A Buchan sheep breeder celebrated his 40th birthday in style on Saturday by selling two Suffolks for 5,000gn each at an auction of pedigree females held by United Auctions at Stirling.
John Gibb, of Cairnton, East Cowbog, New Pitsligo, was dispersing the adult portion of the Cairnton flock he set up 14 years ago. He is now left with 20 ewe lambs.
His pen-toppers were a mother and daughter, both carrying twins to Glenhead Titanium, a ram he bought at Angus Wilson’s Glenhead dispersal at Carlisle in July.
The 2009 ewe, by Deveronside Speedway and out of a Cairness Warrior dam, has had a successful breeding career as her ram lamb son, Cairnton The Cracker, made 10,000gn to the former Conveth flock last year.
Her gimmer daughter, a full sister to Cracker, was by Cairnton Eyecatcher.
The ewe was bought by Jimmy Douglas, of Woodhead of Cairness, Fraserburgh, while the gimmer is heading to Ireland after being bought by J. Browne, of Park House, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
Mr Douglas also had a successful day, selling embryos for 4,000gn and 3,000gn.
The top-priced Cairness Great Expectations-sired embryo, taken from a Cairness Just the Best ewe by Ardlea Arkle, was bought by Oliver Deane, of Woodford House, Ballitore, Co Kildare.
Martin Butler, of Lisnacrogher Road, Ballymena, bought the other. It was by Crusoe Conqueror from a Cairness Save the Day ewe by Castlewood Champion. The ewe was the dam of Cairness Liam, the sire of the breed’s 90,000gn record-priced lamb.
At 3,800gn from Cairness was a one-crop Whitestone Footprint-sired ewe carrying a single to Baileys Rock Solid. J.M Robinson and Son, of Greenlands Farm, Grimsby, bought her, and also paid 2,000gn for a Cairness Cyclone-sired one-crop ewe carrying twins by Crusoe Conqueror.
The Scotts, of Wester Biffie, Maud, paid 3,200gn for another Cairness Great Expectations-sired embryo taken from a ewe by Castlewood Champion and out of Cairness Renovator.
Another Great Expectations-sired embryo from a Middlemuir Messi ewe out of Muiresk King of Diamonds made 2,000gn to J. Campbell and Son, of Claylands, Kippen.
John Sinnet, of Stockton Court, Stockton-on-Tees, sold to 3,500gn a Stockton Percy-sired ewe out of Rhaeadr Radar carrying twins. Bryden Nicholson, of Garth, Mossbank, Shetland, was the buyer.
Breeders from Belgium were also among the buyers of Suffolks.
Averages
Cairnton – 12 ewes at £1,124.38; 14 gimmers at £1,218.75. Cairness – 47 at £1,153.88. Stockton – six ewe lambs at £1,137.50. Greatness – seven ewe lambs at £600. Whitestone – 12 at £577.50. Middlemuir – seven at £510.