BLCS Summer 2019 Magazine

Limousin SUMMER 2019

www.limousin.co.uk

the official magazine of the British Limousin Cattle Society

50,000GNS CLOUGHHEAD BULL LEADS LIMOUSIN SALES BUZZ Pabo top of autumn trade, Grahams heifer leads the Red Ladies

LIMOUSIN SIRED CATTLE DOMINATE PRIMESTOCKS & CALF SALES AULTSIDE SETS 16,000GNS WEANED CALF RECORD

INTERNATIONAL DATA STRENGTHENS LIMOUSIN EBVS

HIGHTOWN COMMERCIAL CALVES AT £9200

FEATURES ON THE LETHENDRY, POWERHOUSE, AND CAMERONS HERDS

Limousin SUMMER 2019

www.limousin.co.uk

the official magazine of the British Limousin Cattle Society

50,000GNS CLOUGHHEAD BULL LEADS LIMOUSIN SALES BUZZ Pabo top of autumn trade, Grahams heifer leads the Red Ladies

LIMOUSIN SIRED CATTLE DOMINATE PRIMESTOCKS & CALF SALES AULTSIDE SETS 16,000GNS WEANED CALF RECORD

INTERNATIONAL DATA STRENGTHENS LIMOUSIN EBVS

HIGHTOWN COMMERCIAL CALVES AT £9200

FEATURES ON THE LETHENDRY, POWERHOUSE, AND CAMERONS HERDS

Cover shot: Cracking picture from the Jalex herd of James Alexander, Northern Ireland.

Editor: Iain Kerr British Limousin Cattle Society Ltd, Concorde House, 24 Warwick New Road, Royal Leamington Spa, Warks CV32 5JG Tel: 02476 696500 Fax: 02476 696716 Email: info@limousin.co.uk www.limousin.co.uk

Limousin Easy calving

Length muscling

It’s the business

& WIDTH

Designed by GHOST Leamington Spa

www.limousin.co.uk

Contents

SUMMER 2019

From Page 06

62-75; 40-47 Primestocks &

News round-up

calf sales

The Summer 2019 issue is packed with news and variety throughout in what has been another period of performance and achievement by the Limousin breed, breeders and commercial producers. As well as the main sections we report on the Fieldson herd exporting to Germany; eight exciting new arrivals on Semenstore; Cahir McAuley being named NI's vet of the year; some upcoming open days not to be missed at Shearwell Farm, Somerset and also, Tweeddale Limousins in Northumberland; look out also for AHDB asking everyone to 'shout about the sire'!

Another bumper section sees a full round up from all of the autumn's primestocks where Limousin sired cattle again dominated the catalogues and the championships. Some amazing 2019 commercial calf sales are also reported and which have seen a Hightown calf sell for ÂŁ9200.

10-13; 20-23; 28-31; 57-61 Farm features focus on Malcolm and Chris

Cameron at Strone Farm, near Fort William which is a Lochaber Monitor Farm; we then move on to Grantown on Spey where we feature the 'easy calving' Lethendry herd of Dod and Doreen McConachie; then there is the Powerhouse commercial and pedigree enterprise of the Phillips family in Herefordshire; last but not least we report from the British Cattle Breeders Conference where James Cooper presented a paper on producing bulls for the commercial producer from his Tomschoice pedigree herd.

4 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

www.limousin.co.uk

SALES Carlisle October 18

p77

Stirling October 18

p82

Brecon November 18

p86

Dungannon November 18

p87

Red Ladies December 18

p88

Carlisle February 19

p92

Stirling February 19

p98

Dungannon February 19

p102

Brecon February 19

p104

Melton Mowbray April 19 p105

77-106 Bumper Sales Section

This issue sees a jam packed 30 pages of all the pedigree Limousin sales across the autumn and into the spring. Leading the way was the 50,000gns Cloughhead Neville. The sales saw a strong demand for bulls and females with some terrific averages and clearance rates.

48-56

Young Limousin Breeders to the Fore!

The Limousin Young Breeders have had a busy period of activity. Here we report on: Jack O'Brien winning the Young Handlers title, and the all round winning form of Northern Ireland's Andrew Hamill. Amy Lindsay also reports on her 'once in a lifetime' BLCS funded trip to Canada.

www.limousin.co.uk

16-17; 32-39 Technical Corner The Technical Corner continues to look at trends and developments in the Limousin breed. News and articles include how international data is strenghtening Limousin EBVS; how Limousin genetics are providing opportunity in the commercial market place; the latest Limousin genetic trends and trait leaders; and a look at sales and Limousin performance genetics in 2018/19.

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 5

NEWS

INTERNATIONAL DATA STRENGTHENS LIMOUSIN EBVs

A

ll producers of pedigree and commercial Limousin-bred cattle are set to benefit from a major development by the British Limousin Cattle Society, in association with SRUC Egenes, that sees the incorporation of international data within its latest genetic evaluation for the first time in the UK. The new information comes from a huge data set of over 2.3 million animals with performance records and 2.6 million animals with full pedigrees. Eleven countries contribute to it – Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland as well as the United Kingdom - sharing their records for 200-day (weaning) weight, since this is commonly measured across each country.

Additionally, calving ease and birth weight records are shared by the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Ireland and the UK. The work is the culmination of several years input by an across-country group of geneticists called Interbeef.

Supported in its early stages with funding from the British Limousin Cattle Society, Interbeef produces ‘acrosscountry’ EBVs (Estimated Breeding Values) for Limousin which are now integrated with the Society’s own UK EBVs. The work is a significant and exciting development for Limousin EBVs in the UK, boosting their accuracy and robustness to new levels, bringing benefit to pedigree breeders, commercial producers and all involved in the supply chain.

The benefits manifest themselves in the value the data brings to the Limousin EBVs that are produced: The addition of the international data has increased the number of animals with performance records in the UK evaluation

by around 14%. An increase in volume of records widens the pool of recorded animals from which selection decisions can be made, accelerating the rate of genetic progress that breeders and commercial producers can make.

With the increase in volume of records comes improvement in the accuracy of the resulting EBVs. The EBVs directly influenced by the new data are: Birthweight, 200 Day Growth, 200 Day Milk Weight, Calving Ease and Maternal Calving Ease. For animals directly impacted by the new data, the average increase in their accuracy is 18% across them all, but with some individuals increasing by as much as 88% for specific traits.

This will result in even more robust EBVs to the benefit of all producers, pedigree and commercial.

The international evaluation provides direct comparisons between animals in more than

6 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

one country which is valuable for breeders contemplating exportation and/or importation of animals. Greater knowledge on performance will result in better breeding decisions and faster rates of genetic gain.

Says Iain Kerr, Chief Executive of the British Limousin Cattle Society “The incorporation of this level of international data into an evaluation is a welcome first for UK beef breeds and represents a significant opportunity to make increased margins from Limousin genetics. It comes close on the heels of incorporating new abattoir data last year that brought over 273,000 new commercial records to the Limousin evaluation – representing more than 10,000 Limousin sires - as well as the introduction of the nowfamiliar genomic breeding values (GEBVs) in 2016 and 2017. All these areas of work have concentrated on

trapping large volumes of independent industry data to produce breeding values that are reliable, market-focused and will support all buyers of Limousin genetics well”.

The expertise behind the development has lain within the genetics team at Egenes. Speaking of the work, Professor Mike Coffey, leader of the Animal Breeding Team at Egenes and SRUC says “Interbeef is the beef equivalent of Interbull which is widely regarded as the innovation that has led to the international movement of dairy bull semen. Having an Interbeef evaluation will allow UK beef producers to have access to international bull semen on a scale relevant to the UK. This means foreign bulls that are known to be better can be imported to increase the genetic merit and profitability of UK beef production whilst UK bulls that rank well internationally can be exported creating market opportunities.”

Concludes Iain Kerr, “The Limousin Society and its members are working to an ongoing agenda of technical improvement to ensure that the breed continues to offer ‘market-ready’ genetics and a means of identifying them now and in the future. This is an important move in protecting the businesses of all Limousin producers, since markets can change very quickly”.

www.limousin.co.uk

NEWS

LIMOUSIN BREEDER NAMED VET OF THE YEAR IN NORTHERN IRELAND

C

ahir McAuley BVMS MRCVS was named Vet of the Year at the 2018 Farming Life Awards.

He received the inaugural Vet of the Year Award at the prestigious 8th annual gala dinner in Belfast. At the time of the award Cahir was the Northern Ireland Limousin Club Chairman The Antrim vet was nominated for the award by local dairy farmers Alan and Julie Wallace from Ashdale Farm.

Cahir graduated from the University of Glasgow’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 2009 and became an Associate at the Firmount Veterinary Clinic in Antrim. Four years later he invested in the partnership, and works alongside his father Brian, as a director of the highly successful mixed animal practice.

Cahir has played an influential role in the growth, development and diversification of the business which opened the Ballyharvey Nursing and Boarding Kennels in 2014. Further expansion plans are in place, with major renovation work on the practice offices and animal hospital due to start before

Cahir McAuley, centre, pictured with parents Brian and Margaret Anne McAuley.

the end of this year.

Ninety percent of Cahir’s work is focused on farm animals, and he works closely with his clients to ensure a pro-active approach to the health and wellbeing of animals. As well as responding to emergency calls, Cahir makes regular routine health and fertility visits to numerous livestock farms on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

He has a practical approach to animal health and welfare, and disease eradication. Cahir has encouraged pedigree and commercial farmers to devise herd vaccination plans, and

join a CHeCS (Cattle Health Certification Standards) herd health scheme.

He works closely with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute at Hillsborough, and the Scottish Agricultural College, annually testing cattle to control major endemic diseases including BVD, Johnes, IBR and Leptospirosis.

Within the Firmount practice Cahir McAuley is responsible for the management of the health scheme/farmer partnership, co-ordinating results and organising necessary retests.

He has helped numerous

clients to draw up herd health plans required by DAERA’s Farm Business Development Groups, and has conducted informative on-farm workshops on a series of topics such as Calf Rearing.

Cahir also devotes his time to mentoring UK and international veterinary students. During 2018 Firmount Veterinary Clinic has provided practical on-farm experience for 20 students.

Away from the veterinary profession Cahir McAuley runs the 10 cow Larkill herd of pedigree Limousins. Successes include the sale of Larkhill Firmount for 22,000gns at Carlsile.

A former chairman of the Limousin Society’s Young Breeders’ Club for three years, Cahir was elected chairman of the Northern Ireland Limousin Club in March 2018.

Cahir McAuley is also a ‘local’ TV personality, having appeared in UTV’s popular Rare Breed programme earlier this year.

At the event, NI Limousin Young Breeders’ Club member Andrew Hamill was highly commended in the category for Young Farmer/Student of the Year.

FIELDSON HERD EXPORTS TO GERMANY

A

nother export of British Limousin cattle was secured when Messrs JW & MC Fieldson, Poplar Farm, Corringham, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire sold two heifers and a young bull from their Fieldson herd to Germany to join the herds of Jan Bielfelt and Frank Rahn who are based in the Tielen region north of Hamburg. The three animals Fieldson Olympia (a Goldies Jazz daughter), Fieldson Nelly (a Trueman Jagger daughter) and Fieldson Nenuphar (a Trueman Iglesias son) have settled well in Germany with the breeders ‘very happy’ with their purchases. The contact came via email initially and was followed up by a visit to the UK and to the Fieldson herd. Commenting Michael Fieldson said: “Jan and Frank spent a lot of time going though the herd and looking at pedigrees. They liked these animals and the extra bit of shape that they would introduce to their herds. Germany has a TB free status so the Fieldson herd being in a TB4 was also attractive to them. I’ll certainly be keeping in touch and am sure that the cattle will go on to do well for them.”

www.limousin.co.uk

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 7

NEWS

AHDB ASKS FARMERS TO ‘SHOUT ABOUT THE SIRE’!

W

ith only 23 per cent of sires currently registered on passports, AHDB Beef & Lamb is urging farmers to start recording to improve profitability and boost competitiveness.

Launching at this year’s British Cattle Breeders Conference, AHDB’s ‘Shout about the sire’ campaign follows the development of the new AHDB National Beef Evaluations, which deliver Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) linked to traits that commercial farmers get paid for, such as carcase quality and speed of finishing.

Funded by AHDB Beef & Lamb and Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales, the new EBVS are not only a big step forward for sucklerbred animals, but are also relevant to beef on dairy sires, with some bulls having the potential to produce a calf which will be much more profitable when put into the beef supply chain.

Amy Fawcett, AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager said: ”EBVs give farmers a good idea of the genetic potential that a bull will pass on to his calves, and should always be taken into consideration when purchasing stock bulls or choosing AI sires.

Although terminal traits such as growth rate and muscle depth are a step in the right direction to producing profitable carcases, they are an indirect and therefore imperfect measure of carcase performance.”

The latest EBVs available to producers have been calculated using data from BCMS, abattoirs and breed societies, with 40 per cent of the national kill and more than two million carcase records for both pure bred and crossbred animals used.

“It was disappointing to find out that are an additional two million abattoir records that cannot be used to generate EBVs, as the sire details of the finished animal were not recorded when farmers registered their calves. For a farmer, this means they are missing out on having access to EBVs for traits that they could potentially make money from,” explained Amy. The new campaign aims to drive the industry forward and help to generate the data that can help farmers make the best decisions about their herd-breeding strategy.

“We’re going to be working closely with industry bodies including breed societies, semen companies and vets to encourage beef and dairy farmers to get recording and shout about their sires. The more data collected, the more accurate the EBVs will be,” said Amy. To make it easier for farmers, AHDB Beef & Lamb has produced a Suckler Breeding Plan to help farmers record sires used on groups of animals if access to computer software is not

8 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Take our industry higher Shout about the sire These EBVs can only be generated if you record the ear tag number of the sire when registering a calf with BCMS

Did you know?

There are now carcase trait EBVs that will help you choose a bull based on the things you get paid for

The more sires that are registered, the more accurate the EBVs will be

But it’s not all about EBVs By naming the sire at calf registration, you will be

Generating data to make decisions about your herd breeding strategy • Elevating the industry to be more competitive in changing times • Making your livestock more attractive to potential buyers • Creating consumer trust through traceability •

SIRES OF DAIRY BRED CALVES

MATTER TOO!

of all prime beef in England is a product of the dairy herd

23% CURRENTLY, ONLY

OF SIRES ARE REGISTERED ON BCMS

Don’t know who the sire is? AHDB Beef & Lamb have tools to help you record breeding information more accurately, making it easier to record the sire when registering calves.

beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/returns

available. This can be found at http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org. uk/returns/ The new carcase trait EBVs for bulls that have them can be found at http://egenes.co.uk/carcassdata/ and you can search by pedigree name or ear tag number.

Further information on AHDB can be found at www.ahdb.org.uk

www.limousin.co.uk

NEWS

FORTHCOMING SHOWS, SALES & EVENTS UP TO DECEMBER 2019

Shearwell Tags, Readers, Apps, Calving Equipment and More AD CODE LIMSU

All Sales are Official BLCS Sales unless marked with an asterisk. NB dates correct at the time of going to press.

Friday 14th June Carlisle Bull Sale Thursday 20th to Sunday 23rd June Royal Highland Show Friday 21st June Exeter, South West Limousin Summer Sale* Tuesday 9th to Thursday 11th July Great Yorkshire Show Monday 22nd to Thursday 25th July Royal Welsh Show Monday 26th August Hilltown, Northern Ireland Limousin Club Sale* Saturday 12th October Melton Mowbray Sale

Friday 18th & Saturday 19th October Carlisle Bull Sale Sunday 20th & Tuesday 22nd October Stirling Bull Sale Saturday 2nd November (Provisional) Brecon Sale Friday 15th November Dungannon Mart, Show & Sale of Bulls & Females Saturday 23rd November Welshpool, North West Midlands & North Wales Breeders Club Sale Friday 13th December Carlisle, Red Ladies Derby & Weaned Calf Show & Sale

SHARE FARMING OPPORTUNITY Potential share farming opportunity with Pedigree Limousins in North Lincolnshire. Good buildings and cattle handling facilities.

Scope to increase numbers, integrate with arable rotation and increase pedigree sales. Candidates preferably young and enthusiastic, Limousin experience beneficial but not essential.

Ideal chance for younger sons/daughters or those hoping to get on the farming ladder.

Please email james@thorganbyhall.co.uk for further information.

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The world of Limousin at your fingertips. Sale and show reports, news pages, catalogues, technical, galleries, blogs, classifieds, on-line shop, links, archives, young breeders, it’s got the lot.

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www.limousin.co.uk

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BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 9

FEATURE

EFFICIENT, ADAPTABLE

LIMOUSINS HELP INCREASE MARGINS AT STRONE FARM

Farm feature on Malcolm and Chris Cameron’s Strone Farm, near Fort William, which in 2016 was selected as the Lochaber Monitor Farm

F

arming in one of the wettest parts of the UK brings with it a few challenges but a herd of pedigree Limousin cattle have adapted to the climate and are helping to improve margins at the Cameron family’s Strone Farm near Fort William.

Strone is part of Lochiel and Achnacarry Estate. It runs to 1,200 hectares and rises to 2,800 feet above sea level, while a few fields border the picturesque Caledonian Canal.

In 2016 it was selected as

10 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

the Lochaber Monitor Farm, one of nine monitor farms that have been established around Scotland in a joint initiative by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds.

The aim of the programme, which is funded by Scottish Government, is to help improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of Scottish farm businesses.

Malcolm Cameron has worked for the estate since 1969 and got the chance of the tenancy in 1990 with wife, Eileen. Son Chris came home

in 1996 following three years at agricultural college and in 2002 set up his own farming business. He now works fulltime on the farm and has largely taken over the day to day running of the business.

Chris and Malcolm were keen to take part in the Monitor Farm process having been active in previous groups in Argyll and Chris believes it has made him question everything he does and given him a better understanding of where improvements can be made.

www.limousin.co.uk

FEATURE

He said: “We were on a development journey with the farm anyway, but this has opened my eyes to new techniques and I feel my personal development has been one of the biggest benefits of the process so far.”

The farm, which gets a massive 3-3.5 metres of rain a year, is stocked with 50 pure Limousin cows and 520 North Country Cheviot ewes.

www.limousin.co.uk

Malcolm bought his first cow in 1993 from the Anside herd and a second a few years later from the Greenwell herd and the whole herd can be traced back to these two foundation females.

Malcolm said: “We find the pure Limousin cow is very adaptable, she calves easily and even if not on the best of grass will maintain her condition and get back in calf.

She may not have as much milk as a cow grazing on better pasture, but the calves have the genetics to grow on when they are weaned.”

The Camerons have deliberately avoided any extremes in the breed and carefully select bulls on their maternal traits such as ease of calving and milk; although Chris is quick to point out that they must be pleasing to the

eye too. He has 12 of his own Camerons prefixed females mixed in with the Stronefield herd.

A plus point for the Limousin, according to Malcolm and Chris, is that the cast cows are worth good money at the end of their useful lives. They also sell a few bulls naturally from home, with the best going for £3,500.

They family may sell a few breeding heifers in the future, but as Malcolm and Chris have been keen to expand the herd at Strone, all the heifers are currently retained.

The rest of the calves are sold store at Dingwall at around ten months of age when they average 350kg liveweight.

Chris said: “The price was seriously back in October at 228p/kg, compared to January when they were 280p/kg.” He puts this down to the price of straw which has jumped from £26 to £40 per big bale and said: “We get hit twice when a commodity like straw goes up in price. We have to spend more to manage our herd and buyers are reluctant to spend as much on their calves.

I calculated it costs me 70 pence in straw for every kg in calf weight.”

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 11

FEATURE However, despite these challenges, he firmly believes the Limousin is the right breed for their farm. He said: “Our philosophy is that if we are going to the expense of housing cattle, then we have to make sure we can meet the market specification.

Our calves have the genetics to grow and are efficient at converting feed.”

Going back, it was Greenwell bulls which did well at Strone, then a Nenuphar son and a Sympa son. More recently Haltcliffe Harvard by Haltcliffe Vermont was influential on the herd but it was a French bull, Ecran, bought as a sixyear-old in 2016, which has produced some great females just getting bulled now. This bull was the stock bull for the Millington Grange herd, where a heifer by Ecran was sold for 30,000gns.

In October 2018 the Camerons purchased a new bull in the shape of Ronick Nemo, a son of the famous Broadmeadows Cannon, for 7,500gns.

Despite advice from the Monitor Farm Group, the

Camerons continue to calve all year round, which they believe best suits their system and they are still able to keep individual cows’ calving index under 370 days.

An advantage the of operating a year-round calving system is that the Camerons need fewer bulls, so can afford to spend more when they do invest in a bull. Apart from that, they have to be careful with their grass utilisation and do not have the grass available to turn out a batch of 50 cows and calves in the spring.

Less than 50 hectares of the farm is suitable for cutting silage, so the family have to manage it carefully. The dry

12 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

cows can make use of a further 50 hectares or so of marginal land but none of the cows go to the hill, which barely supports the sheep flock.

All cattle are housed from October through to May. Following advice that has come from the Monitor farm meetings, the Camerons now bull heifers four months earlier at 15 months. They are also weaning spring-born calves and managing them separately to allow cows more time to recover before calving again.

In recent years the family have managed to rent some improved grassland near Inverness, where they can

graze a batch of cows and this has made a big difference to the farm’s bottom line.

Chris said, “Sheep and cattle were vying for the same small area of good grass at home. So we used to put the sheep to the hill after lambing; however we were losing over 60% of our lambs to foxes and eagles.

Since we’ve moved the ewes and lambs to a rented lowland farm at Fort William, we have weaned 97% of lambs, instead of 37%.”

This year, for the first time, the Camerons finished the lambs at Fort William by weaning early, housing in a shed which came with the farm, and feeding. The results

“Our philosophy is that if we are going to the expense of housing cattle, then we have to make sure we can meet the market specification. Our calves have the genetics to grow and are efficient at converting feed.”

www.limousin.co.uk

FEATURE have been very positive. Chris said: “This year, we sold 220 lambs averaging at £70 per head. We calculated feeding costs at £25 per head, but the store price was £35 per head, so we made an additional £10 profit per lamb and we had the benefit of freeing up grass for flushing ewes so we can expect an improved scanning next year.”

As part of the programme, the Camerons and other local farmers have established a business group to share key performance indicators (KPI’s), using AHDB programme Farmbench to compare and contrast farm efficiency figures.

Chris finds this particularly useful, not only comparing with other farms but using his figures for his own farm as a benchmark to improve.

He is currently exceeding the suggested KPI for gross margin for a west coast suckler herd by £85 per head at £335 per head.

The Camerons regularly host Monitor Farm meetings at Strone which attract lots of other farmers, some of whom travel over an hour to attend.

Chris finds it encouraging that so many people are interested in improving their farms in an extremely challenging environment.

He said: “Farmers in Lochaber are genuinely scared that they won’t be able to continue to farm. Their businesses are unbelievably fragile and they are constantly being told to cut costs which leads to them not investing in their farms and the utilisable land shrinking, therefore compounding their issues. Farmers like us have limited options so it is great having help in finding ways to improve our systems.

He added: “Being part of the Monitor Farm group has given farmers here access to the energy and technology that QMS and AHDB bring, alongside the knowledge of our facilitator Niall Campbell from SAC Consulting in Oban.

We have been able to lift our heads and see the bigger picture.”

For further information about the monitor farm project visit www.monitorfarms.co.uk

www.limousin.co.uk

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 13

NEWS

2018 BCMS FIGURES 25%

GB TOTAL

Limousin news, advertising, and promotion through

facebook and twitter

T

he popularity of the Society’s Facebook and Twitter pages continues to grow as an easy-to-use means of communication and keeping upto-date, on a day-to-day basis, with news from around the world of British Limousin. The Society’s Facebook page now has 15,706 ‘follows’ and is constantly growing. Regular updates keep it fresh and informative. The reach of social media is such that individual posts are attracting up to 50,000 ‘views’ within 48hours of posting! That’s a lot of advertising and getting the Limousin word out!

# Facebook and Twitter are free to use. You can send messages, upload photos and videos for free, and link to websites.

# Facebook and Twitter connect to people from all around the world and the UK. Limousin posts are regularly viewed and commented upon from the USA, Australia, Canada, across Europe, and many more countries worldwide.

# Facebook and Twitter plays a very important role in getting the latest news, updates, and reminders of all the Society’s forthcoming sales, shows, events, and activitites.

So if you haven’t already why not ‘like’ the Society on Facebook or ‘follow’ us on Twitter. It’s a great way to network news to an ever-growing audience and to keep up-to-date with all the news, as it happens, from the world of the UK’s number one beef breed!

14 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Limousin

463,617

25%

Aberdeen Angus

368,508

20%

British Blue

264,333

14%

Charolais

187,538

10%

Simmental

147,442

8%

Hereford

156,101

8%

Shorthorn

44,927

2%

235,845

13%

1,868,311

100%

Other Beef Breeds TOTAL

23%

ENGLAND TOTAL

Limousin

270,426

23%

Aberdeen Angus

240,165

21%

British Blue

202,696

18%

Charolais

115,370

10%

Simmental

73,239

6%

Hereford

69,678

6%

Shorthorn

20,580

2%

164,726

14%

1,156,880

100%

Other Beef Breeds TOTAL

26%

SCOTLAND TOTAL

Limousin

114,008

25%

Aberdeen Angus

97,864

21%

British Blue

76,128

17%

Charolais

69,434

15%

Simmental

23,634

5%

Hereford

11,120

2%

Shorthorn

22,132

5%

Other Beef Breeds

42,017

9%

456,337

100%

TOTAL

31%

WALES TOTAL

Limousin

79,183

31%

Aberdeen Angus

38,171

15%

British Blue

38,003

15%

Charolais

29,611

12%

Simmental

30,479

12%

Hereford

8,330

3%

Shorthorn

2,980

1%

28,337

11%

255,094

100%

Other Beef Breeds TOTAL

www.limousin.co.uk

NEWS

Tweeddale Limousins

OPEN DAY

In conjunction with the North Eastern Limousin Cattle Breeders Club and the Scottish Limousin Club

at Bowsden Moor Farm, Bowsden, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 2TG

Sunday 28th July 2019

T

Arrive 11am for morning coffee

he Open Day consists of tour of farms (600 acres) by passenger carrying trailers (limited seats available) and then around purpose built steading at Bowsden Moor Hog Roast A welcome opportunity to view the Tweeddale herd consisting of 80 breeding cows and followers. The herd was established in 1999 with a consistent focus on breeding bulls to meet commercial demand. “Breeding easy calving, easy fleshing and fast growing

www.limousin.co.uk

Limousins has always been our focus as that is what I believe the market looks for” said Jonathan Watson, owner of the herd, ahead of the recent May sales. “ We run all our pedigree livestock on a commercial basis. Costs and efficiency is very important to our business and constantly reviewing inputs and opportunities is critical to the success of our business. Our breeding programs are based around the Carlisle & Stirling Bull Sale calendar but we also have enjoyed trading with buyers in Ireland, Holland, Italy & Czechoslovakia.

Let’s hope politics doesn’t get in the way of these important markets!

As well as Tweeddale Limousins Bowsden Moor is also home to Brijon Pedigree Suffolks & Texels, Tweeddale Charolais and Tweeddale Beltex’s.

Jayne & Jonathan welcome members to their open day at Bowsden Moor but ask that they register their interest with either Scottish or North East Club secretaries or directly with Jonathan.

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 15

TECHNICAL CORNER

Limousin Genetics Provide Opportunity in the Market Place Limousin genetics in the commercial sector provide opportunity to increase financial returns through high performing, efficient calves that yield quality carcasses at earlier slaughter ages and low-cost, long-lasting suckler dams.

Q

uite a claim, so lets consider the backdrop against which it is made and identify how opportunity can be trapped by producers from all types of enterprise.

A great starting point is feed costs. Information from the current Beef Feed Efficiency Programme (a DEFRA/AHDBfunded initiative with partner SRUC) has indicated that from an average start weight of 351kg, 1212 Limousin-bred steers (representing 184 different purebred sires) out of beef-type dams achieved an average liveweight gain of 1.33kg over a 63 day growing period between the ages of 10 and 13 months.

To achieve this, they consumed an average of 7.8kg dry matter per day (a feed:output ratio of approximately 5.9:1). Although this would be regarded as inherently good in the context of beef cattle, it is the difference between the top third and bottom third of animals that indicates the true potential of this information. The difference between the two groups’ dry matter consumption to achieve the same output is in the region of 12% with the more efficient animals costing approximately £19/head less to achieve 100kg of liveweight gain. Over a 180 day feeding period, this would equate to a saving of approximately £50/head.

The Limousin breeding values for feed intake traits will be available later this year when producers will be in a position to benefit from the selection of more feed efficient cattle within their breeding programmes and trap some of the added value such cattle bring.

Fast Growth & Speed to Finishing: Whether herds are selling calves in the store ring, or taking them through to slaughter weight, growth has value. The difference between high and low genetic sires for growth are well-documented over many, many years and undisputed. Value to the commercial sector is there for the taking, by ensuring that the growth genetics they source in their breeding stock will meet their expectations.

In 2015, SRUC research (funded by AHDB Beef and Lamb, AHDB dairy and HCC) evaluated the slaughter records relating to 106,059 Holstein Friesians, 81,590 Limousin-Holstein Friesian (LM/HF) crosses and 24,426 purebred Limousins killed in 7 abattoirs in Britain between 2001 and 2013. This work revealed that although total animal value was at its peak around 800 days of age, the difference in profit between 365 and 800 days was only £80/head. The most profitable time for slaughter for most systems was clearly identified as being between 365 and 400 days of age and this is illustrated in the graph below.

16 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Source: Optimal slaughter age of UK beef cattle to increase profitability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Abbygail Moran, SRUC. It is essential that cattle have the ability to finish quickly.

Breeding values (EBVs and GEBVS) for Age to Slaughter are available across the breed and Limousin sires can be selected on their genetic merit for this trait. The genetic difference for Age to Slaughter between cattle in the top 10% of the breed and the bottom 10% is 36 days. In phenotypic terms – the performance that would be observed on the ground – this difference is likely to be greater. Although feed costs vary, the faster finished animal could save anything between £50-90/head.

These breeding values are derived from more than 273,000 Limousin records representing over 10,500 Limousin sires, along with information from individual animal DNA. They are consequently very robust and will identify the individual breeding animals with the genetic merit to turn out such performance.

Carcase Quality: In 2014, a snapshot from 20,000 Limousinbred steers examined how well they met specification according to EUROP classification. The diagram below indicates the result; that 85.1% of all Limousin-bred cattle were in the desired carcase and fat specification (highlighted in green).

www.limousin.co.uk

TECHNICAL CORNER Limousin E

U+

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In 2017, further development of GEBVs saw the introduction of new breeding values for the female fertility traits; Age at First Calving, Calving Interval, Longevity and Calf Survival. As with the carcase trait GEBVs, the data is drawn from sources beyond the pedigree gate; this time the calving performance of these 350000 Limousin-bred cows – as well as animal DNA - is used in the calculation of the GEBVs. During the research stages that developed these GEBVs, information relating to national replacement rates was examined and comparisons made between dam breed types.

