A young farmer from the West Mainland secured the overall honours and achieved the top price of £2,180 at the annual Young Farmers’ overwintering competition in Kirkwall.
The event, judged by Gareth Wood, Garson Farms, Sandwick, attracted a strong show of calves, with a third of the exhibitors showing for the first time.
Claiming the championship ticket was Tom Flett, Leary, Birsay, with a 700kg November 2022-born Limousin cross steer bred by RJ Taylor, Brencherhouse, Birsay.
Purchased in October last year, Tom also won best overwintered steer, producing a weight gain of 235kg over 188 days, with a daily liveweight gain of 1.25kg.
Champion animal sells for £2,180
Achieving a gross margin of £770, he sold to Andy Ingram, East Comalegy, Huntly.
Sam Spence from Norton Cottage, Dounby, took reserve champion and won the best overwintered heifer title with his November 2022-born Limousin cross heifer.
Bred by Balfour Baillie, Sebay View, Tankerness, she scaled 555kg and produced a gross margin of £530 when sold to Donaldsons Butchers, Kirkwall, for £2,050.
Also selling for £2,050, was Rowan Donaldson’s unhaltered champion, a December 2021-born Limousin cross heifer from Redland, Stromness.
Aberdeenshire buyers buy top prices
Scaling 700kg, this one was bred by Liam Muir, Upper Onston, and sold to Williamsons Butchers, Kirkwall.
Jack Walls from Biggings, Holm, sold his May 2022-born Limousin cross steer bred by G and S Sinclair, Moan, Harray, for £2,020 to Alex Reid, Mill Of Haulkerton Farm, Laurencekirk.
He weighed in at 685kg and produced the second top gross margin of £680 for Jack.
Charys Harvey, Braehead, Stromness, won reserve overwintered steer with a yearling Limousin cross which sold for £1,900 to Donaldsons Butchers.
Orcadian butchers feature in buyers list
The reserve overwintered heifer from Tommy Linklater, Biggings, Rendall, sold for £1,680 to E Flett Butchers, Stromness.
The best young handler was Lana Baillie from Turnpike, Toab.
Other top prices included £1,940 for a British Blue cross heifer from Kenzey Ritch to Auchtydore Farms, Mintlaw; £1,880 from Kelsey Harvey, to Williamsons Butchers; and £1,700 from Lana Baillie, to Harry Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud.
