THE
The secret to pricing bulls from home Treverton herd leads May sale at 4000gns Society summer visit heads south to Halliloo herd Longhorn bucks the commercial trend in north Scotland Blackbrook triumphant at National Show at Great Yorkshire
A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
NOVEMBER 2023
Welcome from the secretary After a fantastic summer show season and a particularly high standard of Longhorn cattle forward at the National Show at The Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate, it’s certainly been a great summer to get out and see members. Coupled with that Society events across the UK, including the summer visit and the AGM, have been incredibly well supported by members with some impressive stock seen on our travels as well. his e ition o he onghorn sees the ociety ro le an incredible story of how the Longhorn breed is performing at a commercial level in North Scotland for the Sutherland family, while in Derbyshire we go behind the scenes of past chairman Tom Mills and his Wheatlands herd. Both articles showcase the strong message of how diverse the characteristics of the Longhorn breed are to suit the modern marketplace. As a member of the Society you will continue to receive regular email updates on Society news and activities and the Knowledgebase of the website has a wealth of information regarding Society rules and regulations. You can also contact me in the o ce i yo ha e any onghorn relate eries. you do not receive the regular membership email, or are not yet a member but would like to keep up to date with Society news then please get in touch. he onghorn maga ine re ects the ociety membership and the activities you all participate in. If you think you have something that may be worth including in the next edition, or you have possible leads for stories or features, please do get in touch.
The Longhorn Cattle Society East Lodge Stoneleigh Park Stoneleigh Warwickshire CV8 2LH
Tel: 0345 017 1027 Mobile: 07884 0 5 959 Email: secretary@longhorncattlesociety.com Society secretary: Debbie Dann Society chairman: Peter Close Photography contributors:
Country Girl Media Anne MacPherson Photography Debbie Dann
Publication designed by Country Girl Media www.countrygirlmedia.co.uk
www.longhorncattlesociety.com Follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
@LonghornCattleSociety
We’ve certainly seen some twists and turns on the weather front this summer, so as we start to turn attention to the winter months, we can only hope that weather will be kind.
Best wishes
Debbie Dann - Society secretary
The Society cannot accept responsibility for errors or omission arising from publication. Information and photographs contained within advertisements may also not be the views of the Longhorn Cattle Society and, therefore, cannot be held responsible for any reason arising from them.
www.longhorncattlesociety.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Secretary’s welcome
age 1
Contents and advertiser index
Page 2
Chairman’s focus
age 4
Society news
age
New member guide
Page 8
AGM report
age 10
AGM awards
age 13
On farm with the Sutherland family
age 14
cial ociety sale re ort
13
AGM awards Vicki Hopkinson wins the Ambassador’s Award.
age 18
Society health rules
age 21
Aberdeen dispersal sale report
Page 22
On farm with the Wheatlands herd
age 24
National Show report
Page 28
Show season round up
age 32
Pricing bulls from home
age 34
Society summer visit
age 38
Northern region visit
age 42
Society membership form
age 44
Society sale and show dates
IBC
10
AGM report Behind the scenes at the Society AGM.
14
On farm with the Sutherland family Longhorns are proving their worth in a north Scotland suckler herd.
2
A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
18
fficial Society sale re ort
re erton her lea s ociety sale at 4000gns.
24
An inside view of the Wheatlands herd ea ho om ills is signi cantly a value to his Wheatlands herd.
ing
34
Pricing bulls from home Advice from Society chairman Peter Close when pricing bulls from home.
28
National Show report Blackbrook clinch top honours at The National Show at Great Yorkshire.
38
Society summer visit Halliloo Longhorn herd hosts Society summer visit.
www.longhorncattlesociety.com
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A note from the Chairman
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A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
Four years on from Covid rearing its head and disrupting our lives far more than we’d ever experienced or expected, Council has now adopted a number of Zoom meetings as part of the norm. This will hopefully enable some younger and busier members to stand for Council, although at the same time we have all had to hone our joinery, plumbing and electrical skills as so many tradesmen, who obviously cannot work from home, have opted for early retirement. Over the past year we have been grateful for National Beef Association chief executive, Neil Shand’s attendance at both Council and our AGM where he has afforded us sound advice on both health protocol and breed promotion. s ccess l orcester s ring sale sa ality an colo r re ar e ith oth males an emales selling to 4000gns. his sale as con cte n er o r ne ll health rotocol r les hich no embrace IBR as well as BVD and Johne’s - with Lepto and Neospora as advisories. To broaden outlets or mem ers ho might not e in a osition to s ort o cial sales e ha e agree to s ort some “open unregulated” sales such as the Melton Mowbray Market beef suckler day, the week after the Worcester sale. Clearance was good and prices were more commercially orientated. It is always going to e a i c lt tas to achie e a alance et een ree romotion an any health ris . Last year the spring online sale was considered to have had a negative effect on entries for last year’s, ultimately cancelled, Worcester Sale. Accordingly, this year Council opted for an autumn online sale to be held after the September Carlisle rare breeds sale. However, this proved somewhat disappointing, perhaps because several of the mostly northern buyers from last year bought nearly a third of the Aberdeen cattle. The Aberdeen dispersal saw a full clearance was achieved with a good regional spread of buyers. he main arlisle sale sa a to o 5000 hile the is ersal ea e at 3 00 or in cal hei ers an 2700 or co s. A highly successful National Show held at The Great Yorkshire Show saw not only a tremendous is lay o some 50 entries t o r senior team o o r stan ing reser e in a highly com etiti e Interbreed championship. gric lt ral sho s are o r main sho in o . rom less than 100 ree ing emales in 19 3 hen classes for Longhorns at the Royal Show were re-instated when it assumed permanent residence at Stoneleigh, numbers have almost trebled every decade with the breeding population now e cee ing 10 000. The Society’s income depends largely on membership, registration and transfer fees, but over the past decade the number of registrations has stagnated. It has become vital that we achieve maximum return from our excellent promotional mediums in the form of this magazine, online through the website, and social media. At the AGM there was a constructive debate as to whether we should focus on one main role or promote all aspects of the Breed’s appeal. The Longhorn has so many winning factors that it would be negligent to ignore any of its attributes: taste and texture of the meat; percentage of the most valuable cuts; ease of calving; resilience as a newborn; feed responsive milk supply as a suckler and docility. All of these come alongside its outright appeal and beauty and, for some, its horns. t is in ee im ortant not to all et een too many stools. e ha e a resse the estion o horns and for those more commercially minded or focusing on the dairy calf market there will be a nee or hornless lls. t the same time those rs ing the rity o so rce ill oc s on ality pedigree attributes. But the big, so far relatively untapped, market for the breed is the commercial suckler cow - either as a purebred put to Native or Continental bulls, or as a suckler dam sire as you ill see in the eat re on the therlan s 400 strong onghorn cross commercial her on age 14. I would just like to say how honoured I am to have again chaired this wonderful Society - my last spell as 1987 89 ollo ing the ast e years or on health rotocol an ree romotion o ncil has a resse the B com ensation an ary o er ll cal registration an t rne o r oc s onto the future, which, if we embrace all of the options and outlets open to this outstanding breed, must be sound.
Peter Close - Society chairman
www.longhorncattlesociety.com
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TYPE CLASSIFICATION y e classi cation has een stan ar ractice in the dairy industry for many years and is seen as a clear, understandable method of grading cattle using independent assessors. By having your cattle graded you gain a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and you can then select and breed accordingly to improve not only your cattle, but in turn the national population of Longhorns. Cattle are assessed for conformation and they are awarded an overall grade (eg Very Good or Excellent) and a numerical score. If yo are intereste in n ing o t more a o t ty e classi cation see the no le ge Base on the e site or contact the o ce. Members who currently type classify their cattle are listed in the online herdbook so yo can al ays s ea to one o them to n out how they found the process and the ene ts it has ro ght to their her .