When compared to the next two most popular breed-types of suckler cow in the UK:

85.1% of all Limousin-bred cattle slaughtered are in the desired carcase and fat specifications

A comparison with all other breeds was also carried out. The second diagram identified that only 59.2% of those were in the desired specification, which is a clear distinction.

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The heifer replacement rate for Limousin-sired dams is 5% lower, sitting at just 14% nationally.

•

2% more Limousin-sired dams in the UK are producing a 6th calf at 8 years of age

•

Calf mortality for Limousin-sired calves is over 1% lower throughout the UK

This would support the fact that the favoured breed type is Limousin, and should reinforce thinking around individual herd replacement strategy. Replacement costs are a significant factor in the gross and net margins of all breeding herds. Capturing the potential to maintain them at a low level just by making the right choice of sire to breed replacements can make important differences to returns.

Other Breeds E

•

Opportunity in the Market Place: Beyond the sale of finished cattle, crossbred and purebred Limousin calves are saleable at virtually all ages and growth stages. Heifer calves in particular are easily sold to profit through both the breeding and prime rings.

Only 59.2% of all other cattle slaughtered are in the desired carcase and fat specifications

Whilst Limousin already achieves a high proportion of inspecification cattle, it is – or should be - a natural goal for finishing herds to increase it. For Limousin, the project1 partners invested heavily in providing genomic breeding values (GEBVS) for the prime carcase cuts. These are in use now and incorporate the abattoir data referred to above as well as individual animal DNA. They are accurate and robust breeding values, which identify the breeding bulls with the genes to continually move herd performance on.

Replacement Costs: Although well reported, for context, Limousin-bred dams are the most dominant breed type in the UK suckler herd:

Other main breed types

www.limousin.co.uk

The reasons for new and continued investment in Limousin genetics are compelling. The breed’s current level of performance within the UK sector is independently proven & widely acknowledged. Opportunity to trap additional value exists in a number of areas, as demonstrated above. Through a 10 year plan of targeted investment2, pedigree breeders – supported by the BLCS – are developing further opportunities, future-proofing the breed’s characteristics and genetics to ensure they can continue to serve the commercial sector well.

This sets the breed apart and will become increasingly valuable to commercial herds in the face of continued market change.

InnovateUK project TP 100971 in partnership with ABP, BLCS and SRUC. 2 More on the 10-year plan can be found here https://bit. ly/2wLAK73.

1

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 17

SEMENSTORE

EXCITING NEW ARRIVALS ON SEMENSTORE!

The one stop on-line Semenstore.co.uk has seen a further nine Limousin bulls added to the site in recent weeks.

Semenstore carries the largest portfolio and choice of Limousin bulls available across the UK. There’s something for everyone with buyers able to select on phenotype, bloodlines, specific traits, performance figures and cost. To view these latest additions and the bulls across the site then please visit www.semenstore.co.uk

Ampertaine Majestic Quick Info: £40.00 per straw: Available UK & Europe The vendor says: Ampertaine Majestic was sold in Carlisle in May 2018 where he was Intermediate & Overall Champion & sold for 35,000gns. His dam, Ampertaine Joy, is maternal sister to Ampertaine Interest who sold to the Sarkley herd for 13,000gns.

Majestic’s breeding of Plumtree Fantastic and an Ampertaine Abracadabra grand dam combines muscle, style, milk & calving ease.

Ampertaine Metric Quick Info: £20.00 per straw: Available UK & Europe The vendor says: Ampertaine Metric is bred from a consistent breeding milky cow family and is sired by the 45,000gns Ampertaine Jamboree. Metric is maternal brother to Ampertaine Cedric, Junior Male Champion Balmoral and Reserve Overall Champion in Carlisle where he sold for 13,000gns. He is ideal for easy calving and use on heifers.

He was born small and unassisted and scores well within top 1% of breed for gestation and calving value. He is in top 1% of breed for 200 Milk and longevity. Metric is expected to deliver excellent traits for replacement breeding.

Aultside Nirvana Quick Info: £25.00 per straw: Available UK mainland only The vendor says: Aultside Nirvana has a pedigree packed with great breeding. His dam is Spittalton Flush and her progeny includes Aultside Hulk (55,000gns), Aultside Meanmachine (65,000gns) and Aultside Mystique (18,000gns). His paternal gdam is the renowned Bankdale Alice, the dam of numerous champions and her progeny has sold to 65,000gns. Nirvana carries two copies of the F94L profit gene and has great style, presence and locomotion.

Carrickmore Maximus Quick Info: £40.00 per straw: Available UK mainland only The vendor says: Carrickmore Maximus was National Limousin Champion Tullamore 2018 (the youngest ever winner of this title) & sold for a record price in Roscrea in October 2018 when purchased jointly for 38,000 euros. His dam Baileys Ice Princess was Overall Champion at Royal Ulster Show 2015, Irish National Limousin Champion 2015 and 2016, and World Limousin Congress Champion 2016.

18 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

www.limousin.co.uk

SEMENSTORE

Corridan Hakka Quick Info: £15.00 per straw: Available UK mainland only The vendor says: Corridan Hakka was purchased privately in 2013. He was chosen for his fantastic calving figures and growth. His calves are well fleshed and easy born on heifers. Daughters are proving very milky and maternal who themselves calve with ease. Hakka has bred bulls to 10,000gns with Confluence Leyton taking Reserve Junior Champion in Carlisle May 2016. A daughter of Hakka, McInnes Majestic, was Female Champion at Newark April 2018 and sold for 4,200gns.

Gorrycam Notorious Quick Info: £20.00 per straw: Available UK & Europe The vendor says: Gorrycam Notorious is a stylish bull with power & muscle. He was sired by Cloughhead Lord & was a natural calf from a cow with great milk. Gorrycam Hazel (dam) is an exceptional Nenuphar daughter of Gorrycam Dolly, making Hazel maternal sister of 28,000gns Hunter & 20,000gns Gorrycam Major.

Gallaber Leo Quick Info: £15.00 per straw: Available UK mainland only The vendor says: Gallaber Leo was retained in the Gallaber herd as it was felt he was the best bull calf ever bred in the herd. He is doing exactly what the breeder hoped he would, producing small calves with a short gestation which soon fill out & display exceptional width. His calving figures are outstanding for a bull with such impressive width he is in the top 1% of the breed for birth weight, gestation length & calving value.

This is the second batch of semen collected & both pedigree & commercial customers are giving great feedback on his calves. He has been used on heifers.

Glangwden Downtown Quick Info: £30.00 per straw: Available UK mainland only The vendor says: Glangwden Downtown is a correct structurally sound senior bull. He has longevity, good calving figures and produces good milking cross-bred females. He is a proven show calf breeder: 2013 Scottish Winter Fair: Lightweight Steer Champion, Will I Am; 2018 Kilnstown Shady Lady was Reserve Overall Champion at 2018 Carlisle Spring Calf Sale, selling for £4500. He has a back pedigree full of top breeding: (Haltcliffe Ullswater by Sympa. Dam: Renoncule): (Glangwden Temptress sire Paul by Jacot. Dam Glangwden Princess) (Lodge Natterbox sire Ronick Luke by Broadmeadows Cannon. Dam Lodge Gossip by Cloughhead Charlie)

Queenshead Altea Quick Info: £50.00 per straw: Available UK & Europe The vendor says: Queenshead Altea was the 2007 Overall Supreme Champion in Carlisle where he was purchased for 52,000gns. He has been an amazing asset to the herd and has left incredible females and males. He is an exceptionally easy calving sire, ideal for small maiden heifers. Muscular stylish progeny. Altea is exceptionally easy calved and his daughters are very milky. HIs sons have sold to €17,000 and he has sired lots of champions.

www.limousin.co.uk

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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FEATURE

‘VERSATILE, EASY CALVING AND LONGLASTING’ LIMOUSINS AT LETHENDRY S

Limousin cattle a perfect fit for George (Dod) and Doreen McConachie at Lethendry Farm, Cromdale, Grantown On Spey, Moray

20 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

ituated in the hills overlooking the Strathspey Valley, Lethendry Farm at Cromdale in the Cairngorm National Park is a name synonymous with top quality commercial calves.

George (Dod) McConachie and his wife, Doreen care for 70 Limousin cross cows and ten replacement heifers which run on just over 200 hectares of the 800 hectare farm.

Dod explained, “My father came here in 1957 as a tenant

www.limousin.co.uk

FEATURE farmer and over the years we have managed to buy the land. However Glenlochy Estate still have the shooting rights so, although some sheep graze the grouse moor, they are managed by the estate and we cannot graze cattle on the heather.”

The cows are nearly all home-bred, although Dod admits he cannot resist buying the occasional nice heifer at the market. While Limousin is dominant, he has used British Blue bulls through the herd on occasion to give the cows a bit of shape and also some hybrid vigour. He said, “I am careful to use the Blue bulls only on cows which have no Blue blood in them already, to avoid calving problems.”

With Dod in his 70’s and only Doreen to help, it is very important the cows are easy calving and also that they have a good temperament. They both stressed that they would

www.limousin.co.uk

never keep anything that didn’t have a quiet nature, no matter how smart it looked.

The majority of the cows calve in the spring, with just 10 autumn calvers. Winters are long and cold in Cromdale, so the cows come inside with their calves on 1st November and start calving from 1st April before being turned out around 20th May when the grass has started to grow.

They are wintered on a diet of home-grown silage, straw and pot-ale syrup, which is a byproduct of the local distilleries.

Dod said, “To avoid calving problems, it is important the cows are fit but not fat. I think cow condition has more to do with that than genetics, and, while I wouldn’t buy an extreme bull that is out in its shoulders, I don’t worry too much about ease of calving figures.”

There are three Limousin bulls running with the herd

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 21

FEATURE

at the moment. Gunnerfleet Goldstar by the 15,000gns Haltcliffe Doctor, which was bought privately last year. His calves are on the ground now and the McConachies are very pleased with them. The second bull is the full French pedigreed Dolcorsllwyn Hellraiser bought at Carlisle in 2014 for 4000gns. He is proving to be very good for using on heifers. They also use an unregistered French bred bull bought privately two years ago which puts good shape on all his progeny.

Dod said, “Bulls have got to be correct with a good top line, head and legs. I have started to look at figures, but only if I like the bull in the first place. I think gestation length is an important ebv.”

He laughed, “Doreen probably has a better eye than me, she usually wins at stockjudging and the Hellraiser bull was her choice and has turned out to be a good one.”

Previously Frewstown Breakdance was used extensively on the herd and has left his stamp on the females. He was bought privately from the Irvine family’s Anside herd. He sired many top price calves sold at Thainstone over the years for Lethendry.

Another bull to which

“I like their shape, style and character, which they pass onto their calves, and I would not have any other breed.” many of the females in the herd can be traced is the home-bred Lethendry Nova by Ronick Gains. This was the first bull born to the newly fledged Lethendry Limousin herd in 1989. Dod explained, “Our children, Gary, Alan and Suzie were all interested in showing, so we bought a few pedigree females in the late 80’s including Joyces Judy, which was in calf to Ronick Gains.

The result was Lethendry Nova, which won five championships locally and was kept as a stock bull.”

Nova sired bulls sold to a top of 5200gns for Lethendry Valmet in 2006 and was also the father of the champion group of three bulls at the Black Isle show in 2002. Other bulls from the herd sold to 7000gns for Lethendry Tolga

by Anside Pilot.

Limousin has always been the only breed for Dod; his father, James bought one of the first Limousin bulls in the area in the mid 70’s and Dod said, “I like their shape, style

22 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

and character, which they pass onto their calves, and I would not have any other breed.”

When the children left home, Dod and Doreen found the pedigree cattle too much work and incorporated them into the commercial herd.

They like to keep life simple with all the calves, except for retained heifers and autumnborn calves, sold at the April

store sale at Thainstone where they have taken the pre-sale championship many times.

This year they sold 22 steers with an average weight of 418kg to average 273p/kg or £1140 per head. The 21 heifers scaled 370kg and sold to average 262p/kg or £967 per head. The McConachies had less to sell this year as they retained 12 heifers, kept two

Gunnerfleet Goldstar

www.limousin.co.uk

FEATURE Dolcorllwyn Hellraiser

calves for the Aberdeen Spring Show and also had ten cows slip to back-end calving.

In 2017 they sold 29 steers at 426kg to average 264p/kg or £1127 per head and 21 heifers at 373kg for 268p/kg and £998 per head.

Dod and Doreen enjoy keeping a couple of their best calves every year for Gary and Suzie to bring out at the Aberdeen Spring Show.

In 2018 they took the male championship with the 396kg

www.limousin.co.uk

steer, Mr Muscle by the French bull. He sold for £1700 to the Black Isle.

The spring-born calves are creep fed from the end of August on Calf Starter before progressing onto a blend but once they are weaned from the cows in January, they are fed the same ration as the cows with some concentrate on top. They are much in demand with buyers at Aberdeen and Northern Marts and often the same

people come back to buy the Lethendry calves time and time again.

Dod finds the Limousin cross cows long-lasting and said, “We often take 12 or more calves from them and we are still left with a cast cow that is worth something. They have good udders and feet and they produce a relatively low birth weight calf which is not hard on them but has the high growth rates we expect.”

While Dod and Doreen’s

main focus on the farm are the cattle, they have also diversified into erecting a 20kw windmill. They are also part of an Agri-environment scheme for wetland areas, woodlands and hedges which means they cannot plough up any grassland before 1st July.

Most of the grass is down to seven year leys and contractors come in and cut for silage every year to keep the cows going over the winter.

Many of the forestry plantations on the farm were planted by Dod over 30 years ago and are now ready to be harvested, while the heather moorland rising to the top of Cromdale Hill at 1500 feet is a haven, not only for grouse, but other wildlife.

The deep loam soil retains its moisture in a dry year such as this and, apart from giving cows and calves selenium and vitamin E, the soil seems to be nutrient rich. The herd is in a health scheme and BVD tested every year but Dod reckons that the beauty of his Limousin cross cows are that they are an easy-care breed in a simple system, which he and Doreen can easily manage on their own.

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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NEWS

GEORGE HUTTON

T

he British Limousin Cattle Society is extremely sad to report in this issue on the passing of George Hutton, Setmabanning, Threlkeld, Keswick. George’s Cloughhead herd remains one of the foremost names in the BLCS herdbook with Cloughhead animals having had a tremendous and ongoing influence in the Limousin breed. A hugely popular and hugely respected man George is a true Limousin legend, both in the UK and further afield, and will be sadly missed. Here we share the tribute written by Guy Hurst, Farming Editor, Cumberland & Westmorland Herald.

THE farming community lost a renowned livestock breeder with the death of George Hutton, Setmabanning, Threlkeld, aged 84.

George was particularly known for the high quality of the Limousin beef cattle in his Cloughhead herd, many of which sold for top prices at major sales held over the years by the national breed society.

One of the six children of the late Thomas and Essie Hutton, he was brought up on the family farm at Hole House, Bassenthwaite. He had five sisters, Greta, Mabel, Marion,

Dorothy and Freda.

He went to school in Bassenthwaite village, and later, after the family had moved to Setmabanning, at Threlkeld. After leaving school at the age of 15 he worked on the family farm, which at that time had a herd of Ayrshire dairy cattle as well as beef cattle and sheep. The family continued to run a dairy herd until the early 1990s, and also operated a small milk round in the local area.

George had known Miss Margaret Birkett, who lived on the neighbouring Mire House Farm, ever since his family moved to Setmabanning, and the couple married in 1959.

They went on to have three children — Laura, Thomas and Philip.

It was in 1960 that George took over the running of Setmabanning, and he continued to develop the farm from that time. He started to keep Limousin cattle around 1980, but it was probably the purchase in 1985 of the cow Ruadh Thelma which set him on the road to success.

He bred many highly rated Limousin cattle over the following years, including such fine bulls as Cloughhead Umpire, which sold for 42,000gns to Matt and Craig

Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesketnew-Market, in 2005, having earlier taken the supreme championship at this sale held at Carlisle.

Many other Cloughhead beasts sold for five-figure sums at this and other major sales.

He enjoyed making trips to France — the home of Limousin cattle — to source good stock, initially travelling by coach with fellow enthusiasts from the north west breed club and later driving there in a camper van.

George was also known for the quality of his Swaledale sheep. He was a regular exhibitor at the Mungrisdale Swaledale sheep fair and won local and open championships at this old-established event on several occasions.

An extremely energetic man, he had many other interests, including competing at sheepdog trials, which he did over seven decades from the age of 14 or 15.

He ran dogs at national and international trials all over the country, and came second in an international contest held in 1974 with one of his best dogs, Nip, and also won the doubles that year with Nip and Shona.

He won the doubles again the following year.

He was on the committee

of the International Sheepdog Society, and competed in the first of the BBC’s televised One Man and His Dog competitions, which he also helped to organise. He played cricket for the Threlkeld club for many years, and was known in local leagues as a fierce fast bowler, sometimes achieving very good figures.

He also bred Fell ponies during two periods, the second with his grandson Matthew, and was a keen beekeeper.

He was a skilful maker of sticks and shepherds’ crooks, which he often decorated with carvings of sheepdogs and thistle heads, and enjoyed fishing, particularly for salmon and sea trout.

He is survived by his wife Margaret; sons Thomas and Philip, Setmabanning; daughter Laura Fearon, Grange, Borrowdale; sisters Mabel Hutton, Marion Hodgson and Dorothy Cowper, all of Threlkeld, and Freda Shaw, Thursby; and grandchildren.

PETER SMYTH

T

he Society is also extremely sad to report on the untimely passing of Peter Smyth (46), from Barnside Road in Kilrea, N Ireland. A well-known and popular figure within the Limousin breed, Peter ran the Aghadowey herd and met with much success.

Mr Smyth was born in Aghadowey to James and Eithne, and was big brother to Alastair, Ian and Lyndsey. He began his schooling at Gorran Primary and concluded it at Greenmount Agricultural College.

Following that, his interest in farming and the breeding and showing of pedigree cattle won him a host of trophies. Rev Mark Donald told mourners at Mr Smyth’s funeral that the proudest moment of Mr Smyth’s farming career was winning the Limousin Supreme Championship and Interbreed at the Balmoral Show (Royal Ulster) in 2006 & 2007 with Carmorn Voney. Peter also 24 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

bred Aghadowey Alix which went on to breed the multi title winning Dinmore Elle in the Dinmore herd.

Rev Mark Donald added: “Following in his father’s footsteps, Peter learnt the engineering and steel industry, eventually becoming production manager of Smyth Steel Limited.

“Peter was blessed with three children, Callum, Harry and Ellie, to whom he was devoted and loved to spend quality time with, alongside his wife Caroline.

“Peter also had a wide-ranging interest in sport. He was a keen cyclist and a member of the Bann Wheelers, and Peter’s generous desire to help others was reflected in the many cycle rides he completed throughout the UK and Ireland, raising money for charities.

“Peter was also a great rugby fan, attending more than a few Ulster and Ireland matches at home and away.

“Nurturing children and young people in the sport was also Peter’s passion as he was a junior rugby coach.”

“Peter will be remembered by all those who knew him as a kind and generous friend, funny and loving family man, and a true gent,” Rev Donald added. www.limousin.co.uk

Focus on fatty acids for improving profit UFAC Omega 3 Supplement supplies optimum levels of EPA and DHA which have been proven to increase conception rates in beef herds. In ET programmes it has been shown to increase egg yield from donors and conception rates in recipients.

EPA and DHA also play a key role in reproductive functions.The first role is ensuring a strong follicle which results in larger, more viable eggs and increased strength of bulling behaviour.

Together, these will help reduce calving to conception interval.

The second role is in reducing embryo mortality. Early embryo loss is a major contributor to extended calving to conception intervals, reduced pregnancy rates and increased culling.

Providing correct levels of these specific omega 3’s stimulate higher

levels of progesterone and lower levels of prostaglandin which together help reduce early embryo mortality.

ET is a major activity for the Glenrock herd of Limousins from near Lockerbie . Stephen Illingworth says: “UFAC omega 3 supplement gave us an improvement in egg quality from our donor cows and improved conception rates by over 10%.”

In today’s uncertain times and volatile markets attention to detail is the key to sustainable profitability. UFAC beef feeding solutions help you optimise and future proof your business.

Call David Bonsall on 07788 337970 for more information.

Image by MACG

Feeding the correct balance of fatty acids in the diets of beef cattle is essential to optimise breeding performance and growth rates as David Bonsall from UFAC UK explains.

Individual fatty acids have specific roles to play in the animal and If we get the balance right we can improve productivity.

For finishing animals the key is energy density which has to be increased to maintain growth rates in larger animals. Increasing energy density with additional starch carries the risk of laminitis and lower dry matter intakes due to acidosis.

Fatty acids are higher in energy than any other ingredients in beef diets and in a rumen inert form will boost total energy without risking acidosis.

AHDB Better Returns Programme recommends 3% fat in rearing animals and up to 6% in finishing diets.

UFAC Megajule is a unique blend of specially selected rumen-inert fatty acids including Omega 3’s EPA & DHA along with C18:1 Oleic acid, which increases the digestion of all fatty acids in the ration. It is ideal for beef cattle to maximise feed conversion efficiency, DLWG and carcass quality.

With breeding cows, especially those enrolled on ET programmes, egg quality and high conception rates are the key to cost-effective performance.

Research shows that Omega 3 fatty acids EPA & DHA help to improve fertility.

Contact us | Tel: 01780 460 327 | Email: sales@ufacuk.com | Website: www.ufacuk.com

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SW LIMOUSIN VISIT TO SHEARWELL

5 JULY 2019 S

hearwell Data was founded in 1992 and has grown from a small team to today’s staffing levels of just under 100 people. Shearwell are the largest producer of both cattle and sheep tags in the UK supplying just over 34% of the countries cattle tags and just over 50% of the countries sheep tags. The company’s motto is Working to help the Livestock Farmer which now encompasses handling equipment, Software solutions and all things EID. The Webber family are now farming just under 1000 acres running a 200 suckler herd of mainly Limousin and Angus cross with some pedigree Limousin for replacement bulls. The sheep flock consists of 1100 North of England (NEMSA) and Welsh Mules. Making for a busy time for all involved with the business.

In addition 100 acres of Winter barley is grown for home consumption with another 100 acres contracted out for swede and potato growing.

Cattle are fed with a Keenan diet feeder giving maximum options for both finishing cattle and the suckler herd. The day will also demonstrate some of the cattle and sheep handling

equipment which will be of interest with pending electronic identification of cattle being introduced.

All in all there should be something for everyone!!

Webber, Emma The Webber Family (L-R 3 children James r, Richard Webber) Thorne, Sam Webber, Carolyne Webbe

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ADVERTORIAL Shearwell Farm Facts •

Fourth generation of Webbers now farming. Richard and wife Carolyne, children James, Sam and Emma, and full-time staff Patrick and Jack.

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Farm run alongside Shearwell Data EID business, owned by family

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Four separate farmsteads within one big ring fence. One farm is leased to and run by Emma and her husband and one is home to Shearwell Data where the livestock building is used mainly for live demonstrations of equipment.

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392ha in total at 1,000ft above sea level in Exmoor National Park

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1,200 ewe flock lambing indoors at the end of March into April

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Flock is mainly North of England mules and Welsh mules put to Texel and Charollais rams

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All lambs finished and picked out on farm for slaughter

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190-head spring-calving suckler herd put to Limousin and Angus bulls. Currently building up to 250-head herd.

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Breeding own replacements and selling stores at auction market. Stores are averaging £960 at 12-14 months.

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40ha arable growing winter barley for stock rations

We Welcome Everyone to the Open Day, and our aim is to bring

'Commercial and Pedigree Beef Producers together'.

Itinerary for South West Limousin Open Day on Friday 5th July Visitors gather at Shearwell at 10.30am for 11am start.

After a short introduction, they will be split into groups (according to numbers) for the tour of Shearwell Data Ltd. We will provide lunch at 1pm then travel to the Goosemoor and Gupworthy farms.

To book your place please email name & number of places to OPENDAYswlim@gmail.com

Main farm buildings •

Two calving sheds, with bespoke calving pens

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Store cattle shed with main handling system and Te Pari crush

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Lambing shed with room for TMR feeding and 150 pens at peak times

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Lamb finishing shed with 25m x 10m slatted floor and automatic feeder

Favourite Feature on the farm The cattle handling system has helped massively with weekly weighing. We’re weighing 180 cattle at least every two weeks and the new system allows us to weigh 74 cattle in 11 minutes.

We’ve got a Te Pari Titan AL crush, which stands for air lever. There are three types – the manual, the hydrolic and the air lever – we went for the air for the drafting gates because we have three-way drafting.

We have fitted antennae to both sides of the crush, to pick up EID tags, and the information goes into a Shearwell recording system.

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Shearwell Data Ltd Putham, Wheddon Cross, Minehead, Somerset TA24 7AS Tel: 01643 841611

Email: sales@shearwell.co.uk

www.shearwell.co.uk

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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FEATURE

LIMOUSIN ATTRIBUTES

TICK ALL THE BOXES FOR HEREFORDSHIRE BASED

PHILIPS FAMILY

Farm feature on Colin and Wendy Phillips and their Limousin pedigree and commercial enterprise at The Batch, Sarnsfield, Weobley.

28 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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FEATURE Powerhouse Elite

T

raditionally a finishing farm Colin and Wendy Phillips’ Herefordshirebased suckler herd at The Batch, Sarnesfield, Weobley has grown to become one of the most renowned in the country in recent years.

Running both commercial and pedigree suckler cows, with a total of 60 cows, 25 of which are run under the Powerhouse pedigree Limousin prefix, the couple have produced a number of noted show cattle as well as bulls sold to both noted herds and semen companies.

As Colin explains, the switch to breeding cattle came in 2007 as a result of the footand-mouth outbreak of that year. “Historically my father had always bought in store cattle and finished them, often showing a few of the better ones at Christmas primestock shows with some success.

“I’d always favoured a breeding herd and so we retained 12 of the best heifers when sales were tricky as a result of the F&M and

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Powerhouse Fanfare

Bluetongue outbreaks of that year.”

These 12 heifers were then served to a senior stock bull, Soleil, by the noted Jacot that the Phillips’ bought from Chris Jerman. “He was a great, easy calving bull which produced some super calves.

As the original 12 heifers had been at least half Limousin the resultant calves were three quarters Limousin and in many cases seven eighths Limousin.

“We’d had progeny from this bull from the Jerman family previously, including

a pair of heifers we took to the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in 2006 where they won the pairs championship, and sold for the third and fourth highest prices. They were bought by the Pennie family, Montgomery, of the noted Sarkley herd,” says Colin.

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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FEATURE

“The success of those heifers and having Soleil on the farm, coupled with a desire to produce some higher value stock sparked an interest in the potential of breeding pedigree cattle and so we bought our first pedigree females from the Pennie family.

“The intention was to produce bulls for sale locally and also for use in our own commercial herd. And from the start our focus has been in producing bulls to suit commercial herds such as our own, producing top drawer store cattle for sale at 10-12 months old.

“In that respect we look for a medium sized cow without excessive muscling, but with good growth and balanced fleshing throughout the carcass and a good top,” he says.

And with Wendy working off the farm full-time as a vet a

“Easy fleshing, correct, well balanced cattle are what we look for in both our pedigree and commercial herd and that’s what has allowed us to build the herd to what it is today,” close eye is paid to locomotion and feet and leg structure, she explains. “I’ve seen first-hand, too many times, the results of cattle with poor feet and leg structure. They simply don’t last in commercial environments and that’s no good to our customers or us.

“Easy fleshing, correct, well balanced cattle are what we look for in both our pedigree and commercial herd and that’s what has allowed us to build the herd to what it is today,” she adds.

With Colin working alone for much of the time, ease of management is fundamental

30 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

with this also having a big influence on the type of cattle kept in the herd. “Cattle have to be calm and easily worked with, anything showing any hint of a temperament issue is quickly culled.”

Additionally, this limited labour input also follows through to an emphasis on easy calving and the desire for cattle with neater front ends and smaller heads.

Colin says that while some may suggest the primestock showing circuit is relatively detached from the reality of day to day commercial cattle production, much of

what judges’ look for is highly commercially relevant.

“To maintain their market leading position Limousin cattle need to reflect the needs of commercial beef producers across the UK. “That means producing prime cattle which meet current carcass weights specifications and which reduce workload and costs on-farm.

“Smaller headed cattle with moderate shoulders are more easily born, reducing labour requirement and helping keep vet intervention at calving to a minimum. With Wendy being

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FEATURE

a vet I’m the first to call her when there’s a difficult calving, but that needs to be the exception not the norm.

“Difficult calving’s are bad for both the calf and the cow, often leading to cows taking longer to get back in calf and potentially resulting in internal damage which causes ongoing issues.”

When it comes to herd management the ability of the Limousin cow to thrive off forage and milk well is key to the success of the system operated by the Phillips family.

Cows are largely spring calving, with a handful of autumn calving pedigree cows to ensure a ready supply of bulls for sale throughout most of the year. “Cows are calved indoors and turned out to grass pretty much as they calve in early May, they then graze throughout the summer with no creep feed offered to calves as we prefer to let them

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grow on naturally rather than being pushed with feed,” says Colin.

Cows and calves are then housed at the end of October depending on the weather conditions, with calves receiving their pneumonia vaccinations ahead of housing and having their backs clipped out once they’ve been housed for a couple of weeks, with a pour-on wormer applied at the same time.

“They’re left to settle and adjust to being inside and being fed before they are weaned, with this helping reduce the stress they experience.”

Cows are offered maize silage mixed with straw once housed, with calves fed maize silage and those destined for the spring suckled calf sales being offered some concentrate feed in the run up to sales.

Pre-calving all cows receive a trace element bolus to ensure calves have vigour and cows are in the best condition to calve down easily.

Such has been the success of the herd that a number of primestock champions have been bred by the couple, including two champions at

the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, Richard Wright’s 2013 winner Powerhouse Hella, a pedigree Limousin heifer, and Tip Top, a Limousin sired steer which won at Builth Wells for Scotsman, Blair Dufton, in 2016.

Adding to the glory, both Hella and Tip Top were sired

by Powerhouse Elite, a bull bred by the Phillips and sold to breeding company Cogent.

Other show success includes the 2011 reserve champion steer at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, as well as the reserve champion baby beef animal at the same event in 2012 and reserve champion pedigree at the English Winter Fair in 2014.

“These show animals are sold, along with all the other store calves from the herd, in sales at Brecon, with a small number selected for the annual show potential sale at Brecon each February.

“The bulk of our cattle go through normal store cattle sales at 10-12 months old and weighing 370-460kg. They usually average between 280p/ kg and 290p/kg,” he adds.

Such is the renown of the couple’s suckled calves that a number of other leading show calf breeders have

purchased Powerhouse bulls to breed their own calves, including Craig Robertson and Mark Munro, while pedigree breeders Archie and John MacGregor of the Allanfauld herd bought Powerhouse Italic, a bull currently being marketed in Ireland by Powerful Genetics.

With the future in mind, both Colin and Wendy are keen to continue developing the herd with the support of their children Owen and Meg, both of whom play an active role in the farm.

“Both of them are keen on the cattle and take an active part in local Young Farmers Clubs, including stock judging and tug of war, with both representing Wales in the sport despite living in England.”

