Demand strong for north bulls at Stirling sales
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A STEADY but unspectacular trade was the order of the day at the first round of the spring
bull sales at Stirling.
Trade reflected the general air of uncertainty surrounding the agricultural industry and in
the beef sector, the continuing decline in cow numbers in Scotland which self-evidently
means, of course, that fewer bulls are required.
However the top bulls in all three breeds which came under the hammer of auctioneers,
United Auctions, were in strong demand with the average price of both Aberdeen-Angus
and Limousin bulls showing significant increases on last year and Beef Shorthorns slipping
slightly.
Aberdeen-Angus sold to a top of 24,000gns to average £6727 for 86 bulls, an increase of
£194 on the year with nine more bulls sold and a clearance of 77 per cent, while Limousins sold to 15,000gns to average £6689 for 52 bulls, an increase of £940 with a 93 per cent clearance, which is a clear indication that more could have been sold.
Trade for Aberdeen-Angus may have been adversely affected by strong ringside criticism
during the show of the walking ability of some of the bulls on offer which is an important
consideration for buyers looking for bulls to last and capable of chasing their cows and doing
their job in the wide outdoors.
Like the Aberdeen-Angus, there was a huge ringside of spectators for the sale of Beef
Shorthorns, reflecting renewed interest in the breed, although prices for the 59 bulls sold
fell by £49 compared with last year to average £5967 with a clearance of only 66 per cent.
Beef Shorthorn judge, Iain Green, Corskie, Garmouth, best known in the Simmental world,
backed up his judgement by paying the top breed price of 16,000gns for his champion,
Millerston Ramsay, by Bushypark Tiger, originally bought by seller, Andrew Thornber from
Halifax as a calf with his mother for 15,000gns at the Millerston herd dispersal in
September, 2021.
Enjoying her best day yet at the Stirling sales, Alison Watt, Birkenburn, Keith, sold her
reserve champion, Strathisla Rowan, by the 5000gns 2019 reserve champion, Meonhill Lion
King, at 6800gns to Stephen Allardyce, Tarland.
It was a red letter day for Neil and Mark Wattie from Mains of Tonley, Alford, who sold
seven sons of their stock bull, Tonley Jester Eric S318, from their 110-cow herd to average a
phenomenal £11,850, including the top price of 24,000gns for their champion, Tonley
Endgame X809, to Andrew Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, Forfar, and the second top price of
16,000gns for their reserve champion, Tonley King Paco X812, to Dunlop, Kinghead,
Carnwath.
The Adam family’s Newhouse herd of Aberdeen-Angus was the most famous in the breed in
the 1950s and 1960s, but since the 1970s the focus in the family has been on their successful Charolais and Limousin herds. Andrew looks set to restore the herd’s reputation
in the Aberdeen-Angus world and this week took a first prize ticket with one of his bulls
which sold for 8000gns.
Other notable prices achieved for Aberdeen-Angus by North-east herds included 14,000gns
for a Blelack-bred bull from Gabby Massie, Blelack, Dinnet, 10,000gns for the intermediate
champion from retired accountant, Andrew Shepherd, Orbliston, Fochabers, who also sold
at 7500gns, 11,000gns for a first prize Tonley-bred bull from Ken and Margaret Howie,
Cairnton, Lumphanan, who also sold at 7000gns, and 9000gns for a second-prize bull from
Hamish and Margaret Sclater, Denhead Farms, Dunlugas, Turriff.
Mr Shepherd also forked out 14,000gns for the intermediate champion from the Clark
family’s Duncanziemere in Ayrshire.
There was also a double success in the Limousin ring for Mike and Lisa Massie, Mains of
Elrick, Auchnagatt, who carried off the championship for the second year running, this time
with Elrick Shogun, by Whinfellpark Nobu, which sold for the top price of 15,000gns to
Fotheringham, Dunkeld, and the reserve championship with Elrick Saxon, by Mereside
Lorenzo, which sold for 8000gns to Peter and Pat Alexander, Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie.
Second top price for Limousin was for the intermediate champion, Anside Samson, by
Anside Oden, from the Irvine family at Mains of Drummuir, Keith, which sold for 14,000gns
to Mark Meldrum, Shenval, Ballindalloch.
Also happy with their trade on the day was Richard and Kathleen Davidson from Corsairtly,
Keith, whose reserve junior champion, Corsairtly Supra, sold for 8000gns to Messrs Kerr,
Bankhead, Fife, while the third prize winner in the same class, Corsairtly Sam, realised
7200gns to the Scottish Government’s bull stud at Inverness. Both bulls were sons of
Deerpark Pluto.
The second round of bull sales will take place on Sunday, February 19, and Monday,
February 20, when the focus will be on the Simmental, Salers and Charolais breeds.