CLIVE ROADS ELECTED AS NEW SOCIETY CHAIRMAN Clive Roads will be taking over the chairmanship duties of the Society from past chairman Peter Close. As an industry leading auctioneer for McCartneys, Clive brings an abundance of experience at both pedigree and commercial levels, as well as a drive to protect and grow the interests of Longhorn breeders across the UK. The Society would like to thank retiring chairman Peter Close for his hard work over the last year and look forward to Clive’s time as chair.
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A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
Society News
JAMES GOODMAN RAISES £2325 FOR ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH Many congratulations to James Goodman who raised 2325 or l heimer s esearch hen he a seile down the Cheesegrater skyscraper in London in memory o his gran mother y. ames is the son o n re Goodman who runs the Witley herd. “I’m just a country bumpkin who would rather be walking the dog with two feet on the ground than gallivanting in the metropolis!”
THE FOLLOWING COUNCIL MEMBERS REPRESENT YOU: Bertie Facon ertran . acon@gmail.com 07785 2219 1
Bernard Llewellyn MBE ernar @carregcennencastle.com 01558 822291
Tom Mills millso25@hotmail.com 079 8 819134
Dave Phillips a e. hilli s@synergy armhealth.com 07500 2 5 5
Clive Roads
NATIONAL SHOW AND WORCESTER SALE DATES he 2024 ational ho ill e hoste y he oyal Three Counties Show. The judge for the event is yet to be con rme an ill e anno nce in e co rse. ging ill ta e lace on ri ay 14th ne. he o cial ociety sho an sale ill ta e orcester i estoc mar et on the 20th ril.
lace at
or more ey e ents thro gho t 2024 hea to the insi e back cover of this edition.
cli e@mccartneys.co. 07702 722910
Pat Stanley in o@ lac roo longhorns.com 078 0 515893
Elise Sutton elise.s tton@nat ralenglan .org. 07584 475779
Graham Walker al ergraham93@gmail.com 07957 208021
Thea Woollatt thea oollatt@o tloo .com 0783 11857
NOTE TO MEMBERS The registration letter for 2024 is Y
www.longhorncattlesociety.com
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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW AS A NEW MEMBER The Society has welcomed a significant amount of new members of late from all over the UK. The following guidance may be of help to you. If you’ve been a member for a while, then this might be a bit of a refresher for you. he ociety has a ll time ree secretary. yo can t n the ans er to yo r e site ring or email e ie ann see contact etails on age 1 .
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A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
estion on the
New Member
REGISTRATIONS
SHOWS, SALES AND EVENTS
The main function of the Society is to maintain an accurate Herdbook of pedigree registered Longhorn cattle. This can only be done using the information supplied by members, so providing timely, accurate information is vital. Any mistakes, such as realising that a heifer calf is actually a bull calf (it happens), or clicking on the wrong dam at the time of registration is easily corrected by dropping Society secretary Debbie Dann an email so don’t panic if you make a mistake.
he ociety organises o cial a ction sales, both physical and online, to enable members to sell their cattle. Entry forms for these are published on the website and via the online newsletter well in advance. The Society will also let members know of auction venues holding collective native breed sales.
REGISTERING YOUR CALVES egistrations an irth noti cations are sent to the Society via the online herdbook on the Society website or via the Grassroots app. Registration fees and registration rules are listed on the Society website. Fees are scaled according to age so the longer you leave it the more expensive they get. Members sho l note that once emales get to 12 months old and they haven’t got both the sire and dam declared on their passport, or they are not alrea y irth noti e they m st e arent eri e ia testing e ore they can be registered. B lls m st e irth noti e an arent eri e e ore they can e lly registere . The registration form with all the information you need to register a bull is in the ‘forms’ section of the website. It’s also good practice to birth notify your steer calves as it’s free of charge and it keeps the dam’s calving records up to date with the Society.
NAMING YOUR CALVES When you joined the Society you would ha e selecte a re then or each cal yo have the fun of choosing an individual name. The Society introduced a naming system in 2000 so in 2023 the year letter is . he Society naming system is not compulsory so if you prefer to go with family names or themes that s ne. The Society allows disbudded calves to be entered at shows so you may disbud all your calves and still be able to enter them into shows, or sell them to other members who wish to show. Of course, if you wish to keep the horns on your Longhorns you can, but we do suggest that your steer calves and any heifers that won’t be used for breeding are disbudded as many abattoirs cannot take horned cattle, so your end-of-life choices for your cattle may be compromised.
There’s an extensive calendar of local and county shows that hold Longhorn classes and a National Show is held every year at a different location. Members entering shows holding Longhorn classes and using a Longhorn Cattle Society panel judge are then eligible for the bull, cow and heifer of the year awards. Points are automatically calculated by the Society so you don’t need to do anything, but you might be surprisingly successful. As well as the regional groups organising herd visits and social events, the Society holds a summer herd visit every couple of years. Alongside the AGM weekend in October, these events are a great way to meet members, see other Longhorn cattle and maybe pick up some useful tips.
OTHER AWARDS The Society loves to recognise the efforts of its members and their cattle so along with the awards mentioned above, there is also an award for members showing their cattle or the rst time in their o n right as well as an award for the Society’s unsung heroes. Members will see details of how to enter will be available via the website and member’s email newsletter.
COMMUNICATION The Society sends out regular email newsletters to keep members up to date with Society news and events, rules and regulations and other topics that might be of interest. The website is updated regularly throughout the week, so keep an eye on that for fresh news items relating to the breed. Longhorn cattle are of course incredibly photogenic, so please consider using social media to promote your cattle, and that in turn helps get the breed noticed.
www.longhorncattlesociety.com
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A BUMPER TURNOUT FOR THE SOCIETY AGM The Society’s AGM and weekend of herd visits headed to Yorkshire this year. On Saturday a bumper turnout of some 80 members and friends headed to Easingwold to see the Longbridge herd of Longhorns owned by Jane Grant and Trish McDonnell. After a lifetime of breeding pedigree Continental cattle ane an rish o ght their rst onghorns in 2011 ith the rchase o 11 onghorn co s an a stock bull from the Rare Breeds sale at York Livestock art. he her has increase signi cantly since then an no totals a o t 150 hea ith c rrent stoc bulls Blackbrook Alchemist, Blackbrook Fireball and Gupworthy Thruxton producing the next generation of calves. Cows run in groups for calving and are split into cows with bull calves at foot and cows with heifer or steer calves at foot, with a bull in each group. The bulling heifers are in another group, currently running with Blackbrook Fireball. In the winter they are housed in the same cohort groups. The family had never shown cattle until a timely visit from Angela and David Blockley one Sunday ac in 2021 con ince them other ise ngela was particularly encouraging and insisted they had some nice stock worthy of the show ring. heir rst sho as the Great or shire an since then they have gone on to develop a successful show team, winning the bull of the year title with Longbridge Whistler and junior heifer of the year ith ong ri ge en y in 2023. lisha Lack and then Graham Walker recently joined the Longbridge team.
◖David Blockley
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All the cattle were close to the buildings so members had the chance to walk round each group, as well as see the youngstock and young bulls in the buildings. Also, inside was Longbridge U-Turn who was used as the ‘guess the weight of the cow’ competition animal.
AGM report
Alisha Lack, Graham Walker, Trish McDonnell and Jane Grant.