Keeping a close eye on herd health the herd is Johnes level 2, BVD free and vaccinated for the disease, with reducing the impact of disease key to herd productivity. “As a result of a strict breeding, culling and health policy we have a herd of long-lived cows which hold their flesh, often belying their years and continually producing top quality calves,” adds Colin.

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TECHNICAL CORNER

TAURUS LIMOUSIN PERFORMANCE RECORDING

THE UK’S LEADING LIMOUSINS There are many traits that could be used to identify leading Limousin cattle.

The following tables report on bulls and young sires only.

The ‘Top 10’s’ in this issue: • Leading Carcase Trait Stock Sires • Leading Maternal Trait Stock Sires • Leading Gestation Length Young Bulls

To choose your own criteria, please go to www. taurusdata.co.uk, click on ‘Beef Search’ then ‘EBV Search’.

Based on Breeding Value update 23/03/19

Leading Stock Sires for Carcase Traits

Which Carcase Traits to Choose?

It is important to note that the new breeding values for the six primal cuts are adjusted to a standard carcase weight of 350kgs…

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In other words, animals with high GEBVs for these traits are animals with the genetics to produce higher weights of prime cut as a proportion of a 350kg carcase.

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The Carcase Weight breeding values will identify animals with the genetics to produce heavier carcase weights.

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And Age at Slaughter will identify the animals that get there quickly!

The GEBVs available for Limousin cover a range of eight Carcase Traits (Carcase Weight, Age at Slaughter and six primal cuts) and are based on weekly downloads of VIA measurements from Limousin-bred cattle in five of ABP Food Group’s abattoirs in combination with individual animal DNA. A Retail Yield index is also produced; this is an economically weighted index comprising the breeding values of the six primal cuts (Fillet, Striploin, Rump, Silverside, Topside and Knuckle).

FILLET GEBV/EBV (KG) STRIPLOIN GEBV/EBV (KG) RUMP GEBV/EBV (KG) SILVERSIDE GEBV/EBV (KG) TOPSIDE GEBV/EBV (KG) KNUCKLE GEBV/EBV (KG)

RETAIL VALUE

All of this means that producers of pedigree and commercially-bred Limousin cattle have breeding values at their disposal to identify animals with the genetics to not only perform well for the traditionally-measured traits, such as growth to 400 days of age, but that will also go on and perform well through to slaughter. Irrespective of end market, the value of stock that can do this is considerable.

32 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

All three elements in combination are therefore important to most types of beef enterprise

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TECHNICAL CORNER The following table details the leading Limousin stock bulls for Age to Slaughter GEBV/EBV1 that also meet the following criteria: • • •

All bulls’ breeding values are published on the Limousin database (www.taurusdata.co.uk) All bulls have sired a registered calf within the last three years (since 15th April 2016) All bulls’ Carcase Weight and Retail Breeding Values are equal to and above the 2019 Breed Average of 8.4kg and LM30R respectively.

Animals are listed by their Age at Slaughter breeding value in descending order. The Calving Ease EBV for each animal is included as a point of reference only. Accuracy values are shown as % alongside each breeding value.

1 Carcase Trait EBVs are made available as part of the process that produces the GEBVs. (The GEBVs use information from the animal’s DNA in their calculation. The EBVs do not, but both use the same slaughter records obtained from the abattoir). Where an animal’s accuracy % for the EBVs is greater than 50%, the values are automatically published for that animal on the Limousin database. The way in which both types of value should be interpreted and used is the same.

Details

Bred By

Owned By

SLAUGHTER AGE (DAYS)

CARCASE WT (KG)

RETAIL VALUE INDEX

CALV. EASE (%)

1

RACHELS DYNAMITE Eartag UK 142189/500280 Date of Birth 13/04/2008 No. Calves 127 Sire Scorboro Aramis Myostatin F94L/F94L

Messrs D & M L P Woolhouse, RACHELS herd, Humberside

Messrs D & M L P Woolhouse, RACHELS herd, Humberside

-37 71%

24.4 77%

LM34R 76%

0.0 93%

2

EMSLIES HUNTER Eartag UK 520779/501201 Date of Birth 06/04/2012 No. Calves 20 Sire Emslies Colossus

Mr H Emslie, EMSLIES herd, Aberdeenshire

Messrs R & J Johnston, HEWAN herd, Orkney

-35 73%

21.9 91%

LM41R 80%

0.4 65%

3

NEWHOUSE GLAMIS Eartag UK 540209/401021 Date of Birth 23/12/2011 No. Calves 3 Sire Rosecroft Duke

Messrs Robert M Adam And Son, NEWHOUSE herd, Angus

Taylors of Tannadice, CARITY herd, Angus

-33 92%

53.9 96%

LM45R 94%

0.3 66%

4 NEW

WINNINGTON JULIUS Eartag UK 305044/101459 Date of Birth 27/09/2014 No. Calves 4 Sire Bourru Myostatin F94L/Q204X

John S Vance & Son, WINNINGTON herd, Shropshire

Sezincote Farms, SEZINCOTE herd, Gloucestershire

-29 59%

10.8 66%

LM31R 65%

-2.6 59%

5 NEW

WESTHALL JAMMY Eartag UK 540464/200472 Date of Birth 11/18/2014 No. Calves 48 Sire Newhouse Glamis

Messrs M Fotheringham & H McNee, WESTHALL herd, Scotland

Messrs M Fotheringham & H McNee, WESTHALL herd, Scotland

-28 60%

33.6 64%

LM44R 63%

-0.3 78%

6 NEW

IVEAGH HARRY Eartag UK 9240585/2618-3 Date of Birth 08/05/2012 No. Calves 153 Sire 6272 SYMPA Myostatin F94L/F94L

Mr S Magill, IVEAGH herd, Northern Ireland

Messrs H B & L J Lear, TURVILLE herd, Buckinghamshire

-27 70%

24.9 92%

LM41R 77%

-1.1 92%

7

TRUEMAN JAGGER Eartag UK 9240306/643-6 Date of Birth 21/04/2014 No. Calves 322 Sire Ampertaine Gigolo

Mr H Savage & Sons, TRUEMAN herd, Newry

Messrs Jenkinson, WHINFELLPARK herd, Cumbria

-27 93%

24.1 94%

LM32R 94%

-13.4 96%

8 NEW

SWARLAND EDDIE Eartag UK 106461/500854 Date of Birth 7/18/2009 No. Calves 410 Sire Hartsideanew Boumsong

A & D Proctor, SWARLAND herd, Northumberland

Mr. J. Alexander, JALEX herd, Northern Ireland

-27 63%

15.8 85%

LM34R 72%

-0.3 97%

9 NEW

NETHERHALL EPIC Eartag UK 103719/601370 Date of Birth 15/02/2009 No. Calves 126 Sire 6272 Sympa Myostatin F94L/F94L

Nether Hall Farm Ltd, NETHERHALL herd, Lancashire

Mr D & Mrs R Cornthwaite, MAYBE herd, Scotland

-25 59%

15.3 82%

LM39R 66%

0.2 93%

10 NEW

REIDS GUCCI Eartag UK 546271/600001 Date of Birth 05/03/2011 No. Calves 24 Sire Wilodge Cerberus

Mr M Reid, REIDS herd, Scotland

Mr B Williamson, COLDHOME herd, Scotland

-25 73%

10.2 89%

LM36R 79%

-3.4 69%

Practical one-stop Limousin semen shop www.semenstore.co.uk

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TECHNICAL CORNER

Leading Stock Sires for Maternal Traits In 2017 the Limousin Society launched EBVs and GEBVs for Female Fertility and Calf Survival Traits. These differ from EBVs previously available in that they are derived from the records of all commercial Limousin-bred dams recorded in the UK on BCMS, as well as animal DNA in the case of the GEBVs. These larger pools of information have led to breeding values that are significantly more robust than was previously possible, with greater commercial relevance: Age at First Calving: indicates genetic potential for heifers to hold to first service opportunity. Negative values (ie less days) indicate superior genetics for this trait.

Calving Interval: indicates genetic potential for the time that cows take to get back in calf. Look for negative values (ie less days) for cows that get back in calf on time.

Longevity: indicates genetic potential for the relative number of calves born in 6.5 years. Look for positive values for females that are likely to be more productive in the herd for a longer time.

Calf Survival: indicates genetic potential for calves to survive between 3 weeks and 10 months of age. Look for high positives to indicate a higher probability of survival.

The league table below identifies the current Top 10 Maternal Stock Sires according to the following criteria: • • • •

All All All All

bulls bulls bulls bulls

have sired a registered calf within the last three years (since 15th April 2016) have the youngest Age at First Calving EBV/GEBV recorded in the March 2019 EBV Update with an accuracy greater than or equal to 50% have EBVs/GEBVs above the 2019 Breed Average for Calving Interval and Longevity also have EBVs/GEBVs above the 2019 Breed Average for 200 Day Milk, Maternal Calving Ease, Calf Survival and Beef Value.

Animals are listed by their Age at First Calving breeding value in descending order (shortest to longest). Accuracy values are shown as % alongside each breeding value.

Details

Bred By

Owned By

AGE FIRST CALV (Days)

CALVING INTERVAL (Days)

LONGEVITY (Rel no. calves)

1 NEW

HALTCLIFFE BLAZE Eartag UK 100996/300534 Date of Birth 04/05/2006 No. Calves 159 Sire 6272 SYMPA

Haltcliffe, HALTCLIFFE herd, Cumbria

Mr & Mrs T B Griffiths, DERI herd, Dyfed

-5.7 80%

1.1 58%

0 57%

2 NEW

TWEEDDALE LISBON Eartag UK 107511/301818 Date of Birth 07/12/2015 No. Calves 1 Sire GOLDIES GOLDMINE

Mr J Watson, TWEEDDALE herd, Northumberland

P Cooper & Son, GOVALS herd, Scotland

8.8 50%

-5.1 32%

0.1 31%

3 NEW

KIRKLAND FIGARO Eartag UK 540754/100904 Date of Birth 12/06/2010 No. Calves 2 Sire GOLDIES BISHOP Myostatin F94L/F94L

Mr T S Kirk, KIRKLAND herd, Scotland

Mr T S Kirk, KIRKLAND herd, Scotland

8.9 63%

-0.9 37%

0 35%

4 NEW

RAINBOW FISCAL Eartag UK 166622/200675 Date of Birth 01/05/2010 No. Calves 112 Sire SYLVANDENE ALPHA

E J & L J White, RAINBOW herd, Staffordshire

Mr G. Stubbs, BENJELU herd, Derbyshire

9.2 58%

-3.4 38%

0 39%

5

AMPERTAINE FOREMAN Eartag UK 9564385/0652-1 Date of Birth 27/08/2010 No. Calves 1343 Sire WILODGE CERBERUS

Messrs W J & James McKay, AMPERTAINE herd, Northern Ireland

Non Member

13.4 82%

0.4 49%

0.1 45%

6 NEW

GOLDIES JACKPOT Eartag UK 581575/301509 Date of Birth 11/11/2014 No. Calves 59 Sire AMPERTAINE FOREMAN

Bruce T Goldie, GOLDIES herd, Scotland

Bruce T Goldie, GOLDIES herd, Scotland

15.6 57%

-4.6 35%

0.1 33%

7 NEW

GOLDIES LORDOFTHERINGS Eartag UK 581575/501553 Date of Birth 01/06/2015 No. Calves 19 Sire GOLDIES FANTASTIC Myostatin F94L/F94L

Bruce T Goldie, GOLDIES herd, Scotland

J R MacGregor (Dyke) Ltd, DYKE herd, Scotland

16.9 56%

2.4 43%

0 44%

8 NEW

TWEEDDALE JIFF Eartag UK 107511/401665 Date of Birth 21/10/2014 No. Calves 5 Sire GOLDIES GOLDMINE

Mr J Watson, TWEEDDALE herd, Northumberland

RPD Scotland Ltd, COWLEY herd, Scotland

19.3 51%

2.9 34%

0.1 33%

9 NEW

GELLIWION HERCULES Eartag UK 722189/700508 Date of Birth 18/09/2012 No. Calves 23 Sire WILODGE TONKA

P J & S Edwards, GELLIWION herd, Mid Glamorgan

P J & S Edwards, GELLIWION herd, Mid Glamorgan

20.8 51%

2.8 42%

0 43%

10 NEW

LONGFAULD EVOLUTION Eartag UK 542696/200309 Date of Birth 11/22/2009 No. Calves 1 Sire WILODGE TONKA

James S Taylor, LONGFAULD herd, Scotland

James S Taylor, LONGFAULD herd, Scotland

22.8 63%

1.3 46%

0 47%

34 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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TECHNICAL CORNER

Leading Young Bulls for Gestation Length The following identifies the current Top 10 Limousin Young Bulls for Gestation Length EBV according to the following criteria: •

All bulls are born on or since 15th April 2016 (ie are younger than 3 years of age at time of update), are live, pedigree registered and are performance recorded.

All bulls have the shortest Gestation Length EBV recorded in the March 2019 EBV Update All bulls have Calving Ease EBVs and Beef Values greater than or equal to the 2019 breed average

• •

Animals are listed by their Gestation Length breeding value in descending order (shortest to longest). Accuracy values are shown as % alongside each breeding value.

Details

Bred By

Owned By

GEST. LENGTH (Days)

BEEF VALUE

CALV. EASE (%)

1

GOLDIES NIMBLE Eartag UK 581575/301740 Date of Birth 30/05/2017 No. Calves 0 Sire GOLDIES JUGGLER Myostatin F94L/F94L

Bruce T Goldie, GOLDIES herd, Scotland

Bruce T Goldie, GOLDIES herd, Scotland

-7.5 76%

LM60 75%

1.0 63%

2 NEW

ALAGILS NIMROD Eartag UK 502062/700365 Date of Birth 14/10/2017 No. Calves 0 Sire NETHERHALL GALLANT Myostatin F94L/F94L

Mr A J & Mrs G Macnab, ALAGILS herd, Scotland

Mr A J & Mrs G Macnab, ALAGILS herd, Scotland

-6.9 75%

LM28 75%

2.2 64%

3

AMPERTAINE METRIC Eartag UK 9564385/1127-7 Date of Birth 22/08/2016 No. Calves 0 Sire AMPERTAINE JAMBOREE Myostatin F94L/F94L

Messrs W J & James McKay, AMPERTAINE herd, Northern Ireland

Messrs W J & James McKay, AMPERTAINE herd, Northern Ireland

-6.6 76%

LM33 76%

1.3 64%

4

TOMSCHOICE NISSAN Eartag UK 124148/300442 Date of Birth 02/11/2017 No. Calves 0 Sire KAPRICO ERAVELLE Myostatin F94L/F94L

J M & S P Cooper, TOMSCHOICE herd, North Yorkshire

Mr A Glew, WOODBOTTOM herd, West Yorkshire

-6.5 76%

LM30 64%

2.5 64%

5

TOMSCHOICE MIRAGE Eartag UK 124148/700390 Date of Birth 08/10/2016 No. Calves 0 Sire KAPRICO ERAVELLE Myostatin F94L/NT821

J M & S P Cooper, TOMSCHOICE herd, North Yorkshire

Non-Member Owner

-6.2 75%

LM45 75%

0.7 64%

6

TOMSCHOICE MONTY Eartag UK 124148/500388 Date of Birth 08/05/2016 No. Calves 12 Sire KAPRICO ERAVELLE Myostatin F94L/F94L

J M & S P Cooper, TOMSCHOICE herd, North Yorkshire

Mrs D B Davies, TIERSTON herd, Dyfed

-6.1 78%

LM39 82%

-0.3 71%

7 NEW

GOLDIES ORCHARD Eartag UK 581575/301845 Date of Birth 05/08/2018 No. Calves 0 Sire GOLDIES JUGGLER Myostatin F94L/F94L

Bruce T Goldie, GOLDIES herd, Scotland

Bruce T Goldie, GOLDIES herd, Scotland

-6.0 77%

LM55 74%

0.8 63%

8 NEW

TOMSCHOICE MAJESTY Eartag UK 124148/100391 Date of Birth 12/10/2016 No. Calves 0 Sire KAPRICO ERAVELLE Myostatin F94L/F94L

J M & S P Cooper, TOMSCHOICE herd, North Yorkshire

Non-Member Owner

-6.0 76%

LM27 75%

1.2 64%

9 NEW

GOLDIES NICHOLAS Eartag UK 581575/401706 Date of Birth 11/01/2017 No. Calves 1 Sire GOLDIES JUGGLER Myostatin F94L/F94L

Bruce T Goldie, GOLDIES herd, Scotland

J M & S P Cooper, TOMSCHOICE herd, North Yorkshire

-5.9 75%

LM52 75%

0.0 61%

10 NEW

WALKERS NANVIER Eartag UK 581575/401706 Date of Birth 11/01/2017 No. Calves 0 Sire ALLANFAULD GAZZA Myostatin F94/F94L

Mr P A Walker, WALKERS herd, Scotland

Non-Member Owner

-5.9 75%

LM40 73%

1.1 63%

To view pedigree and performance information for all registered Limousins go to www.limousin.co.uk and click on the ‘Taurus Online Herdbook’ button.

You can then search by animal, by breeder, by EBVs and by GEBVs.

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TECHNICAL CORNER

Calving Ease and Maternal Calving Ease EBVs Easily Available For Limousin The following is a short article presented by Dr Basil Lowman, SRUC and first published in SRUC’s Sheep and Beef News following the October 2018 bull sales.

•

Calving Ease EBV: Predicts the ease with which a bull’s calf will be born

•

Maternal Calving Ease EBV: Predicts the ease with which a bull’s daughters will calve

H

aving presented figures for Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorn bulls sold at last autumn’s bull sales in terms of the percentage with positive/negative Direct and Maternal Calving Ease EBVs, I asked the Limousin Society if they could provide similar figures for their breed.

Calving Ease Direct and Maternal For 1,547 Sires of 2018 Born Calves CE Direct CE Maternal

Positive

Negative

Positive

21.3%

32.3%

53.6

Negative

26.5%

19.8%

46.3

47.8

52.1

The figures are for the sires of pure bred Limousin calves born in 2018. The results are impressive with only 19.8% of all sires used being negative for both Calving Ease Direct and Calving Ease Daughters. In fact although the difference is small the percentage of bulls with positive values for both Calving Ease EBVs was slightly higher at 21.3%. This suggests that Limousin breeders are trying to improve still further calving ease of their cattle.

Basil Lowman, SAC Consulting Beef Specialist basil.lowman@sac.co.uk

36 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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IN 8 COUNTRIES FOR APPLE IPHONE 4S ONWARDS, WINDOWS 10 AND MORE THAN 13950 ANDROID DEVICES! üü All Society sale catalogues available to view on your mobile device üü Filter pages to find catalogued animals meeting your criteria üü Create your own catalogue from saved results

Download the LimSale App The LimSale app is supported by minimum platforms iOS8 Apple, Windows 10 and Android 4.0.3.

For further information contact the British Limousin Cattle Society, info@limousin.co.uk, t elephone 02476 696500

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TECHNICAL CORNER

Sales and Performance Genetics in 2018/19

T

hroughout 2018 and in the early part of 2019, animals with high genetic merit for growth, carcase and easy calving traits have been sought by the market. Consistently across all sales centres, the value of high performance bulls has exceeded that of lower merit and also those that are ‘non-recorded’ (without performance records available). This is reflecting buyers’ continued demand for performance that is delivering their end-market needs.

Results from all premier sales in Brecon, Carlisle, Dungannon and Stirling in 2018 and February 2019 show the following:

Limousin Premier Sales 2018 & Feb 2019 Beef Value

No. Sold

Gns

98

6381

Top 10%

246

5804

Top 25%

188

5138

Average

192

4269

Below Average

109

3638

Top 1%

For those investing in these genetics, the Limousin breed continues to make exceptional rates of genetic gain year-on-year.

This means that the relative genetic merit of bulls is advancing all the time, ensuring the genetics of those bought today and in the future are always better than those of the past. This can be illustrated as follows:

Animals that were Top 1% in 1997 would only be the equivalent of Breed Average today

By the same token, the performance amongst the Top 25%+ today didn’t exist in 1997!

This is exactly what should be seen in a breed that is making good genetic progress. Each time a commercial buyers invests in a new Limousin breeding bull, they have opportunity to buy

38 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

This information illustrates that: üü

The majority of Limousin bulls coming to the market have production traits that are in the Top 25% of the breed. During this time-frame, over 63% of the animals sold fell in to this category.

üü

Distinct premiums are paid for animals of higher genetic merit. In the year, the average for bulls with Beef Values in the Top 1% was over 2110 guineas more than bulls with Beef Values that were average and over 2740 guineas more than bulls that were below average.

This is a trend that has been The Beef Value: established for more than A breeding index 13 years which would not be combining the apparent if bulls were failing to Birthweight, Gestation deliver the performance that Length, Calving Ease, buyers expect from them.

Growth, Muscle Depth and Fat Depth EBVs relative to their economic value.

something that is better than the generation before. This is the premise behind the breed’s current 10 Year Breed Improvement Plan and it is serving the sector well in ensuring the very best genetics of the type that are relevant to the market are available.

Focusing on a selection of specific traits of interest, we can see the following:

Substantial increases in genetic merit for growth within the breed have not been at the expense of calving ease. A marginal increase in birth weight and decrease in calving ease could be anticipated, but they are not proportionate to the growth and carcase gains made. The uniqueness of Limousin as an easy calving yet growthy breed is enhanced year on year.

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Limousin is regarded as an inherently easy-milking beef breed and the overall trend for 200 Day Milk is remaining relatively static. 200 Day Milk is the maternal component of 200 Day Growth, or the weaning weight. In other words, it indicates how much of a calf’s performance at 200 days (weaning) is down to the maternal influence of the dam.

200 Day Milk has a slight negative correlation with growth and muscularity ie animals that are faster growing and more muscular are typically genetically not as good for 200 Day Milk. It is a mild correlation however and despite it, through use of data and careful selection, breeders are successfully driving growth and carcase shape whilst, on the whole, protecting the milking qualities of the breed.

Good genetic gain for growth does not just mean the breed is getting bigger! It means that target weights are achieved quicker; see the report on James Cooper’s herd Pedigree Bulls for Commercial Producers: Building the Brand on page 57 for a great example of this.

An ever-reducing Age to Slaughter coupled with steady gain in Carcase Weight ensure Limousin genetics are futureproofing the breed in the prime slaughter section.

Limousin-bred dams are numerically greatest of all breeds in the UK*. These trends indicate that year on year, Limousinbred daughters are calving more easily

The Retail Value Index comprises the EBVs from 6 primal cuts established from widespread commercial abattoir records.

* source:AHDB

The ongoing gain being made in Carcase Yield is without a corresponding decline in fat cover, which is being maintained at a constant level.

Investing in breeding stock on a rising plane of improvement guarantees performance better than the generation before. The Limousin Society’s 10-year breed improvement plan is focussing investment in key areas such as those above to ensure the genetics of the breed continue to deliver for the commercial market. New traits – such as feed intake and some measures to address animal health issues - are in varying stages of planning and development and all provide solutions to Limousin producers in sourcing the genetics they will need. For assistance with any aspect of our Limousin EBVs, please get in touch with the Society office. More on the Breed Improvement Plan can be found here: https://bit.ly/2wLAK73.

...coupled with reducing Gestation Lengths. Market demand for short gestation-length breeding bulls is strong and the breed is responding.

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NEWS

BREEDERS’ SALES & GENERAL ROUND-UP

For full sale reports please visit www.limousin.co.uk

3800GNS TRELOWETH NEBO TAKES THE TOP PRICE AT HOLSWORTHY

T

reloweth Nebo, from Mr AMC Eddy, Treloweth Farm, St Erth, Hayle made the 3800gns top price at the Breeders’ Sale held on behalf of the South West Limousin Club at Holsworthy Livestock Market, Devon, on Wednesday 24th April.

This October 2017 born bull was sired by Ampertaine Foreman and is out of the Haltcliffe Vermount daughter Nebo Honey. Sold with some strong performance figures including a Beef Value of LM+42, Treloweth Nebo was purchased by D Trewern & Son, Trewey Farm, Penzance, Cornwall.

Selling at 3500gns was Loosebeare Nachos from Messrs EW Quick & Son, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon. This bull was got by the popular AI sire Lodge Hamlet and is out of Loosebeare Honey, a Haltcliffe Anzac daughter. Buying this bull, described as being

Holsworth - Chris Eddy Treloweth Nebo

‘super shapely’, was AJ & PE Nancekivell, Herdacott, Bude, Cornwall.

Killerton Noticeabull from Mr & Mrs Pw & SM Greed, Columbjohn Farm Ltd, Rewe, Exeter, Devon made 2900gns when selling to PJ Richards,

LIMOUSIN SIRED CALVES TO £6,000 AT CARLISLE

West Lydcott, Highampton, Beaworthy, Devon. August 2017 born Killerton Noticeabull is by Norman Harvest, a Claragh Franco son, and is out of Killerton Hotpants.

From the small show of females, the Killerton herd

sold three heifers at the sale leading price of 1400gns respectively.

Averages: 4 Bulls £3255 5 Heifers £1444 Auctioneers: Kivells

Carlisle Spring Show & Sale Reserve Supreme Champion

L

imousin sired calves featured strongly in the leading prices at Carlisle’s Spring Show & Sale of suckled calves held in March. Taking the Reserve Supreme Championship ticket was a red Limousin cross heifer from P&A Jarman, Branthwaite. Sired by Netherhall Jackpot and out of the same Limousin cross cow that bred the show’s 2016 Champion, it sold for £6000 to Messrs Wilkinson and Marwood, Leyburn. A Limousin sired heifer from AJ & FM Harrison, Great Asby sold for £4500. The Jarmans later sold a third prize winning Limousin cross heifer for £4200.

40 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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NEWS

HIGHTOWN HEIFER MAKES £5600 CENTRE RECORD AT HEXHAM SALE Hexham sale Limousin x Heifer from J Smith-Jackson sold for £5600 at Hexham Mart

J

ohn Smith-Jackson, Hightown Farm, Melkridge, Haltwhistle continued a fantastic run of 2019 sales when taking the lead price of £5600, a centre record, with a Limousin sired heifer at Hexham & Northern Marts prize show and sale of store cattle with show ring potential held on 8th March. The sale followed hard on the heels of the Leyburn Spring Spectacular where Mr Smith-Jackson took the top price of £9200 with another Limousin sired heifer. At both sales the top priced heifers were sired by the homebred bull Hightown Jacko, a son of Shire Apollo who has bred so well over the years for the Hightown herd.

Described as ‘sweet and sparky’, this seven-month-old heifer caused much anticipation around the ringside. Setting off with a flurry of bids the heifer quickly surpassed the previous centre record of £4300 set in 2015 before going on to £5600 where it was knocked down to Messrs Wilkinson & Marwood, Leyburn, North Yorkshire.

With interest in this special show sale growing year on year a number of calves sold on the day to exceed vendors expectations and included: Overall Champion – Messrs Telfer, Newton High House; £3400 Reserve Champion – Messrs Smith-Jackson, High Town; £2700 2nd Prize Limousin Steer - Messrs Smith-Jackson, High Town; £1800 Female Reserve Champion – Messrs Rochester & Murray, Glebe Farm; £1500 The pre-sale show was judged by the first ever lady judge at this event, Mrs Lin Calcraft, Honiton, Devon. From the preliminary breed classes Mrs Calcraft selected her male and female champions and as the tension mounted these two were brought forward in contention for The John Davison Perpetual Millenium Trophy and the £1000 cash prize presented to the Overall Champion.

With two outstanding Tynedale bred calves stood before her the judge gave each animal her full consideration, before tapping out a Limousin cross steer calf from Messrs E Telfer & Sons, Newton High House, Stocksfield as her Overall Champion.

The steely-blue bullock at a little over eight months of age had been turned out by Malcolm Telfer & Helen Claxton having earlier taken the Male Championship and the ‘halter trained’ Limousin Steer Class first prize rosette.

Without hesitation Mrs Calcraft was then swift to award the Reserve Champion rosette to the Female Champion calf which

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Hexham sale Reserve Champion Limousin x Heifer from J W Smith-Jackson

Hexham sale Overall Champion Limousin x steer from E Telfer and Sons Newton High House

Hexham sale Overall Champion Limousin x Steer from E Telfer Sons Newton High House sold for £3400

was a sharp and stylish red Limousin cross heifer just short of twelve months of age and another from John Smith-Jackson, Hightown. This one had previously taken the first prize rosette in the ‘unhaltered’ Limousin Heifer Class and headed up a fourstrong team of calves from the Haltwhistle based exhibitor.

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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BREEDERS’ SALES & GENERAL ROUND-UP

NEWS

KITSON & SONS BUTCHERS PAY RECORD £9200 FOR LIMOUSIN SIRED SHOW ANIMAL

N

orth of England butcher Anthony Kitson has paid a whopping £9,200 for a commercial store cattle champion he now plans to parade on the 2019 summer show

circuit.

Mr Kitson, of Kitson & Sons Butchers, which has shops in North Yorkshire and Durham, fought off fierce competition at the ringside to claim the title winner at Leyburn Auction Mart’s annual ‘Spring Spectacular’ for show potential cattle held on Saturday March 2nd.

It set a new mart record price by far for a store animal and is thought to rank among the highest prices ever paid for a commercial beast anywhere in the UK. It was certainly the best-ever selling price achieved by breeder and exhibitor John Smith-Jackson, who runs the Hightown herd near Haltwhistle, some 15 miles east of Hexham in Northumberland. “I could not believe it. I am still in shock,” said the well-known showman two days after the sale.

Mr Smith-Jackson’s Leyburn title winner, a home-bred red Limousin-cross, is an April, 2018-born daughter of the herd’s main stock bull, Hightown Jacko, who is himself a son of Shire Apollo, acquired back in 1985. The herd still retains a few straws from the high-performance bull.

“Apollo was a real star, though Jacko is breeding as well as, if not better than his father, producing some really top quality, high price, multi award-winning progeny,” said Mr Smith-Jackson.

Buyer Mr Kitson shares the breeder’s enthusiasm. “She is one of the best beasts I have ever set eyes on – at the leading edge of show cattle. Bidding at the ringside was frenzied and I had to battle tooth and nail to claim her,” he said.

The supreme champion heifer will now be paraded under her new name – ‘Kitsons Jewel’ – at local, regional and national shows this summer. An appearance at the Great Yorkshire Show is on the agenda, while Mr Kitson is also considering taking her over to Holland for the country’s premier Easter prime cattle highlight, Paasvee 2019, next month.

Two years ago, he became the first-ever English showman to compete at and fly the flag for British butchery at the famous open-air cattle showpiece in Schagen.

Leyburn Spring Champion from John Smith-Jackson selling for £9,200

Show-time over, Kitsons Jewel will eventually find her way into the food chain at Kitson & Sons Butchers’ three retail shops in Northallerton, Stockton-on-Tees, and Hutton Rudby, along with its latest Five Houses Farm Shop and Kitchen in Crathorne, launched in autumn, 2017, and going really well.

Mr Kitson is renowned for buying high profile prime cattle champions from across the UK - and paying highly for the privelege. In the run-up to Christmas last year he invested over £100,000 when securing a total of 50 award-winning prime beef cattle at many of the country’s seasonal fatstock shows purposely for his customers’ festive tables.

