JOURNAL 2022
• DOCILE • FERTILE • EASY CALVING • HARDY • EASY CARE • PREMIUM BEEF • NATURAL FORAGERS • PROFITABLE • MILKY • LONG LIVED www.beefshorthorn.org
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Advertisers Index Herd prefix
Breeder Name
AB Europe
Page
Herd prefix
Breeder Name
Meonhill
Mrs M Chaplin
6
Meonside
Tom Bradley Farmer
126-127 134-135
181
AHDB Maternal Matters
92
Althorne
Brian and Suzanne White and family
36
Mineshop
Chris Nye
Ballard
Fraser Hugill
53
Muiresk
Kenny and Sally Mair
Beautry
Stuart Currie
41
Mullaglas
Richard Henning
Blackbrook
Andrew Thornber and Daughters
43
Oakes
Lee and Kirsty Oakes
139
Breakheart
Ian Rickatson
139
Offthewall
Jack Oliver
138
Cairnsmore
Bill, Jane and Bobby Landers
143
Olivers Seeds
Caramba
Mr Tommy Staunton
32 - 33
CCM Auctions, Skipton
46
CD Auction Marts, Longtown
48
Chapelton
Emma, James and Duncan Biggar
Cooper
Tom McGuigan
68 56
Cowford
Mr Charlie Reed and Miss Charley Reed
Craigfaddock
David Alexander
46
Croxtonpark
Omer Hassouneh, Farm Manager
56
Cutthorn
Alastair Gibson
182
Derwentwood
Neil Hunter
116
Dunsyre
Carey Coombs
Farlam
John and Caroline Elliott
138
Fearn
John Scott
102
Gilven
Steve and Gilly Johnson
Glebe Farm
Alfie and James Shaw
Glebe Farm & Co
Kathryn and Elaine Shaw
Glenariff
The Barrett Family
Glenisla
John, Nick and Catriona Gibb
Grandtullybrae
Donny and Shona Calder
Greenland Seeds
112-113
60
52 28 - 29 69 61 117 40 Inside front
Hannington
Charles Horton
Hansford
John and Judy Fry
157 37
Harboro
167
Harrison & Hetherington, Carlisle
155
Hi Health Herdcare (Biobest)
128
Highlee
Tracy and Mark Severn
Holkin
I.W. and N.J. Hollows
64 132
Ingleby
Laura Ingleby
183
Kislingbury
Tom Elliott
130
Langhams
Andre Vrona
86
Loak
Adrian Robertson
65
Longfield
Simon Bradley Farmer and Tina Russell
23
Lowther
Charles Lowther
Maplegem
Baird, Edwards and Timbrell
McCartneys Rural, Worcester
49 121
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
131 72
148
Paragon Veterinary Group
18
Pedigree Sales Premier Auctions
Mr Tommy Staunton
Plynlimon
Christopher Evans
85
Podehole
Charles,Sally and Harry Horrell
99
Premier Cattle Health Scheme (SAC)
96 - 97
63
Rattray
Ann and Calum Clark
Redhazel
Leigh Nobes
Ricketstown
The Kelly Family
Rookwith
Ed Page and Martin Grayshon
Roundhill
Emma Trueman
Rowanberry
Shane and Frances Brigdale
Royalla Australia
Nic Job
Royalla Rockstar K274
Sally Horrell
Runleymill
John Wilson and Janet Dunning
SAI Global
110 93 108 73 109 80-81 185 19 57 163
Sandwick
Andrew and Caroline Ivinson
Sharpsbridge
Andrew Paggett and Victoria Henderson
109
Shawhill
Thomson, Roddick and Laurie
184
Skaillhouse
Stuart and Lynn Macadie
120
Stanford Park
Simon Bradley Farmer and Tina Russell
Stonehills
Geoff and Christopher Riby
Stoneyroyd
Tim Riley
The Mill at Fearn Farm
John Scott
Thornton Breakers Tollesbury
47
22 162 10 103 161
Vivienne St Joseph
United Auctions
159 125
Uppermill
James Porter
Upsall
Hon Gerald Turton
Weatherbys
144 - 145 25 178
Wenmar
Martyn Moore
101
Wenmar
Martyn Moore
Inside front - Historic section
Willingham
The Haigh Family
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Disclaimer: the information in each member advertisement has been provided by the respective member. The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions, and it is the responsibility of any prospect purchaser to make all necessary enquiries and to check all information provided.