Members gave a donation to the Sue Ryder heat el s os ice charity or each g ess they submitted and then U-Turn was weighed and the res lts anno nce . he eighe in at 9 g an the inning g ess o 95 g came rom eter il securing him a lovely hamper from Fortnum and Mason as a prize. We also had an informative talk from the farm’s vet Leanne Forde-Archer, from Howells Veterinary Services, who spoke to members about what should be done in preparation for winter housing. After lunch at the Burn Hall Hotel we had the formal AGM business and then the presentation of the a ar s the inners are on age 13. We were joined by Neil Shand, CEO of the NBA at both the AGM and the evening meal where he gave an interesting talk about the UK beef industry and the opportunities and threats it currently faces. On Sunday we headed for Drighlington and the o th el iel hea o th ane an oorsi e herds belonging to David and Angela Blockley and their grandchildren Harry, Clark and Zara. a i an ngela o ght their rst onghorns an oine the ociety in 1991. n 1995 they rchase eight females from the Whatton/Fishwick production sale and the entire Lupat herd from Bill and Helen Lupton. Over the years the herd has had multiple successes in the show and sale ring, with many breed and interbreed championship and record prices at Society sales.
a i is resi ent o the ociety or 2023 an 2024. a ly ngela asse a ay in ne 2022 t David continues with the Longhorns. After meeting for the regulation cup of tea, visitors drove a mile along the road to see the cows and calves running ith o th el omaha . n ret rn to the arm members saw the rest of the herd including the 10 year ol steer o th el iesel ho is li ing his best life looking after a bunch of youngstock. After a fabulous lunch provided by the family everyone headed for home. In his closing remarks hairman eter lose re ecte that e ha e seen fabulous cattle, fabulous buildings and been treated to fabulous hospitality. The number of members and friends who have come to the weekend is testament to our hosts, to whom we offer a huge vote of thanks.”
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 11
SOCIETY AWARDS
Best young handler Frank Sutton Award 1st James Langlands 2nd Max Tesseyman 3rd Evie Mills
The following awards were announced at this year’s AGM, based on results gathered through the 2023 show circuit. Bull of the year Maydencroft Award 1st Longbridge Whistler, J Grant and T McDonnell 2nd Carreg Warrior, B and M Llewellyn 3rd Gupworthy Wiseman, G and J Woollatt
Cow of the year Leebarn Award 1st Blackbrook Bluebell, J and P Stanley 2nd Briar Mead Ultimate Wish, V Hopkinson 3rd Longbridge U-Turn, A Lack
Senior heifer of the year Lesley Hutton Award
James Langlands, junior handler of the year 2023
Best newcomer Paul Luckett Award 1st Alisha Lack, Willowtree herd 2nd Mike and Chantel Noble, Bankwood herd 3rd Adam and Emma Carr, Burton Meadow herd
1st Blackbrook Forget Me Not, J and P Stanley 2nd Longbridge Velvet, J Grant and T McDonnell 3rd Newton Forget Me Not, D Walker
Junior heifer of the year Tetford Award 1st Longbridge Wendy, J Grant and T McDonnell 2nd Carreg Wishful, B and M Llewellyn =3rd Blackbrook Grace, J and P Stanley =3rd Newton Good Girl Gone Bad, D Walker
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Alisha Lack, best newcomer 2023
Vicki Hopkinson wins the Ambassador’s Award Vicki was nominated for the award by Lee Wood, who said: “Over the past year Vicki has been advocating for the Longhorn breed in many ways. She has taken her own time to champion for Longhorn classes to be held at the Stokesley Show in North Yorkshire and also keep classes at Heckington Show. She has had a great season out in the show ring, she has been winning championships like many other breeders, but also going on to win interbreed championships. This is a fantastic thing for the breed and she shares her success as a success for the breed, not just her herd. No matter how busy she is, Vicki constantly goes out of her way to help other breeders where possible. She’s approachable with an infectious smile and is aways in the cattle lines communicating to show visitors about how good the Longhorn breed is, an attribute which makes for a great ambassador for the breed. In recent years she and Julian have had to move house from Derbyshire to Yorkshire and her cattle have had multiple moves to different farms, but she always puts their welfare before her own situation. She considers her breeding choices carefully and this has resulted in quality stock that are a credit to her and the breed.”
Ambassador’s Award Carreg Award Vicki Hopkinson, Briar Mead herd
Bernard Llewellyn MBE and Vicki Hopkinson
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 13
LONGHORN CROSSES PROVE THEIR CAPABILITIES AND PROFITABILITY WITHIN SCOTTISH SUCKLER HERD Longhorns are bucking the trend in the north of Scotland for Stephen Sutherland and family as he praises them for their ability to perform at the very highest standards as a suckler dam sire. a ing rchase their rst onghorns some 25 years ago, Mr Sutherland says they can compete on a par with a Continental suckler cow for their ease o cal ing nat ral eshing an a ility to ro ce a ality nati e sire carcass ith aro n 0 o his herd carrying Longhorn genetics. “The main reason for using Longhorns is to breed our own replacement females each year,’” explains Stephen, ho arms alongsi e his ather enneth senior an brother Kenneth junior.
Left: Stephen, Centre: Kenneth senior, Right: Kenneth junior
14 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
The family also employ three part time stockmen as well as having three very eager junior stock people in the form of Kenneth junior and wife Fiona’s children, Amy, Jack and Tom.
Stephen Sutherland Feature nning more than 400 co s across their 2000 acres through six farms near Thurso, Stephen is known for selling some 220 l s s c le cal es each s ring ith tra e to ing at 1230 or his onghorn sire cal es. “In order to breed replacements, a Simmental bull goes onto Longhorn cross cows and the Longhorn bulls go onto all the Simmental cross cows and heifers that are being used to breed replacements. Any cows that are not being used to breed replacements go to the Charolais bull,” explains Stephen. “Not only do the fantastic markings that we get from the Longhorn sired calves create a little interest in the market, but more importantly the tops and cover on these cattle make for a lot of re eat c stom he a s.
One of the herd’s stock bulls, Blackbrook Endeavour.
Eas cal in nat ral es in and fantastic temperament are some of the traits you can’t fault with the Longhorns” Other notable sires have included Fishwick One in a Million and Fishwick Oligarch both bred by Peter Close, Berwick-Upon-Tweed and purchased from his on arm ro ction sale in ly 2015. More recent purchases of stock sires include Blackbrook Fortune Hunter and Blackbrook Endeavour from John and Pat Stanley.
Photography: Anne MacPherson
ne o the rst onghorn lls to r n on the arm appeared in the form of Long Ash Fruit, a Long Ash Captain son out of a Culcombe dam, bred by the notable Dorset-based Sid Hollier. Fruit was purchased from local breeder, Raymond Gunn in 2011. nning alongsi e r it as Bollin gene a Blackbrook Mayhem son, purchased privately from Peter Close as an older stock bull.
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 15
This year’s group of bulling heifers.
Stephen describes the selection process before bulling the cows as an incredibly important one, ensuring he has the best performing cows in the herd to run with both the Longhorn and Simmental lls or 12 ee s rom mi ne.
A typical Longhorn cross cow with Simmetnal sired calf at foot.
“All replacement heifers are put to the bull to calve at three years old. The Simmental cross heifers run with Longhorn bulls and Longhorn cross heifers with the Aberdeen-Angus.” These generally calve from the end of February onwards with scanning usually taking place between the end of October and beginning of o em er aiming or 97 98 in cal he e lains. Stephen runs a strict cull policy with those cows o er 10 years o age eing c lle or those that are generally poor performers, have bad feet or temperament issues or any cows or heifers not in calf at the time of scanning being sold through Thainstone market or sent directly to ABP at Perth.
The main reason for using Longhorns is to breed our own replacement females each year The majority of the herd is wintered on comfort slat mats and fed ad-lib silage, while the cows also receive Harbro Super Suckler minerals via bucket or powder all year round. All cows calve on slats and are then moved to individual pens with all bull calves being ringed the ay a ter irth te hen e lains. he o t ts are e t in nches o e ntil the cal es ecome stronger then introduced to larger groups,” he adds. All calves are dehorned as well as being vaccinated for both pneumonia and black leg. They also receive a copper bolus before being turned out usually in mid-May. Stephen explains that even with the slightly slower growth rates with the Longhorn sired calves their natural ability to thrive off grass reaps rewards with a cut in costs of creep feed.
16 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
Stephen Sutherland Feature By mid-October cows and calves head home for winter and upon return they are all treated ith y ectin riclamo o r on or orms e and lice while calves also receive their second pneumonia and black leg vaccines. Generally, two to three weeks post housing the calves are weaned and preparations for sale day begins. Once weaned they are wintered on bedding and fed a diet of silage and Harbro Beefstock nuts, a o t 1 g er 100 g o y eight. hose hei er calves that are selected for replacements and any calves that are kept to feed through the summer receive a combined diet of ad-lib silage, straw and 2.5 g o the Bee stoc n ts aily.