Among them were the supreme champions at the prestigious East of England Winter Stock Festival in Peterborough and both the English and Scottish Winter Fairs. It was quite possibly the biggest ever buying coup by an independent family-run UK butcher.

‘I’LL BE THERE’ TAKES IT TO THE TOP AT THAINSTONE

F

ebruary 2019’s Spring Show and Sale at Thainstone saw a Championship ‘first’ for Michael Robertson, Fodderletter Farms, Tomintoul when his heifer ‘I’ll Be There’, shown by son Mark and Sarah Balfour, took the Heifer Championship before moving on to win the Overall Supreme. Commenting on her Champion, Mel Alford, Foxhill Farm, Devon said: “I was looking for a good, showy

animal with a good top, shoulder, loin and tremendous spring of rib but not an excessive back end. This heifer had all of that. She was the stand out animal and an easy winner”. The Supreme Champion was a 10-monthold heifer sired by Mereside Lorenzo bred from a Limousin cross dam. Scaling 420kgs she was initially purchased as a calf at foot from the Raeburn family, Basket Farm, Blantyre at UA’s breeding sale held at

42 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

ANM Spring Show 19 - Champion I'll Be There

Stirling in October.

At Thainstone she made the day’s top price of 4600gns when selling to Rebecca Stuart, Murrial, Insch. The Reserve Female Champion was the prolific father and son Robertson team from Newton of Logierait, Perthshire with their 2017 born red heifer

sired by Naby Director. This calf, also purchased at the same Stirling sale was bredby Willie Stevenson, Pitlochry.

Come sale time it made £4300 when selling to the judge.

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BREEDERS’ SALES & GENERAL ROUND-UP

NEWS

LIMOUSIN SIRED HEIFER TOPS RUTHIN SHOW POTENTIALS AT £6000

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op price at Ruthin Livestock Market on Saturday (23rd Feb) of £6000 came from a pen of October-born Limousin calves from Dylan and Elen Davies and family of Drefach, Llanybydder. Not only was this the family’s first time selling at Ruthin, from their 20 cow suckler herd, but they also took the championship

under judge Blair Dufton, Aberdeenshire.

Sale leader named Baby Shark, was a Mereside Lorenzo daughter and out of a Limousin cross cow. Taking her home and across the water for future showing in Northern Ireland was JCB Commercials, Newtownards, Co Down.

The second highest priced Limousin sired animal on the

day was a pedigree heifer, Cefnbarrach Oulu, from David John Lloyd and Co, Caersws.

This one sold for £4500 to Phil and Sharon Sellers, Lincoln.

Next best at £3200 was another Limousin cross from JM and AM Lewis, Carmarthen.

This one stood second to the Overall Champion and is by a homebred bull out of a former show heifer. Taking her home

Ruthin Show Overall Champion £6000

Cefnbarrach Oulu £4500

Dion Hughes £2700

JM & AM Lewis £3200

was Aled Roberts, Gaerwen, Anglesey.

The reserve heifer champion, another Limousin cross and this time from Dion Hughes, Corwen, sold for £2700 to R Whitfield, St Helens.

Averages: 18 heifers £2117.78, 15 steers £1596 (Ruthin Farmers).

Practical one-stop Limousin semen shop www.semenstore.co.uk

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BREEDERS’ SALES & GENERAL ROUND-UP

£8000 CENTRE RECORD LEADS HOT DEMAND FOR LIMOUSIN CALVES AT BRECON SHOW POTENTIALS

B

recon Livestock Market played host to a jam-packed ring side on Saturday, 9th February, for the first major show potential calf sale of the year. Topping trade at a cracking £8000 was a Glangwden Josh sired heifer, Pepsi, from D E and G Davies and Son, Llwynpiod, Garth. Buying this one was Michael and Melanie Alford, Cullompton, Devon. This top price heifer is a half-sister to their successful show steer from last year, No Likey.

Next best in the sale ring, having taken the Overall Championship, was Phil and Tracey Jones, Erwood, with Dancing Queen. This one is by Sheehills Jet, an Ampertaine Elgin son, and is out of a Limousin x British Blue cow. Taking her home at £5700 was Blair Dufton, Huntly, Aberdeenshire.

The Jones family then took the third highest price with their Reserve Champion, Black Magic. Again, by Sheehills Jet and out of a Limousin cross cow, she sold to C J Harris, Torrington at £3900.

Selling for £3100 was Colin and Wendy Phillips, Sarnsfield, Herefordshire, with a Limousin cross heifer. Sired by Powerhouse Maverick she sold to D Morrison, Burnside, Kinloch Brevie.

Continuing a strong trade for heifers was a call of £3,050 for the Limousin cross heifer, Peaches, from R. W. and L. A. Jones, Llandeilo Graban, Carmarthenshire. This one headed to Scotland and James Nisbet, Mauchline, Ayrshire.

Brecon Potentials 26 Pepsi £8000

Brecon Potentials 21 Dancing Queen Overall Champion £5700

5000GNS GRONW LIBERTY TOPS THE GRONW HERD DISPERSAL SALE AT WHITLAND • 80 lots gross £183,382.50 • 47 females with calf at foot average £2721

T

he first calved heifer Gronw Liberty, sold with her heifer calf at foot, made 5000gns to top the Dispersal Sale of the Gronw Limousin Herd of John and Heather Phillips, Esgerddeugoed, Cwnfelin Mynach, Whitland, held at Whitland Livestock Market on Saturday 8th December.

The June 2015 born Gronw Liberty is by Tomschoice Gladius and is out of the herd’s French bred cow Ubaize. Her March born heifer calf at foot, Gronw Opal, is by the herd’s homebred stock bull Gronw Logan. Purchasing the top price unit was Mr T Jenkins & Son for their Torycoed pedigree herd at Torycoed Farm, Rhiwsaeson, Pontyclun, Mid Glamorgan.

The sale, coming twenty-eight years after the Gronw herd was first established, saw eighty lots sell to what was described by the auctioneer, Gareth Thomas of JJ Morris, as perhaps the biggest crowd seen at a livestock sale held in Whitland Livestock Market.

Eighty lots in all sold to gross a healthy £183,382.50 with

44 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Gronw Dispersal Gronw Liberty & heifer calf Gronw Opal 5000gns

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BREEDERS’ SALES & GENERAL ROUND-UP

47 females with calves at foot averaging a very solid £2721.

Commenting afterwards BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “The Gronw Herd comprised of tremendously genuine cattle with a very commercial relevance. It was great to see John and Heather get such good reward for what was clearly a very well thought out breeding programme over a number of years. Everyone in the Society wishes John and Heather well for a long and happy retirement”.

Another first calved heifer, Gronw Llawen, made 4000gns when selling to WG Davies & Son, Gelli Farm, Hirwaun, Mid Glamorgan for their Gellibenuchel herd. March 2015 born Gronw Llawen is by the AI sire Ironstone Brandy and out of Gronw Happy. She was sold with her March 2018 born heifer calf at foot Gronw Oren, an Ampertaine Commander daughter.

Later in the sale WG Davies & Son paid 3600gns for Gronw Lena, another first calved heifer, sold with her heifer calf at foot Gronw Oprah. The April 2015 born Gronw Lena, who was Pd’d back in calf to Tynewydd Mealamu, is by Frewstown Gargantuan and is out of Gronw Helena. The March 2018 born Gronw Oprah is by the homebred stock bull Gronw Logan.

Selling as separate lots the combined unit of Gronw Jan and her first calf, the heifer calf Gronw Olivia, made 3880gns. Gronw Jan, who was PD’d back in calf to Mynach Igor, is by Netherhall Doubleoseven and is another out of Ubaize the mother of the top price animal. Gronw Jan made 2300gns when selling to Mr D Thomas for his Treweryll Herd at Dolau Newydd, Blaenffos, Boncath, Pembrokeshire. The February 2018 born Gronw Olivia, by the noted AI sire Talent, was snapped up for 1550gns by Irwel Jones, E & H M Jones & Co, Aberbranddu, Cwrty Cadno, Pumsaint, Llanwrda for his Rabar pedigree herd.

The cow and calf unit of Gronw Heulwen and Gronw Olive made 3800gns. First up the six- year-old Gronw Heulwen, by Fleethill Dazzler and out of Milbrook Dimple and back in calf to Mynach Igor, made 2150gns. She was followed by her January 2018 born heifer calf Gronw Olive, who is by Gunnerfleet Eros, who sold for 1650gns. Sold as separate lots the unit was reunited when both were purchased by RM & G Watkins, Upper Cwm Farm, Craswall, Herefordshire. In all the Watkins made eight purchases on the day for their newly established Millend

NEWS

Gronw Dispersal: John and Heather Phillips

pedigree herd. Commenting afterwards Mrs Watkins said: “We felt that this was a very good herd of cows with a depth of breeding behind them and carrying a good health status.”

In all, thirteen lots on the day sold for 3000gns or more.

AVERAGES: 47 Females with calves at foot 10 In-calf heifers 21 Maiden heifers 2 Bulls

£2721 £1864 £1515 £2520

AUCTIONEERS: JJ Morris, Whitland Livestock Market

Gronw Dispersal

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BREEDERS’ SALES & GENERAL ROUND-UP

6000GNS GARNEDD NECTAR LEADS THE BUOYANT NORTH WEST MIDLANDS & NORTH WALES LIMOUSIN CLUB SALE AT WELSHPOOL

H

eading up the NW Midlands & North Wales Limousin Club Autumn Show and Sale at Welshpool on Saturday 24th November was the junior bull Garnedd Nectar at 6000gns.

From Ken and Hefin Jones, Betws-Y-Coed, Conwy the June 2017 born Nectar, sired by Ernevalley Jaguar and bred from an exceptional milk cow Garnedd Efa, had won a second place in the pre-show sale under the watchful eye of Judge Mr Thomas Corbett of the Temeside Herd, Felindre, Powys. Securing the top priced animal was British Limousin Cattle Society Chairman Michael Cursiter for his Dwarmo herd, Evie, Orkney.

Following close behind at 5900gns was the pre-sale show Reserve Champion Garyvaughan Nitrogen from Colin Lewis, Buttington, Welshpool. The first lot of the day and born early in January 2017 the youngest bull for sale, Nitrogen, by Emslies Integrity, is described as a very correct stylish young bull with great length, width and conformation. He is out of Garyvaughan

Ilesia herself by the prolific 35,000gns Plumtree Deus who has sired progeny to 40,000gns. Making the final bid for Nitrogen was D E Evans, Craven Arms, Shropshire.

At 4200gns came another from the Jones family, this time in the shape of June 2017 born Garnedd Nebulon. A Trueman Idol son out of Garnedd Hafren, Nebulon, a long bull with plenty of muscle was bought by local farmers I E and M Gittins and Sons, Brooks, Welshpool.

Next up at 3700gns was Sarkley Neptune from E H Pennie and Son, Montgomery, Powys. This June 2017 born bull is one of the first sons of the Sarkley herds retained bull Sarkley Jaguar, himself a Plumtree Fantastic son. Neptune’s dam, Sarkley Hunisha is a Sympa granddaughter. Taking him home was W G Trow and Son, Llandinam, Powys.

In a sale which saw a good clearance rate the hammer went down on 15 bulls selling to an average of £3885, up over £540 on the corresponding sale last year.

Welshpool Garnedd Nectar 6000gns

Welshpool Garyvaughan Nitrogen, 5900gns

Welshpool Garnedd Nebulon 4200gns

Welshpool Judge Mr Thomas Corbett

46 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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BREEDERS’ SALES & GENERAL ROUND-UP

NEWS

LOOSEBEARE IAIN LEADS NEWARK LIMOUSINS AT 9000GNS • Withersdale Jasmine tops the females at 8000gns.

Newark sale Loosebeare Iain, 9000gns

T

rade peaked at 9000gns at the East Midland Limousin Club’s Autumn Limousin Day at Newark Livestock Market on Saturday 6 October 2018. It was a day which saw more than 220 cattle find new homes as the sale delivered a superb 89% clearance rate.

Topping trade was Loosebeare Iain, a 2013 born stock bull bred by the Quick family, Devon and offered by Messrs Booth who run the Sevengun Herd at Hardwick Hall Farm, Aston, Sheffield.

By Loosebeare Fantastic, a Wilodge Vantastic son and out of Loosebeare Elite a Haltcliffe Anzac daughter, Iain was Supreme Champion and trade topper at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s Autumn show and sale of bulls at Carlisle back in 2014. Selling this time with a beef value of +46, this solid stock bull was knocked down to Esmor Evans for the Maerdy Herd, Mold, North Wales.

Second best among the bulls at 5800gns was Mereside Hallmark, a 2012 born bull bred by the Hazard family, Grantham and offered as part of the dispersal of the Gascoines herd for the Gascoines Group. This Dormeue son is out of a Vagabond daughter and was the pick of J F Vance and Sons, Minsterley, Shropshire.

Then making 4000gns was a son of Hallmark, Gascoines Nebraska. Again from the Gascoines Group, this bull is out of a dam by Fieldsons

Beefy and was knocked down to P J Wilson, Whitwell, Nottinghamshire. At the same money was Calogale Magnum from Messrs Lee and Lloyd.

This son of the 145,000gns Trueman Jagger is out of an Ionesco daughter and was bought by Ian Rowe, North Wingfield.

Another trading at 4000gns was another by Mereside Hallmark, Gascoines Nimrod from the Gascoines Group.

This one is out of a Greenwell Corinthian daughter and sold to J Booth, Doncaster. Taking a fourth and final 4000gns call was Coachhouse Neil from Messrs Heald. Sired by another Mereside bull, this time Mereside Daytona, he is out of a Haltcliffe Picasso daughter and was knocked down to Ian Wildgoose, Scarcliffe, Derbyshire.

Close behind at 3800gns was Gascoines Newsboy from the Gascoines Group. Sired by

Hallmark again, he is out of an Ardlea daughter and headed home with Fristling Hall Farms, Stock, Essex.

Topping prices among the females on offer was a cow and calf outfit from Darren Wharton, Norfolk. Withersdale Jasmine, an Amptertaine Commander daughter out of a dam by Wilodge Vantastic sold with her heifer calf at foot, Withersdale Oceana for 8000gns. She is back in calf to Withersdale Invader and was sold to Anita Padfield, Great Yarmouth.

Second best at 5000gns was in-calf heifer Withersdale Miribelle from the same home, with this 2016-born daughter of Sympa being out of another Vantastic daughter. She was offered in-calf to Kaprico Eravelle and was the pick of G and S Gilleard, Doncaster.

At 4500gns was the best from the Gascoines dispersal, Cockleshell Misty. Bred by

the Pitcher family, she is by Mereside Hannibal and out of a Greenwell Corinthian daughter. This in-calf heifer sold carrying to Fieldson Beefy and was bought by R N Gent, Laxton, Nottinghamshire.

Then making 4000gns was Cockleshell Hunice, again from the Gascoines dispersal.

Sired by Bolide, she is out of a Jockey daughter and sold with her third calf, a bull calf

by Mereside Hallmark, at foot.

Buying her was Raymond Lee, Co Fermanagh.

Averages: 20 bulls

£3506.25

18 young bulls

£1513.75

33 cows and heifers in-calf or with calves at foot £2170 16 Gascoines dispersal in-calf heifers £2168.91 38 Gascoines dispersal cows and calves £2344.54 49 maiden heifers

£1564.29

SEARCH YOUR APP STORE AND DOWNLOAD THE LIMSALE APP TODAY!

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BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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YOUNG LIMOUSIN

Check out the YLBC Facebook page or www.limousin.co.uk for reports and future events. YOUNG LIMOUSIN BREEDERS http://www.facebook.com/groups/311318061854 CURRENT YLBC OFFICIALS Chairman

Stephanie Dick, Mains of Throsk, Stirling

Vice Chairman

Tom Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie

Sponsorship Co-ordinator

John Graham, Mains of Burnbank, Stirling

Hon President

Mrs Kay Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, Angus

YLBC Co-ordinator

Natalie Cormack - ylbc@limousin.co.uk

NORTHERN IRELAND’S JACK O’BRIEN WINS LIMOUSIN NATIONAL YOUNG HANDLERS CONTEST AT CARLISLE

B

orderway Mart, Carlisle was the venue for the Young Limousin Breeders Club 2018 National Young Handlers’ Competition.

The usual standard of stiff competition was in abundance at the event, which is an annual fixture on the club’s schedule. It draws entrants from the length and breadth of the UK. This year’s competition, judged by Drew Hyslop and Craig Douglas, attracted 10 new entrants, which demonstrates a healthy interest in this kind of activity from the next generation of Limousin breeders.

With strong competition in all classes, the eventual winner of the Overall Champion Young Handler accolade went to Jack O’Brien from Northern Ireland who came through the Senior classes (1928 years). Jack wins both the BLCS Salver YLBC Championship Cup and the Beeches Salver, along with a bag of goodies.

The Reserve Overall Champion came in the form of the 2017 Junior and Overall winner, Kile Diamond, also of Northern

Ireland, who had earlier won the Junior section in his last year competing as a Junior.

Taking the top spot in the Intermediate class (15-18 years), which was the fiercest contest, was Rachel Graham of Cumbria. In this age section Brooks Carey won the showmanship section while Rachel took enough points in the preparation section to win overall.

48 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

www.limousin.co.uk

YOUNG LIMOUSIN

The Les Wilson Trophy for the best newcomer was awarded to Amy Vance from Wigtownshire, who competed in the Junior section at was her first attempt in the competition.

A heartfelt thank you is extended to all the staff at Harrison and Hetherington, for their help and support in hosting the event at what was a busy time in their schedule and to the British Limousin Cattle Society for their sponsorship of prizes.

Thanks also go to Drew and Craig for adjudicating so well and to the exhibitors at Carlisle for the BLCS Weaned Calf Sale who

www.limousin.co.uk

loaned their cattle for some competitors to take part.

Full Results: Overall Winner: Jack O’Brien, N. Ireland (Senior) Reserve Overall Winner: Kile Diamond, N. Ireland (Junior) Junior: Kile Diamond; Amy Vance; Thomas Callion Intermediate: Rachel Graham: Brooks Carey; Thomas Wilson Seniors: Jack O’Brien; Danny Escome; Brogan Cranfield

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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YOUNG LIMOUSIN

DRAPERHILL ORLANDO CHAMPION LIMOUSIN CALF IN NORTHERN IRELAND

T

he Northern Ireland Young Limousin Breeders held their annual Calf Spectacular on Friday 28th December 2018 at Swatragh Mart. This year’s Judges were June Dowie and daughter Jennifer Hyslop. A well-known duo in the livestock arena June has been showing and judging since 2004 the length and breadth of the country. She runs 200 suckler cows and 1100 breeding ewes on the home farm in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Jennifer works as stock person at the Graham’s Limousin Herd in Stirling. Showing since the age of twelve and winning many titles including at the Royal 40th Limousin Anniversary Scottish Winter Fair, Royal Highland Show, and the Royal Smithfield event. Last year, as part of the Grahams team, Jennifer lifted the Championship title at three majors, the Royal Highland, Great Yorkshire and Royal Welsh. Earlier in December the team also led out the Champion at the Limousin Red Ladies Day for the third year in a row.

As local breeders across Northern Ireland began to take to the show ring, the spectators looked on as the first class of pedigree calves got underway with Jennifer judging.

Once all the classes were judged the class winners from the Pedigree section were assembled in the show ring where after careful inspection Jennifer tapped out the Northern Ireland Limousin Cattle Club Pedigree Champion as Draperhill Orlando from the Rodgers Family. She awarded Reserve spot to

Jalex Ohyeah from James Alexander.

Then it was June’s turn to select her Champion from the Commercial classes winners. She took no time in

50 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

bringing forward Candy Floss from JCB commercials as her Champion. It was a 1-2 for the JCB team as Black Jack was tapped out as Reserve Champion.

Together, the mother daughter pair studied the Pedigree and Commercial Champion’s and tapped out Draperhill Orlando from the Rodgers Family as the

www.limousin.co.uk

YOUNG LIMOUSIN

Overall Show Champion, an award sponsored

by Norbrook. The pairs class was next, and more success followed for the Rodgers family as they took the Championship with Draperhill Orlando and Draperhill O’Brien from the Rodgers Family.

In addition to the cattle judging there was also a Young Handlers contest running throughout the day.

The Young Handlers were judged on presentation, control, response, alertness and showing under the real show conditions which bring added pressure. Both

judges carefully watched and together made their decisions.

The Ardigon Perpetual Salver for the Overall Young Handler Champion was awarded to Kile Diamond of the Pointhouse Herd.

The Broadhooks Perpetual Challenge Cup for the Young

Breeder with the Best Homebred Animal was awarded to Lucy Rodgers and the David Adams Heaslip Memorial Endeavor Trophy went to Phillip Williamson.

For all class results and winners, please visit www. limousin.co.uk

YOUNG LIMOUSIN BREEDER STEPS UP TO TAKE HIS PLACE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

N

orthern Ireland’s farming industry was in the spotlight recently as the winners of the annual Farming Life awards were revealed. Around 300 industry figures, farmers and politicians attended the black-tie event on 18th October at the La Mon Country House Hotel in the Castlereagh Hills.

Stepping onto the stage to receive a Special Commendation in the 2018 young farmer/student of the year category was Young Limousin Breeders Club member Andrew Hamill of the Cloverdale herd, Dunmurray, Belfast.

Andrew Hamill pictured with Jo Scott, compere, Denis McMahon, Permanent Secretary DAERA. Tony Demaine and Gareth Mellon.

Despite his young years, Andrew already has a strong cattle background that is evident when coming to beef judging events, he was crowned the winner at the YLBC National stockjudging competition at the Royal Bath and West Show earlier this year. There is no doubt that he is turning into a hardworking ambassador for the breed in Northern Ireland and further afield. It is a tremendous honour for him to be recognised at such a high-profile event.

Andrew received his award from Denis McMahon,

www.limousin.co.uk

Permanent Secretary DAERA, Tony Demaine, Cranswick Country Foods and Gareth Mellon, Farming Life.

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YOUNG LIMOUSIN

ANDREW HAMILL IN WINNING FORM

Y

oung Limousin Breeder Andrew Hamill has also secured himself a generous travel scholarship fund from the British Limousin Cattle Society.

Each year the Young Limousin Breeder’s Club (YLBC) club allocates points to active members for attendance and participation in YLBC events throughout the year. The member who has attained the most points at the end of the year is awarded the hearty fund with which they can enrich their education and knowledge of the beef industry.

Thanks to his involvement with the club and participation and successes at the various events throughout 2018 Andrew scored the highest number of points.

Andrew, who helps run the Cloverdale Herd in Dunmurray Belfast with his family, is a not only a keen competitor, but also a great ambassador for the YLBC in Northern Ireland and further afield.

Andrew plans to delay his travel for a couple of years; plenty of time to plan which country to visit. See in this issue the report from the 2017 scholarship fund winner, Amy Lindsay, who travelled to Canada.

SUCCESSFUL WORKSHOP WEEKEND FOR YLBC MEMBERS

A

group of YLBC members took part in an action packed workshop weekend in October 2018. Hosted in South West England, first stop was a ‘farm to fork’ demonstration hosted at ABP’s processing site at Langport, Devon.

The event was hosted by Steve Hamilton, a MLCSL qualified carcass grader.

He took the group through the basics of grading live cattle using the established EUROP grid. The group were presented with a pen of eight cattle, as varied as you would find, different breeds, shapes and cover. They were given the opportunity to handle the live animals and make assessment of fat cover, confirmation using the EUROPE grid and carcase weight before inspecting the same animals on the hook in the chiller after having ‘walked’ the slaughter line. The group were able to compare their assessments with those of the Visual Image Analysis machine (VIA) and an experienced MLCSL grader.

While few were spot on with their assessments, it was a valuable learning exercise.

Day two and it was onto Foxhill Farm, Cullompton, Devon where Mike, Melanie and Charlotte Alford acted as hosts for the judging and stewarding part of the workshop weekend. It was a full-on day ably presented and guided by Neil Lloyd, Clive Davies and Mike Alford.

Neil and Clive took the group through the finer points of the responsibility of stewarding, from selecting a judge to interacting with the exhibitors after the judging.

Neil and Mike Alford led an

52 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

interesting demonstration of how to judge. They used an exceptional Limousin steer bound for the autumn show circuit as their example beast. Clive explained the required detail and format of descriptions when giving reasons to judges and together with an informal competition, this proved to be a really worthwhile refresher for many attendees. Finally, a local vet, Piers, provided an entertaining introduction to aspects affecting herd fertility.

Thanks are extended to the team at Foxhill Farm, who opened up their facilities and supported the group

brilliantly. Also to Lin Pidsley for providing lunch and refreshments throughout the day Charlotte Alford for capturing the event in photos and Rhys Millichap for his technical help.

Activities of this kind are what make membership of the YLBC a must for any young person with an interest in the breed.

Under the heading of ‘Today’s Youth – Tomorrows Breeders’ the YLBC is the foundation around which the UK’s number one beef breed will continue to develop.

So if you want to get involved and take part in these kinds of events, and have plenty of fun as well, then please download the YLBC membership form from the BLCS website, email natalie.cormack@ btconnect.com or contact the BLCS office on 02476 696500.

www.limousin.co.uk

YOUNG LIMOUSIN

AMY LINDSAY REPORTS ON HER BLCS FUNDED TRIP TO CANADA -

“AN OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME!” In recent years, the Young Limousin Breeder’s Club (YLBC) club allocates points to active members for attendance and participation in YLBC events throughout the year.

The member with the most points receives a travel scholarship fund. Thanks to her involvement with the YLBC club, Amy was given the incredible chance to travel to Canada for two weeks. In Amy’s own words, she gives a super account of the trip.

M

y itinerary involved staying with a host family and attending Farmfair International Show at Edmonton, one of Canada’s top shows. Throughout my trip, I had the privilege of staying with Tessa and Colin Verbeek and their family.

Tessa Verbeek is the General Manager of the Canadian Limousin Association and her husband Colin, farms full time with his parents Raymond and Corine on the family’s fourth generation mixed grain and Limousin operation, Hillview Farm, near Morinville, Alta.

Their Hillview Limousin herd consists of 200 pure bred Limousin cows, making them the 4th largest registered Limousin herd in Canada, they have had 42 years in the Limousin business. The Verbeek family are strong believers in the Limousin breed and the value it has for the commercial producer.

They are constantly striving to raise docile, sound, easy calving and high performing breeding stock

www.limousin.co.uk

that work for them and their customers under the current demands of the beef industry.

My first few days were spent helping Colin on the farm with the feeding of the stock, general farm work and helping to get the cattle prepared for the Show. What was evident straightaway was that all cows are out wintered, only brought in during the first 24 hours of calving in January. Colin explained the importance of frequent checks during calving time as failure to bring a calving cow into the shed in time can result in the calves freezing, although, as soon as the calves are licked dry and sucking, they are put back outside.

They are being bred to be strong and tough. Having spent my first few days out on the farm, I soon realised how the sub-zero temperatures create a lot of extra work. While water pipes are put in the ground six foot down with the -20 temperature which we experienced, troughs were

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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YOUNG LIMOUSIN

well and truly solid, and we spent considerable time putting in water heaters to save ourselves work when we would be at the show later in the week.

In preparation for the show, we frequently washed the cattle, luckily for me it was always within their heated barn. The primary use of the barn is for the family’s on farm bull sale, which takes place annually on the first Saturday in March.

During the sale, all bulls are penned outside and prerecorded videos are played during the indoor auction, they use live-streaming webcams online to enable international buyers to view and purchase bulls.

The Verbeek family sell 40 bulls annually and usually sell steers to local feed lots and cast cows at their local auction market. Nearer the end of my trip, I had the opportunity to visit the weekly cattle sale at Vold Jones & Vold Auction, interestingly cattle were all penned outdoors by cowboys and their horses.

The Verbeek family had two young bulls and one yearling heifer heading to Farmfair, and, as in the UK, we headed into the event a few days ahead of the start of the show to set up.

After allowing the cattle a few hours to settle in, I was surprised to find out we would have to remove them from the main hall.

As it turned out, each night, we led the cattle to ‘tie out’, a tradition which involves all cattle being led out the main hall at 8pm and led all the way along an old horse racing track to then be tied up on an outside stall at the end of the track, taking approximately 20 minutes to walk your cattle there. This tradition was implemented to predominantly give the cattle exercise, encourage hair growth and try to limit illness by being out in the cold overnight,

"I found it enjoyable to listen to the Limousin judge give positive reasons after each class and it was interesting to learn that the majority of judges have attended specialist training at college to be certified judges."

then we would bring them back in early morning, this soon became my favourite part of each day as it was a spectacular sight.

The first day of the show was Wednesday the 7th November, where I enjoyed meeting and greeting other breeders, viewing all the cattle exhibited, and watching the judging. I found it fascinating

54 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

to learn about the cattle industry in Canada. I learned that only a small portion of Limousin are full blood, with the majority being pure bred which means they have 90% Limousin genetics and the other 10% of their gene pool is something else. All breeds look alike and as a result it was very difficult to identify each breed of animal. Each

breed, apart from the Charolais, have to follow a cattle identification program which involves them having a specific coloured tag to let people know what breed they are, for example, Limousin have a pink tag, Simmentals have a blue tag and Angus green.

Show day was on Thursday and cattle were all dressed by a team of fitters, they each took a corner of the clipping shoot, clipping the main body hair to perfection without the need to add products.

Fitters mainly focused on the legs as this is the most

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YOUNG LIMOUSIN

difficult place to grow hair to add bone structure quite different to how we may dress cattle at home.

Colin very kindly allowed me to show one of their young bulls, Hillview Full Distribution, which was a great experience. It was very similar to showing back home however it required a different form of ring craft.

When standing an animal up close the convention is to pull the left back leg forward to show off either their udder or testicle size.

The bulls and heifer both performed well in the show ring and we were very pleased with the results, first for the heifer, which went onto become Grand Champion yearling heifer plus a second and a third place for the young bulls.

I found it enjoyable to listen to the Limousin judge give positive reasons after each class and it was interesting to learn that the majority of judges have attended specialist training at college to be certified judges. An early observation from me was the type of Limousin in Canada are unlike what we have in the UK. Cattle appearing to be smaller, shorter, compact with plenty of depth and having a lot of middle to them, with higher tail heads and stocky legs, the industry seems to place an importance on testicle size, and less emphasis on the quality of locomotion. The cattle also did not seem to have the same muscling traits as we would have back in the UK, however the Canadian beef grading system is rewarding more on the level of marbling, tenderness and level of fat, with their preferred grade being AAA. I heard lots of people discussing their preferred cross beast being that of a Limousin and Angus. Known as Limflex, the overwhelming consensus of opinion seemed to be that it makes the ideal crossing animal to

www.limousin.co.uk

meet market demands.

The highlight of Farmfair for me was the Supreme contest which took place on the Saturday, and was the equivalent of a Championship line up, the best of the best stock on display. It was an incredible atmosphere, with a light and music show singling out animals as they entered the ring. To my delight, the Overall Champion Female of the show was a Limousin cow and calf pair from the Greenwood herd. It was only the second time a Limousin has won this accolade at Farmfair, the breeders won a truck. The male Overall Champion was a black angus.

I was mighty impressed by the prizes on offer for each breed at the show, it was simply amazing. For example, the Charolais society were offering a cattle crush for Champion Charolais Female and a gator for Champion Male. Some smaller prizes consisted of bar stools, bed linen and music speakers.