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Page
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Promoting the advancement of education, science, animal welfare and heritage, safeguarding the integrity and continuation of the breed. Volume 18, 2022
Contents Patron HRH The Princess Royal........................ 3
Shows
Welcome............................................................... 7
Royal Highland Showcase.............................110
President’s report................................................ 8
Balmoral............................................................111
Introducing the Society’s vice president.......11
UK Beef Shorthorn Championships............114
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Directors.......12 Obituary, Donald Biggar..................................14
The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Society Pavilion, Avenue M Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth Warwickshire CV8 2RG
Meonside: futureproofing a beef enterprise ...........................................................16
Head Office: t: +44 (0) 02475 099146 e: info@beefshorthorn.org w: www.beefshorthorn.org
What is polled testing?.....................................24
For registrations and transfers: t: +44 (0) 2477 103406 e: registrations@beefshorthorn.org w: www.beefshorthorn.org Scottish Charity No. SC010218 Editor: Liz Snaith Photographic credits: Adrian Legge Photography Agri Images Agri Photo Catrin Price CGM Photography Farmers Guardian, Marcello Garbagnoli Farm Images John Eveson Photography MacGregor Photography Robert Smith Photography Front cover Isla Campbell Photography Journal design: Ghost Design www.ghostds.com Website design: Ghost Design www.ghostds.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in articles where the name of the author is published are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society. Follow us: @ShorthornUK @Beef_Shorthorn @ beef_shorthorn_society
Naming your cattle............................................20
Glenisla: a proven low maintenance functional suckler..............................................26
Sales Stirling, February.............................................122 Melton Mowbray..............................................128 Carlisle...............................................................129 Stirling, May......................................................132 Longtown..........................................................133 Worcester..........................................................133
Orkney: progressing an efficient, future fit system.................................................30
Millerston..........................................................136
Highlands: driving for efficiency with Beef Shorthorn x Angus...........................34
Glenardle...........................................................137
AHDB: 20 years of breeding - past and future...........................................................38
Skipton..............................................................146
Coxhill................................................................137
Stirling, October ..............................................140
Linear Classification update............................42
Regional clubs
AHDB: What is Maternal Matters?...................44
Regional club contacts...................................149
Myostatin, a quick overview............................48
Scottish .............................................................150
AHDB: Optimising cow mature weight..........50
Northern Ireland..............................................152
AHDB: Shout about the sire.............................54
Northern............................................................154
Show and Sales Etiquette................................58
Central...............................................................156
SRUC: Bull of the future, breeding the cow we need................................................62
Southern...........................................................158
Direct marketing and selling Shorthorn beef...................................................66
South Wales and Mid-Western......................161
Wales and Borders..........................................160
BSCS photographic competition...................70
Society
Northern Ireland: Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme; from field to fork...............................74
Health test requirements...............................164
World Shorthorn Conference..........................82 Wales: Beef Shorthorn expanding its presence..............................................................84 Beef Shorthorn fitting regenerative systems........................................88
Registration and testing fees.........................166 Coates’s Herd Book rules and conditions..168 TH Policy...........................................................171 Guide to registrations.....................................172 DNA testing guide............................................175
Neospora.............................................................94
Breed characteristics......................................179
CHeCS TB Entry Level Membership...............98
Merchandise.....................................................180
Yorkshire: Beef Shorthorns in a Countryside Stewardship agreement.........100
From the back
#NextGen; Our future......................................104
200 years bicentenary pages....................... 3-51
Morrisons: Beef Shorthorn presence in the dairy herd.............................119 www.beefshorthorn.org
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BEEF
What do I get for my AHDB levy? Do you know how much levy you pay to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and what it is spent on? We’re committed to being open and transparent about how your levy is invested so you can see how it makes a difference to your business.
2 Marketing to the UK consumer
1 Market and trade data
Our We Eat Balanced campaign reached 18.5m consumers promoting the true story of British beef. This resulted in 11% or 800,000 more people intending to buy red meat1.
We provide easy-to-access, independent market prices and analysis to help inform your business decisions. Did you know the market prices in Farmers Weekly and Farmers Guardian are produced by AHDB?
