Simmentals do well at the sales as producers invest

Average prices for Simmentals were up on last year. Picture: Ian Rutherford

Breed chief executive Neil Shand said that with strong commercial interest, producers who were serious about the suckler industry were still willing to invest in good bulls.

Topping the sale at 22,000 gns was the intermediate champion, Kilbride Farm Foreman from Irish breeder, Bill Robson, Ballyclare who also sold his reserve intermediate champ for 15,000 gns.

The top animal went to Clive Houldey, Kirtleton House, Lockerbie with the reserve animal going to judge, Gary Christie and wife Angela of Midtwon of Glass, Huntly.

Bull sellers must forget catwalk

Alex and Ross King, Wolfstar, Ormiston sold to a top of 17,000 gns for the second last bull through the ring which went to David Lowry, Newsteadings Farm, Lanark.The Kings also sold to 14,000 gns earlier in the sale, with a bid from J Shauler, Elm Tree Farm, Bicester.

Stewart Stronach, Berryleys Farm, Keith sold to a top price of 16,000 gns with the 22-month old Islavale Ferrari, which had lifted the senior championship ticket, the animal going to A Jukes, Swallowhill, Bourne Lane, Sandhurst.

• Meanwhile at the weekend’s sale of Limousin bulls at Carlisle, top price of the day was 20,000 gns, made by Irish breeders Joan Gilliland, County Antrim, selling to Messrs Ridley, Hatcliffe, Cumbria. Second top price of 19,000 gns was made by M and J Loughran’s Milgate herd.

At the recent sale of Luing cattle at Castle Douglas, a near-breed record of 17,000 gns was made for Harehead Savivatu from Prof WA Penny per the Andersons of Harehead, Duns.