The tops, cover and fantastic markings on Longhorn calves makes for a lot of repeat custom By arch there are some 220 cal es rea y or sale at oy rae s ally eighing et een 400 420 g. te hen strongly elie es that onghorn sired calves have some of the best conformation of any nati e ree ith that ality eing re ecte in tra e ith his recent atch a eraging 1230 at st 11 months ol an 420 g.
Longhorn cross and Simmental cross bulling heifers running with Red Aberdeen-Angus
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Photography: Anne MacPherson
ome 30 40 onghorn cross hei er cal es are e t each year as replacements with Stephen having no doubt about their maternal capabilities. “Easy cal ing nat ral eshing an antastic tem erament are just some of the many traits you just cannot fault with the Longhorn crosses.” Their hardiness and longevity prove invaluable as is evident with the weather on the north coast of Scotland producing short, cool summers and long, wet, bleak winters, all of which the Longhorn copes well with.
TREVERTON HERD LEADS WORCESTER AT 4000GNS Having been tapped out in the pre-sale show to take the championship honours under judge Joshua Brigg, Treverton Vision, a senior heifer from Welford, Northants-based Rachel Heard then went on to jointly top the sale of Longhorns at Worcester in May at 4000gns. Born arch 2021 this an el ilot a ghter is out of a Treverton Orbit homebred female and was described by the judge as being a correct and stylish heifer with great length and locomotion. She was knocked down to Jane Grant and Trish McDonnell for their Yorkshire-based Longbridge herd. he re erton her then ent on to hit the 4000gns mar or a secon time ith their rst ri e ll re erton aliant. Born ril 2021 this one is again by Pilot, this time out of Treverton Pandora, a Llantrothy Kestrel daughter. This one caught the eye of J P Holdcroft, Burton On Trent, Staffordshire. a ing a call o 3 00gns an selling or the secon highest price on the day was Melbourne, Derbyshirebased Ben and Tori Stanley with their second prize heifer, Melbourne Park Juno. This Blackbrook Acer 90 a ghter is o t o a home re Blac roo ra er a ghter an sol in cal to the 2022 Great Yorkshire Show champion Herbertsherd Issac to previous buyers Jane Grant and Trish McDonnell. Joining this one and making the journey back to or shire to the ong ri ge her at 2300gns
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were two of her herd mates, Melbourne Park e el a o th el e a ghter an at the same money was Melbourne Park Jet, another Nuke daughter. he secon highest rice ll on the ay at 3200gns as the ay 2021 orn ong ri ge rom Jane Grant and Trish McDonnell. By Blackbrook lchemist 92 this one is o t o er ale olly a Wellhead Dynamo daughter. Taking this one home was K and M Ede, Checkley, Staffs. hen selling or 2 00gns as Ba e ell er yshire ase om ills ith the cto er 2021 orn ll Wheatlands Voldermort. By Wheatlands Ruben 90 he s o t o Blac roo ia 92 an hea s across the water to Jamie Curran, Co Armagh, Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, the pre-sale reserve champion and an ary 2022 orn Blac roo Gaea rom ohn and Pat Stanley, Coalville, Leicestershire, then sold or 1 50gns again to ane Grant. By Blac roo o gal her am is the Blac roo cer 90 daughter, Blackbrook Dulcie.
Worcester Sale
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Worcester Sale
Averages 6 led senior heifers £2773.75 2 led junior heifers £1548.75 3 cows and calves £1592.50 5 unled senior heifers £1312.50 5 unled junior heifers £890.40 3 bulls £3430.00 (McCartneys)
Leading trade was the pre-sale champion, Treverton Vision, selling for 4000gns for Rachel Heard.
Also selling for 4000gns from Rachel Heard was the first prize ull re erton aliant.
Selling for 3600gns was Melbourne Park Juno from Ben and Tori Stanley.
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OFFICIAL SOCIETY SALE HEALTH RULES The Society encourages its members to determine the health status of their cattle when offering cattle for sale, be it via private sales or public auction. or o cial ociety a ction sales all cattle or ar m st e B teste and the following health rules apply:
irres ecti e o their B testing inter al
Vendors do not have to be in a health scheme. Individual testing of animals is perfectly acceptable, and can easily be done when the cattle are being TB tested.
en ors not accre ite prior to the sale.
Vendors who are active members of a CHeCS approved health scheme and holding current health scheme accre itation are e em te rom loo testing or the s eci e iseases. em ers m st apply to their Health Scheme provider for an animal health declaration card prior to the sale. he ollo ing s eci c re
ia a health scheme ishing to loo test sho l
o so not more than 0 ays
irements or ociety sales are
Compulsory BVD: CHeCS health scheme members: Accredited and vaccinated (all cattle except calves at foot). Vendors privately testing: Negative blood test or ‘Tag & Test’ for Antigen and then vaccinated prior to sale. Calves at foot should either have a negative blood test for Antigen or been tag and tested negative for Antigen. There is no re irement to accinate cal es at oot. IBR: CHeCS health scheme members Accredited. Vendors privately testing: Negative blood test. When vaccinating a marker vaccine must be used. (Unless routinely vaccinating, vaccinations should be done post negative blood test)
Johnes: CHeCS health scheme members: here are no rther re irements or en ors in ris le el 1 or 2. hose that are in ris le el 3 4 or 5 re ire a negati e loo test all cattle except calves at foot). Vendors privately testing: hese en ors re ire a negati e loo test all cattle except calves at foot) or faecal test if blood test timing is not compatible with TB test timing. Johne’s test sensitivities are poor and, therefore, membership of a health scheme is preferred but not mandated. TB In all cases vendors must test all animals more than 42 ays ol on the ay o the sale or B irres ecti e of home testing interval.
Recommended Leptospirosis: CHeCS health scheme members Accredited. Vendors privately testing: Negative blood test. Neospora Testing recommended for all females.
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 21
ABERDEEN HERD DISPERSES AT CARLISLE WITH A TOP CALL OF £3600 The dispersal of the Aberdeen herd of Longhorns was held at Harrison and Hetherington’s rare and minority breeds day on 16 September 2023. The herd was part of Doonies Rare Breeds Farm, an RBST approved farm park run for many years by Graham and Debbie Lennox and their daughter Alice. The dispersal was called due to Aberdeen City Council terminating the lease on the farm’s parkland. he her as esta lishe in 1991 ith emales from the Logie and Aldenham herds. Initially AI was used in the form of Rousham Goliath, followed y the rchase o Gla en aly so in 1993. n 199 three hei ers rom the inton ntsham and Wellhead herds were purchased at Stoneleigh and since then all females running in the herd have been homebred.
the herd, while recent bulls have been homebred, nota ly er een onty er een oy 91 an er een amna o lin G89. They lived outdoors all year round on the cliffs overlooking the North Sea. They hadn’t been shown for a number of years, but some Aberdeen bulls enjoyed show success at both Carlisle and at Stoneleigh rare breeds sale. The herd also entered the Northern Longhorn Breeders Club competition and were awarded the best large herd shield on several occasions, as well as numerous individual awards.
The selection criteria for bulls varied, some gave the herd height, some length and with some giving muscle, but they always had to be good examples of the breed. Fishwick Chauvinist, Gorse Maharajah an ola a aro 91 ha the most im act on
ros ecti e rchasers ha 50 emales an three bulls to pick from and the bidding was lively from the outset. Of the female offering it was senior heifers that proved to be the most in demand, with the sale to ing at 3 00 or er een e m 45th an er een oy 91 a ghter o t o er een e m 8th 91 a Gorse ahara ah sire co .
Leading female trade in the Aberdeen dispersal was Aberdeen Sedum 45th selling for £3600.
eading the ull o ering in the A erdeen dispersal was Aberdeen Tamnavulin, selling for £2800.