49p
1
Source: Kantar
Total levy collected: £5.40 113p
6 Farm-to-fork traceability (Livestock information) The Livestock Information Programme, funded by AHDB and DEFRA, enables advanced tracing of cattle movements, helping to enhance the reputation of British beef at home and overseas.
AHDB has worked with government and industry to open new markets for beef in Japan and the US. Having gained access in 2018, the UK was the main European supplier of beef to Canada in 2020, with a value of £17.5 million.
163p
121p
31p
3 Export development
68p
4 Working with our levy payers Our Strategic and Monitor Farms, events and publications ensure you are connected with the latest research and innovation to support your business.
5 Animal health, genetics and the environment Helping drive improvements and deliver solutions across almost all areas of production, our targeted research aims to support you and aid on-farm decisions.
AHDB income 2021/22 AHDB collects £5.40 per head of cattle (excluding calves). This is made up of a producer (£4.05) and slaughter (£1.35) levy.
Additional non-levy income, e.g. grants and funding, offers extra value for levy payers on your investment.
The figures are based on the 2021/22 Business Plan with overheads allocated on a pro-rata or estimated resource basis. Prior year financial statements are published in our Annual Report and Accounts available at: ahdb.org.uk
For further information, visit ahdb.org.uk/beef-lamb 6
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Welcome
A
s I write my first introduction to the Society Journal, I am seven months into the role and have found there is never a dull moment dealing with a great breed and great members. In fact, my biggest disappointment came before I had even started the role with the sad loss of Donald Biggar. Our paths had crossed only occasionally in the past and I was looking forward to working with him as we all look to develop the long-term future of the breed. He will be missed by many. As restrictions meant that many of the activities that would normally have allowed me to get out to meet members' weren’t able to take place, communication was one of our biggest challenges. As such the members forums in June together with the members' survey that followed at least allowed me to get a feel for members thoughts and the issues that concerned them highlighting some of the areas that we as a Society need to focus on. One of the things that myself and Ellie were keen to introduce was the e-bulletin that has allowed us to keep members up to date on what is happening both within the Society and further afield. The feedback so far has been positive on this, and we are always open to suggestions as to how we can improve it. I am aware that some members may not have seen the e-bulletin, but it could be that it has ended up in your ‘junk’ emails. Hopefully this is a reflection on your computer settings rather than an opinion on the content. From day one the item at the top of the ‘to do’ list was the introduction of the new Articles. Change is never straight forward, and it is fair to say there was some resistance but after a full consultation, followed by amendments to the original version, I am glad to say the vote to accept them in November was overwhelming with only one vote against. With new Articles of Association in place, we can now move forward as befits a modern-day breed Society.
The lack of shows may have limited my opportunity to meet members, including some of the 87 new members that have joined in the last 12 months, but at least the sales have started to get back to some sort of normality, together with some record prices. The restrictions did give rise to the mini sales site which Ellie has done a great job in developing and this proved to be so popular that we have continued it, but it does take a huge amount of Ellie’s time so we will need to review how that operates going forward. Hopefully the next 12 months will see us able to properly celebrate the bicentenary of Coates’s Herd Book at both shows and sales. Although we will be celebrating the past 200 years, I have always believed you can’t change the past, you can only learn from it, so you should focus on the future and therefore the things that you can influence. With that in mind my reason for taking on the role with the Society was that I felt it is the right breed at the right time and when you look at the narrative surrounding beef production at present, Beef Shorthorns fit nicely into any discussion around regenerative agriculture and reduced inputs as we look to reductions in the carbon footprint of suckler beef production. As we move into our bicentenary year, we will be looking to provide a greater range of branded merchandise, as requested by many members since I started, address some of the more technical issues, through information on the website and the continuation of webinars that proved so popular, as well as reviewing our marketing so we can remain relevant for the next 200 years. Because of its significance, this year’s Journal is a bumper edition with an added historic element. We hope you enjoy it but more importantly, we hope you enjoy celebrating the bicentenary of this wonderful breed. Clive Brown Operations Manager/Breed Secretary
www.beefshorthorn.org
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President’s Report The past year has been a busy one for the Society with some important changes for us all. The threat of Covid seems to be receding, albeit rather erratically, and has not only thrown up challenges to our activities, but also some opportunities to streamline things.
