North-east farmers’ co-operative ANM Group kicked off its 150th anniversary celebrations with a special show and sale of store cattle at its Thainstone Centre near Inverurie.
The champion prize in the annual show and sale – sponsored by Thomson of Sauchen and judged by Alex Reid from Mill of Haulkerton, Laurencekirk – went to a 21-month-old Limousin cross heifer from Andrew Anderson, Smallburn Farms, Elgin.
Weighing 648kg, she went on to sell for £3,200 to Alan Taylor, Woodlands, Aboyne.
Mr Anderson also lifted the reserve championship title with a similarly aged Limousin cross heifer, which sold for £1,800 to the judge.
The award for the best pen of two went to a pair of Limousin cross heifers from Malcolm Allan who farms at Uppermill Farms, Springburn, Kintore. The judge also snapped these two up for £1,800 each.
The sale also included two lots sold in aid of charity, with the proceeds to be split between the three charities ANM has chosen to raise funds for during its 150th year in business.
The charities are Abbie’s Sparkle Foundation, Charlie House and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).
The first lot sold for charity, and the first to go through the ring, was a 15-month-old British Blue cross heifer from Blair Duffton, Huntly, which made £1,800 when sold to James Gracey, Moss-side, Gight.
The other – donated by the Watson family at Darnford, Durris, Banchory – was a 10-month-old Charolais cross bullock which made £2,000 to Andrew Ingram, buying on behalf of East Comalegy Ltd.
Meanwhile, the show and sale also included the annual sale of bulling heifers from brothers William and David Moir who run Moir Livestock at Home Farm, Cairness, Fraserburgh.
The pair’s consignment of 152 heifers sold to average £1,999.64, or 358p per kg, with a top price of £4,600 paid for a Limousin cross heifer. She was bought by Backmuir Livestock, Keith, on behalf of Jalex in Northern Ireland.
ANM head of livestock, John Angus, hailed a successful sale day and said: “A terrific show of mainly strong conditioned cattle met a brisk demand, particularly good, well-bred yearlings.
“Thanks must go to Blair Duffton and the Watson family for donating their animals, and to Mr Gracey and Mr Ingram for supporting the three chosen charities.”
He said ANM Group plans to hold a series of events and fundraising activities throughout the year to raise more funds for the charities.
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