22 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
H&H rare & minority breeds sale She went to new members Jamie Halbert and Amanda Kerr for their Fairslacks Croft herd, Peeblesshire. The same buyer also took home the yearling ll er een allace or 1200. e t in the females was the senior heifer Aberdeen Sedum 48th another er een oy a ghter this time going back to Fishwick Chauvinist on the dam side. She headed to Shropshire to join the Leighton herd of Malcolm and Archie Corrie, who also bought senior hei er er een e m 40th at 2300. Of the cows on offer, sale leader was Aberdeen rystal 44th G88 ith her hei er cal at oot selling or 2700. By ola a aro 91 an o t of a Gorse Maharajah daughter, this one was knocked down to Jane Grant and Trish McDonnell for their Yorkshire-based Longbridge herd. They also bought another two cows and two heifers from this part of the sale. Messrs McDonald and Crawford from Fraserburgh bought a number of cattle of all ages, including the to rice nior hei er er een rystal 9th or 1300. By the home re er een amna lin G89 she s o t o the a orementione er een rystal 44th. atching this rice as er een rystal 73r ho ent to r an rs an Berry to establish a new herd in Cumbria. Leading trade for bulls was Aberdeen Tamnavulin. By Aberdeen Monty and out of Aberdeen Krystal 17th 90 this one sol to Graham illey o the Broom el her e castle on yne or 2800 hile er een incent sol or 1800 to Amanda Gaskell for her Mandathorn herd near Maryport, Cumbria.
Selling for £2700 was Aberdeen Krystal 44th.
Rare and minority breeds sale entries Alongside the dispersal sale were entries in the Longhorn section of the rare and minority ree s sale ith the sale to ing o t at 5000 or o th el roar a t o year ol ll rom r an rs an Bloc ley. By o th el nar G88 an o t o o th el aisy G85 the Uproar had been highly successful in the sho ring in 2023 ha ing ta en the ree championship honours at the National Show at Great Yorkshire and the Lincolnshire Show. He headed to Yorkshire to join the Longbridge herd of Jane Grant and Trish McDonnell. Of the cows on offer, Gale Farm Texa, a second calver with a bull calf at foot from Mr S Horrocks sol or 1900 to B c ley en all.
Dispersal averages 30 cows £1815.66 14 senior heifers £2242.85 6 junior heifers £1100.00 3 bulls £1933.30 (Harrison and Hetherington)
Rare and minority sale average 2 cows £1825.00 1 senior heifer £1620.00 1 junior heifer £950.00 1 bull £5000.00 (Harrison and Hetherington)
Leading the rare and minority sale at £5000 was this year s ational Show champion Southfield Uproar from Mr and Mrs D and A Blockley.
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 23
BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE WHEATLANDS HERD Longhorns are the central tenet to the future farming ambitions of one Derbyshire-based farming family who have recently taken on a tenancy on Chatsworth Estate. For Tom Mills, the move to full time farming follows a period of farming alongside his parents who had the tenancy previously. “My family have been farming locally for four generations, having been at B nell li arm since 1987 an rior to that as tenants on another Chatsworth farm on the other side of the village. y arents mil e here or more than 20 years going o t o airying in 2011 an transitioning to rearing bought-in calves to forward stores. In the meantime, I had purchased a pair of Milton bred Longhorn co s in 200 hen gra ate rom o gh oro gh University with a degree in civil engineering. “With a career outside of farming I wanted to keep a connection to the farm and a small ‘hobby’ herd of Longhorns was my way of doing that,” explains Tom. “I balanced an increasing herd with a full-time career and a young family, but in the last two to three years it became apparent that if I was going to farm successfully, I needed to farm full-time and commit to it as a business.” In his own words, Tom says his wife Jo, who works as a lawyer and is not from a farming background, took a bit of convincing that giving up his job to become a full-time farmer was more than just a mi li e li siness lan as t together based around the Longhorn herd and adding value to their produce and put to the Chatsworth Estate with a view to taking on the tenancy of the farm. “Chatsworth were supportive of the plan and in March 2022 my mother an ather retire an e starte a ne 20 year tenancy here at B nell li arm.
24 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
Wheatlands herd
r lan as oc sse on three ey areas. he rst o these is irect retail o to ality s staina le high welfare Longhorn beef. Allied to that is the sale of breeding stock and the third leg is an onarm i ersi cation in the orm o a cam ing arn says Tom.
The plan is to retain more income from boxed beef sales in-house with an on-farm butchery. Beef sales are the founding principle of the business for Tom, currently using one beast a month, he aims or a target 350 380 g carcass eight at an 4 gra e. e sla ghter at a local a attoir in hester el with carcasses hung and processed at a local farm shop which cuts, packs and labels the beef for us. Sales have built steadily, predominantly through social media and word of mouth, with sales from each animal grossing 2500 2 00.
other ways of increasing margin. One area we have explored with success is using older cows for beef boxes. These animals have a lower commercial value than prime steers and heifers which have been commanding premiums through the live market in recent times. “So far, we’ve slaughtered one eight-year-old cow and a four-year-old too. After maturing for e ee s the rime c ts ha e een mar ete as specials through a local pub we supply, the Blind Bull at Little Hucklow, with the remainder sold as ‘winter warmer’ and ‘family essentials’ boxes.” Adding value to these older animals is proving worthwhile, with recent primestock sales through Ba e ell ar et ha ing hit 280 g or onghorn steers some 20 g in e cess o other nati e breeds sold on the same day. “Looking ahead the plan is to try and retain more of the income from boxed beef sales in-house by developing an on-farm butchery with the aim of processing about 50 o o r o n cattle a year he a s.
om says that a ter 00 hea o irect costs involved with slaughter, processing, packaging and delivery this is still leaving a reasonable margin o er the nishe tra e altho gh this i erential has reduced as commercial prime prices have risen. “We’ve been reluctant to increase prices due to the cost-of-living crisis, so have been looking at
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 25
Looking at the second part of the long-term business plan Tom says the desire to increase breeding stock sales can now be realised as herd numbers are at a stage where surplus females can be offered for sale. “We assess the females based on oth their hysical alities an the co amily they come rom. inear classi cation is also ro ing a se l tool ith 23 o the c rrent her classi e cellent an a rther 27 classi e ery Goo . om says c rrent her si e means to 10 hei ers a year ill e retaine 5 10 ill e t thro gh the beef box enterprise, with the remainder offered for sale as ree ing stoc i there is s cient eman ith a rther 5 ll cal es e t entire as otential breeding bulls to sell.
“Heifer sales are good and demand for bulls has been increasing in recent years, with a notable demand from commercial beef and dairy farmers. Importantly, to help maximise these sales we disbud about half the bull calves each year which has been a factor for many of the commercial customers,” explains Tom. Breeding lines in the herd have expanded since the initial purchases, with females sourced from the Blackbrook, Wellhead and Gorse herds and more recent a itions rom the an el is ersal as ell as others from Fishwick and Melbourne Park. “The herd no n m ers 70 co s ith more than 200 hea o Longhorns on the farm at any one point,” adds Tom. “Without a doubt one of the best investments we made was purchasing Blackbrook Axiom as a two-year-old bull from John and Pat Stanley. Now classi e 95 he is the oint highest classi e bull in the breed and has left an outstanding legacy of breeding females in the herd. ing to the sire line is o th el itro an 93 classi e ll that rst s otte at the Great or shire ho in 2014 hen he as a nior bull. He was put up for sale by David and Angela Blockley a few years after that, but it wasn’t the right time for us to buy him. “However, last year I spotted him for sale on ell y i estoc an mo e ic ly to sec re him. is rst cal es are on the gro n here an are looking tremendous. Hopefully, he’ll have a huge impact on the herd over the next few years,” he adds. Much like their business plan, Tom farms in a regime o thir s too ith the 300 acre ring ence farm managed in three distinct blocks. he rst o these is a loc o ro cti e ryegrass leys which are used to produce a single cut of silage in early June, with this grassland then grazed by about 35 co s an ollo ers rom ly thro gh to ho sing.
