg), topping at £2,980 (257p/kg) for a 55-month-old Aberdeen Angus steer from J.C. Warner, Willesley, who donated £1,000 to charity.
Limousin steers from W.J. Acreman and Sons, Cambridge, sold to £2,740 (391p/kg and 385p/kg) twice. The 12- to 16-month-old steers topped at £2,320 (400p/kg) and £2,050 (418p/kg) for 13-month-old Limousins from A.D. and J. Morland, Shirley.
Short-term heifers topped at £2,360 (358p/kg) for an Aberdeen-Angus from O. Nutland, Contracting, Wootton Bassett.
Auctioneers: Voyce Pullein.
Champion tops Market Drayton dairy sale at £3,850
The Western Holstein Club-supported dairy show and sale at Market Drayton topped at £3,850 for the pre-sale show champion, the winning pedigree cow Astonpool Verdiso Dandelion from M. Weaver, Stone.
The second prize pedigree cow, Clayden Oracle Sara, a third calver from Clayden Farm Partnership, Crewe, sold for £3,120. L. Horton and Sons, Northwich, sold a second calver, Heathleigh Uno Present 3, for £3,500.
The first prize pedigree heifer, Lachstone Charter K Sue, from Lachstone Farms (Jeremy Platt), Northwich, made £3,450. The second prize pedigree heifer was Bidlea Sizzler Jacqueline from Ray Brown and Partners, Holmes Chapel, which made £3,050.
The winning commercial heifer from J.M. and S.E. Jackson, Hinstock, sold for £3,320, and heifer calves topped at £440 for a cross-bred Montbeliarde.
A 24-month-old Simmental bull sold for £4,960 and a 15-month-old Holstein bull made £2,500.
Averages: 18 fresh cows, £2,315; 35 fresh heifers, £2,244.
Auctioneers: Gwilym Richards and Market Drayon Market.
Final chapter for Whinchat herd
The final dispersal sale of the Birkle family's Whinchat herd on-farm in Leicestershire attracted buyers from Scotland to Cornwall.
Top price was 8,800gns paid by Blaise Tomlinson, Leicestershire, for a 12th generation EX third calver by Doorman from the Savoire Fare family.
Its heifer calf by Stantons Right Stuff made 3,800gns to the Pyne family's Postlake herd, Devon and Lancashire breeder, Tom Riley bought its Stantons Adorable sired in-calf heifer for 5,100gns.
Mr Tomlinson bought cows from the Flo and Star families for 7,200 and 6,000gns, adding more than 30 animals to his Sandyford herd, many of them at over 3,000gns.
Another Savoire Fare, a second calf Unix daughter, sold for 7,500gs to join the Tregibby herd of Hefin Wilson, Cardigan, with its daughters making 3,600 and 3,200gns, both to Welsh breeders,
The three members of the Star family were among the top prices with Emma Murray, Shropshire, giving 7,000gns for a VG88 Tropic second calver; Bev Baker taking a VG two-year-old by Adorable for 6,100gns for the BB herd, Monmouthshire, and Peter Waring, Beverley, acquiring a 95 point fifth calver for the Winton herd at 6,000gns.
There were a number of big volume buyers with Obsidian Holsteins, taking 37 cows and served heifers for a new herd being established in Staffordshire; John Colgrove bought 16 milkers to go to Cornwall and Martin Evans Farming bought more than 40 served and maiden heifers for its extensive enterprise on the Welsh border.
The biggest volume buyers were Messrs Roberts who bought 55 heifer calves for their increasing herd near Ruthin, North Wales.
Averages: 202 cows and calved heifers, £ 3,328.2; 89 served heifers, £ 2,674.55; 105 maiden heifers , £ 1,768.50;163 A lot heifer calves, £ 1,289.63; 559 head, £ 2,328.44.
Auctioneers: Norton and Brooksbank.
Breeding sheep at Darlington
The Ladies Day show and sale of ewes and hoggs with lambs at Darlington averaged £103/life, up £13 on 2024).
Top price was for a two-crop Blue Texel ewe with a single tup lamb from Mel Whitfield-Stout, South Terrace, which set a new centre record per life when pair sold for £750.
The Blue Texels with twins from M. Lindley, Willow Dene, sold at £495 and £440, followed at £410 by the reserve champion pen, eight Scotch Halfbred ewes with 15 Suffolk sired lambs from Ainsty Farms.
Hoggs and lambs jumped £40/life on the year to average £167. A Dutch Spotted hogg with a single ewe lamb from L. O. Stephenson, Front Street, led the way at £435.
Next was the champion pen from T.W. Thompson, Lealholm Lawns, five Texels with single lambs which sold for £408/outfit.
Top of the Mule hoggs and lambs were a pen of six with six Texel lambs from M. W. Reed, West Biggins which sold for £402.
Auctioneers: Darlington Farmers Auction Mart.
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