A record average for the Simmental breed and 10 lots at five-figure prices ensured a positive end to the autumn round of Stirling bull sales, with 47 bulls levelling out at £7,558, although a 65% clearance proved that buyers remained selective.
It was certainly a prosperous day for Stewart Stronach, Fiona Sutherland and the rest of the Islavale team, from Berryleys, Grange, Keith.
Five of their consignment achieved five-figure price tags, reaching 28,000gn for Islavale Magnum, a 19-month-old AI son of the 11,000gn Team Celtic.
Out of Islavale Harper, an Atlow Dixon daughter, he was knocked down to Delfur Farms, Rothes.
Hitting 18,000gn was the junior champion, Islavale Mint, by the private purchase, Corskie Highlander, which sold to Crudie Farming, Arbroath. Another Highlander son, the reserve intermediate champion, Islavale Matrix, went at 13,000gn to Stewart Farms, Balglass, Lennoxtown.
One lot before that, Islavale Mojo, by Curaheen Giant, made 10,000gn to Pitgaveny Farms, Elgin, while the Dermotstown Delboy son Islavale Maximus, also hit the 10,000gn mark, selling to Craigton Farm, Rhynie, Tain.
The senior and overall champion, Denizes Monty, from the Barlow family’s herd at Four Oaks, Leyland, sold at the day’s second top price of 20,000gn.
Junior breed champion at the Royal Highland Show, this son of the home-bred Denizes Hamish, sold across the water to HJW and JC Moore, Beragh, Co Tyrone.
Garry Patterson got off to a great start as farm manager for Delfur Farms, Rothes – a job which he took on earlier this year – when Delfur Maverick sold for 16,000gn.
A son of Woodhall Instinct, out of Delfur Denise, one of the 130 cows in the herd, he went in a two-way split to A Lambie and Sons, Fallhills, Penicuick, and Dorothy Moffat, Innerwick, Dunbar.
The Green family’s Corskie consignment, from Garmouth, sold to 11,000gn, for a Kilbride Farm Haka son, Corskie Mikah, which had stood junior male champion and reserve interbreed Beef Breeder at the Highland Show in June. He went to David Ross and Fiona Shand, Broomhill, Methlick, buying alongside J Milne and Son, Oldwhat Mains, New Deer.
Another by the same sire, Corskie Monarch, then sold at 10,000gn, to J Barclay and Son, Ardiecow, Fordyce.
Bids hit 21,000gns during competitive Charolais dispersal
A huge crowd turned out for the dispersal of Iain and Rhona Millar’s Lochend Charolais herd, which took place due to the lease of their farm coming to an end after 31 years.
Competitive bidding saw trade peak at 21,000gns for the cow and calf duo, Lochend Lightening, a seven-year-old cow and her bull calf, Lochend Thunder.
They were knocked down to Danny Sawrij’s Swalesmoor herd, Lauderdale.
Other cow and calf units from Lochend sold at 11,000gns and two at 10,000gns, resulting in an average of £6,720 for 17 cows with calves at foot, while the five cows topped at 8000gns and averaged £4,620.
Six heifers sold to 8000gns and levelled out at £4,603, and three heifer calves averaged £2,835.
Mr President reaches top price of 4,500gns
Two Salers bulls sold at Stirling to a top price of 4,500gns.
Taking the top price was D & R Durno & Sons from Glenlivet, with Glenlivet President, a Gulliver-sired son out of Drumlegagh Kaylie.
He sold to the Scottish Government Bull Stud, Inverness.
The bulls averaged £3,832.50.