26 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
Wheatlands herd “Our second block is the main grazing area, with this now being about half and half between standard leys and herbal leys. These herbal leys are grazed on a 4 5 ee rotation an ha e ro en to e highly productive and drought resistant which was e tremely ene cial ring the ry s mmer o 2022. he nal thir o the arm is largely ma e o semi-improved grassland dale with successional areas of scrub and woodland valleys. This land has recently been entered into a higher tier countryside stewardship agreement, targeted at woodland pasture creation,” adds Tom. “The environmental aspect of farming is important to me and we’re trying to do what we can to improve the farmed environment while also building a sustainable business. “One part of this which is perhaps often overlooked is reducing reliance on bought-in feed and our aim is to only use feed where necessary. Historically we have creep fed calves from an early age. However, we now only introduce creep for a few weeks ahead of weaning to try and avoid a check in calves at that stage. “When we were creep feeding from a younger age, I found the cows were becoming lazy and started carrying too much condition. There is no point paying to keep the cow and then paying to feed its cal too Tom says this stricter approach to feeding is also playing a big part in replacement selection too, enabling him to see which cows make a good job of their calves without losing too much condition themselves. “Those are the females we want to keep in the herd and retain heifers from.
nce eane cal es are ho se or their rst inter an are e a li silage ith 1 2 g o concentrate offered too. This keeps them growing steadily over the winter without getting fat and means they go on to grow a frame in their second summer at grass,” he explains.
Linear classification is a useful tool, with 23 of the current herd classified Excellent. he aim then is to nish hei ers o grass at 25 28 months, with retained heifers bulled to calve down at three years ol . small n m er o the steers ill nish o grass t most o re ire some concentrate too and while we try to do as much as we can off grass, we don’t want to compromise the end product. “There is no point keeping the animal for more than t o years to then sacri ce ality. o to ens re e achie e the nish e ant a little concentrate is e alongside grass and/or silage. This is particularly im ortant hen grass ality eclines later in the summer,” he adds. Looking to the future the next generation of Mills family farmers are in full preparation with daughters Evie who is six and Emilia who is two, both keen on farming activities. Evie already has her own orphaned heifer calf which she has trained and exhibited at Hope Show, so will no doubt prove to be a budding young handler in years to come.
Some of the Longhorn steers from the Wheatlands herd.
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 27
BLACKBROOK BLUEBELL TAKES TOP HONOURS AT NATIONAL SHOW This year’s National Show headed to Harrogate for the GreatYorkshire Show where a fantastic line up of Longhorn cattle graced judge Danny Wyllie. Having won the cow class, Mr Wyllie found his overall champion in the form of Blackbrook Bluebell from John and Pat Stanley. Born in 2017 this Blac roo in a ghter is classi e G89 an is o t o the Blac roo e el a ghter Blac roo iolet 94. Previous to the Great Yorkshire Show she was shown as a senior heifer winning her classes at Ashby and Rutland Shows. She was shown with her January-born bull calf, Blackbrook High Five, a Blackbrook Darth Vadar son, at foot and was praised by the judge or ha ing great e th nat ral eshing resence an locomotion. Standing reserve to her having taken the second prize rosette in the cow class was Melbourne Park Griselda from Ben and Tori Stanley. Born in 2018 this one is y ellhea etr s an is o t o the Blac en Jim daughter, Croftlands Nikola. ale cham ionshi hono rs ent to the 2020 orn o th el Uproar from the Blockley family. Homebred on both sides, this one was reserve breed champion at last year’s Great Yorkshire Show and is y o th el nar G88 an is o t o the Blac roo hiloso her a ghter o th el aisy G85. John and Pat Stanley continued their winning form by securing the reserve male championship with Blackbrook Ghost Rider. This e r ary 2022 orn nior ll is y Blac roo a tain ac an is o t o the 90 classi e Blac roo nnie. Ghost i er also on the junior bull championship and then overall junior championship. ean hile Blac roo Grace a an ary 2022 orn a tain ac a ghter then won the junior heifer class, while Blackbrook Forget Me Not took the red rosette in the senior heifer class. This one is by Blackbrook Odin. Then winning the calf class was Alisha Lack with Willowtree Wrecker, a o em er 2022 orn son o ormer ociety sale cham ion Gupworthy Thruxton. The Longhorn breed also celebrated success in the interbreed cham ionshi s hen the male cham ion o th el roar rom the Blockley family, teamed up with Herbertsherd Honey from Bertie Stanley, Blackbrook Forget me Not, from John and Pat Stanley and Longbridge Velvet from Messrs J Grant and T McDonnell, took reserve in the group of four championship.
28 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
Great Yorkshire Show
CLASS RESULTS Bull born before 01.01.2021
t Southfield Uproar Mr and Mrs D and A Blockley
Bull born in 2021
t Southfield per Mr and Mrs D and A Blockley 2nd Briar Mead Versace - Mrs V Hopkinson 3rd Raincliffe John - Messrs J Emsley and M Cleasby
Bull born on or after 01.01.22
1st Blackbrook Ghost Rider - Mr and Mrs J W and P A Stanley 2nd Longbridge Whistler - Ms J Grant and Ms T McDonnell rd Southfield arr or Mr and Mrs D and A Blockley 4th Wheatlands Warrior - Mr T Mills 5th Willowtree Wrecker - Ms A Lack
Senior heifer
1st Blackbrook forget Me Not – Mr and Mrs J W and P A Stanley 2nd Melbourne Park Juliet – Mr and Mrs B and T Stanley rd Southfield oodoo Mr and Mrs D and A Blackley 4th Newton Forget Me Not – Mr D Walker 5th Raincliffe Spirit – Masters A and H Emsley
Junior heifer born between 01.01.22 and 30.04.22 1st Blackbrook Grace – Mr and Mrs J W and P A Stanley 2nd Longbridge Wendy – Ms J Grant and Ms T McDonnell 3rd Harford Whoopi – Miss A Lack 4th Newton good Girl Gone Bad – Mr D Walker 5th Wheatlands Wendy – Mr T Mills
Junior heifer born between 01.05.22 and 31.12.22
1st Longbridge Wiggle – Ms J Grant and Ms T McDonnell 2nd Longbridge Windsor Rose – Ms J Grant and Ms T McDonnell 3rd Toftgate Wilma – Mr C Prince
Group of Three
1st Mr and Mrs D and A Blockley 2nd Mr and Mrs WJ W and P A Stanley 3rd Ms J Grant and Ms T McDonnell 4th Mr C Prince
Pairs
1st Mr and Mrs B and T Stanley 2nd Mr and Mrs D and Blockley 3rd Mrs V Hopkinson 4th Mr and Mrs J W and P A Stanley 5th Masters A and H Emsley Breed champion: Blackbrook Bluebell Reserve breed champion: Melbourne Park Griselda Male champion: Southfield Uproar Reserve male champion: Blackbrook Ghost Rider Female champion: Blackbrook Bluebell Reserve female champion: Melbourne Park Griselda Best junior bull: Blackbrook Ghost Rider Best junior heifer: Blackbrook Grace Overall junior champion: Blackbrook Ghost Rider
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 29
Great Yorkshire Show
National Show judge Danny Wyllie with his champion from the Blackbrook team and reserve from Melbourne Park.
Overall championship honours went to Blackbrook Bluebell from John and Pat Stanley.
Standing reserve overall champion was Melbourne Park Griselda from Ben and Tori Stanley.
Male championship honours went to Southfield Uproar from Mr and Mrs D and A Blockley.
The reserve male championship was Blackbrook Ghost Rider from John and Pat Stanley.
The winner of the intermediate bull class was Southfield iper from the Blockley family.
irst prize honours in the senior heifer class went to Blackbrook Forget Me Not from John and Pat Stanley.
Winning the junior heifer class was John and Pat Stanley’s Blackbrook Grace.
Winning the younger of the heifer classes was Longbridge Wiggle from J Grant and T McDonnell.