After the Supreme contest, I enjoyed some great evening entertainment at the heritage ranch rodeo show, allowing me to learn about traditional ranching methods. I also watched the stock dog competition where it was

interesting to see that some Scottish genetics were used in the history of the dogs which were running in Canada.

I truly relished my time spent at the Farmfair International Show, learning about Canadian agriculture, and meeting international contacts as well as making lifelong friends. I was very impressed at the number of cattle entries in general.

However, something disappointed me, compared to the majority of Scottish shows where Limousin cattle are predominant, in Canada there is only 4,500 registered Limousin cattle in total, thus there were only 40 Limousin entries at Farmfair a small portion of the 1,000 plus entries overall.

In summing up my trip, I strongly believe this exchange

is a great opportunity for the younger generation interested in the Limousin breed, or who are potentially considering breeding cattle in the future. Creating a great opportunity to meet people, build international contacts and expand Limousin genetics. The people I met in Canada have left a huge impact on my life, and I have made lifelong friends, learned valuable skills, and have new ideas which I brought back with me. I would like to personally say a massive thank you to the Young Limousin Breeders Club for allowing me to experience this invaluable opportunity and I cannot wait to continue experiencing the wonderful world of Limousin.

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YOUNG LIMOUSIN

YLBC 2019 SYLLABUS Anglo-Irish Competition Finals

Elfin Show Sat 31st August

National Young Handlers Competition

Borderway Mart, Carlisle

Overall YLBC Member of the Year

Agribition Trip / Travel Bursary

Thurs 5th Dec

Points based award where points are awarded for participation at club events and places gained in YLBC competitions

LIMOUSIN-SIRED CALVES REQUIRED Limousin or Limousin-cross steer calves required for the Beef Feed Efficiency Programme; an initiative aiming to produce Estimated Breeding Values for traits associated with Feed Efficiency.

Ideally calves will be • Dairy or suckler-bred steer calves • In groups of 8-16 head by the same registered (or previously registered) Limousin bull or Limousin AI sire. The bull must be known but need not be identified on the passport.

• be aged from 2 weeks up to approximately 7 months old Market prices will be paid for any selected cattle or calves can be provided on a retained ownership arrangement. For more information please contact Natalie Cormack, Project Manager on 07866 934563, natalie. cormack@ahdb.org.uk or Alison Glasgow, Limousin Society on 07885 255621, alison@limousin.co.uk

The programme is funded by DEFRA and AHDB http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/research/geneticselection/genetic-selection-beef/beef-feed-efficiency/

56 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

www.limousin.co.uk

TECHNICAL CORNER

Pedigree Bulls for Commercial Producers: Building the Brand James Cooper of the Tomschoice Limousin herd was invited to present a paper at the British Cattle Breeders Conference in January this year. In recent years, changes in management and breeding regimes have taken the herd from a very small start to a position where 7 bulls are owned by and operating within 5 national AI companies and around 20 breeding bulls are sold out the herd annually. With herd strategy firmly focussed on commercial calf production, James outlined to the conference the strategy that has taken them on this journey and the plan for the times ahead...

W

ith my wife Sarah, daughter Laura and son Ben, I own and manage Tomschoice Limousins, perched on the side of the beautiful and picturesque Nidderdale Valley between Harrogate and Skipton in North Yorkshire.

I felt very proud to be asked to talk today; we are not big farmers, we have not had huge prices for bulls or cows and we are not regularly winning at big shows. We don’t breed show

TOMSCHOICE ICEBERG Below Average

TOMSCHOICE LEXICON

10-MAR-2013

UK 124148/300267 KAPRICO ERAVELLE

TOMSCHOICE CHANEL

Above Average (Superior)

-5.7 -0.7 0.8 -0.7 8

76 78 80 55 75

9 16 2.3 -0.4 24

91 79 72 69 77

200 Day Milk (kg) Age at 1st Calv. EBV (days) Calving Interval EBV (days)

4 27 9

53 45 31

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%)

0.3 5.5

64 60

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

Index 70

80 100 177

90 200 313

100 300 462

110

120

400 615

www.limousin.co.uk

130 Index 500 756

Scanned YES

Sale Wt(kg)

Below Average

EBV Acc %

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

TOMSCHOICE IRONSTONE

07-NOV-2015

UK 124148/100356 KAPRICO ERAVELLE

Trait

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

Adjusted Weights (kg)

heifers, show cows or produce bulls to produce show calves.

However, to date we have sold 7 bulls to AI studs in the UK and Ireland, the 8th is currently in the process of negotiation.

This is unusual for a single pedigree herd; it hasn’t happened by chance – deliberate re-organisation of breeding and management and ‘brand’ creation has created the opportunity, and this is the basis of this presentation.

Trait

EBV

Acc %

20 40 2.7 -0.4 34

75 77 65 59 75

Age to Slaughter GEBV (days) Carcase weight GEBV (kg) RETAIL VALUE (of prime cuts)

-4 3 32

69 74 73

200 Day Milk (kg) Age at 1st Calv. GEBV (days) Calving Interval GEBV (days)

4 33 7

52 61 48

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%)

0.5 6.3

62 72

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

-3.4 0.4 -0.6 0.1 4

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

Index 70 Adjusted Weights (kg)

80 100 193

90 200 0

100 300 508

110 400 676

120

130 Index 500 0

Scanned NO

Sale Wt(kg)

28-NOV-2013

UK 124148/500283 KAPRICO ERAVELLE

TOMSCHOICE ICON

Above Average (Superior)

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

Below Average

TOMSCHOICE GEMSTONE

Above Average (Superior)

Trait

79 69 64 54 77

EBV Acc %

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

-5.6 1.8 0.1 -1.2 7

82 87 86 55 81

24 68 4.2 -0.3 45

92 76 66 60 77

200 Day Milk (kg) Age at 1st Calv. EBV (days) Calving Interval EBV (days)

4 18 6

51 42 29

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%)

1.0 6.1

66 55

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

Index 70 Adjusted Weights (kg)

80 100 183

90 200 326

100 300 506

110 400 0

120

130 Index 500 0

Sale Wt(kg)

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

Scanned NO

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

| 57

TECHNICAL CORNER

TOMSCHOICE IMPERIAL

LOT:

Below Average

TOMSCHOICE NATION

18-NOV-2013

UK 124148/300281 KAPRICO ERAVELLE

TOMSCHOICE GAUCHE

Above Average (Superior)

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

-7.0 -0.3 1.0 -1.0 9

76 80 82 53 75

12 32 2.2 -0.3 28

91 70 62 58 71

200 Day Milk (kg) Age at 1st Calv. EBV (days) Calving Interval EBV (days)

3 22 6

50 43 30

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%)

0.5 5.3

61 54

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

Index 70 Adjusted Weights (kg)

80 100 168

90 200 303

100 300 463

110 400 0

120

130 Index 500 0

Sale Wt(kg)

Below Average

EBV Acc %

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

Scanned NO

TOMSCHOICE IMAGINATION

Above Average (Superior)

Trait

Index 70

80 100 167

90 200 301

100 300 482

110

120

400 639

130 Index 500 0

Acc %

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

19 40 4.5 -0.4 40

75 77 72 70 75

Age to Slaughter GEBV (days) Carcase weight GEBV (kg) RETAIL VALUE (of prime cuts)

-12 5 28

70 75 74

-5.0 0.3 0.3 -0.3 6

3

52

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%)

0.2 4.8

63 74

Trait

100 205

90 200 372

100 300 0

110

120

400 0

130 Index 500 0

I am by birth a Lincolnshire boy where my Father was a tenant farmer. I was brought up in a crumbling house with crumbling farm buildings until Lord Carrington bought the Estate in the 70’s and modernised it. Unable to gain the farm tenancy I became a trainee manager in my future father-in-law’s food company in Ripon.

After marrying, Sarah and I bought a small cottage locally to Ripon, did it up and then sold it, in return we bought a crumbling house with crumbling buildings (I have returned to my childhood again!) and 40 acres of not very good grass. We have then invested time and money, blood, sweat and tears over the last 30 years. We now farm 130 acres of ring-fenced grass that we have dramatically improved. We also have a sign on the gate that says we are a wholly owned subsidiary of the HSBC group!

How We Started.

The first cattle we purchased were Limousin cross and Hereford cross Friesians and we gradually built up to circa 20 cows. These would sell at Skipton store sale just before Christmas with some ¾-bred Limousin bulls where we usually did well.

I soon realised however that producing 20 animals a year was not going to pay many bills. We therefore decided to look at pedigree breeding where we thought there would be more income. Naively I assumed that you won at a few shows and everyone would come flocking to buy your animals! Hah! Our first pedigree purchase was Stoneleigh Ginger at Leyburn in 1996 with heifer calf at foot and in calf again. My friend Tom picked her out, she was “Tom’s choice”! Since then we have sold the wrong ones and kept the wrong ones, and are still doing it

58 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Index 70

EBV

Acc %

32 61 3.9 -0.2 44

69 68 68 65 70

Age to Slaughter GEBV (days) Carcase weight GEBV (kg) RETAIL VALUE (of prime cuts)

-1 11 33

66 72 71

200 Day Milk (kg) Age at 1st Calv. GEBV (days) Calving Interval GEBV (days)

2 24 5

37 57 42

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%)

0.8 3.9

55 43

-3.9 0.7 -0.6 -0.6 4

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

80

-2.8 0.3 -1.3 0.1 2

97 93 93 78 97

9 23 1.8 -0.5 32

95 91 84 76 92

200 Day Milk (kg) Age at 1st Calv. EBV (days) Calving Interval EBV (days)

6 45 4

59 49 32

80 100 216

90 200 389

100 300 563

110 400 0

120

130 Index

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%)

0.4 4.5

81 79

500 0

Sale Wt(kg)

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

Scanned YES

TOMSCHOICE ICI

Above Average (Superior)

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

Index 70

EBV Acc %

11-MAR-2018

UK 124148/300477 MERESIDE LEO

Adjusted Weights (kg)

Trait

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

Adjusted Weights (kg)

This animal has been genotyped for Carcase and Maternal trait GEBVs

Below Average

TOMSCHOICE DIAMANTE

Above Average (Superior)

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

Scanned YES

TOMSCHOICE ONSLOW

Below Average

76 63 61 53 73

200 Day Milk (kg)

Sale Wt(kg)

02-JUN-2014

UK 124148/100307 KAPRICO ERAVELLE EBV

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

Adjusted Weights (kg)

TOMSCHOICE JET

30-OCT-2017

UK 124148/100440 KAPRICO ERAVELLE

Trait

Sale Wt(kg)

74 57 58 41 72

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

Scanned YES

today, but in a more informed way! We have steadily increased numbers to 53 cows calving this year with the aim to get to around 60.

Where We Were.

We started going to a few shows and for the first 3 years consistently stood at the wrong end of the line, the only time we managed better than last was when we had two in the same class!

But we were learning; when you are at the bottom of the heap the learning curve is steep and swift. We started to take a few bulls to Carlisle but didn’t manage to sell anything of note until we had some success in 2000 with a bull at 4200gns. A few show winners, breed and interbreed champions came along in the next few years but we still were struggling selling. Why? I started to look at what we were breeding more closely, were our bulls not good enough?

Frankly some weren’t but a good few were; we just weren’t getting potential buyers to the pen before a sale - why not?

We were producing good strong bulls with plenty of cover but they were lost in the market with hundreds of other bulls. Or, we were getting the occasional buyer to the farm but weren’t completing the sale. Were we too expensive? Was it me being a poor salesman or were the bulls not right?

By 2009 we were trying to chase the perfect bull, the £100k bull. We were producing show winning bulls that no one wanted to breed from - bulls with bad calving figures that had plenty of condition. The nearest we got was one at £13k and another at £10k in the October but most had gone to kill as a result of bad legs, or just not saleable.

www.limousin.co.uk

TECHNICAL CORNER The Need for a Plan We needed to make changes.

We started to listen to and think about what potential customers asked for.

The first question nearly always was, ‘will it calve?’ closely followed by the second, ‘will it kill me?’ then ‘will the calves grow?’ Another remark often made was ‘the bull has too much condition on, don’t want him’ and, ‘he’ll just melt away’.

The Limousin Society Bull Survey in 2011 also confirmed this with the top three comments being: • Easy Calving • Docility • Over feeding of Sale Bulls I had been to University (as a very mature student!); what had I learnt? I had spent time learning about marketing, differentiation, unique selling points, customer satisfaction and making purchasing a delightful experience. It was time to try to apply some of what I had learnt.

The Plan

2. High docility

We started to halter train everything on farm as yearlings.

Convenient for customers, but, really a method of selection; operating a ‘3 strikes and you’re out’ rule, that is three attempts at halter training and if you aren’t coming round and/or showing aggression you are down the road. We have lost one or two good looking animals following this policy but the herd is much better without them.

We needed to have a unique selling point, something that would differentiate our product.

We came up with an idea of what we would like to do. We wanted to produce:

1. Easily calved progeny with short gestation We did not just want easy calving as we didn’t want to produce cattle with narrow hips and no growth, therefore thinking slightly laterally we decide upon trying to purchase a bull with ‘Short Gestation’ reasoning that if the calf was in the cow for a shorter period of time it would be smaller.

Having decided that we wanted to produce bulls with short gestation lengths we needed to find the sire. We purchased Homebyres Drummie, at Carlisle May 2010. He was decent looking but most important he was in the top 1% of the breed for gestation length whilst still being in the top 25% of the breed for 400 day growth. Then, as sometimes happens, a major setback, he proved to only be semi-fertile due to a twisted tube and whilst we got some cows in calf it was a real struggle.

Back to find another bull we chanced upon Kaprico Eravelle.

Top 1% for gestation, top 1% for 400 day growth. An outlier, a genetic curve bender and different breeding to anything we had. His locomotion was good, a decent head, a very big pair of testicles and he was as long as a train; he had a lovely temperament and was from a Johnes 1 accredited herd.

We had our first calves in December 2010, they all but fell out at around 282 days, they looked like little fawns. Oh my goodness, what had we bought? Thank goodness we had used some AI as well, the calves looked awful then suddenly at about 6-8 weeks old somebody had been in the shed overnight with a bicycle pump and had pumped them all up! Bingo! From this point we have consistently outperformed the breed average for gestation length and it has become a major unique selling point for us.

www.limousin.co.uk

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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TECHNICAL CORNER 3. A Decent Looking Bull with Good Locomotion.

Bulls still need to look the part and satisfy a good stockpersons eye. Potential customers often complained that bulls were too fat, over conditioned. As a consequence, we decided to sacrifice a small paddock and started to turn bulls out pretty much every day starting a week or so after weaning.

We found that they were waiting at the door every morning wanting to go out. There were some day’s weather-wise when they were soon stood at the gate wanting to come in as well! We rarely get locomotion issues now, exercise keeps them fit.

4. Good Growth Rates.

Weighing calves every 100 days we found that they were doing just as well with the additional exercise; the young bulls particularly had less fat cover and looked raw. What we are now seeing is that we are producing bulls with reduced 400 day weights as we rein in the feeding regime but at the same time the bulls are of higher genetic worth; that is their progeny will grow at a superior rate (see diagram below):

find this interesting it wasn’t until Limousin Society health declarations at sales started in 2007 that this really came to the fore. Then we started to get a few more buyers to the pen presale and on farm. We were at the forefront with a known health status and have remained so to this date.

2. Semen Test the Bull Prior to Sale

Our vets at this point had started to push us to semen test stock bulls annually, for a bulk quantity they would also semen test our young sale bulls at a better rate. Advertising the bulls as semen tested definitely brought more potential buyers to our pen pre-sale. We also started to semen test bulls sold from home as luck penny. Whilst realising that this does not guarantee a bull to work it gives us confidence in what we are selling and gives confidence to the buyer in the product he is purchasing.

3. DNA test for Parentage, Myostatin and GEBVs

Previously we had done some sire determination DNA testing, from 2011 we decided that it would be better to DNA everything at a week old when the animal was tagged. Job done.

The Limousin Society introduced Myostatin testing in 2011 and we decided to test at the same time as we parentage tested. The vast majority of the herd is carrying 2 copies of the F94L gene, bringing enhanced muscling with no impact on calving ease. As with the Myostatin testing we decided to have all calves analysed for the Carcase Trait GEBVs and to publish the data. We have found there to be a strong correlation between the visual appearance of a bull and his Carcase trait GEBVs.

“What we are now seeing is that we are producing bulls with reduced 400 day weights as we rein in the feeding regime but at the same time the bulls are of higher genetic worth” The results from the DEFRA/AHDB Feed Efficiency trials will be interesting to see. Once incorporated in to the Limousin genetic evaluation it will hopefully help us in the future to see better what is happening and continue to provide genetics for traits that are commercially relevant to our customers and the wider supply chain.

5. Meat in the Right Places.

Back fat scanning revealed that our animals were leaner and at the same time the muscle score was higher, a result of the breeding plus the exercise regime. The Limousin Society started research in 2011 as part of their Breed Improvement Plan to produce Carcase Trait GEBVs, with the first results published in 2016. As soon as we could we started to collect genotype data for our animals to see what type of carcase we were producing and what their genetic merit was. Whilst not a substitute for the eye of a good stockman it is another tool to use when selecting breeding animals.

Our first two sons from the new regime went to Carlisle in October 13, they looked very raw against the vast majority of other bulls at the sale but they sold well, averaging a little over 6000gns; very acceptable!

Unique Selling Points Now that we were starting to produce a Unique Product we decided that we would also try to add value to the animal by offering if for sale with extras to try to get people to our pen presale or onto farm.

1. Maintain High Health Status

We had joined the BCVA Health Scheme in 1999, this swapped into the SAC Scheme in 2002, and we achieved Johnes and BVD accreditation in 2004. Whilst one or two buyers would

60 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

4. Guarantee the Bull to Work and Stand Behind Him.

We decided that buying a bull that didn’t work properly was like a car without an engine we would therefore promise that the bull would be guaranteed to work or your money back.

5. A Policy of Complete Openness and Honesty.

If any bull has any minor defect, we find it better to tell the buyer rather than having them find it themselves. We publish all data. GEBV data coupled with the Myostatin testing has allowed us to have a better insight into the potential breeding attributes of young bulls, to the point where if we have someone coming to farm to buy a bull we can offer honest opinion on whether it is the bull for him or her! It is no longer just about looks.

The Result When we realised that we had a unique product we took 18000 straws of semen from Kaprico Eravelle and with Norbreck Genetics marketed him in the UK and Ireland, we sold all the straws in 18 months. As a consequence bull studs became interested in his progeny and subsequently in other bulls from different sires that we are breeding.

www.limousin.co.uk

TECHNICAL CORNER We hope that he will in turn be as successful for us going forward as Eravelle has done previously and we hope to be marketing semen from him towards the middle of next year.

Looking Forward

KAPRICO ERAVELLE

01-JUL-2009

UK 106173/500054 WILODGE TONKA Below Average

KAPRICO RAVELLE

Above Average (Superior)

Trait

EBV

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

-7.2 -0.8 0.8 -0.9 9

Acc %

99 97 97 86 99

When we compare the profiles of all of the bulls that we have sold to stud, what do we see?

Similarities?

• Short Gestation • Better than average Growth Rates • Large testicular development and high docility.

• The bulls sold more recently that have been tested also exhibit some high GEBV values for carcase traits. The Carcase trait GEBVs generated by the Limousin Society also demonstrate that a uniform carcase can be produced to meet a range of specifications for the retailer. High value cuts, with width, depth and length of loin.

Index 70

Adjusted Weights (kg)

80

100 210

90

200 379

100

300 580

110

120

400 752

130 Index

500 911

Scanned YES

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

23 59 4.2 -0.5 50

Age to Slaughter GEBV (days) Carcase weight GEBV (kg) RETAIL VALUE (of prime cuts)

-13 19 36

91 93 92

200 Day Milk (kg) Age at 1st Calv. GEBV (days) Calving Interval GEBV (days)

4 20 8

83 86 72

0.8 6.5

94 93

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%) Sale Wt(kg)

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

It has taken us some time to find a like for like replacement for Eravelle. We have high hopes for our latest addition to the herd, Goldies Nicholas.

Adjusted Weights (kg)

80 100 193

90 200 361

100 300 530

Above Average (Superior)

110 400 698

There is little doubt that the Limousin produces a wonderful carcase that can be finished in a variety of ways to a variety of weights with excellent texture and taste to suit the retailer.

Listening to market signals and deploying all new and emerging technology is key in achieving this. We value the continued underpinning investment by organisations such as the Limousin Society, AHDB & DEFRA in producing breeding tools. Our industry has a responsibility to demand it from them and become fully engaged in future long term development that will ensure we remain commercially relevant.

Continually having bulls working in stud promotes our Tomschoice brand to commercial producers and the dairy industry, with the studs marketing our name for us. In turn this helps propagate our brand and helps to generate sales at home and at the auction markets.

The plan is that this will help us flourish and continue to breed bulls in what I believe will be a difficult future environment.

GOLDIES INA

UK 581575/401706 GOLDIES JUGGLER

Index 70

“Listening to market signals and deploying all new and emerging technology is key”

11-JAN-2017

GOLDIES NICHOLAS Below Average

98 98 95 93 98

What originally started off as an idea to try to create a unique product and selling point has now morphed; and it is the start, of what I believe is a survival strategy.

I can see a continued decline in the UK Suckler herd coupled with, or because, of increased use of sexed semen in the dairy industry meaning that there will be more beef produced by an increasing number of spare dairy cows.

I believe it likely that we are going to see increasingly vocal vegetarian and vegan groups and increasing environmental pressure on beef production.

All at the same time as we are producing a product that is in terms of £/kg of protein is expensive compared imported beef, chicken and pork.

All these pressures and an increase in the use of Beef AI in the dairy industry will most likely lead to a decline in the number of stock bulls required.

I would like to think that by breeding bulls with a short gestation that not only does it allow us to compete against other Limousin breeders but allows us to compete favourably against other breeds across the beef sector. We would like to be the herd of choice for studs to purchase their bulls from with a high health status and bulls that meet their requirements for looks, gestation, growth, docility and high genetic merit.

130 Index

120 500 0

www.limousin.co.uk

EBV

Trait

-5.9 -1.6 0.0 0.7 7

Gest. Length (days) Birth Weight (kg) Calving Ease (%) Mat.Calv. Ease (%) CALVING VALUE

Acc %

75 72 61 45 74

200 Day Growth (kg) 400 Day Growth (kg) Muscle Depth (mm) Fat Depth (mm) BEEF VALUE

28 64 3.1 0.0 52

74 76 59 44 75

Age to Slaughter GEBV (days) Carcase weight GEBV (kg) RETAIL VALUE (of prime cuts)

-12 19 33

71 76 75

200 Day Milk (kg) Age at 1st Calv. GEBV (days) Calving Interval GEBV (days)

2 11 4

43 63 49

Scrotal Circ (cm) Docility (%)

0.1 7.0

59 72

Sale Wt(kg)

Scrotal Circ. (cm)

Scanned NO

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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ENGLISH WINTER FAIR

SELLARS LIMOUSIN SIRED HEIFER TAKES RESERVE SUPREME OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE ENGLISH WINTER FAIR

Res Overall Champion, Fancy That

• Fancy That wins the Reserve Supreme Overall Championship • Nico Champion Pedigree title • Freddie wins Crossbred Steer Championship • Fitbit wins Champion Homebred and Fed title • Alexa wins Reserve Champion Homebred and Fed title • Red Rob is Champion Baby Beef Steer

S

aturday 17th and Sunday 18th November 2018 saw the Staffordshire County Showground host the 2018 English Winter Fair. From a quality show of cattle Limousin sired exhibits once again featured heavily on

62 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

the results board.

In front of a sizeable crowd the April 2017 born Limousin sired red heifer Fancy That from Phil and Sharon Sellars, Lincolnshire took the Reserve Supreme Overall Championship when she came

before the joint Judges for the day, Mr J Ford, Kelso and Mr R Rattray, Aberystwyth. Having been purchased from Frank Page, Elkington, after being spotted at the Ashby Show, this stylish heifer by Heathmount Frenchconnection, is no stranger to success and had been Champion at the Southwell Show in September and Reserve Supreme Champion at Countryside Live in October.

Earlier in the show, she had been tapped out as Reserve in the Crossbred Heifer Championship.

Making it a first for Limousin in the Pedigree Section, judged by Mr Ford, this time on his own, was the Lodge Hamlet son Nico from S and R Stamp, Mark Highbridge, Somerset. Bred by Mervyn Yates, Worcester, the May 2017 born steer is out of the Lynderg Emperor

www.limousin.co.uk

WINTER FAIRS

daughter Whitwood Jlo. Nico had taken the Champion Pure-Bred Limousin accolade earlier in the day when he stood ahead of the May 2017 born heifer Nuttela from T A and L C Lyon and Sons, Thurlby, Lincolnshire. Nutella, a Trueman Idol daughter out of Garnedd Garwen was bred by Ken Jones who, along with his son Hefin runs the Garnedd Limousin herd near Betws-y-Coed.

Judged by Mr Rattray, the Homebred and Fed Championship was a clean sweep for Limousin heifers. Taking the red rosette was Fitbit from Mr E Edwards, Corwen. Home-bred by Mr Edwards the May 2017 born heifer is by the Ronick Hawk son Brenmick Gethin. Picking up the Reserve spot was Alexa from Frank Page. This near two-year old heifer is another sired by the Page Brothers stock bull Heathmount Frenchconnection, a Wilodge Vantastic son bred by the McKinney Brothers of Maghera, Co Derry.

The Steer Championship was won

by Freddie from Phil Price and Julie Rogers who farm Lower Sgynlas, a Powys County Council smallholding at Glasbury, Hereford. The October 2017 born Champion was bred by Phil’s father Bernard, who farm close to Phil and Julie at Hay-on-Wye. Taking the Reserve Steer Championship was another Limousin sired exhibit, this time in the shape of No Likey from Mike and Melanie Alford, Cullompton, Devon. This June 2017 born steer was bred by D E and G Davies out of a Limousin cross cow. No Likey was Champion Steer in the Commercial contest at the Royal Welsh Show back in the summer.

The Baby Beef classes were judged

by Mr Tecwyn Jones, Llanwrst. Taking the Steer Championship was Red Rob from John and Denise Davies, Rugby, Warwickshire. The six-month-old homebred calf is by Huntershall Filleppe, a Rossignol son bred by Stephen Nixon of Wigton, Cumbria.

In the Pedigree Limousin Calf contest taking the Championship position from Judge Mr David Thomlinson, was Arradfoot Ocala from Thor Atkinson, Ulverson, Cumbria. This April 2018 born young heifer, bred by Thor stood first in the Junior heifer class. She is by Kilcor Iceman out of Glenrock Horizon.

Standing Reserve Champion was the Junior heifer runner up in the shape of High Ground Olivia from fellow Cumbrian breeders N Chapplehow and M Morley. Also home-bred, the January 2018 born heifer is by Netherhall Jackpot out of High Grounds Layla.

Rounding off an excellent two days for the breed and backing up its position as the complete beef breed, in the Royal Smithfield Club National Festival of Meat

www.limousin.co.uk

Pure Champion, Nico

Res Pure Champion, Nuttela Red Rob

Beef Carcass Res Champion

Competition a Limousin carcase took the Reserve position in the Cattle Carcase Competition. Judged by Mr A Brown, the blue riband carcase came from the Lyon family. The carcase came from a 17-month old bullock by Ironstone Hornblower out of a Limousin cross cow bred by the Lyon family.

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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LIVESCOT 2018

WILSON PETERS LEADS CLEAN SWEEP OF CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES AT LIVESCOT 2018 A'dore Derriere, Overall Champion

L

imousin-bred cattle dominated a fantastic show of primestock at the 2018 LiveScot event, held at Lanark Mart in late November, securing all of the major championship titles.

Judge, Jason Wareham, who runs his own abbatoir, farm shop and butchery, alongside a 100-strong suckler herd in Heathfield, East Sussex, described the overall standard as ‘tremendous’, adding: “The cattle were full of meat and handled well and my champion and reserve were both outstanding animals.”

For his Champion, Mr Wareham selected A’dora Derriere, a 590kg Limousin cross heifer from Wilson Peters, of Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff, who was winning his third consecutive Overall Cattle Championship at the show.

Sired by Powerhouse Harlequin, and out of a Limousin cross dam, this heifer had been bought from the Royal Northern Spring Show at Thainstone, in March, from John and Craig Robertson,

64 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Prince Harry, Reserve Overall Champion

www.limousin.co.uk

WINTER FAIRS

She's a Belter, Baby Beef Champion

Coolio, Lightweight and Overall Steer Champion

Burnbank Neve, Purebred Champion

Apples Shakira, Reserve Baby Beef Champion Too Glam to give a Dam, Reserve Heifer Champion

title going to Wilson Peters’ 562kg heifer, which had been bought from John McAllister, Wester Thomaston, Bonnybridge. Reserve was a 595kg black Limousin cross steer, sired by Brims Jetset, from David Blair, Littleinch, Balmerino.

OTHER LIMOUSIN WINNERS: Newton of Logierait, Ballinluig. She had a successful summer show season earlier in the year, standing first at the Royal Highland and champion at Dunblane, Kirriemuir and Braco shows.

At the sale following the show, the Champion fetched £3300 in selling to North Yorkshire butchers B & T Kitson.

Reserve overall was the Steer Champion, Prince Harry, another Limousin cross, this time from Craig and Katreen Malone, Pitcairn Farm, Cardenden, Fife. Bought at Caledonian Marts’ sale at Stirling from Shona Stevenson, this one weighed in at 586kg and went onto sell for £2200 to butchers, Howieson of Newmains.

Reserve Overall Heifer was, Too Glam To Give A Dam, a 652kg Limousin cross heifer from Alister and Liz Vance, Bridgehouse, Newton Stewart. Bought at Brecon in February, she was shown

www.limousin.co.uk

through the summer, winning several titles, including Interbreed Champion at Stranraer Show.

In the steers, the Reserve ticket went to Hugh Dunlop, Holehouse, Ochiltree, with Coolio, a home-bred 480kg Limousin cross, by Milbrook D’Artagnan, out of a Limousin cross dam.

Adding to a successful day for the couple, the Commercial Calf Championship was also won by Craig and Katreen Malone, with a March-born Limousin cross heifer, She’s A Belter, bought from the Erskines at Gillbank Farm, Carluke, after Craig had spotted her while judging at Carnwath Show. She stood ahead of another Limousin cross heifer, Apples Shakira, also March-born, brought out by Ali Jackson, Maulscastle, Cummertrees, Annan.

It was Limousins all the way in the butchers’ section too, with the Champion

Reserve lightweight steer – Iain Lammie’s Candyman, a 502kg Limousin cross by Haltcliffe Donny.

Reserve heavyweight steer – Messrs Little & Donaldson’s Midnight, a 646kg Limousin cross.

Lightweight heifer – Neil Slack’s Red Velvet, a 506kg Limousin cross

by Rossignol.

Reserve lightweight heifer – J McMillan & B Borlase’s Scally, a 490kg Limousin cross by Penthryn Jacob.

Young stocksperson – Stephanie Dick Best pure continental – T Laird & Son’s Burnbank Neve, by Maraiscote Letisser.

BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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WELSH WINTER FAIR

CAI EDWARDS HEIFER “ICANDY” CATCHES THE EYE TO WIN WELSH WINTER FAIR! • ICandy, Supreme Champion and Champion Heifer • Marley, Reserve Champion Steer and Exhibitor-bred Champion.

• Queen Bee, Baby Beef Champion • She’s a Belter, Reserve Baby Beef Champion.

T

he two-day Royal Welsh Winter Fair which took place on 26th and 27th November 2018 turned into a triumph for the Limousin breed and the Corwen based Edwards family.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the exhibition hall when young farmer Cai Edwards followed in his grandfather’s footsteps in winning the Supreme Champion prize at the biggest fatstock event in Wales. A visibly elated Cai punched the air with delight as his Limousin sired heifer ICandy was

tapped out as Champion by joint judges, Powys butcher Arwyn Morgan, who judged the heifers, and Cheshire based butcher Chris Stubbs, the steers.

Alongside a huge crowd watching by the ring was grandfather Trebor Edwards, who had won the title 18 years ago with Waindale Prince. Also watching on in anticipation were Trebor’s sons, Eryl and Gwyn, Cai’s father; it was Gwyn at the halter back in 2000.

With this victory Cai, who farms in

• Rambo, Butchers Choice Champion • Supreme Champion makes £6,600.

ICandy

66 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

www.limousin.co.uk

WINTER FAIRS

partnership with his brother Dion at Pencraig Fawr, achieved a remarkable double, having won the Supreme Championship at last year English Winter Fair. The black coated 18-monthold Limousin cross, ICandy, bred by Michael Lee, Hexham came to Builth Wells on the back of a very successful summer having taken the Reserve Commercial Champion spot at the Royal Welsh Show and the Commercial titles at Anglesey and Denbigh plus she was Supreme Champion at Merioneth.

Justifying their joint decision, Arwen praised the high standard of all the entries before them, he said that it was an “exceptional display of cattle that had been hard to judge” Weighing in at 672kg, the fair’s auction sale later in the day ICandy drew a £6,600 bid from Arwyn himself, rumour has it as a birthday present for his wife.

That was not the only major championship success for the Limousins. Marley a home bred 17-month old steer from Robert Wilkinson and Jackie Marwood, Leyburn, North Yorkshire took the Reserve Champion Steer accolade and the Exhibitor Bred Championship.

Limousins also led the way in the hotly contested Baby Beef parades, with Queen Bee, a home bred entry from Peredur and Llyr Hughes, who run the Pabo Limousin herd at Llanbabo, Anglesey. Born May this year, the sixmonth-old heifer, by Derrygullinane Kingbull, has already secured a string of successes. With stockman, and experienced showman, Robin Hughes taking the halter, she was Supreme Champion at Agri Expo in Carlisle earlier in November and Reserve Champion at Anglesey Show back in the summer. Queen Bee sold for £7,500 to Stuart and Lindsay Bett from Stirling.

Filling the Reserve slot was another young heifer, this time in the shape of She’s A Belter from Craig and Katreen Malone who had made the long trip from Cardenden, Fife fresh on the back of success with this heifer at Livescot just a few days earlier. The March-born Limousin cross heifer was bought from the Erskines at Gillbank Farm, Carluke, after Craig had spotted her while judging at Carnwath Show.

A special “Butcher’s Choice” lineup, judged by Tom Hughes, Anglesey saw victory going the way of Rambo, a November 2017 born Limousin cross heifer from Tecwyn Jones, Llanrwst.

Rambo is another exhibit no stranger to success having taken the Baby Beef Championship at the Royal Welsh Show back in July.

www.limousin.co.uk

Landgate Noral

Queen Bee

Judging in the pedigree sections saw the Overall Limousin Championship going to Landgate Noral from Colin Harris, Brecon. A May 2017 born heifer bred by R E and S Baldwin, Wigan, Noral is sired by Baileys Elderado out of Cloughhead Jessica. Runner-up was the Reserve Heifer Champion, Glangwden Nicola from Richard Wright, Somerton, Somerset. Bred by C L and F E Jerman, she is by Homere out of

Glangwden Eyecandy.

Topping the pure Limousin Steers was Bailea Napoleon from T and K Bodily and J Williams, Abergavenny.

This June 2017 born steer, bred by Mr M T Jones, Sennybridge is sired by Dragueur out of Bailea Imagine. Tyisaf Nailer, bred by P J and T A Jones, Builth Wells and sired by Sheehills Jet took the Reserve Steer title for J M Rowlands, Corwen.

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ULSTER BEEF AND LAMB CHAMPIONSHIPS

LIMOUSIN REIGN SUPREME AT ULSTER BEEF AND LAMB CHAMPIONSHIPS

T

he much-anticipated Royal Ulster Premier Beef and Lamb Championships surpassed all expectations as thousands flocked to the Balmoral Park venue in November 2018.

This Bank of Ireland supported event is a brand new one in the farming calendar, however it built its foundations upon the legendary ‘Allams’ show and sale which was ran by the Johnston family for many years. Stuart and Terry Johnston were both in attendance and could not have been happier with the Championships in their new home.

It was a day to remember for young Jack Smyth, Newtownstewart who came out on top in the cattle section with his super Limousin heifer ‘Side Kick’ when she was crowned the Supreme Champion and winner of the beautiful Allams Trophy. At 15-months of age and tipping the scales at 660 kilos she sold at £4400 to The Morning Star, a family owned and run traditional bar and restaurant in the heart of Belfast City Centre.

Giving her a run all day in the judging ring was another all black heifer from the Killen Family, Crossgar. After a nailbiting finish in the show ring, Judge Keith Williamson tapped this October 2017 born Limousin sired heifer out as Reserve Supreme Champion.

It was a Limousin which secured the second highest sale price of the night at Paradise Lady from Robert Miller

68 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Supreme Champion from Jack Smyth

£4940. This quality heifer, by the name of Paradise Lady, from Robert Miller scaled 650 kilos and was bought by a telephone bid and will now travel to H G Perkins, Somerset for breeding.

The calf section of the show attracted a quality entry which was led in the show ring by the Workman family, Kilwaughter by their home bred Carmorn Cantona sired Limousin heifer calf.

Reserve Champion

www.limousin.co.uk

WINTER FAIRS

AGRI EXPO 2018

QUEEN BEE RULES AND TAKES THE BABY BEEF AT AGRI EXPO 2018 • QUEEN BEE wins the Baby Beef Championship • SASSY LASSY wins Reserve Baby Beef Championship • MIDNIGHT wins Steer Championship • RED HOT DIAMOND wins Reserve Heifer Championship and Reserve Overall Supreme Championship

L

imousin sired cattle won many of the top awards at Borderway Agri-Expo in Carlisle on Friday 2nd November 2018. Cattle with Limousin genetics took the Baby Beef Championship and Reserve, the Steer Championship and the Reserve Heifer Championship plus the Overall Reserve Championship title.

First up to take the honours was Queen Bee from Peredur and Llyr Hughes, who run the Pabo Limousin Herd at Llanbabo, Anglesey who came through the classes to be tapped out as Baby Beef Champion

by Judge Mr Craig Malone of Cardenden, Fife. The home-bred May 2018 born heifer is by Derrygullinane Kingbull.

Taking the Reserve spot in the Baby Beef contest was the black coated heifer Sassy Lassy, April 2018 born by Powerhouse Elite she was exhibited by duo Blair Duffton and Pearse McNamee of Co Tyrone.

On speaking of his Champion Craig Malone said “I have been to this event a few times, so I knew what to expect in terms of quality. I knew that there would be plenty of fantastic calves to choose from. I was looking for a good, sweet correct calf with plenty of potential and character, and I found that in Queen Bee” Onto the older cattle, and at the end of over seven hours of judging in front of a considerable crowd, the stylish heifer Red Hot Diamond from Stewart and Lynsey Bett, who run the Midfield Limousin herd at Fallin, Stirling was tapped out as Reserve Supreme Champion by Judge Mr Alan Veitch who had travelled from Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.

www.limousin.co.uk

Baby Beef Champion Baby Beef Reserve Champion

Limousin stand

Steer Champion AgrExpo 2018 Limousin x

In an event where the ring was dominated by Limousin genetics, Red Hot Diamond had been selected as Reserve Overall Heifer Champion

by Mr Veitch earlier in the day. The 19-month old was bred by Mr M B Nash of Bridgenorth, Shropshire and is sired by Sarkley Digital.

Reserve Supreme Champion AgriExpo 2018 Limousin x (Champion Heifer)

Placed as the Steer Champion was Midnight from James Little and Katreena Donaldson, Wigton, Cumbria. This Scottish-bred 15-month old bullock was bred by John McAlister, Banknock, Stirling and is another sired by a Limousin.

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WINTER STOCK FESTIVAL

Fancy That, Overall Champion

FANCY THAT SECURES VICTORY FOR LIMOUSIN AT THE WINTER STOCK FESTIVAL

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he 2018 East of England Winter Stock Festival took place on Friday 30th November and Saturday 1st December at the East of England Showground, Peterborough. Billed as the premier livestock show in the East of the country, the event, returning for its eleventh year attracted exhibitors from across England, Scotland and Wales.

Robin Roberts, highly respected stockman and expert showman from Anglesey, led the cattle judging.

In the commercial section he tapped out the Limousin sired heifer Fancy That from Phil and Sharon Sellars, Lincolnshire as his Supreme Champion.

The 18-month old heifer, by Heathmount Frenchconnection and purchased from Frank Page, Elkington, Northants, had arrived at Peterborough fresh from taking the Reserve Overall Championship titles at both the recently held English Winter

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Black Opium, Reserve Overall Champion

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WINTER FAIRS

Bootilicious, Baby Beef Champion

Copylawn Omley

Dancing Queen, Baby Beef Reserve Champion

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Fair, and at Countryside Live in October.

Tipping the scales at 626kg she went onto sell for an impressive £5,500 to well-known North of England family run butchers Kitsons for their shops in Northallerton, Stockton-on-Tees, and Hutton Rudby.

Tapped out as Reserve was another Limousin sired heifer, this time in the shape of the Reserve Continental Champion Black Opium from Ben Beckitt, Newark. This stylish heifer had been purchased by Ben at the Ruthin show potential sale in February this year from breeder Adrian Williams who runs the Willnant Limousin herd at Llanidloes, Powys. Ben had plenty to smile about at Peterborough, he was also celebrating success with his May 2017 born steer Black Jack who secured the Reserve Continental Steer Championship. Ben bought this smart Lodge Hamlet son from Shelia Mason at Skipton’s show potential sale earlier this year.

Topping the Baby Beef classes was the Continental Champion Bootilicious from Alice Harrison, who at just 16 years of age was making her first visit to the event.

Her father Andrew runs 100 commercial suckler cows at Grange Hall, Great Asby, Cumbria alongside his Noble pedigree Limousin herd. The 10-month old homebred heifer, by a home-bred Limousincross bull, made its first outing with Alice at AgriExpo in the Young Handlers Championship where she was victorious.

As with the Overall Championship it was a 1-2 for Limousin in the Baby Beef classes as the Reserve spot went to another Limousin sired exhibit. Securing the blue rosette was Dancing Queen, a March 2018 born home-bred heifer by the noted show calf sire Waindale UFO from Jennifer Hyslop, Barrhill, Girvan.

Dancing Queen had taken the Overall Baby Beef Championship at Countryside Live.

In the pedigree beef section Robin selected the Limousin heifer Parkhill Narnia from Mike Dickens and Family, Little Horwood, Milton Keynes as his Reserve Continental Champion Pure Bred Beast. January 2017 born she is

by Ironstone Fullmonty out of Bowrells Ivory.

The Limousin classes saw Copylawn Omley take the honours as Breed Champion. The January 2018 born home-bred bull from the Cranfield family, of Bourne, Lincolnshire, is another

by Lodge Hamlet out of Confluence Lucia. Reserve Breed Champion was another from Mike Dickens and family in the shape of Parkhill Nelson.

The 13-month old bull is another by Ironstone Fullmonty but this time out of Parkhill Gewell.

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COUNTRYSIDE LIVE

MIDNIGHT STAR SHINES BRIGHTLY AT COUNTRYSIDE LIVE Limousins dominate the Championships

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he 16th Countryside Live held in Harrogate during October 2018 welcomed a strong turnout of livestock which saw Limousin sired cattle dominate the accolades.

The Supreme Championship went to Mark and Sarah Harryman and Trevor Warriner from Pickering with their homebred heifer, Midnight Star. The May 2017 born 558kg Limousin sired heifer, who first took the Heifer Championship, had previously been tapped out as the Commercial Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show at the same venue in July and was Champion at Ryedale Show on her only other outing.

Taking the Reserve rosette was the Reserve Heifer Champion, Fancy That exhibited by Phil and Sharon Sellers, Lincolnshire. Fancy That was to go on

and enjoy a strong season of Winter Fair primestock showing success.

Judge, Wilson Peters, Crieff, said it was an outstanding turnout of cattle, but the two heifers stood out from the start, being ‘just his type,’ and the champion was a wonderful heifer which still had room to improve to be ‘spot on’ for the Christmas trade.

Taking the Steer Championship were Messrs. Donaldson and Little, Wigton, Cumbria with Midnight. Weighing 620kg and by the Limousin, Eagleshead Exterminator, it was bought for £1,400 at Caledonian Mart, from Brian Harper, but was bred by John McAllister, Wester Tomaston, and was another winner at the Great Yorkshire earlier this year.

Stock by the Limousin sire, Waindale UFO, dominated the baby beef classes

Midnight Star, Supreme Champion

winning all three classes. Taking the Championship on its first outing was 319kg home-bred Dancing Queen, from Jennifer Hyslop, Girvan, who also won the other heifer class with another home-bred, Queen of Hearts. The Reserve Championship went to the steer class winner, Jaer Bomb from John SmithJackson, Haltwhistle, another making its show ring debut.

LIMOUSIN HEIFER CHEEKY KISS SHINES AT THAINSTONE CHRISTMAS CLASSIC

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t was a memorable day for Wilson Peters, Cuilt Farmhouse, Monzie, Crieff, as he scooped the Overall Champion title at the Thainstone Christmas Classic held on Tuesday 27 November 2018.

Judged by Hugh Black, Hugh Black & Sons, Lanark, and Murray Lauchlan, David Comrie & Son, Comrie, Perthshire, the open haltered beef cattle classes saw Cheeky Kiss, a 610kg Limousin take the red rosette for Wilson who was fresh from his win at LiveScot just a few days earlier.

The smart heifer then went on to achieve the day’s top price of £4,600 in selling to both judges.

The Butchers’ cattle class Champion accolade was awarded to D Work and Son, Mains of Dumbreck, Udny, for their 575kg Limousin cross bullock named Harvey, which sold for £3,000 to Forbes Raeburn Butcher, Huntly. Another exhibited by Wilson Peters, the reserve butchers’ cattle champion was Cotton Tail, a 570kg Limousin cross heifer which went on to realise £2,300 from Mr A Bruce of Bruce the Broch, Fraserburgh.

In the Young Farmers prime cattle section, judged by Guthrie Batchelor

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Prime cattle overall champion

from Fleming Butchers, Arbroath, a 704kg Limousin cross heifer Little Mojito took Reserve spot. Presented by Jack Hendry, Keith Commercials, Heads of Auchdinderran, Keith she sold for £2,000 to G Dinnie, Bridgeton, Alford.

In the unhaltered beef cattle section

judged by John MacIntosh, Aberdeen, the Reserve Championship went to Spitfire, a 554kg Limousin cross heifer, exhibited

by Sheep Park Farms, Bridge of Marnoch.

Under the hammer, Spitfire made £1,650, she was another to sell to Mr A Bruce of Bruce the Broch, Fraserburgh.

www.limousin.co.uk

AGRIFEST 2018 / THAINSTONE CHRISTMAS CLASSIC

WINTER FAIRS

Supreme Champion, Scarlet

SCARLET TAKES THE TOP TITLE AT AGRIFEST 2018

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grifest South West took place at Westpoint, Exeter, Devon on Wednesday 7th November 2018. Organised by the National Beef Association South West, the event showcased the breadth and depth of quality livestock breeding and production in the region. The one-day event, now in its ninth year welcomed local MP and EFRA Chairman Neil Parish to take a question and answer session.

Limousin cattle were very well represented in all the livestock classes.

Lifting the Supreme Beef Champion title from Judge Mr John SmithJackson was Scarlet from Eddie Morgan and Sam Jones, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire. By Teifi Jacob, Scarlet was bred by fellow Welsh farmer Berywn Hughes who runs the Cwmlimo Limousin herd at Lampeter, Ceredigion, Eddie and Sam purchased the August 2017 born heifer in March this year.

Taking the Reserve spot was Paul and Lin Calcraft, Honiton, Devon, with their Limousin sired March 2017 born heifer Snow Gin. No stranger to

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success she had reigned supreme in the Commercial Beef Championship at the Devon County Show back in May. The Cheacker family, Pilning, Bristol took the Bred and Fed Championship with their May 2017 born heifer Smiggle.

This was yet another winner to be sired by a Limousin, this time in the shape of Norman Jacksparrow. Reserve spot in this competitive class went to Ruby, a 16-month old Limousin sired heifer from Mike Rowlands, Powys.

Judged by well-known auctioneer Mr Clive Roads, the Baby Beef Championship was another success for the Cheacker family. Their Netherhall Jackpot sired July 2018 born steer Pikachu was tapped out to take the red rosette.

Young Continental Bull of The Year, and then Champion Young Bull of The Year, was Loosebeare Newark from Messrs E W Quick and Sons, Crediton, Devon. Home-bred, this April 2017 born bull is by the Sympa son Aghadolgan Emperor and out of Loosebeare Jemima.

Baby Beef Champion, Pikachu

Loosebeare Newark

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STIRLING’S 2018 STARS OF THE FUTURE CALF SHOW

LIMOUSIN INTERBREED SUCCESS AT STIRLING’S 2018 STARS OF THE FUTURE CALF SHOW • Ritchies Oracle wins Junior Interbreed Championship • Westpit Nashville wins Reserve Senior Interbreed Championship

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ow in its ninth year, the Stars of the Future Calf Show, held on Saturday 10th November 2018 at United Auctions, Stirling, saw a fantastic entry of calves across all breeds. In front of a large crowd of spectators, once again, Limousin bred cattle featured in the Interbreed accolades. Judge, well known farmer and cattle breeder from the County of Dumfries, Mr Alasdair Houston placed a Limousin as the Junior Interbreed Champion and the Reserve Senior Interbreed Champion.

From a strong line up of cattle Mr Houston placed Ritchies Oracle from Aileen Ritchie, Whitecairns, Aberdeenshire as the Junior Interbreed Champion. The eight-month old heifer came to Stirling with some quality breeding behind her, she is by the Rocky son Rathconville Eugene and out of the Wilodge Vantastic daughter Dinmore Elle. Stock bull at the Ronick herd, Eugene has proven himself to be exceptional, producing progeny selling well into five figures, while Dinmore Elle, bred by Paul Dawes at Dinmore Manor, Hereford, herself had a successful show career.

In the senior section, Mr Houston tapped out Westpit Nashville from Messrs A and J Gammie, Drumforber, Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire as the Senior Interbreed Reserve Champion.

The 14-month old young bull is sired by the Mas Du Clo son Dinmore Immense and is out of another Wilodge Vantastic daughter, this time in the shape of Brockhurst Holly.

In the Limousin judging under the eye of Gareth Small, who had made the long trip from Co Down, Northern Ireland, Ritchies Oracle had taken the Junior Female Championship and then the Overall Junior Championship. Standing Reserve to her in both contests was Springsett Orchid from Dougie McBeath and Sarah-Jane Jessop, Bannockburn, Stirling. Home-bred, 11-month old Orchid is by the Sympa son Haltcliffe Ben and out of the Objat daughter Wilodge Flawless.

All the way from Devon, Mike and

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Ritchies Oracle, Limousin Junior Champion, Overall Junior Female Champion and Junior Interbreed Continental Champion

Westpit Nashville, Limousin Senior Champion, Senior Male Champion and Reserve Senior Interbreed Champion

Melanie Alford, Foxhill Farm, Cullompton, took the Junior Male Championship with Foxhillfarm Obama. This January 2018 born young bull, bred from the pairing of

Foxhillfarm Jasper and Glenrock Illusion, came to Stirling fresh from success in his class at Agrifest South West, Exeter just a few days earlier. His parentage needs

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WINTER FAIRS

Lodge Omega, Junior Male Reserve Champion

Grahams Nicki, Limousin Reserve Senior Champion and Overall Senior Female Champion

little introduction, Jasper, the son of the reputable Bankdale Alice, dominated the 2015 show circuit, including being crowned Supreme Champion at the Royal Highland Show, Male and Reserve Junior Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show and the same at the Royal Welsh Show.

The 125,000gns Glenrock Illusion, bred by the Illingworth family in Carlisle, is by Goldies Comet out of one of the Glenrock herds most successful breeding females, Glenrock Spangle.

Standing as Reserve Junior Male was Lodge Omega from the Callion family, Bolfornought Farm, Stirling. This May 2018 bull, out of Lodge Jewel, is sired by the Rossignol son Lodge Hydro, who was himself Junior Interbreed Champion at the Stars of the Future Calf Show back in 2012.

Standing reserve to Nashville in the Limousin Senior Championship judging was the Senior Female Champion Grahams Nicki. This September 2017 born heifer from R and J Graham, Airthrey Kerse Dairy Farm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling is by the well-known Ampertaine Gigolo out of Grahams Lulu, who is bred from a Claragh Franco and Grahams Coffee mating.

Tapped out as Reserve Senior Female was Ronick Nelola, a November 2017 born heifer from Mr R Dick Mains of Throsk Farm, Stirling. Nelola is by Lyndberg James and out of Ronick Helola. Reserve Senior Male Champion was the July 2017 born Lodge Hamlet son Aultside Nickleback from Gary Patterson, Aultmore, Keith.

Springsett Orchid, Limousin Junior Reserve Champion and Overall Reserve Junior Champion Aultside Nickelback, Reserve Senior Male Champion

Ronick Nelola, Reserve Senior Female Champion

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BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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LIMSALE

THE ALL NEW MOBILE SALE APP

üü All Society sale catalogues available to view on your mobile device üü Filter pages to find catalogued animals meeting your criteria üü Create your own catalogue from saved results

Download the LimSale App The LimSale app is supported by minimum platforms iOS8 Apple, Windows 10 and Android 4.0.3.

For further information contact the British Limousin Cattle Society, info@limousin.co.uk, t elephone 02476 696500

Sales

CARLISLE | OCTOBER 2018

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OSS R LG L U D

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EASY CALVING BULLS IN DEMAND AS 17,000GNS PABO NIRO LEADS VIBRANT COMMERCIAL TRADE AT CARLISLE

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Pabo Niro, 17000gns

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CARLISLE | OCTOBER 2018

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he strong year for British Limousin Cattle Society sales moved into its final phase on Saturday 20th October 2018 when all roads led to Borderway Mart, Carlisle for the 41st autumn show and sale of pedigree bulls.

Against the backdrop of a challenging summer for suckler producers and uncertainty about what the new year might bring, commercial buyers were still out in force. Underpinning a remarkably vibrant trade and with a clearance rate of 83%, a packed ring saw 118 bulls sold, five more than in the corresponding sale last year, to an average of £5,611.36.

In a sale that was dominated by commercial types, thirteen bulls made five figures or more, with 29 in all making 7,000gns or above. Highlighting the depth of trade coming from the commercial side of the business half of the bulls forward sold for between 4,000 and 9,500gns.

Commenting on the sale BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said “There has been a strong demand for Limousin bulls throughout 2018, and it was great to see it continue at the Society’s October sale at Carlisle. An increased number of bulls sold and a clearance rate higher than last year provides yet more evidence of the breeds position as the go-to for commercial buyers. Yet again, a notable feature of the day was the emphasis buyers were putting on bulls that had strong calving figures, and, there was also attention being paid to the health status of bulls for sale.”

He added “Beef producers are looking for easy calving, easy care cattle that are feed efficient and produce a highend suckled calf with tremendous carcase attributes. The Limousin breed is synonymous with all these characteristics and that’s what’s driving the continued and increased demand around the UK”.

The audience had to wait until late in the sale for the top priced bull to emerge from the super cohort of junior bulls.

Leading the way at 17,000gns was Pabo Niro from Anglesey breeders Peredur and Llyr Hughes. This July 2017 born bull

by Netherhall Jackpot and out of Pabo Icemaden had stood as Reserve Junior Champion and Reserve Overall Champion in the pre-sale show on the previous day under the eye of Judge Mr Adam Watson of the Saunders herd, Brampton, Cumbria. Alongside his stablemate and full brother Pabo Netherhall they had stood as Limousin Pairs Champions at the Royal Welsh Show back in the summer.

The winning bid was made bid was made

by Gary Bell for his enterprise at Haas Side Farms on the outskirts of Lockerbie where he focuses on producing top-quality commercial cattle.

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Sales Huntershall Nutcracker, 16000gns

Goldies Northstar, 14000gns

Dinmore Jollygood, 13000gns

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CARLISLE | OCTOBER 2018

Gunnerfleet Noble, 12500gns

Aultside Nirvana, 12000gns

Limousin’s tick all the boxes for first generation farmer Gary, and of his purchase he said “I am looking for style and quality, and I see it right here in Niro.

It’s my second purchase from the Hughes family having previously bought the Lodge Hamlet son Pabo Mr Muscle from them. I believe in making relationships with breeders and I have every confidence that Niro will go onto feature strongly in my ambition to produce top quality calves”. He went onto say “While calving ease is vital to me, when I am buying bulls I am also looking for the carcase elements of length, top-lines and tight bellies. I am always spoilt for choice with the modern Limousin, but today Niro was a stand out for me, he is exactly what I wanted, I am excited to get him home”.

It was a very successful day for the

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Hughes family having also achieved 8,000gns for Pabo Netherhall, who was in the ring immediately before Niro.

July 2017 born, Netherhall had stood as Reserve Overall Male in the Limousin judging at the Royal Welsh Show and stood second in his class in the pre-sale show at Carlisle to his brother. He made his way home with Messrs Williams, Holyhead, Gwynedd.

Selling at 16,000gns was Huntershall Nutcracker, a stylish, correct, wellmuscled bull from Stephen Nixon, Wigton, Cumbria. Born April 2017 he is a Plumtree Fantastic son out of a homebred Rossignol daughter Huntershall Josie. Taking him home was the Harryman family who purchased him for their Keskadale Limousin herd at Keswick, Cumbria.

At 14,000gns came another junior bull, this time in the shape of Goldies Northstar from Bruce Goldie, Mouswald, Dumfries and Galloways. A class winner the day earlier, this May 2017 born bull came to Carlisle with a fantastic combination of calving and beef value figures, visual appeal and pedigree.

Northstar is sired by Goldies Juggler and out of Goldies Gracious who is a full sister to Goldies Comet and Goldfinger and maternal sister to Goldies Jackpot.

Purchasing him in a shared arrangement were two Aberdeenshire based breeders, Messrs Patterson and Messrs Morrison.

Not far behind in the price rankings at 13,000gns came the first bull into the ring, Dinmore Jollygood from Redpath Farms, Kelso, Roxburghshire. Bred by Paul Dawes at Kipperknowle Farm, Dinmore Manor, Hereford this four-year-old bull has had a great show career including Overall Champion successes at both the Border Union and Berwickshire County Shows over the last three years. By the wellknown Wilodge Tonka out of Dinmore Gaiety, who’s breeding goes back to Haltcliffe Vermont and Ronick Hawk, Jollygood is an easy calver who’s progeny is described as showing great potential.

Taking him home was the Booth family who run the Sevengun Limousin herd at Hardwick Hall Farm, Aston, Sheffield.

Next in the pecking order of prices was a junior bull from Ian Handley, Ingleton, Lancashire, in the shape of Gunnerfleet Noble. The June 2017 bull is another by Plumtree Fantastic out of one of the Gunnerfleet herds top cows Gunnerfleet Cindy. He was knocked down at 12,500gns to Balfour Baillie for his Sebay Limousin herd in Tankerness, Orkney.

At 12,000gns came a pre-sale show class winner from Garry Patterson, Aultmore, Keith, in the shape of Aultside Nirvana. This February 2017 born bull came to Carlisle full of great breeding; his dam Spittalton Flush bred Aultside Meanmachine who led the trade at Carlisle in February 2018 at 65,000gns, and Aultside Mystique who made 18,000gns at Red Ladies in 2017. He is sired by Foxhillfarm Jasper, himself out of Bankdale Alice, widely regarded as one of the best breeding cows in the breed.

Nirvana was knocked down to M and W J B Cleasby who run the Cleaden Limousin herd at Temple Sowerby, Penrith, Cumbria. When the hammer went down on this bull it added to what had already been a successful trip to Carlisle for Gary, just a couple of lots earlier he had secured 10,000gns for Aultside Notorious. The same way bred as Nirvana, Notorious was knocked down to Gary Howells for his Shadog Limousin herd at Llandysul, Dyfed

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Sales Hot on Nirvanas heels in the pecking order at 11,500gns came a bull from Craig Ridleys Wigton based Haltcliffe herd Haltcliffe Newton. Yet another junior bull to be in the leading price list, the May 2017 born Newton is by the Lowerffrydd Empire son Ballyrobin Joop and out of the Sympa daughter Haltcliffe Enigma.

Making this purchase to add to their 120 head bull stud-farm was Dovea Genetics of Co Tipperary, Ireland who provide the best available genetics to the Irish cattle herd. Focusing on increasing efficiency their aim is to deliver more profitable livestock to Irish farmers.

Two bulls made 11,000gns, the first being Ampertaine Norseman from Messrs W J and James McKay, Maghera, Co Derry who at this price led the trade for intermediate bulls. The April 2017 born bull is by the 38,000gn Ampertaine Foreman and out of Ampertaine Fantasia, herself a full sister to Ampertaine Gigolo. Fantasia is proving to be a great breeder in the Ampertaine herd, already producing 18,000gns Ampertaine Lawson. Norseman, who has great allround figures for calving value, gestation length, muscle and milk was snapped up by Ashford Hall Farm, Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

Next at this price was Kinniside Novel from G and A E Marrs and Son, Cleator, Cumbria. Born June 2017 this bull is by the Sympa son Dylans Irnbru and out of Kinniside Bronte, granddam to Kinniside Login who made 9,000gns at Carlisle in October 2016 and Kinniside Majestic who sold for 14,000gns at Borderway in February 2018. He was knocked down to Messrs Telfer and Son, Stocksfield, Northumberland.

A further three bulls made the 10,000gns mark. Two at this price came from the Homebyres herd of John Logan at Kelso. First for John came the April 2017 born Homebyres Newtown, a natural calf by Ampertaine Elgin out of Homebyres Dawn. He was bought in a half-share arrangement by Messrs Campbell and Messrs Fisher, both from Stranraer, Wigtownshire. Then it was the last lot of the day from John, Homebyres Newman which took the same price.

Born July 2017 this bull, by Larkhill Julius out of Homebyres Echinacea, was the pick of D R and R L Burns, Lodge Farm, Upper Broughton, Melton Mowbray.

