A top price of 24,000gns (€34,600) was realised at the Red Ladies and Weaned Calf show and sale in Carlisle recently. This was the final showdown of the year for Limousin breeders in Britain and saw 25 heifers selling for an average price of £4,268 (up £1,051 on the same sale last year), with nine heifers making 5,000gns or more.
Described as one of the best females in the Brockhurst herd, the sale topper, Brockhurst Howzat, was exhibited by WJ and M Mash, Chesham. A Wilodge Vantastic daughter, she is out of the 2014 Royal Highland Breed champion cow Brockhurst Bolshoi (by Grahams Samson) and took the supreme championship earlier in the day. A first-calver, Howzat sold in calf to Ardglasson Highlander and was bought by Aileen Ritchie, Aberdeenshire, for her pedigree Ritchies herd.
Reserve champion
Not stopping there, the same lady also secured the reserve champion for 8,000gns (€11,500). Exhibited by Bruce Goldie, Dumfries, the Kaprico Germander daughter Goldies Inchantress was tapped forward by judge Lynwen Emslie as the reserve champion of the show. Born November 2013, she is out of a daughter of the prolific dam Goldies Vitality and was the second purchase for Aileen Ritchie, who intends to expand her current five-cow herd to 25 females.
The second highest price of 10,000gns (€14,400) went to Brenmick Joy, exhibited by Robert Jones, Conwy. Born June 2014, she is a daughter of Elite Forever Brill and is out of a Haltcliffe Olympus dam.
The Plumtree Fantastic heifer Romford Jessica took the next highest price of 9,200gns (€13,200) for Gordon Brooke, Berwickshire, while a Huntershall Gladiator daughter sold for 5,500gns (€7,900) for breeder TH Price, Carmarthen.
Meanwhile, a record weanling bull price of 10,000gns (€14,400) was given for the bull calf Oddacres Lemmy, exhibited by John Mason, North Yorkshire. By the imported French sire Gallois, this March 2015 calf is out of a Homebyres Dixon daughter and was bought by James Cooper, Harrogate.
Closer to home, Millgate Lucy took the top price in the heifer calves at 7,500gns (€10,800) for Northern Ireland breeder Michael Loughran, Cookstown. Born January 2015, Lucy was the champion calf at the NI Limousin championships and was second in her class at Carlisle. By Norman Ely, she is out of a daughter of the 32,000gns Millgate Fame. The joint buyers were John Richardson, Appleby and G Sedgewick, Durham.
The winner of the weaned heifer class was exhibited by James and Alison Callion, Dromore, Co Tyrone. By Dolcorsllwyn Brynmor, she is a February-born heifer out of a Wilodge Vantastic dam and sold for 4,000gns (€5,700).
Overall, 20 weaned heifer calves sold for an average price of stg£2,226 while the average for 20 bull calves was stg£2,850.
Belgian Blue export to Belgium
A consignment of 40 Belgian Blue cattle left Ireland last week for a feedlot in Belgium. This is the second load since October, put together by Pat O’Neill from O’Neill and Flanagan Auctioneers, Aughrim.
Apart from auctioneering, Pat has been sourcing cattle for a feedlot in Tielt, Flanders, for the past two years. The cattle are kept in the feedlot for 100 days and then slaughtered for markets in France and across Europe.
According to Pat, breeders and farmers here are offered a premium (liveweight per kg) above what they would get in the factory for slaughter. E grade stockbulls, cows and heifers (pedigree and commercial) are being sought for the next live export which is scheduled for late January.
New Simmental president
At the recent Irish Simmental Society AGM, Garrett Behan from the Clonagh Herd in Ballyfin, Portlaoise, was elected the new president. He takes over from Tom Maloney, Carroward herd, Bohola, Co Mayo following the completion of Tom’s term on National council.
Read more
Focus supplement: Pedigree breeding
A top price of 24,000gns (€34,600) was realised at the Red Ladies and Weaned Calf show and sale in Carlisle recently. This was the final showdown of the year for Limousin breeders in Britain and saw 25 heifers selling for an average price of £4,268 (up £1,051 on the same sale last year), with nine heifers making 5,000gns or more.
Described as one of the best females in the Brockhurst herd, the sale topper, Brockhurst Howzat, was exhibited by WJ and M Mash, Chesham. A Wilodge Vantastic daughter, she is out of the 2014 Royal Highland Breed champion cow Brockhurst Bolshoi (by Grahams Samson) and took the supreme championship earlier in the day. A first-calver, Howzat sold in calf to Ardglasson Highlander and was bought by Aileen Ritchie, Aberdeenshire, for her pedigree Ritchies herd.
Reserve champion
Not stopping there, the same lady also secured the reserve champion for 8,000gns (€11,500). Exhibited by Bruce Goldie, Dumfries, the Kaprico Germander daughter Goldies Inchantress was tapped forward by judge Lynwen Emslie as the reserve champion of the show. Born November 2013, she is out of a daughter of the prolific dam Goldies Vitality and was the second purchase for Aileen Ritchie, who intends to expand her current five-cow herd to 25 females.
The second highest price of 10,000gns (€14,400) went to Brenmick Joy, exhibited by Robert Jones, Conwy. Born June 2014, she is a daughter of Elite Forever Brill and is out of a Haltcliffe Olympus dam.
The Plumtree Fantastic heifer Romford Jessica took the next highest price of 9,200gns (€13,200) for Gordon Brooke, Berwickshire, while a Huntershall Gladiator daughter sold for 5,500gns (€7,900) for breeder TH Price, Carmarthen.
Meanwhile, a record weanling bull price of 10,000gns (€14,400) was given for the bull calf Oddacres Lemmy, exhibited by John Mason, North Yorkshire. By the imported French sire Gallois, this March 2015 calf is out of a Homebyres Dixon daughter and was bought by James Cooper, Harrogate.
Closer to home, Millgate Lucy took the top price in the heifer calves at 7,500gns (€10,800) for Northern Ireland breeder Michael Loughran, Cookstown. Born January 2015, Lucy was the champion calf at the NI Limousin championships and was second in her class at Carlisle. By Norman Ely, she is out of a daughter of the 32,000gns Millgate Fame. The joint buyers were John Richardson, Appleby and G Sedgewick, Durham.
The winner of the weaned heifer class was exhibited by James and Alison Callion, Dromore, Co Tyrone. By Dolcorsllwyn Brynmor, she is a February-born heifer out of a Wilodge Vantastic dam and sold for 4,000gns (€5,700).
Overall, 20 weaned heifer calves sold for an average price of stg£2,226 while the average for 20 bull calves was stg£2,850.
Belgian Blue export to Belgium
A consignment of 40 Belgian Blue cattle left Ireland last week for a feedlot in Belgium. This is the second load since October, put together by Pat O’Neill from O’Neill and Flanagan Auctioneers, Aughrim.
Apart from auctioneering, Pat has been sourcing cattle for a feedlot in Tielt, Flanders, for the past two years. The cattle are kept in the feedlot for 100 days and then slaughtered for markets in France and across Europe.
According to Pat, breeders and farmers here are offered a premium (liveweight per kg) above what they would get in the factory for slaughter. E grade stockbulls, cows and heifers (pedigree and commercial) are being sought for the next live export which is scheduled for late January.
New Simmental president
At the recent Irish Simmental Society AGM, Garrett Behan from the Clonagh Herd in Ballyfin, Portlaoise, was elected the new president. He takes over from Tom Maloney, Carroward herd, Bohola, Co Mayo following the completion of Tom’s term on National council.
Read more
Focus supplement: Pedigree breeding
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