A Beltex shearling topped Aberdeen and Northern Marts‘ annual multi-breed ram sale at Thainstone, near Inverurie, when he sold for 2,000gn.
The fixture attracted entries from breeders across the north and east of Scotland with 572 of the 661 rams on offer sold to new homes to an average of £536.77.
The sale topper – selling to Scott McRobbie, Keera, Cuminestown, Turriff – was Woodies Front Runner from Stuart Wood’s Woodies flock at Broadwater, Skene, Aberdeen.
Standing champion in the pre-sale show, he is by the 10,000gn Ryder DIY and out of a home-bred ewe named Woodies Cauldron, which is by Bonzo.
Mr Wood also made 1,200gn selling another Beltex shearling – this time by the 14,000gn Woodies Emperor and out of an imported ewe – to B Findlay, Easter Balgillo, Tannadice, Forfar.
The next best price of 1,600gn was paid twice.
This included a Suffolk ram lamb from Huntly breeder Jim Innes’ Strathbogie flock, based at Dunscroft.
Brought out by shepherd Michael Leggat, he is by the 26,000gn Forkins McCoy, out of a home-bred ewe, and sold to Graeme Christie of the Balquhain flock at Newton of Balquhain, Pitcaple, Inverurie.
The other ram at 1,600gn was the reserve champion Blue Texel named Westwood Ernie from Stuart and Wendy Hunter’s Hunters flock at West Cairnhill, Culsalmond, Insch. He sold to Emslies Livestock, Kinknockie, Mintlaw.
Jim Innes also topped the Texel section at 1,450gn for a shearling by Brijon Buster, out of an Ellen Valley Avici ewe, when sold to R and J Kinnaird, Findatie Well, Scotlandwell, Kinross.
Next best in the Texels at 1,350gn was a February-born ram lamb named Fordafourie Emerald from Sandy Lee, who runs the Fordafourie flock at Memsie, Fraserburgh.
By the 8,000gn Teiglum Bandana, and out of a dam by Ettrick Braw Lad, he sold to W A Adams & Sons, 11 Raemoir Road, Banchory.
Meanwhile, Suffolks topped at 1,250gn for a shearling from Huntly breeder Jim Innes, who also runs a pedigree Suffolk flock under the Strathbogie prefix.
His sale topper in this breed was an embryo-bred son of Crewelands Kingpin, and out of a dam by Castleisle Knowkcout. He sold to brothers David and William Moir, Newmill, Home Farm, Cairness, Fraserburgh.
Other leading prices included: 1,100gn for a Charollais cross Texel from Jim Innes, Dunscroft, which sold to Cairness Ltd, Home Farm Cairness, Fraserburgh; 920gn for a Charollais ram lamb from sisters Eilidh and Erin Duncan, Barnyards, Clola, selling to Brian Macdonald, Upper Geise, Janetstown, Caithness; and 700gn twice for Bluefaced Leicesters from Matthew Seed, Home of Auchry, Cuminestown, Turriff.
Averages: Suffolk – 19 shearlings £638.94 (+£131.44) and 215 ram lambs £494.03 (-£21.29); Texel – 63 shearlings £719.00 (+£6.17) and 106 ram lambs £510.68 (+£42.03); Bluefaced Leicester – four shearlings £593.25 (-£13.25) and 10 ram lambs £433.50 (+£53.40); Border Leicester – seven tup lambs £433.50 (+£53.40); Charollais – 15 shearlings £593.25 (+£6.45) and 28 ram lambs £531.75 (-£9.63); Beltex – 15 shearlings £627.30 (+£78.53) and 3 ram lambs £735 (+£140); Blue Texel – 18 shearlings £620 (+£94.13) and 18 ram lambs £377.41 ; Other cross-breds – 25 shearlings £708.96.
Kelso Ram Sales 2021: Records smashed as Texel shearling sells for £65,000