Also making 10,000gns was another from Bruce Goldie, Goldies Nugget who came to Carlisle with a super calving and beef value. The July 2017 born bull is

by Ampertaine Foreman out of Goldies Fragrance, which makes him a full brother to 9,500gns Goldies Jeronimo and maternal brother to 10,000gns Goldies Juggernaut. He made his way home with

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R and S Duncan, Ballindalloch, Banffshire for their Livet Limousin herd.

In the pre-sale show, Judge Adam Watson had tapped out the June 2017 born Mereside Nijinsky as his Overall Champion having earlier in the day selected him as his Junior Champion.

This Trueman Jagger son out of Mereside Clover was knocked down for 8,000gns to Eric Norman for his Norman Limousin herd at Little Orton, Carlisle.

Aultside Notorious, 10000gns

Goldies Nugget, 10000gns Haltcliffe Newton, 11500gns

Mereside Nijinsky, 8000gns Ampertaine Norseman, 11000gns

Pabo Netherhall, 8000gns Kinniside Novel, 11000gns

Homebyres Newtown, 10000gns

OTHER LEADING PRICES 9,500gns, Gunnerfleet Nick, D J Lloyd and Co, Cefnbarrach, Trefeglwys.

9,000gns, Loosebeare Nectar, Page Bros, Elkington, Northampton.

8,000gns, Ballyrobin Neptune, P R Walker and Son, Driffield.

8,000gns, Maraiscote Nacho, T Laird and Son, Cumnock, Ayrshire.

Homebyres Newman, 10000gns

8,000gns, Gorrycam Notorious, Michael Phillips, Co Sligo, Ireland.

AVERAGES: 34 Senior bulls 46 Intermediate bulls 38 Junior bulls Overall average

£4782.36 £5141.63 £6921.71 £5611.36

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STIRLING | OCTOBER 2018

STIRLING

OCTOBER

2018

EASY CALVING AND EFFICIENCY THE BUZZ WORDS AS STRONG DEMAND SEES LIMOUSIN BULLS HIT 11,000GNS AT STIRLING Knock Nicol 11,000gns

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£5182

up by £119 on the year SALE GROSSES

£260,820

84% CLEARANCE RATE

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Sales

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STIRLING | OCTOBER 2018

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ollowing hot on the heels of a great day’s trading at Carlisle two days previous, the autumn round of British Limousin Cattle Society sales moved onto Stirling on Monday 22 October. Emphasising the strong and sustained demand for the breed the sale saw ten more bulls sold on the year, and increase in averages for the 51 sold to £5182 up by £119, plus a tremendous clearance rate of 84% The sale saw three bulls make over five figures, twenty-one in all make over 5000gns, and with a total gross of £260,820.

Two junior bulls lead the sale at 11,000gns respectively. The first of these was Knock Nicol from AG Howie, West Knock, Stuartsfield, Peterhead. This May 2017 born bull had taken first prize in the last class of the pre-sale show before taking the Overall Championship from judge for the day Michael Robertson, Fodderletter Farms, Ballindalloch, Banffshire. By Goldies Goldfinger and out of the Newhouse Billy sired Knock Hopscotch, this bull carried some excellent performance figures, most notably for 200 and 400 day growth. Commenting on the Champion Michael Robertson said: “My choice of Champion is a big powerful, correct bull for his age who carried plenty of style. He had a great top, a nice head, and very good locomotion. I feel this bull would be suited to both pedigree and commercial herds.” The judge’s words proved to be spot on as the Champion was bought by the well know figure Terry Coghill who runs both a pedigree (Hekra herd) and commercial Limousin herd at Muce Farm, Birsay, Orkney.

Speaking afterwards a delighted Albert Howie said: “Knock Nicol has been a good calf since the day he hit the ground and we always had high hopes for him. Winning the Championship was tremendous, and we are delighted with the outcome of the sale and the strong trade on the day.”

Also, at 11,000gns was Burnbank Northernlad from Messrs D and L Graham, Mains of Burnbank Farm, Blairdrummond, Stirling. Another from the final class, and the second youngest in the catalogue, this June 2017 born bull is by Glenrock Ventura and is out of the nine-yearold Burnbank Evita. Sporting some excellent performance figures across the various traits this bull was shared by the Newhouse pedigree herd of Messrs Robert M Adam and Son, Newhouse Of Glamis, Glamis, Forfar, and the Westhall herd of M Fotheringham & H McNee, Over Finlarg Farm, Tealing, Dundee.

Over the course of the Stirling and Carlisle sales, held within three days of each other, the tremendous demand for

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Burnbank Northernlad 11,000gns

Homebyres Nistleroy 10,000gns

Limousin bulls by commercial producers was evident. In all 169 bulls were sold over the two sales to average just under £5,500.

Numbers of bull sold was up on the year at each centre with strong clearance rates of 83% and above. At Stirling the sale average was also up by £119 on the year.

Speaking after the Stirling sale, the British Limousin Cattle Society Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “In what has been, and remains, a challenging industry, these sale figures again show the confidence in the breed commercial producers have to deliver performance and profit as they future proof their businesses. At the Stirling sale, and continuing from the weekend, easy calving, easy fleshing bulls with plenty of scope and growth potential were in strong demand and easily sold. There’s a clear recognition that fast finishing progeny hitting the target weights required by the market is both efficient and profitable and that Limousin

delivers just that. Over the three days easy calving and efficiency were very much the sale buzz words.”

Standing second in his class to the Champion and Reserve Junior Champion was Homebyres Nistleroy from Messrs J Logan, Humebyres, Kelso. This May 2017 born bull was the third on the day to break the five-figure mark when he sold for 10,000gns. Got by AI, Homebyres Nistleroy is by Fairywater Haig and is out of Homebyres Floricity, who is back in calf again to the same bull. This stylish young bull was snapped up the judge Michael Robertson, Fodderletter who runs sixteen pedigree cows and a 100 strong commercial herd. For the Logans the 10,000gns price topped their previous best at Stirling (8,200gns) and came hard on the heels of a strong sale at Carlisle two days previously where they sold two bulls at 10,000gns and one at 6,000gns.

As well as their joint top price, Messrs D

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Sales Burnbank Millenium 8500gns

Strawfrank Nevada 8200gns

Strawfrank Nero 8000gns

and L Graham, Mains of Burnbank Farm, had helped to get the sale off to a good start when the second bull in the ring, Burnbank Millenium, made 8,500gns.

This bull stood second in his class to the Reserve Senior Champion in the presale judging. November 2016 born Millenium is by the popular AI sire Ampertaine Gigolo and is out of Burnbank Gypsy, a Rainbow Simon daughter. Buying this bull was D S Stark and Sons, South Ballo, Inchture, Perthshire. Two further Burnbank bulls sold on the day made 4,000gns apiece.

Selling at 8,200gns was the Senior Champion, Strawfrank Nevada, from Allan Campbell, Strawfrank Farm, Carstairs Junction, Lanark. A February 2017 born bull Strawfrank Nevada is by the AI sire Ballinloan Jaegerbomb and is out of Strawfrank Grace. He came to Stirling with a decent show record behind him having won first prizes at both the Stars of the Future Show and the 2018 Royal Highland. A big, powerful bull, who weighed in at 1025kgs, Strawfrank Nevada was knocked down to Chas McMillan, Ardbeg Farm, Isle of Islay. For the 30 cow Strawfrank herd the 8,200gns price was their best at Stirling to date.

Continuing an excellent day, two lots previously Strawfrank Nero also from Allan Campbell, made 8000gns when selling to T Howden, Stanley Farm, Stanley, Perth.

Another bull with good performance figures, Strawfrank Nero is by the 45,000gns AI sire Ampertaine Jamboree and is out of Siddall Harriet, an Ionesco daughter. In the second class of the day Strawfrank Nero had stood second to his stablemate the Senior Overall Champion.

Late in the sale, and with another from the strong final class, Allan Campbell made 6,600gns when selling Strawfrank Nolan, a Homebyres Guthrie son to D A MacCormick, Balligarve, Lismore, Argyll.

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Regular Stirling vendor Mr J Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, Lanarkshire made 6,800gns with his April 2017 born Maraiscote Natural. April 2017 born this bull is one of the first sons sold at Stirling by the herd’s 19,000gns stock sire Millgate Jukebox. Out of the Virginia Andy daughter, Maraiscote Fern, Maraiscote Natural was bought by J H Anderson, Cloy, Fortrose, Ross-shire.

Four bulls in all made 6,500gs. The first of these was the March 2017 Shannas Nifty from Mr and Mrs J Penny, Shannas, Mintlaw, Peterhead. This bull was sired by Goldies Emperor and is out of Shannas Hattie, a Craigatoke Bart daughter. Another bull carrying excellent performance figures, Shannas Nifty was snapped up by T E Hutchinson, Chapel Farm, Moffat, Dumfries-shire.

At the same 6,500gns price was Ringway Navajo from Mr P J Henshall, Sarkshields Farm, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie.

By the popular AI sire Lodge Hamlet and out of the Bavardage daughter Ringway Joyaux, the May 2017 born Ringway Navajo was knocked down to John Paterson, Kiltersan Farm, Kirkcowan, Newton Stewart.

From the Ronick line-up of bulls from Mr R Dick, Mains of Throsk, Stirling, Ronick Novak sold for 6,500gns. A first prize winner in the second last class this May 2017 born bull was one of the first to be offered at sale by the herd’s stock bull Lynderg James. Out of Ronick Evita, whose pedigree goes back to the herd’s foundation cow, Ronick Nova was snapped up by B Keir and Son, Ladymill, Alford, Aberdeenshire.

The final bull at 6,500gns, and another young bull from the last class was Spittalton Navigator from Mr J Burnett, Upper Spittalton Farm, Blairdrummond, Stirling. By Burnbank Judge and out of

Strawfrank Nolan 6600gns

Ronick Novak 6500gns

Spittalton Figolo, this May born bull went to the islands when selling to A J MacLean, Heylipol Farm, Scarinish, Isle of Tiree.

Earlier in the day, the Spittalton herd sold Spittalton Nick, a Huntershall Jeronimo son, to the Scottish Government Bull Stud, Inverness for 6,000gns. Further Spittalton bulls sold for 5,500gns and 4,800gns respectively.

OTHER LEADING PRICES 6,000gns Shannas Mazurka, OFJ Wallace, Campbeltown, Argyle 6,000gns Newhouse Nash, J Fisher, Dunorennan, Kirkcudbright 6,000gns Lodge Nevada, James Hunter, Slamannan, Falkirk 6,000gns Maraiscote Nula, J Walker and Sons, Echt, Aberdeenshire

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BRECON | NOVEMBER 2018

BRECON

NOVEMBER

2018

6200GNS BRAYDONSIDE NORMAN TOPS LIMOUSIN BULLS AT BRECON 16 BULLS AVERAGE

Braydonside Norman, 6200gns

£3206

6 HEIFERS AVERAGE

B

£1510

raydonside Norman, from first time exhibitor Owen Comer, New Moonleaze Farm, Braydon, Swindon sold for 6200gns to top the British Limousin Cattle Society’s November sale held at Brecon Livestock Market on Saturday 10th November 2018.

February 2017 born this calf is an AI son of Ampertaine Gigolo and is out of the Haltcliffe Doctor sired Gotham June, a female that Mr Comer purchased for 2800gns at Newark Market in April 2016.

Earlier in the day Braydonside Norman had been placed in the pre-sale show as Senior Champion before going on to take the Overall Supreme Championship from the judge Tomos Price who runs the Reddragon pedigree herd at Pencraig Farm, Trelech, Carmarthen. Purchasing the top price was Messrs Davies & Millichap, Rhiwgarn Fach Farm, Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Commenting on his choice of Champion Mr Price said: “I was looking for an upstanding, long and square bull that moved well. The Champion was a modern type of Limousin with plenty of shape and style and the type of bull that will breed first quality commercial calves and females as well.”

The vendor, Owen Comer, who runs twenty-eight breeding females in his Braydonside pedigree herd commented: “I’m absolutely delighted to come to

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Ashledge Newton, 4850gns

Brecon for the first time and win the Supreme Championship amongst what was a good line up of bulls”.

In all the sale saw sixteen bulls sell to average £3206.

The second top price at 4850gns was the Junior Champion, Ashledge Newton, from regular consignors Messrs AG Kirton & Sons, Severn Lodge Farm, Kinlet, Bewdley whose herd has recently been crowned as the Supreme Overall Limousin herd in the North West Midlands & North Wales Limousin regional competition.

April 2017 born, this bull is by Killcastle Horace and is out of Ashledge Hummingbird. Ashledge Newton was bought by Messrs Baker & Son, Great Oxenbold Farm, Weston, Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Previous Killcastle Horace sons have sold at Brecon up to 5100gns.

Ashledge Newman made 3300gns when selling to R&J Last, Wernddu, Cribyn, Llampeter, Ceredigion. This March 2017 born bull is by Ballyrobin Gazza and is out of Ashledge Harlequin.

Glencross Nightshift from Mrs C Davies, Glanyfer, Crosswell, Pembrokeshire sold

Glencross Nightshift, 3500gns

for 3500gns. This April 2017 born bull had stood second in his class to the Reserve Supreme Champion. A son of the homebred Glencross Ioncalo and out of Eisteddfa Hawys, this calf came to the sale having stood first in his class and Reserve Junior bull at Pembrokeshire County Show. At the fall of the hammer Glencross Nightshift was bought by DI Davies & Co, Rhydywernen Farm, Llanfaes, Brecon.

From the small show of females, the top price of 2500gns went to the Female Champion Deri Mochachoc from Mr & Mrs TB Griffiths, Brynderi, Carmarthen. This rising two-year-old heifer is by the noted AI sire Sympa and is out of Dyfri Emerald.

She was sold as PD’d in-calf to the polled bull Jinz. Buying Deri Mochachoc was WH Williams & Son, Dolau Ifan Ddu Farm, Blackmill, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan.

AVERAGES: 16 Bulls £3206 6 heifers £1510 Auctioneers: McCartneys

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Sales

DUNGANNON | NOVEMBER 2018

DUNGANNON 2018

NOVEMBER

DROIT MINTY SELLS FOR 3500GNS AT LIMOUSIN SALE IN DUNGANNON 22 BULLS, EIGHT MORE ON THE YEAR, SOLD TO AVERAGE

£2625

T

he British Limousin Cattle Society’s autumn sale in Northern Ireland was held at Dungannon mart on Friday 16 November 2018. A solid demand saw 22 bulls sold, up by eight on the year, to an average of £2625. The clearance rate was also up on the year to 71% with 22 of the 31 bulls forward selling. A small offering of 7 met with a clearance rate of 86% and an average price of £2170, up by £613 on the same sale last year.

First through the sales ring, and the top priced bull of the day at 3500gns, was Droit Minty from Richard J Mowbray, Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone. A November 2016 born embryo calf, Monty is by Ampertaine Gigolo and out of the Larkhill Firmount daughter Haltcliffe Harriot. He was knocked down to R M Sterritt, Newry, Co Down.

At the pre-sale show Mrs Leanne Workman, Larne gave the Overall Champion, Male Champion and Intermediate Champion prizes to the homebred Derriaghy Noddy, from D G Green & Sons, Lisburn, Co Antrim. This April 2017 born son of Norman Ely and out of the dam Derriaghy Hermonie sold for 3,200gns to Oliver Cairns, Ballygawley, Co Tyrone. Derriaghy Noddy was Reserve Male Champion at Balmoral Show in 2018 and with strong performance figures is in the top 10% for both calving ease and muscle.

Millgate Nemo, Reserve Overall Champion, Reserve Male Champion and Junior Male Champion sold for 2,900gns.

Home bred by Michael Loughran, Dunamore, Co Tyrone this June 2017 born bull was also sired by Norman Ely and is out of the dam Millgate Hilary. Nemo was

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7 FEMALES AVERAGE

£2170 UP BY £613

Droit Minty 3,500gns

purchased by Andrew Knight, Antrim, Co Antrim.

Also selling for 2,900 gns was Aghadolgan Noble bred by R A G Savage, Drumahoe, Co Londonderry. This April 2017 born bull is by Hartlaw Excaliber and out of the dam Aghadolgan Fesmerela.

Noble heads to a new home with Thomas Rafferty, Cappagh, Co Tyrone.

Standing second in his class Fairgreen Nipper was the third bull to sell at the 2,900 gns mark. This July 2017 born bull is by Lowerffrydd Empire and out of the dam Fairgreen Juliet. Nipper was bred

by Thomas and Christopher O’Reilly from Keady, Co Armagh and was purchased at the sale by Harold Turner, Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone.

Reserve Female Champion Hillviewfarm Nicky sold for the day’s second top price of 3,300 gns. Bred by L A Richardson, Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh, this September 2017 born female is by the famous AI sire Ronick Hawk and out of the dam Newtown Harmony. Nicky was purchased by James McGarrigle, Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh.

71% CLEARANCE RATE

Hillviewfarm Nicky 3,300gns

Derriaghy Noddy 3,200gns

Millgate Nemo 2,900gns

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RED LADIES | DECEMBER 2018

RED LADIES 2018

DECEMBER

20,000GNS GRAHAMS NICKI LEADS LIMOUSIN RED LADIES SALE Grahams Nicki, 20000gns

A

strong year of pedigree Limousin sales closed with a robust trade at the Red Ladies Derby and Weaned Calf Sale held at Borderway Mart, Carlisle on Friday 14th December 2018 Leading the way, for the third year in a row, was the Grahams herd of Robert and Jean Graham, Airthrey Kerse Dairy Farm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling. The herd sold the September 2017 born Grahams Nicki to a sale topping price of 20,000gns.

The leading price followed on from earlier in the day when the stylish heifer lifted the Red Ladies pre-sale show Supreme Championship judged by Sarah Priestley

88 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

of the Brontemoor Herd, Brampton, Cumbria.

Grahams Nicki is the first granddaughter to be offered for sale from the herds prolific cow Grahams Coffee. By Ampertaine Gigolo she is out of Grahams Lulu, who is the only daughter from the Grahams Coffee Claragh Franco mating to be retained by the Grahams herd. Nicki came to the Red Ladies Derby having won the Senior Female and Reserve Overall Senior Champion at the 2018 Stars of the Future event at Stirling back in November.

This much-admired heifer, very pleasing on the eye, backed up with a powerful

pedigree and figures to match, was secured by Stuart Perkins, Haywood Farm, Radstock, Avon for his growing Hartmoor herd, which having been established earlier this year now runs to 10.

Next in the price stakes, at 17,000gns, was the pre-sale show Reserve Champion in the shape of Procters Nellgwyn from Procters Farms Ltd, Slaidburn, Clitheroe.

This September 2017 born heifer, by Ampertaine Foreman out of the Haltcliffe DJ daughter Procters Gwen, was another purchase for Stuart and will be heading down to Avon with Grahams Nicki.

Speaking after the sale Stuart said “I

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am delighted to have secured these two fantastic animals to bring new bloodlines into my growing herd. Although I couldn’t be at the sale myself, I had done my homework and picked these two out beforehand, they were exactly what I was looking for. The fact that they were 1-2 in the Championship judging is a super bonus and gives me confidence that I am looking in the right places for my purchases”.

Two heifers made 12,000gns, the first being Huntershall Nebraska from Stephen Nixon, Wigton, Cumbria. This March 2017 born heifer is a Ballinloan Jaegerbomb daughter out of Huntershall Hattie, a powerful Homebyres Vanhee daughter and one of the herds milkiest cows.

Making this purchase was Neil Barclay, Crathes, Banchory for his Harestone Limousin herd. At 11,000gns Neil also secured the 12-month-old Grahams Naughtyspice from Robert and Jean Graham. This heifer comes from one of the strongest dam lines in the breed, her dam being the noted Milbrook Gingerspice, the only animal to win Breed Champion and Interbreed Champion at Balmoral Show on three consecutive years.

Procters Nellgwyn, 17000gns

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BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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RED LADIES | DECEMBER 2018 Naughtyspice is full sister to 20,000gns Grahams Michael, 25,000gns Grahams Malibu, Red Ladies Champion in 2017 and the 2018 show star Grahams Melody.

At 12,000gns came the class winner Wilodge Naturelle from the Wilodge herd at Shifnal, Shropshire. Born November 2017 she is the first female to be offered for sale by Grahams Lorenzo. Her dam Wilodge Diamante combines two of the herds renowned maternal lines in Vantastic and Cerberus, highly productive in the Wilodge and several other herds.

Making the winning bid was M and J C Gould, Shrewsbury, Shropshire for their Woodmarsh Limousin herd.

The Wilodge herd had sold a cow and calf unit early in the day to 10,500gns. Sold separately, first up, and making 4,500gns, was Wilodge Heron, a 2012 born cow by the Sympa son Ampertaine Bravo out of Wilodge Erona, a Rocky daughter. In calf to Grahams Lorenzo she was bought my Messrs Walker and Son, Driffield, Yorkshire for their Wilfholme Limousin herd. The same buyer then made the winning bid of 6,000gns for her eight-monthold Lowerffrydd Empire sired heifer calf Wilodge Orona.

At 10,000gns came another female from the Grahams team, this time in the shape of Grahams Nightingale. Out of Grahams Jemimah this 12-month-old heifer is one of the first Goldies Jackpot daughters to be

Wilodge Naturelle, 12000gns

offered for sale. Securing this stylish heifer was Owen Comer for his Braydonside Limousin herd at Braydon, Wiltshire.

Speaking after the sale Robert Graham said “I am over the moon with the results from today, both in the show and sale ring. Securing a hat-trick like this does

Grahams Naughtyspice, 11000gns

Foxhillfarm Oriel, 10000gns

90 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

not happen overnight, it takes many years of breeding and commitment from the whole team. I am particularly pleased that these heifers sold today are a new generation of females from the herd, I am sure they will all go to serve their new owners well�

Haltcliffe Ode, 11000gns

Grahams Nightingale, 10000gns

Wilodge Heron, 4500gns and Wilodge Orona, 6000gns

www.limousin.co.uk

Sales Aultside Overdrive, 16000gns

AULTSIDE OVERDRIVE AT WEANED BULL CALF RECORD 16,000GNS In the bull section of the Weaned Calf Sale, Aultside Overdrive from Garry Patterson, Keith made a new weaned bull calf record price of 16,000gns when the gavel went down to Ian Handley for his Gunnerfleet pedigree herd at Ingleton, Lancashire. The eight-month-old calf, who was tapped out as the best bull calf in the pre-sale show earlier in the day, is an embryo calf by the renowned Ronick Hawk. He is out of Spittalton Flush, who has bred bulls to 65,000gns, Aultside Meanmachine, Supreme Champion at Carlisle in February, and heifers to 18,000gns for Aultside Mystique, Red Ladies in 2017.

From the Weaned Heifer Calf Sale, the hammer went down at 11,000gns for Haltcliffe Ode from the Haltcliffe herd of Craig Ridley, Wigton, Cumbria.

This January 2018 born natural calf is by Dinmore Jacot out of Haltcliffe Jingle, who’s breeding goes back to the renowned Sympa. Ode, who had been tapped out as the best heifer calf in

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the pre-sale show was bought by Gary Morrissey, County Carlow, Eire.

Making 10,000gns, and, also from the Weaned Heifer Calf Sale, was another January 2018 born youngster Foxhillfarm Oriel from Mike and Melanie Alford, Cullompton, Devon. This embryo calf is by the prolific Ampertaine Gigolo and is out of the stylish show winner Foxhillfarm Gracie. Oriel, correct and feminine, came to Carlisle having been shown at Agrifest in Exeter where she was Champion Limousin Female. She was bought by Chris White for his Frogmore herd at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

AVERAGES: 3 Red Ladies with calves at £6370.00 55 Red Ladies Heifers

17 Weaned Bull Calves 49 Weaned Heifer Calves

foot £4495.91 £3610.15 £2428.01

OTHER LEADING PRICES Red Ladies Derby 8,000gns - Wiggonby Nayday, Messrs Fitzgerald, Co Antrim.

7,000gns - Claragh Nina, Mr S Gilleard, Thorne, Doncaster 6,000gns - Swalesmoor Nebo, Sion Wyn Jones, Pentir, Bangor 6,000gns - Wilodge Nina, Owen Comer, Braydon, Swindon Weaned Calves 7,000gns - Swalesmoor Oben, Thomas Clancy, Dungannon, Co Tyrone 6,500gns - Sarkley Osanna, half share W Richardson and Son, Dufton, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria and M A Warren, Bradford.

5,000gns - Whinfellpark Oriana, Messrs Sarikhani, Huttons Farm, Henley-on-Thames 5,000gns - Blackwater Oasis, Messrs Alford, Cullompton, Devon.

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CARLISLE | FEBRUARY 2019

CARLISLE

FEBRUARY

2019

LIMOUSIN BULL BUZZ AT CARLISLE WITH 50,000GNS CLOUGHHEAD TOP PRICE AND MORE BULLS SOLD ON THE YEAR Cloughhead Neville - Top price for the sale 50,000gns. Sold

by G Hutton & sons to P&C Tippets, Wilodge

M

ore bulls changed hands compared to last year at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s early spring sale held at Harrison and Hetherington’s Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on Saturday, 16th February, 2019, indicating producers’ continued confidence in the breed. With a larger selection of 142 bulls forward for sale, a total of 108 bulls sold to new homes. A marked increase in the intermediate section saw an average of £7119, a rise of £199 on the year, whilst 32 junior bulls

92 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

sold to average £7514.

With many of the top price bulls selling to pedigree breeders and a resounding commercial demand, producers were keen to invest in bulls with tops, width and length and paid close attention to the performance figures available, including Estimated Breeding Values and myostatin genes.

The runaway leader at 50,000gns was Cloughhead Neville from farming brothers, Tom and Phil Hutton, who run 80 cows in their pedigree herd at Setmabanning,

Threlkeld, Keswick. Making this new best price to date for the herd all the sweeter was the fact that Neville was always a favourite of their late father and legend of the breed, George, who regularly travelled to France to select new stock sires to put to work in the Cloughhead herd. With this in mind, Neville’s pedigree features French breeding, being a naturally-bred son of Gultime, a bull imported back in 2012 that also produced the 18,000gns Cloughhead Jerry, sold three years ago, as well as several the herd’s top heifers sold

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Sales

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BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

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at the female sale the previous evening.

Born in June 2017, Neville’s dam line is a strong one too as Cloughhead Hogmanay, a Wilodge Cerberus daughter, goes back to Cloughhead Stella, a full sister to the herd’s previous top price bull sold in 2005, the noted 42,000gns Cloughhead Umpire.

With the bidding swiftly rising to 50,000gns, the second prize winner and double carrier of the F94L ‘profit’ gene sold over the telephone to Paul and Christine Tippetts for use on the 40 cows in their Wilodge and Hackney herds at Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire.

“Neville is going to grow in to a big, powerful bull and offers different breeding to what we’ve got at home, but he’s still got the back breeding there and is from the same family as the noted Cloughhead Umpire,” said Paul Tippetts.

Ian Handley was another with plenty to celebrate when he welcomed the second highest price of 17,000gns with further five-figure sales at 12,000gns and 11,000gns. Leading from the 55-strong herd near Chapel le Dale, Ingleton, Lancashire, was the Junior Champion, Gunnerfleet Next, a naturally-born son of the 24,000gns Ballinloan Jaegerbomb, a bull that is proving to be an outstanding breeder and whose first five sons born sold to average around £11,500. Born in August 2017 and bred from a good female line, being out of Gunnerfleet Jelomie, herself a daughter of the 24,000gns Gunnerfleet Eros of which Ian bought a half share back, Gunnerfleet Next heads to work in the Dyke herd belonging to Jimmy and Donald MacGregor near Milton of Campsie, Glasgow.

Judging the pre-sale show of 17 classes of bulls on Friday was James Callion, who runs the Melbreak herd in Dromore, County Tyrone, which has produced bulls to 14,000gns and heifers to 9000gns.

“I was looking for bulls with plenty of style, with good shape and good locomotion,” said Mr Callion of his judging stint. “On the whole I felt I could pick out two or three in each class quite easily, and a lot of the first and second prize winners were reflected by high prices in the sale.”

Next in the trade stakes for Ian Handley at 12,000gns was Gunnerfleet National which is this time by what Ian considers the best stock bull he’s ever had, Plumtree Fantastic, a bull bought privately for £40,000 and who has since bred sons to 17,000gns for Gunnerfleet as well as 28,000gns for other herds. Gunnerfleet National, a September 2017 naturally-born bull out of the Dolcorsllwyn Brynmorsired Gunnerfleet Genny, dam of a 12,000gns bull, heads to the commercial herd of Messrs Richardson, Low Garth, Cockermouth.

Not far behind at 11,000gns when

BULLS & FEMALE SG 180 RO SS BULLS

CARLISLE | FEBRUARY 2019

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Gunnerfleet Next - Junior Champion - 17,000gns

AL

M OST 50 %

snapped up by Columbjohn Farm Ltd, Exeter, was another naturally-bred Ballinloan Jaegerbomb son, Gunnerfleet Navigator, which also boasts double copies of the F94L gene. He was also born in August 2017 and is out of a heifer by the home-bred Eros in the shape of Gunnerfleet Lanne. The strong bull sale for Gunnerfleet followed on from the female sale the previous evening where the herd sold heifers to 6000gns and took four of the top five sale prices.

It was also another good day for Bruce Goldie when he sold four bulls from his Goldies herd at Townfoot, Mouswald,

Dumfries, to average £13,388, thanks to a brace of bulls at 16,000gns. First to sell when knocked down to Neil and Stuart Barclay for their Harestone herd near Crathes, Banchory, to join the heifers bought the previous evening, was the Reserve Intermediate and Reserve Supreme Champion, Goldies Novelty.

Boasting outstanding growth figures and a Beef Value in the Top 1% of the breed, this ET-bred bull is by Ampertaine Gigolo, sire of the record-holding 140,000gns Trueman Jagger, and was born in September 2017 out of the Wilodge Cerberus-sired Goldies Goldilocks, which

www.limousin.co.uk

Sales Goldies Novelty - Res Overall Champion - 16,000gns

Westpit Nevada - 14,000gns

Westpit Nashville - 13,000gns

Huntershall Nando - 12,500gns

Goldies Nelson - 16,000gns

Lenagh Nitro - 12,000gns

is in turn out of the reknowned Goldies Vitality.

Matching that when sold to Messrs Lear from Creslow, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was another red ticket winner, Goldies Nelson, a naturally-bred bull which features similar breeding being by the Gigolo-sired Goldies Juggler and born a month later out of a Vitality granddaughter, the Ampertaine Commander-sired Goldies Iona. Nelson’s EBVs feature a Top 1% Calving Value which he combines with a double copy of the F94L gene.

Bruce welcomed a third five-figure price when Messrs Humphreys and Son paid 10,000gns to take Goldies Nevelle home to Chart Sutton, Maidstone, Kent. Another double carrier of F94L, this son of the AI sire Kaprico Eravelle is a heifer’s calf out of the Foxhillfarm Irishlad-sired, Goldies Lucy, which also goes back to Vitality.

Two September 2017-born embryo

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brothers that secured the top two tickets in their class for Jim and Andrew Gammie’s 25-cow Westpit herd at Drumforber, Laurencekirk, Kincardineshire, followed on at 14,000gns and 13,000gns.

Leading these was the second prize winner, Westpit Nevada, which sold to J Thompson’s Hartsideanew pedigree herd at Townfoot, Melmerby, Penrith.

