Charolais averages down on the year at Stirling

Sticky trade saw Charolais climb to 18,000gns on Wednesday (19 October), with averages down by £1,411 on the year and clearance rates peaking at 63%.

Charolais chief executive David Benson said the trade had been “selective” because of a reluctance among buyers to keep bulls over the winter.

“It was a buyers’ market and there was a good show of bulls. The younger bulls sold well. Buyers were looking for calving ease and health,” he added.

See also: Simmental sell to 25,000gns at Stirling

The sale leader was the reserve intermediate champion Goldies Linford (TSI +78, SRI +75) from Hamish Goldie, Ruthwell, Dumfries.

© Tim Scrivener

Linford also carries Blelack pedigree, this time by the proven easy-calving Digger. He is out of Goldies Happiness and was knocked down to Emor Evans for his Maerdy herd, Mold, Flintshire.

Prices failed to reach the dizzy heights of the previous day, when it hit 30,000gns at the dispersal of the Massie family’s notable Blelack herd.

The headline price went to the three-year-old bull Oakchurch Igor, sired by Goldies Iggy and out of Goldies Uptown, which is bred from some of Blelack’s top lines and boasts a TSI of +57 and a SRI of +51. He was the pick of Kedzlie Farm, Blainslie, Lauderdale.

The second top call of 16,000gns in the collective bull sale went to Ovill Lennon (Lot 794) (TSI +47, SRI +50), from the O’Kane brothers, Lower Ovill, County Londonderry.  

He headed home with WP Bruce, Meigle, Perthshire. Lennon is out of Sagesse Florienne and by Goldies Usher.

© Tim Scrivener

Next at 14,000gns was the May 2015-born junior champion Balthayock Loyalist, a son of Maerdy Grendier from Perth-based breeders Major Walter.

He caught the eye of the day’s judge Bob Adam, Glamis, Angus, and is out of one of Balthayock’s best breeding cows, Balthayock Glory.

© Tim Scrivener

Two lots made 12,000gns. First to sell was Battleford Lynx from B Finnegan, Dungannon, County Tyrone.

© Tim Scrivener

This March 2015-born bull is sired by Blelack Blackberet and out of Blelack Cerise. Buyer was Mr and Mrs White, Swanage, Dorset.

At the same money was Elrick Legend from MJ Massie, Auchnagatt, Ellon.

© Tim Scrivener

Sired by Thrunton Fearless, he is out of the Coolnaslee Adversary daughter Elrick Davina and was the pick of JD Leavesley, Burton on Trent.

Making 11,500GNS was Balthayock Legend from Major Walter, Perth, sold to J Hepburn, Hawick, Roxburghshire. 

© Tim Scrivener

Selling for 11,000gns was Goldies Landmark from H Goldie, Dumfries, sold to J and W Kellas, Keith.

© Tim Scrivener

Averages: 83 bulls, £5674(80 bulls sold for £7,085 in 2015). (United Auctions)