30 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 31
SHOW RESULTS 2023 What a phenomenal year it has been for Longhorn classes at summer shows. Congratulations to all exhibitors who have shown this summer and have helped support the much valued breed classes. ASHBOURNE SHOW
Judge: Peter Close Champion: Melbourne Park Katherine, B and T Stanley
CARTMEL SHOW
Judge: George Young Champion: Gale Farm Tonga, S Horrocks Reserve: Fullwood Venus, P and C Wild
DERBYSHIRE COUNTY SHOW
Judge: Graham Walker Champion: Herbertsherd Honey, B Stanley Reserve: Wheatlands Wendy, T Mills
DORSET COUNTY SHOW
Judge: Ben Stanley Champion: Etheridge Quartz Beauty, D Phillips Reserve: Warns Romeo, N Glover
Winning at Heckington and Hope Shows was Briar Mead Ultimate Wish.
GARSTANG SHOW
Judge: Ben Stanley Champion and reserve interbreed champion: Longbridge Velvet, J M Grant and T McDonnell Reserve: Longbridge Wendy, J M Grant and T McDonnell
GILLINGHAM AND SHAFTESBURY SHOW Judge: Ben Bellew Champion: Etheridge Quartz Beauty, D Phillips
HALIFAX SHOW
Judge: Giles Green Champion: Treverton Promise, J M Grant and T McDonnell Reserve: Newton Good Girl Gone Bad, D Walker
HECKINGTON SHOW Winning Dorset County Show was Etheridge Quartz Beauty.
Judge: Dan Bull Champion and interbreed champion: Briar Mead Ultimate Wish, V Hopkinson Reserve: Briar Mead Versace, V Hopkinson
HOPE SHOW
Judge: Ben Bellew Champion and interbreed champion: Briar Mead Ultimate Wish, V Hopkinson Reserve: Wheatlands Warrior, T Mills
LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY SHOW
Judge: Graham Towers Champion: Southfield Uproar, D and A Blockley Reserve: Highline Wingman, W and H Brooks Taking the championship at Lincolnshire Show was Southfield Uproar from D and A Blockley.
32 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
Show Results 2023
MORETON IN MARSH SHOW
Judge: Clive Roads Champion and reserve interbreed champion: Blackbrook Forget Me Not, J and P Stanley Reserve: Blackbrook Grace, J and P Stanley
PEMBROKESHIRE SHOW
Judge: Peter Guest Champion: Carreg Warrior, B and M Llewellyn Reserve: Carreg Rhonda, B and M Llewellyn
Winning at Pembrokeshire County was Carreg Warrior. Taking wins at Royal Three Counties and Moreton In Marsh was Blackbrook Forget Me Not from John and Pat Stanley.
SHROPSHIRE COUNTY SHOW
Judge: George Woollatt Champion: Arlebrook Valentina, J Mycock
STOKESLEY SHOW
Judge: Peter Close Champion: Longbridge Velvet, J M Grant and T McDonnell Reserve: Briar Mead Ultimate Wish, V Hopkinson
WESTMORLAND SHOW
Judge: Brian Wragg Champion: Burton Meadow Worzel, A and E Carr Reserve: Fullwood Verona, S Horrocks
ROYAL BATH AND WEST SHOW
Judge: Graham Towers Champion: Carreg Warrior, B and M Llewellyn Reserve: Berrydown Unice, M and S Horne
ROYAL CHESHIRE COUNTY SHOW Judge: Peter Guest Champion: Gentons Valentine, R Pilkington Reserve: Arlebrook Valentina, J Mycock
ROYAL LANCASHIRE COUNTY SHOW
Judge: Brian Wragg Champion and reserve native interbreed champion: Newton Forget Me Not, D Walker Reserve: Longbridge Wendy, J M Grant and T Mc Donnell
ROYAL THREE COUNTIES SHOW (FRIDAY)
Judge: Graham Walker Champion: Blackbrook Forget Me Not, J and P Stanley Reserve: Carreg Wishful, B and M Llewellyn
ROYAL THREE COUNTIES SHOW (SUNDAY)
Judge: Brian Wragg Champion and reserve interbreed champion: Treverton Vogue, R E Heard Reserve: Blackbrook Bluebell, J and P Stanley
ROYAL WELSH SHOW
Judge: Dan Bull Champion: Carreg Victoria, B and M Llewellyn Reserve: Gupworthy Wiseman, G and J Woollatt
Winning at Nottinghamshire County Show was Longbridge Whistler.
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY SHOW Judge: Bernard Llewellyn MBE Champion: Longbridge U-Turn, A Lack Reserve: Longbridge Wendy, J M Grant and T McDonnell
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY SHOW
Judge: Lynda Burditt Champion and junior native beef interbreed champion: Longbridge Whistler, J M Grant and T McDonnell Reserve: Blackbrook Forget Me Not, J and P Stanley
Winning the Royal Welsh Show was Carreg Victoria.
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 33
HOW TO PRICE CATTLE FROM HOME Pricing animals when selling from home is always challenging and one can often be left with that nagging thought when the buyer has left the farm of ‘Should I have asked more?’ That said, there are, conversely always the times when you feel you’ve lost out on a potential sale by asking too much. However, even the most stubborn of customers enjoy a good haggle, so starting higher than you’re willing to settle for is always the go to starting position. The challenge for many is knowing where to start with your pricing and taking some time to consider all the variables involved in your production system usually gives you a good starting point. If nothing else, consider what the animal you’re selling would be worth as a prime beef animal and then look to add a premium over and above that or a ree ing animal o the ality yo re o ering. Alternatively, spend some time considering your own cost of production and develop a pricing matrix based on what it is costing you to produce the animals you are offering for sale.
34 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
Society chairman Peter Close has been using price matrices for sales from home for a number of years see age 3 a a ting ricing accor ing to age an ty e o animal re ecting the costs an time involved in producing cattle. “It can always be a challenge knowing exactly what you should be charging for stock sold from home, but I would advise members not to be afraid of asking enough to justify the investment you have made in your herd over time and the ongoing costs of breeding and feeding cattle. “I’ve used price matrices for both male and female sales in recent years and they can be a useful method of explaining to buyers why you are asking the prices you are for your cattle. “The important message is don’t undervalue your stock. If you don’t believe they’re worth a decent price then nor will anyone else,” he adds.
Pricing Matrix
ONE MAN’S MEAT IS ANOTHER MAN’S POISON Society board member and McCartney’s auctioneer Clive Roads offers the following advice for selling from home. Accompanying this unbiased but factual article is a brilliantly constructed price matrix by Peter Close. No arguments with the background, calculations or g res an in the e ent o no a ction or ri ate sales to seek a comparison it is simply a logical and sensi le ta le to set a otential sale g re. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world is so forward thin ing. he asis o any sale is the re irement to have a willing seller and a willing buyer. Numerous calculations, reasons and decisions come into play or the erson ishing to sell cattle e.g. re irements for money, stocking rates, surplus breeding lines, loss of grazing, annual drafts, the list goes on.
Clive Roads, recently elected Society chairman and McCartneys auctioneer
The other, and above all else, is what any purchaser is prepared to pay and in that respect everyone has a different thought process. Obviously, some purchasers go on looks and what they can afford. Others study pedigrees and prize winnings and value them accordingly. Others study auction and or private sale returns and make a comparison to justify their maximum bid. The result of all these considerations is that everyone has a ree choice to y or sell at a g re that s its the individual and all the permutations that involves. The greatest truism in selling anything is; “It’s worth what someone is willing to pay”. Perhaps the real secret (although it isn’t really a secret) is to market your stock in the best possible light. This means presenting them well, with a strong history behind them and showcasing the potential they have for the prospective buyer. Marketing animals close to ro ction an gi ing con ence to the rchaser and to and ensure they are getting value for money are also fundamental to a successful sale. Always ask plenty – Good Luck!