I
am delighted to be able to welcome our new operations manager/breed secretary, Clive Brown, who started in post in April. I know he has already met many members at events over the summer, and I am pleased to say that impressions have been mutually good! He and our breed coordinator, Ellie Doak have settled very quickly into an efficient and effective team working from their respective homes most of the time, as well as from the new breed Society office at Stoneleigh. On behalf of the board and all the members I would like to thank Ellie for her ceaseless hard work and cheerfulness throughout the time she was running the office alone. Clive and Ellie have formed a strong working relationship with the British Charolais Cattle Society doing all our registrations and DNA work conveniently in the office upstairs. As circumstances have driven us to more working from home, they have also allowed us to conduct some Board meetings and most sub-committee meetings virtually with the advantages of reduced cost and increased attendance. During the year we have sadly lost leading breeder, Board member and past President, Donald Biggar. An obituary appears in this Journal. I cannot describe the shock of losing so suddenly and unexpectedly such a wealth of knowledge, consistent support and wise counsel from the Board, not to mention friend to so many of us. Throughout the year there has been strong demand for quality Beef Shorthorns, especially females, both at auction and at private sales. There have been record prices for females at Stirling, at the Millerston dispersal, and at the November Skipton sale. Many people are taking advantage of the ability to attend auctions virtually with the universal presence of webcams and online bidding services. This may reduce the number of people attending sales but it does not seem to affect prices. It’s particularly pleasing to see the enthusiasm for the female side of the breed.
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Bulls are in steady and strong demand, and it is good to see them going to commercial producers as well as pedigree breeders. Without the commercial base the pedigree market loses its foundation and eventually runs out of steam. This is, of course buoyed by the Morrisons scheme which has continued to flourish and pay a premium for Beef Shorthorn sired cattle. The Society is very grateful to Morrisons for its continued financial support. Some members are involved in ‘carbon zero by 2030’ programmes and hopefully will soon be able to demonstrate how we can all help this to progress. As an outcome of the online members forum, the Board has been considering policies on the two most frequently raised topics, Myostatin and Neospora - both are featured in this Journal. 2022 is the 200th anniversary of the first Coates’s Herd Book, the oldest in the world, and the template for all other herd books to follow. We will be marking this with a variety of activities throughout the year. We can all learn from the past, and the story of that 200 years is fascinating; but it is mostly an opportunity for the breed to assess where it is now, and more importantly where it is going in the future. The World Conference is coming to the UK this year, a great opportunity to exchange views, techniques and even genetics with fellow Beef Shorthorn breeders from across the world. There have been some challenging times recently for your Board, and I want to thank Cathryn Williamson for her leadership and unfailing cheerfulness in navigating them. With the new Articles of Association now approved, we can move on with a board, executive team and framework fit for its purpose of taking the breed forward for the next 200 years.
Charles Horton President
PEDIGREE & COMMERCIAL LIVESTOCK SALES • 5 Livestock Markets
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ELITE HERD STATUS/TB4 Contact:
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STONEY ROYD FARM MIDGLEY HEBDEN BRIDGE WEST YORKSHIRE HX7 5QY
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Tel: 07812
075568 Email: stoneyroyd@icloud.com
Introducing the Society’s vice president: Tim Riley
T
im Riley is our vice president from 2021. Reasonably well known in the North of England and nationally, Tim has been breeding Beef Shorthorn cattle since 2009 when he first joined the Society as a new member with the Stoneyroyd herd. The herd is based at Stoney Royd Farm in the beautiful Calder Valley, West Yorkshire where Tim has farmed for some 30 years. The enterprise was originally sheep with a few suckler hill cows until the benefits of a low input, docile and easy management style of cow lured him into Beef Shorthorns. Tim’s background isn’t solely in farming as he started out as a molecular immunologist at Cambridge University, undertaking medical research before heading up HIV/AIDS research for the Medical Research Council which led to him working in the UK and Africa. He then became a senior civil servant for the Department of Health and had leading roles in R&D, Public Health and national health policy. This included setting up the UK National Screening Committee and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) before moving to the NHS to become chief executive to various NHS Trusts. At the same time, the relatively small 35ha home farm, plus additional rented and borrowed land, was being run on a commercial basis with a challenge to make it financially sustainable. This is where the move to Beef Shorthorns came in, with a change to lowering inputs and more extensive grazing strategies to enable natural diversity to develop.
