The busy month of pedigree bull sales across Scotland is upon us,
with breeders making their final preparations for the show and sale rings.
Aberdeen-Angus breeder Alex Davie from Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire is one of many
consignors heading to round one of Stirling Bull Sales next week.
Although working as a civil engineer, Alex farms the 220-acre Sunnybrae unit at Perkhill with his wife Philippa, which is home to their prizewinning Perkhill herd
established in 2006.
His family connection with the breed goes back for generations, with his great, great grandfather having entered a cow named Molly of Bogentassie into one of the Aberdeen- Angus Cattle Society’s oldest herd books.
Family connection with native breed
The Perkhill herd was founded with the purchase of two cows and four heifers from the
neighbouring Whinbush herd of the late Frank Bursill.
The rest of the herd was bought the following year after Frank’s passing.
This included 21 cows and nine heifers as well as the stock bull Rosemount Black Knight 0464, by Blelack Prince Consort, which Frank had bought
for 10,000gns.
Black Knight went on to produce Perkhill Emperor H011, which stood bull calf
champion at the Black Beauty Bonanza in 2008, won the reserve intermediate championship on the first trip to Stirling Bull Sales and sold for
6,500gns.
Another by the same sire and from the same female line sold on the same day
for 6,900gns to the Wedderlie herd.
Since the initial purchases, Alex has bought in females from Mosston
Muir, Wedderlie and Netherallan, but is now maintaining a closed herd.
Of the 26 breeding females in the herd, most calve in mid-February, with
heifers calved mainly at two and a half years old in May.
Foundation females from Mosston Muir, Wedderlie and Netherallan
Alex says: “Despite having a connection to the breed, the Aberdeen-Angus
was chosen for it’s versatility, hardiness, efficiency, maternal ability and to produce a premium product.
“These traits have led to a strong and increasing demand for Aberdeen-Angus cattle,
with more commercial producers turning back to the native breed.”
With the majority of pedigree bulls at Perkhill sold privately off farm, Alex
made reference to the success which neighbour Andy Smith at Bogentassie has had after buying a son of Lakewood Prince Maverick H068.
“Our neighbour Andy bought an Aberdeen-Angus from us to use on heifers –
the first time in decades he has used the breed,” said Alex.
Neighbour buys stock bull for heifers
“In his own words, Andy says he never had to pull a calf and the calves got up
on their feet quickly to suck and progeny went on to flesh well.
“He also commented on the good prices his stores made through Thainstone
due to the Aberdeen-Angus premium.”
Alex pays attention to temperament and maternal performance when buying stock bulls or he retains bulls from his best females.
He has also been using AI sires on the heifers to include Kilmaluag Eriskay,
O’Neils Black Bardolier and Warrenhill Dalmagarvey.
Other successful stock bulls used in the herd include 8,500gns Blelack Woodpecker G701, a son of Blelack Blackstock A227, and Lakewood Prince
Maverick H068, by Rawburn Lord Ross C216.
Woodpecker won a number of championships in 2011 and contributed to the herd winning the North East Aberdeen-Angus Club’s annual Herd of the Year
award.
The Lakewood stock bull also did well on the show circuit and a son of his was retained along with a home-bred son of Netherallan Peter Pershore E052.
AI sires used on heifers
This was Perkhill Peter N181, which features in the pedigree of the two bulls
Alex has entered for Stirling next week.
Heading to Stirling is April 2022-born Perkhill Black Magic Y373, by
Perkhill Charlie BrownU302, which goes back to Netherallan Cherry Blossom C035 – an influential breeder in the herd.
The other is March 2022-born Perkhill Black Knight Y367, by the same sire and
out of the Perkhill Black Midday family which has bred well and is on thematernal side of both bulls.
A third bull is also destined for the Royal Northern Spring Show at Thainstone next month.
This is Perkhill Charlie Brown Y365, bred from the influential Perkhill Cherry Blossom N188, and out of Alex’s favourite female on the paternal side, Perkhill Eyrie K084.
Bulls destined for Stirling Bull Sales and RNAS Spring Show
He has been used successfully used on a small number of heifers.
Looking ahead to the future of the Aberdeen- Angus, Alex says it is
“undoubtedly bright’’.
“I have more inquiries for stock bulls from commercial breeders in Aberdeenshire than ever before,” said Alex.
“Due to the shortage of labour in this industry, particularly on livestock farms, farmers are looking for easy calving, easy managed cattle and more live calves on the ground.”