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 35
Pricing Matrix
FEMALE PRICE MATRIX Average £50 Gain/Cost per month
Plain
[#Str #Hfr calf# calf#]
Good
Show
Weaned Calves
£500
<£400>
£900
£1500
7 months @ Av £50 Cost/Gain £350
£200
£350
£500
£700
Yearlings
£700
<£700>
£500
£550
£1400
£2200
£1200
<£800>
£300
£350
£2000
£3000
£1500
<£900>
£500
£700
£2400
£3600
£2000
<£1300>
£3300
£5000
11 months @ Av £50 Cost/Gain £550
Bulling/Two Year Old 7 months @ Av £50 Cost/Gain £350
In-calf Heifers 14 months @ Av £50 Cost/Gain £700
Calved Heifers/Cows
£600
£800
£400
£600
£900
£1400
Average Gain/Cost is £600 per year [£50 x 12m] which correlates well with: SAC/QMS Costings: Upland Herds Variable plus Fixed Costs £655 per cow A Low-ground Herd Direct Costs [Feed/Forage/Contractors/Vet/Registrations etc.] 60 Breeding Cows and followers: £40,000 = £667 per cow per year. Note: These low-ground direct costs exclude Labour, Rent, Machinery, Power, Fuel and any finance costs
BULL PRICE MATRIX RANGE STEER/PRIME
GOOD QUALITY SHOW QUALITY
£50 Gain/Cost per month
£100 Gain/Cost per month
£250 Gain/Cost per month
Weaned Calves 7m
£700
£1200
£1500
6 months @ £50/£100/£200 Cost/Gain
£300
£600
£1200
Yearling/13 months
£1000
£1800
£2700
Registration - fees, haltering, training, inspection etc
+ £500
£2300
+ £500
> £3000 >
6/7 months @ £50/£100/£150 Cost/Gain
£350
£700
£1000
20 months/October
£1350
£3000
> £4000 >>
6 months @ £50/£100/£150 Cost/Gain
£300
£600
£900
Two year old/Spring
£1650
£3600
> £5000 >>>
36 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 37
SUMMER VISIT TO HALLILOO LONGHORNS, WOLDINGHAM, SURREY Society members were treated to a summer visit to Nick and Barbara Fuller and their son Oliver’s Church Farm Services in Woldingham, Surrey, a business that is home to four impressive enterprises. The event, which took place back at the beginning o g st rst sa mem ers meet at one o the t o li ery yar s hich are home to some 40 horses either on full or part-time livery basis. The livery also incl es oo lit san schools an on arm hac ing facilities. The family offer hay, haylage and straw sales into the e ine mar et local armers an tra e. longsi e that, a substantial contracting business offers foraging, baling and muck spreading services to local farmers and AD plants.
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The biggest attractions of the day was the Longhorn her hich as esta lishe in 2008 ith t o hei ers purchased from Jill Tait of the Saxonbury herd. The ollo ing year sa e more co s rchase one from Jill again and four from the Cwrt Henllys herd dispersal sale. Over the next few years three more cows were purchased, before the herd became closed in terms of buying females. he her s rst ll ey orth rnest as rchase in 2009 an since then lls ha e een s a e with other breeders. Bulls stay out with the cows all
Society Summer Visit year round to ensure a continuous supply of beef an there are no 70 co s an hei ers to cal e this year. he hole her is some 220 strong. Cattle are mainly out wintered on chalk pads and are fed solely on forage - grass and lucerne, with no grain being fed at all. This system means the meat can be sold under the Pasture For Life banner. teers are e t to a o t 30 months e ore eing taken to a local slaughter house and carcasses are then sold to either a butcher in London who supplies high end restaurants and hotels, or to a local farm shop and a local butcher. The Fullers also sell directly from the farm where they have a monthly pop-up shop. he arm is insi e the 25 an on the stee slo es o the orth o ns ith magni cent ie s o er London from certain points. Members took in the sights of cows and calves grazing on steep herbal ley a oc s an yo ngstoc an nishing stoc all looking well and with plenty of grass in front of them. After the tour members were treated to Longhorn burgers and sausages in the summer sunshine before heading for home. The Society extends it’s thanks to Nick, Barbara and their family and helpers who made everyone feel so welcome with their hospitality and knowledge and expertise they shared through the duration of the tour.
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Society Summer Visit
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Online Sale
WHEATLANDS WARRIOR LEADS TIMED ONLINE SALE The online timed sale hosted by Pedigree Sales in October had good entries, but resulted in a selective clearance. o
ing the sale at 3000 as om ills rising t o year ol ll heatlan s arrior. heatlan s en 90 son o t o a home re co heatlan s ay erry he sol to a l Bloom otts or his ne ly established Bloom herd. n the emales the to call ent to a lin a hire a co rom onne erg son selling or 1900. his 2018 orn co as o ere in cal to i erlan s a ington 92 an sol to im i er enter en ent. elling or 1000 as the cal o the re io sly mentione sale lea ing emale in the orm o ara. Born an ary 2023 she sol to lice Glo er omerset as a se arate lot. rom the same home an selling or 1700 as buyer Tim Piper.
a
lin ic
oc a
e year ol co
ho as sec re
a
lin
y re io s
e t as eter loses mai en hei er ish ic il re ho sol to o an isa Berry m ria or 1 00 an then ish ic isecrac er ho as sna e y Bertie acon or shire at 1400 or his Gentons her .
Timed online sale leader at £3000 was Wheatlands Warrior from Tom Mills, selling to the recently established Bloom herd.
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Northern Visit
SAXONBURY HERD HOSTS NORTHERN VISIT
By Graham Walker
Chairman, Northern Longhorn Breeders Group
Jill and Mike Tait kindly invited the Northern Longhorn breeders’ group members to a summer visit of the long established Saxonbury herd back in August, situated just a few miles from the North Sea at Saltburn by the Sea.
Members gathered at Thatchmire Farm for tea and coffee and a brief introduction to the farm and the herd from Jill. In Jill’s words: “The herd is made up of a mixed bag of cows that will probably run away at the sight o so many eo le ter hich the gro as le y ill o n a trac to the el here the main group of cows and calves were grazing with stock bull Raincliffe Quest. Despite Jill’s fears, cows and calves behaved remarkably well and came to greet their visitors. Jill has a fair few older girls and favourites that are still calving and doing a great job of their offspring. It was great to see a bunch of Longhorn cows with si e an sco e ell eshe an still oing a o rearing a calf. They are obviously doing very well with the Yorkshire and North Sea air.
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The group was gathered up and headed back up the track to see the four yearling heifers that had been retained and didn’t go to the Melton sale back in May, and we had a tour of the winter housing shed. While we were all out looking at Longhorns, Mike had stayed back at base attending the BBQ and cooking the homebred Longhorn burgers for lunch. A great day was had by all and we couldn’t have asked for better weather with a blue sky and a view of the North Sea. On behalf of the Northern Longhorn breeders’ group members who attended I would like to thank Jill and Mike Tait and family for inviting us and providing a fantastic lunch while showing off their Saxonbury herd.
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SOCIETY EVENTS 2024
20th April
Official Society Spring Show & Sale The Heath Meadow,Worcester,WR4 0SQ The Society’s main show and sale,TB and health tested cattle entered
27th April
NBA Beef Expo J36 Rural Auction Centre, Crooklands, Milnthorpe, Cumbria, LA7 7FP The Society will have a stand at the event, come and see us to discuss all things Longhorn
14th – 16th June
National Show Royal Three Counties Show, Malvern,Worcs,WR13 6NW The Society’s flagship showing event, see the best of the best in the show ring
www.longhorncattlesociety.com 45
Fishwick Longhorns
Young Bulls and Females always available
2023-24 Stockbulls: Leighton Tango ♦ Fishwick Rocky Mountain High
Fishwick Philanderer
Fishwick Superstar
Senior Sire at Fishwick
Breed Champion
2020-2021-2022-2023
Great Yorkshire Show 2021
John Close & Son Ltd, Fishwick Mains, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders TD15 1XQ Peter: 0777 993 7217 Rob: 07702 317 303 Ashley: 07784 155 991
Email: peterclose@hotmail.com
46 A Longhorn Cattle Society Publication