The farm’s more sustainable approach is now giving dividends of reduced cost and better returns. For the cattle, the simple aim is for a 700kg cow that calves easily and rears a healthy well grown calf each year on low inputs. Breeding cattle are sold from time to time and mature dry aged beef finds its way to private buyers and preCovid, to London restaurants. In addition to his long farming career, Tim brings expertise of genetics to the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society’s board; he has a PhD in genetics and is a member of the UK’s Farm Animal Genetic Resources Advisory Committee (FAnGR), and he has considerable knowledge of having led large organizations and businesses where modern standards of governance and probity are fundamental to success. These skills make a key contribution to helping the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society operate effectively for our members. Tim is also well connected with and as a contributor to national food and farming policy. He is a non-executive director both on the Food Standards Agency board and on Defra’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate board. He also sits on company boards in the private sector. Tim’s key aims for the Society are that it focusses on developing the breed as the best and most adaptable choice for modern beef farming and that we continue to support our members so they in turn, get the best out their interest in our wonderful breed.
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society
Directors Our current Board of Directors, shown below and opposite, cover the whole of the UK. They are here to represent members and you’ll find their contact details below.
Patron HRH The Princess Royal
President Charles Horton
Vice-President Tim Riley
Past President Cathryn Williamson
t: 07831 489694 e: cshorton17@gmail.com
t: 07812 075568 e: stoneyroyd@icloud.com
t: 07816 322280 e: cathrynw54@gmail.com
Northern England
Geoff Riby t: 01262 602747 e: geoffriby@btconnect.com
Alistair Gibson t: 07823 334910 e: aj.gibson@live.com
Mark Severn t: 07768 211717 e: marksevern40@aol.com
The Hon. Gerald Turton (Honorary) t: 01845 537932 e: turtongerald@hotmail.com
Southern England
Sally Horrell t: 01733 270247 e: sally@horrell-podehole. co.uk
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Tim Coles t: 07811 165104 e: silsonbeefshorthorns @gmail.com
Tina Russell t: 07711 810354 e: tinashorthorn@gmail.com
Scotland
Major J P O Gibb (Honorary) t: 01575 582227 e: glenislashorthorns @yahoo.co.uk
Pamela Nicol t: 07852 280795 e: pamela-nicol@hotmail. co.uk
Shona Calder t: 01887 840462 e: shonamclean@live.co.uk
Northern Ireland
Alfie Shaw t: 07775 730000 e: gflivestock@gmail.com
Richard Henning t: 07730 762905 e: richard.henning @lakeland.ie
John Scott t: 07770 863506 e: john.scott@fearnfarm.com
Wales
Martin Reynolds t: 07966 371558 e: martin.shorthorn @gmail.com
www.beefshorthorn.org
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In memory of Donald Biggar OBE 7 July 1952 to 31 January 2021
T
he Beef Shorthorn breed lost one of its greatest advocates and prominent breeders when Donald Biggar died suddenly and unexpectedly, aged just 68. A sixth-generation pedigree cattle breeder on the family farms near Castle Douglas, where the Chapelton farm name was used as the Shorthorn prefix, his loss was also keenly felt across a wide swathe of agriculture given his involvement in agri-politics. After schooling at Merchiston Castle, followed by study at the then East of Scotland Agricultural College, Edinburgh, he went back to both organisations in adulthood. The former as a governor and the latter as a board member and then as vice-chairman. After his formal education, he worked at home developing the skills required to operate a successful farming and breeding business alongside his father, James – a journey which had been made more acute by the tragic loss of his older brother, Walter, as a result of a car accident in Canada. Donald also travelled across the world, initially making sure that the highly prized Chapelton Shorthorn and Galloway cattle which were being exported arrived at their destination in tip-top condition. But that experience meant that, later in life, he returned to some of these countries with judging responsibilities at top livestock shows in Zimbabwe, Australia and Canada. Those skills and abilities first shone when he was a member of the successful Young Farmers stock judging team from Dumfries and Galloway at the 1970 Highland Show. But this was backed up at home with many successes in both the show and sale rings – though he always preferred the latter! In the former, a particular highlight was winning many top tickets with his favoured breed, Beef Shorthorn cattle, including the stock bull, Tofts Romany – which had been bought for a bargain price and