The Reserve Junior Champion, Westpit Nashville, which also stood Senior Champion at the Stars of the Future Calf Show, sold to the Redpath pedigree herd of Redpath Farms, Heiton, Kelso. Their pedigree features Dinmore Immense, a bull the father and son duo recently bought privately, on to the Wilodge Vantastic daughter, Brockhurst Holy, making this pair full brothers to Westpit Nando which sold privately to the Ronick herd at just 14 months old following a successful season on the North-east of Scotland show circuit.

Just behind, on a final bid of 12,500gns, was another by the popular Ballinloan Jaegerbomb in the shape of the August 2017-born Huntershall Nando from Stephen Nixon, from Southerfield, Wigton.

Selling to Messrs Forster and Son, near Hexham, Nando is out of the Requinsired Huntershall Jiffy, a full sister to the 22,000gns Huntershall Geronimo.

Pedigree breeder Paul Cairns paid 12,000gns for the September 2017-born Lenagh Nitro to join his Plumtree herd near Tollerton, Nottingham. Consigned from the small herd of six cows run

by Mark Stewart on Lenagh Road, Randalstown, County Antrim, Nitro is the first son offered from the Lenagh herd by the AI sire Cloughhead Tommy, while his dam is a Vantastic daughter in the shape of Lenagh Herewecome, which is in turn out of a full sister to the dam of the 28,000gns Lenagh Morpheus.

With three bulls attracting sale prices

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CARLISLE | FEBRUARY 2019

Gunnerfleet National - 12,000gns

Trueman Neptune - 11,000gns

Grahams Nathan - 11,000gns

Impulsive Niall - 10,500gns

Homebyres Nisbet - 10,500gns

Overall Champion Strathearnred Nidge - 7000gns

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of 11,000gns, the first to do so was Trueman Neptune from the Savage family, from Skerriff Road, Altnamackin, Newry, County Down. His dam, the Vantasticsired Trueman Euphonium, needs little introduction as the 40th Anniversary National Show champion also produced the inter-breed champion at last year’s Balmoral Show, Trueman Noreen. Born in June 2017, this ET-bred son of Mereside Lorenzo, and first prize in class eight, heads to a new home in the Tradwell herd at Shrubbery Farm, Walsall, West Midlands, with AE Neachall and Son. Another first prize winner matched that 11,000gns when the ET-bred Grahams Nathan from Robert and Jean Graham, from Airthrey Kerse, Bridge of Allan, Stirling, sold to Matt and Craig Ridley for their Haltcliffe herd near Hesket Newmarket, Wigton. Born in October 2017 out of the French-bred Cousine, he is by the Claragh Franco bull that has bred exceptionally for the Grahams herd, making Nathan a full brother to Grahams Murphy which sold for 9000gns at just nine months old.

Early in the sale, Steven Wilson welcomed his highest price to date of 10,500gns for his March 2017-born Impulsive Niall from the herd of 15 pedigrees at Corby Hill, Carlisle. This naturally bred lad’s pedigree features Loosebeare Justin on to the Cloughhead Umpire-sired Haltcliffe Inlet. He caught the eye of Messrs Richardson and heads to Huttonfields, Hutton Magna, Richmond.

Matching that 10,500gns bid was Homebyres Nisbet, a May 2017-born bull from father and son duo, John and John Logan, from near Kelso, which sold to Greystoke Castle Farm Ltd, Penrith. Got by AI, Nisbet is by Lowerfrydd Empire while his dam is Homebyres Jaybeth, a heifer daughter of the 15,000gns Homebyres Hawick.

Mr Callion made Gareth Small’s debut bull sale one to remember when he awarded Strathearnred Nidge the intermediate championship before tapping him out as supreme champion.

From just two cows owned by Gareth, of Irvington Close, Kilkeel, County Down, and the very first calf registered in the Strathearnred herd, the ET-bred Nidge was born in July 2017 out of Bellingham Jewel, an Ampertaine Elgin daughter, while his sire is Ampertaine Jamboree, which has bred show calves to £4000 for Gareth. Come sale time, Nidge was knocked down for 7000gns to Welsh pedigree breeders, Colin and Terry Lewis, who will use him on their Garyvaughan herd near Buttington, Welshpool.

“The champion was a very correct and very stylish bull with a good topline and great strength in his backend without

being too extreme. He was a great walker with superb presence in the show ring,” said Mr Callion.

In conclusion of the sale, Iain Kerr, Chief Executive of the British Limousin Cattle Society commented “Over this last fortnight we have seen just under 170 Limousin bulls change hands achieving a very solid trade and the demand for the breed has remained very strong.

Limousin is all about providing marketready genetics that will enable producers to respond quickly to economic demands, and this trade shows that buyers are seeking this out”.

OTHER LEADING PRICES 9000gns Lot 110 Calogale Ninja to Messrs Cruickshank, Longmorn, Elgin, Morayshire - 1st prize class 1 & Senior Champion 9000gns Lot 130 Fieldson Neutron to Messrs Peacock, Deopham, Norfolk 1st prize class 3 9000gns Lot 161 Seisiog Ned to Messrs Jones & Son, Montgomery, Powys - 2nd prize class 5 9000gns Lot 225 Goldies Norseman to Messrs Gibbons & Son, Holyhead, Anglesey - 2nd prize class 10 9000gns Lot 229 Huntershall Neutron to Messrs Thompson & Sons, Tow Law, Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham - 5th prize class 11 9000gns Lot 241 Wanthwaite Nimrod to Messrs Hewetson, Allonby, Maryport, Cumbria - 5th prize class 12 9000gns Lot 272 Gunnerfleet Notabull to Messrs Cameron, Acharrade, Argyll - 4th prize class 14 8000gns Lot 166 Homebyres Norfolk to Messrs Blair & Son, Balmerino, Newport-On-Tay, Fife - 1st prize class 6 8000gns Lot 187 Wanthwaite Nova to Messrs Sisson & Son, Catterlen, Penrith, Cumbria - 3rd prize class 7 8000gns Lot 227 Wanthwaite Nobby to Messrs Reed, Westgate, Bishop Auckland, Durham - 4th prize class 10 8000gns Lot 294 Clury Novak to Messrs Rutter, Burradon, Morpeth, Northumberland - 2nd prize class 16 AVERAGES: 40 Senior Bulls 36 Intermediate Bulls 32 Junior Bulls 108 Bulls Overall

£4786.88 £7119.17 £7514.06 £6372.36

www.limousin.co.uk

Sales 6500GNS GRAHAMS NICKY LEADS 100% CLEARANCE OF LIMOUSIN FEMALES 72 FEMALES AVERAGE

£2195

Grahams Nicky - 6500gns

A

packed ringside of buyers ensured a 100% clearance of the 72 females forward at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s sale held on the evening of Friday 15th February at Borderway Mart, Carlisle. This traditional fixture preceded the sale of Limousin bulls the following day.

The year on year demand for pedigree Limousin females continued unabated as pedigree and commercial breeders competed for the lots resulting in an overall gross of £158,040.

Leading the sale was the 6500gns paid for the in-calf heifer Grahams Nicky from R& J Graham, Airthrey Kerse Dairy Farm, Bridge of Allan, Stirling. This June 2017 born heifer is an embryo calf by the 35,000gns Foxhillfarm Jasper and is out of the herd’s prolific female Grahams Coffee. Sold in-calf to Ampertaine Gigolo, Grahams Nicky was purchased by MacParlim Genetics, Beleeks, Newry, NI for their McParlands herd.

Ian Handley, Gunnerfleet Farm, Ingleton, Lancashire, kicked off what was to be a strong weekend of trading for him, with both bulls and females, by taking the next four top female prices.

www.limousin.co.uk

HARESTONE HERD BUYS

THREE OF THE TOP FOUR PRICES

100% CLEARANCE OF 72 FEMALES FORWARD

Swalesmoor Nadena - 4000gns

Selling at 6000gns was the maiden heifer Gunnerfleet Nigen. An embryo calf, Nigen is by Ballinloan Jaegerbomb and is out of the Dolcorsllwyn Brynmor sired Gunnerfleet Imogen. Gunnerfleet Nigen was one of four purchases on the evening by Mr NR Barclay, South Road, Insch, Aberdeenshire, for his Harestone herd. Two lots later the same buyer snapped up Gunnerfleet Neaster for 5000gns. A natural calf, Neaster is by the 17,000gns Maraiscote Graffiti and is out of Gunnerfleet Easter. Ballinloan Jaegerbomb was again the sire when Ian Handley sold Gunnerfleet Nation for 4600gns to the Harestone herd. A natural calf, and August 2017 born, Gunnerfleet Nation is out of Gunnerfleet Jination, a Gunnerfleet Eros daughter.

Making 4000gns was Gunnerfleet Nou who sold to Mike Watson & Son, Harwood, Barnard Castle, Co Durham.

Once more by the 24,000gns Ballinloan Jaegerbomb, this October 2017 born heifer is out of Gunnerfleet Jou and is the first granddaughter of Ellora, the mother of the noted Gunnerfleet Hicks, to be offered for sale.

Romford Money from the Gordon

Brooke Estate, Upper Huntlywood Farm, Earlston, Berwickshire also sold for 4000gns. Full of breeding this June 2016 born heifer is by the noted AI sire Haltcliffe Vermount and is out of the 20,000gns Ronick Honey who was Champion at the 2013 Red Ladies Derby.

Served by Romford McTavish, Romford Money was bought by Messrs Fawcett & A Wagstaff, Calvo, Wigton, Cumbria.

The third animal at the 4000gns mark was Swalesmoor Nadena from Kedzlie Farm Ltd, Kedzlie Farm, Blainsie, Lauderdale. A May 2017 born embryo calf, Nadena is by the 140,000gns Trueman Jagger and is out of the 26,000gns Dinmore Dena, a daughter of the noted Dinmore Athena. Taking this animal home was Messrs Thomas for their Teifi herd at Dolgwm Uchaf, Pencarreg, Llanybydder, Carmarthenshire.

AVERAGES: 72 Females Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington Ltd

£2195

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STIRLING | FEBRUARY 2019

STIRLING

FEBRUARY

2019

11,500GNS WESTHALL NORRIS LEADS SOLID STIRLING LIMOUSIN SALE COMMERCIAL DEMAND SEES

80%

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of bulls make 5000gns or more

O

T

clearance rate of bulls

59

29%

BULLS SOLD

AV ER

, AG E £ 4

60

0

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Sales Westhall Norris 11,500gns

T

wo impressive young black Limousin bulls from M Fotheringham & Hazel McNee, Over Finlarg, Tealing, Dundee, sold for 11,500gns and 11,000gns respectively to top the sale of Limousin bulls held at United Auction’s Stirling Agricultural Centre, on Monday 4th February. In all the Westhall herd of Mary Fotheringham, along with the husband and wife team of Robert & Hazel McNee, had a tremendous day’s trading that saw them sell all their pen of five bulls to gross 38,500gns at a mighty average of 7,700gns.

Leading the way was the June 2017 born Westhall Norris who earlier in the day had been placed as Reserve Junior Champion by the pre-sale show judge, and noted commercial and pedigree breeder James Thomson, Hilton of Beath, Kelty, Fife. This bull is by the homebred herd sire Westhall Jammy, a Newhouse Glamis son whose pedigree features Newhouse Teak a top breeding female in the Newhouse herd. Westhall Norris, who is out of Westhall Freespirit was purchased for the sizeable commercial enterprise of D Walker & Sons, Camregan Farm, Girvan, Ayrshire.

The 11,500gns top price was also the top sale price achieved by the 80-pedigree cow Westhall herd to date.

From what was his first crop of calves

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Westhall Nathan 11,000gns

at sale, Westhall Jammy featured as the sire of the top two prices. In addition to his pedigree calves, commercial progeny from this bull have been showing tremendous carcase traits in length and yield when hanging up.

Taking the second top price of 11,000gns was the first prize winner in

class four in the shape of Westhall Nathan.

Full of breeding this May 2017 born bull is another Westhall Jammy son and is out of Westhall Hlame who herself has previously bred the 11,000gns Westhall Landman. Purchasing Westhall Nathan was the noted commercial producer Peter Alexander, Mains of Mause,

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STIRLING | FEBRUARY 2019 Blairgowrie. Mr Alexander, who runs one of the largest Limousin commercial herds in the UK, bought four Limousin bulls through the sale. Both Westhall top priced bulls featured strong performance figures for a combination of calving ease, growth and carcase traits and this was a trend continued through the sale.

Commenting, British Limousin Cattle Society Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “There was a solid demand for the bulls forward and a very healthy 80% clearance rate reflects that. It was clear that buyers had set budgets to work to and picked the bulls meeting their criteria. Bulls with the genetics and performance figures for easy calving, growth, weight for age, and age to slaughter were in demand and sold very well. The breed now moves on to Carlisle within the next fortnight where there will be another 200 Limousin bulls catalogued”.

The judge on the day, James Thomson, commended the breeders for the show of bulls forward and said: “It was a tremendous show of commercial bulls offering a lot of choice for buyers. The bulls had plenty of size and scale and were well muscled carrying good flesh.”

Selling at 9000gns was the stylish Reserve Supreme & Intermediate Champion, Anside Nemesis from the Irvine family at Braehead Farm, Drummuir, Keith. The first prize winner in class six this was another bull with a strong and proven pedigree. Sired by the herd’s prolific stock bull Powerful Irish, this June 2017 born calf is out of Bailea Cadee who herself has bred many of the herd’s show heifers at the Royal Highland.

Again, with a strong set of performance figures, Anside Nemesis was bought

by A Kennedy & Son, Seggarsdean, Haddington. The Anside herd stock sire Powerful Irish has bred bulls up to 13,000gns, and to an average of over £7000 for some thirty plus bulls sold. In May 2018 the Powerful Irish sired Anside Magneto topped the Stirling Limousin sale at 12,000gns.

Messrs J R MacGregor, Dyke Farm, Milton of Campsie, Glasgow, made 7200gns when selling the April 2017 born Dyke Nilegod. Another with good all-round figures including growth and carcase traits, this bull is by Dyke Gandalf, a Fieldson Alfy son, and is out of the thirteen-year-old cow Dyke Amazon.

Taking this bull home was J&J Wylie, Knockhouse Farm, Crossford, Dunfermline.

Another from the MacGregors, Dyke Nero, made 6500gns and was purchased

by R Easson & Son, Barns of Airlie, Kirriemuir, Tayside. A first prize-winner from the second class this April 2017 bull is by Netherhall Gilbert, a Haltcliffe DJ son, and is out of Dyke Glam.

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Anside Nemesis 9000gns

Dyke Nilegod 7200gns

Elrick Nevada 6000gns

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Sales Four bulls in all made 6000gns. The first of these was Elrick Nevada, the Reserve Senior Champion, and second prize in the strong first class, from Mr MJ Massie’s fifty-five cow Elrick herd at Mains of Elrick, Auchnagatt, Ellon. This bull is by the homebred sire Elrick Jethro who is sired by the 23,000gns Rahoney Geoffrey and whose dam line is described as being the best in the herd. Elrick Nevada is out of the second calver Elrick Gagrielle, a Craigatoke Dundee daughter. Lifting the Reserve Senior Championship here, the Elrick herd has previously won the Limousin Supreme Championship on two occasions at the Stirling February Sale. Purchasing Elrick Nevada was J&J Pattullo, Sandyford, Kirriemuir, Angus.

Local breeder, and prolific seller a Stirling, Andrew Burnett, Upper Spittalton Farm, Blair Drummond, sold two bulls at the 6000gns mark from his 90-cow Spittalton herd. Both bulls were from the first crop of calves at sale by the ‘easy calving’ 16,000gns stock sire Dinmore Jeanpierre, a Diamant son. First up was the May 2017 born Spittalton Nebraska who was snapped up by A&R Paton, Easter Greenhill, Avonbridge. This bull is out of Spittalton Harriet who is a daughter of the noted Sympa. The second bull from the herd at 6000gns was the Reserve Intermediate Champion, and first prize bull in class five, Spittalton Norman. May 2017 born Spittalton Norman is out of the consistent breeding Spittalton Fifi whose half-sister is the noted Spittalton Flush, the mother of the 65,000gns Aultside Meanmachine. The Reserve Intermediate Champion was one of four bulls purchased by the Scottish Government Bull Stud, Inverness.

The Final bull at 6000gns was Westhall Nickson from the Fotheringham & McNee’s Westhall herd in the shape of the black bull Westhall Nickson. Having stood third in his class, won by the Westhall herd’s Reserve Junior Champion, this bull was picked and purchased by John W McEwen & Son, Mount Farm, Balfron, Glasgow. Another to feature strong growth and age to slaughter figures, Westhall Nickson is a further son of Westhall Jammy and is out of the sevenyear-old Westhall Highhope, a Stotsfold Dragon daughter.

The Overall Supreme Champion, Junior Champion and first prize in the seventh class was Goldies Novel from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald. This July 2017 bull is by the 22,000gns Goldies Fandango and is out of Goldies Goldilocks who was noted as being potentially the best breeding female in the herd. In a remarkable statistic this is the third consecutive February Limousin Sale at Stirling where the herd has won the

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Spittalton Norman 6000gns

Westhall Nickson 6000gns

Goldies Novel Supreme Champion

Supreme Championship and on each occasion with a different homebred sire.

On the day the bull was bid to 8500gns but was unsold at that price.

AVERAGES: 59 Bulls £4600 Auctioneers: United Auctions

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DUNGANNON | FEBRUARY 2019

DUNGANNON 2019

FEBRUARY

BALLYROBIN NORTON SECURES TOP PRICE AT THE LIMOUSIN SPRING SALE IN DUNGANNON 21 BULLS AVERAGE

£2843 £1795

10 FEMALES AVERAGE

T

here was solid demand from commercial producers for Limousin bulls at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s spring show and sale in Dungannon mart on Monday 18 February.

With 24 bulls forward for sale, a clearance rate of 88% was achieved and an average price of £2985. 10 females forward achieved a clearance rate of 100% and an average price of £1885.

Leading the way in the sales ring and taking the top price at 4,500gns was Reserve Intermediate Champion, Ballyrobin Norton bred by Joan Gilliland, Antrim, Co Antrim. This July 2017 born bull is by Ampertaine Gigolo and out of the home bred dam Ballyrobin Heidi, a Wilodge Cerberus daughter. Norton was purchased by Matthew Harrison, Portadown, Co Armagh.

At 3,800gns Millgate Nectar bred by Michael Loughran, Dunamore, Co Tyrone achieved the second highest price. At the pre-sale show earlier in the day he was Reserve Overall Supreme Champion, Reserve Overall Male Champion and Junior Male Champion. This July 2017 born bull is by Lynderg Judge and out of the home bred dam Millgate Lollipop, a Norman Ely daughter. Nectar was purchased by James Alexander, Randalstown, Co Antrim.

Mossbrook Niko, a Moloskey Ger son, sold for 3,600gns. Bred by Derek and David Campbell, Magherafelt, Co Londonderry this October 2017 born bull is out of the dam Rahoney Lydia who

102 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

88% BULLS

CLEARANCE RATE

FEMALES

100% CLEARANCE RATE

Ballyrobin Norton 4500gns

was Female Champion at the BLCS show & sale in Ballymena in May 2017. Niko now heads to a new home with William Ritchie, Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh.

Millgate Nutty also from Michael Loughran, Dunamore sold for 3,500gns.

This July 2017 born bull is by Norman Ely and out of the homebred dam Millgate Fruity. Nutty also heads to Co Fermanagh

having been purchased by Robert Johnston, Belleek.

Intermediate Champion, Aghadolgan Newton, bred by Raymond Savage, Drumahoe, Co Londonderry sold for 3,400gns. This July 2017 born bull is by Ampertaine Elgin and out of the dam Aghadolgan Funnygirl, a Wilodge Tonka daughter. Newton was purchased by

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Sales Millgate Nectar 3800gns

Millgate Nutty 3500gns

Aghadolgan Newton 3400gns

Pointhouse Nasa 3200gns Mossbrook Niko 3600gns

Millgate Nathan 3200gns

Johnstown Nico 3000gns

Barney Murnion, Kilkeel, Co Down.

Michael Loughran’s third entry Millgate Nathan sold for 3,200gns. Nathan was awarded Overall Supreme Champion, Overall Male Champion and Senior Champion at the pre-sale show by the judge, Geoff Rodgers from the Draperhill Limousin herd, Dromara, Co Down. An April 2017 born bull by Lynderg Judge and out of the homebred dam Millgate Imelda, Nathan was purchased by Leslie Glenn, Carryduff, Co Down.

Reserve Junior Champion, Pointhouse Nasa bred by Michael Diamond, Garvagh, Co Derry also sold for 3,200gns.

This September 2017 born bull is by Netherhall Jackpot and out of the dam Pointhouse Ivy, a Plumtree Fantastic

www.limousin.co.uk

daughter. Nasa heads to Draperstown, Co Derry having been purchased by F McNally.

Also selling for 3,200 gns was Springmount Noddy from the Martin Family, Newtownards, Co Down.

This August 2017 born bull is by Gerrygullinane Glen and out of the dam Kyle Gabriel. Noddy was purchased by Kenneth Watters, Cookstown Co Tyrone.

Spage Nick bred by Paul Campbell, Ballymena, Co Antrim also sold for 3,200gns. This August 2017 born bull is

by Millgate Judge, a Norman Ely son and out of the dam Spage Julie. Nick was purchased by David Hadden, Mountnorris, Co Armagh.

Top priced female at 3,000gns and

Female Champion in the pre-sale show was Johnstown Nico from Chris Johnston, Fivemiletown, Co Tyrone. This July 2017 born female is by Ampertaine Elgin and out of the dam Hannas Faveur. Nico was purchased by Samuel Murphy, Waringstown, Co Armagh.

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BRECON | FEBRUARY 2019

BRECON

FEBRUARY

2019

UPTONLEY NOBBY SELLS FOR 4800GNS AT BRECON LIMOUSIN SALE FOUR BULLS AVERAGE

U

ptonley Nobby from Lin Pidsley, Upton Ley Farm, Honiton, Devon took the top price when selling for 4800gns at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s fledgling early year fixture at Brecon Livestock Market on Saturday 2nd March 2019.

May 2017 born, Uptonley Nobby is by the AI sire Foxhillfarm Jasper, the 2015 Royal Highland Show Champion, and is out of Brutus Gaynor, a daughter of Bailea Umber.

Purchasing the top price was JG Evans, Pyllau, Esgairdawe, Llandeilo, Carmarthen.

Earlier in the day this bull had placed first in the second class in front of the judge Gareth Jenkins who runs the Tynewydd Herd at Tynewydd Farm, Groesfaen, Pontyclun. From the small number forward, four bulls in all were sold. Taking the second top price at 4200gns was the Reserve Champion Killerton Nelson from Mr & Mrs P W & S M Greed, Columbjohn Farm Ltd, Columbjohn Farm, Rewe, Exeter, Devon. Sired by Emslies Colossus, this September 2017 born bull, out of Killerton Jenella, was purchased by S Loveless, Sunrise Farm, Uploder, Bridport, Dorset.

From the same home Killerton Neilson made 3500gns when selling to DT & EM Thomas, Blaenant-Y-Garn Farm, Abergorlech, Carmarthen. Entirely homebred this June 2017 born bull is by Killerton Lazio and out of Killerton Jervois.

From the Ashledge Herd of Messrs AG Kirton & Sons, Severn Lodge Farm, Buttonbridge Lane, Kinlet, Bewdley, the June 2017 born Ashledge Navarro made 3250gns. Sired by Honeymoor Favourite and out of Ashledge Erthyst, Navarro was bought by DE Davies, Nantgwynne, Gwynfe, Llangadog, Carmarthenshire. Going unsold through the ring was the Overall Champion, Ashledge Newhaven also from the Kirtons. Newhaven is another by Honeymoor Favourite and out of Ashledge Geranium.

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£4134

Uptonley Nobby

Killerton Nelson Re Champion

Auctioneers: McCartneys

www.limousin.co.uk

MELTON MOWBRAY | APRIL 2019

Sales

MELTON MOWBRAY APRIL

2019

INAUGURAL LIMOUSIN SOCIETY SALE SEES STRONG DEMAND AT MELTON MOWBRAY

T

he inaugural Spring British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS) Sale held at Melton Mowbray Market on Saturday 20th April, saw an exceptional demand for all classes of stock, resulting in a 93% clearance in the pedigree Limousins offered with three lots topping the sale at 6000gns.

This new BLCS sale fixture, held in a joint venture by North West Auctions and Melton Mowbray Market, saw a packed ringside and was hailed as a great success with Paul Gentry of NWA saying it was a reflection of the quality of stock vendors put forward. He said: “This was a great first joint venture sale with Melton Mowbray and both myself and Hugh Brown of Melton Mowbray would like to thank the vendors for their support of this sale and consigning such a high standard of cattle.”

Taking the day’s first sale topping bid of 6000gns was a well-travelled bull from the Quick family’s Loosebeare herd, Devon. This was Loosebeare Nibbler, a son of Ampertaine Jeronimo and out of the Aghadolgan Emperor daughter, Loosebeare Jilly. Going back to both Sympa and Wilodge Vantastic, this bull was the pick of Napper Farms, West Hagbourn, Oxfordshire.

Following at the same money was Brockhurst Nosferatu from the Mash family, Buckinghamshire. This ET bred bull is a son of the noted Wilodge Vantastic and is out of Brockhurst Bolshoi, a Grahams Samson daughter from the top breeding female Ronick McAinsi. Nosferatu, a full brother to the 24,000gns Brockhurst Howzat, sold to Will Ketley, Toppesfield, Essex.

93% CLEARANCE IN PEDIGREES

www.limousin.co.uk

Loosebeare Nibbler 6000gns

Brockhurst Nosferatu 6000gns

6000GNS TOP CALL THREE TIMES

BULLS AVERAGE

£4635

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MELTON MOWBRAY | APRIL 2019

Two bulls then sold at 5500gns. The first of these was another from the Mash family in the shape of Brockhurst Neuf, a son of Ardglasson Highlander and out of Brockhurst Hotstuff, a dam going back to the French cow Segala. The first bull in the ring, Brockhurst Neuf was knocked down to Lowesby Estate, Lowesby, Leicestershire.

The second bull at 5500gns was Hollingreave Noble from S Littlewood, Hollingreave House Farm, Ray Gate, Newmill, Huddersfield. Again carrying top level breeding, he is by the 23,000gns Goldies Fandango and is out of Tweeddale Demi, a Sympa daughter. This one found a new home with J Bottesch, Holwell, Hertfordshire. Another from S Littlewood, Hollingreave Owen, made 4500gns when selling to J B Wallwin, Langar, Nottinghamshire. Sired by the privately purchased Boldventure Ian, a Goldies Terence son, Hollingreave Owen is out of Hollingreave Idol a Goldies Fandango daughter. Earlier in the day this young January 2018 born bull had placed first in his class before being tapped out as the Male Champion and Overall Reserve Champion at the pre-sale show by the judge Dougie McBeath of the noted Springsett herd, Bannockburn, Stirling. The Male Championship marked a first for the 20 cow Hollingreave herd at a Society Sale and the 5500gns, and 4500gns top prices also represented the herd’s highest sale prices to date.

Two further bulls also sold at 4500gns.

Hitting this mark was Ewdenvale Noel from S Wilde, Bradfield, Sheffield. Sired by the homebred Ewdenvale Lovejoy, he is out of a dam which goes back to Wilodge Tonka and was bought by D I Draycott and Sons, Peckleton Leicester.

Also at 4500gns was McInnes Nightrider from S Gilleard, Sour Lane, Thorne, Doncaster. Bred by Ashley McInnes and sired by Loosebeare Iain, he is out of a Netherhall Chancer daughter. McInnes Nightrider was sold to W Howe, Barwell, Leicestershire.

Thirteen of the sixteen bulls forward sold to average £4635.

Females

Taking the day’s third 6000gns call was the Champion Female and Overall Supreme Champion, Frogmore Nevada, from Chris White, Gloucestershire.

Sired by the 140,000gns Trueman Jagger this May 2017 born heifer is out of the 9000gns Miscombe Gamble, an Oxygene daughter. She was well fought for, with the final bid coming from William Tomlinson, who runs the Tomlinson pedigree herd at Springfield House, Treswell, Retford, Notts.

A cow and calf outfit then grossed 5000gns when Messrs Lee and Lloyd, Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire sold Ampertaine

106 | BRITISH LIMOUSIN CATTLE SOCIETY

Overall Champion Frogmore Nevada 6000gns

Brockhurst Neuf 5500gns

Irishgirl and her heifer calf Calogale Ola, a Sarkley Moray daughter. Irishgirl herself is by Ampertaine Elgin and out of the Wilodge Cerberus daughter Ampertaine Gem. This pair sold to L J Stamper, Bromswold, Cambridgeshire.

Next best in the females was a 4200gns for Brockhurst Magnum from the Mash family. This daughter of Brockhurst Indemand is out of Brockhurst Idolise, a Netherhall Chancer daughter. She was sold in-calf to Newroddige Jetset and went home to the Turville herd of HB & LJ Lear, Creslow Manor, Whitchurch, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Another from the same home then sold at 4000gns, with this being Brockhurst Maple, a Talent daughter out of Millington Fancied, a Mas Du Clo daughter. She was offered in-calf to Brockhurst Limelight and was knocked down to the Lukeroyal herd of Mel and Diane Lucas, Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Continuing the good run of females from the Mash family Brockhurst Madam made 3200gns. This is another Talent daughter and is out of the Netherhall Chancer daughter Fenrose Gertrude. In-calf to Newroddige Jetset, she was the pick of P A Knight, Kettering, Northamptonshire.

Close behind at 3000gns was Brockhurst

Overall Reserve Champion Hollingreave owen 4500gns

Brockhurst Magnum 4200gns

Monalisa, another by Brockhurst Indemand and this time out of Brockhurst Icecream, a Brockhurst Centurion daughter. She was again sold carrying to Newroddige Jetset and was bought by the G N Pamplin, Ringstead, Northamptonshire.

At the same money was Brockhurst Melodie, a Brockhurst Inky daughter out of a dam by Hafodlas Domino. Another offered in-calf to Jetset, she found a new home with previous buyer HB & LJ Lear for their Turville herd at Aylesbury, Bucks.

AVERAGES: 13 Limousin 63 Limousin 28 Limousin 24 Limousin

bulls maiden heifers in-calf heifers cows

£4635.15 £1521.33 £2184.38 £2261.88

www.limousin.co.uk

GOLDIES Goldies Norma - 14,000gns Carlisle May 19

Goldies Neymar 25,000gns Carlisle May 19

Goldies Novelty 16,000gns Carlisle Feb 19

Goldies Nelson 16,000gns Carlisle Feb 19

Wilodge L.J. – Semen and outstanding progeny now available

Goldies OhBoy 16,000gns Carlisle May 19

Heifers from the same lines as the above for sale privately - come and take your pick!

BRED TO BREED! Bulls for pedigree and crossing and a few stock cows also available.

Easy calving, top 1%, great conformation, TB4 and Johnes Level 1.

Tel: 07712 435 408 / 01387 830105 bruce@goldietownfoot.co.uk www.goldietownfoot.co.uk

Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries, DG1 4LX

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