which was champion at the Royal Highland and the Royal in its hey-day. On the female side, Chapelton Duchess won many championships, including being reserve overall champion at the 2010 Beef Shorthorn World Congress Show. The Biggars also took the beef inter-breed championship at the Royal Show with an imported Hereford bull, Louada Sensation. In 2006, the herd had four cattle entries at the Royal Show in the Shorthorn section. All were first in their class as well as picking up senior, junior and reserve male champions, junior and reserve junior female champions, reserve overall female champion, best pair and best group of three. Chapelton Toronto went on to become supreme champion and then was placed reserve beef inter-breed. Success at the Perth – latterly Stirling – Bull Sales, included five Shorthorn championships in six years with sons of the highly influential herd sire, Chapelton Typhoon and his daughter which held the then record female sale price of 13,000gns. In fact, Chapelton at one time held both the male and females records
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
simultaneously, with Chapelton Dauphin having been taken to a record 15,000gns at Stirling. The highlight of his Angus sales was when Chapelton Eventer sold for 23,000gns in 2005. A defining moment for Donald was when, in 2001, the much-lauded Beef Shorthorn herd and what was then the oldest Galloway herd in the herd book, were lost to the tragedy of foot-and-mouth. It remained a sore point with him for the rest of his life, but in true Biggar fashion, Donald, his father James and stockman, Robert Grierson, were soon on a determined and thorough hunt for bloodlines they’d sold on the home market and abroad. That search was bolstered by a deep conviction that Beef Shorthorn genetics had a huge role to play in modern, easy keep suckler cows. So, with the help of many contacts in North America, including Rolly Bateman, many cows were flushed, including some from breeders in Canada who might otherwise never have done so. Thus, within a short time span, the Chapelton Beef Shorthorn herd was re-invented with bloodlines from the past and some new lines were also introduced. With hard work and determination, it pretty quickly re-established itself at the top of the breed. Chapelton Typhoon had an influential role to play in this being one of several ET bulls retained post-FMD. As well as Dauphin, he sired Zodiac, Ambassador, Braveheart, Duke, Exemplar and Covenanter, all of which went on to do well with their new owners. But all of the pedigree animals at Chapelton and Grange were backed up by the 250-cow suckler herd of Angus and Shorthorn cross cows kept on the hill unit at Glenlair. Their resultant calves were sold through Scotbeef (for M&S) and Woodhead Brothers (for Morrisons) and Donald held a deep and forensic knowledge of what had worked in the commercial herd and what didn’t.
That expertise was not lost on a wider world and over the years, Donald held prominent positions in several breed societies, including the Shorthorns, as well as being a former chairman of the Royal Smithfield Club, which was one of his favourite events and no one was more disappointed when raw economics forced it out of the capital in the early ‘noughties’. Inevitably, Donald was also drawn into farming politics. He was a lifelong member of NFU Scotland’s Stewartry branch, followed by four decades as a member of the branch’s executive and then as area president for Dumfries and Galloway in 1996/97. In this latter role, he was on the front line when beef producers from all over Scotland converged on Stranraer to prevent Irish beef being brought into Scotland, thus undercutting the local trade. His defining characteristics shone through in that conflict, when quiet determination proved a defining contribution to this being resolved. He also became chairman of Scotland’s red meat promotional body, Quality Meat Scotland, where those qualities again shone through to help steer a steady course during some troubled times, including the opening up of some export markets lost because of BSE. He also served on the board of the Moredun Research Institute, an organisation with a worldwide reputation in animal health, which was an aspect that he was fastidious about at home. He was also a board member on WCF (formerly West Cumberland Farmers) for more than 30 years, latterly as chairman. In 2004, he richly deserved the OBE he was awarded in recognition of his services to the livestock industry. He followed his father’s footsteps in gaining that recognition. A short while before his death, Donald had passed on the dayto-day management of the farms to the next generation, namely sons Jamie and Duncan, though he kept a close eye on how they – both family and cattle – were performing and took a particular delight in seeing Chapelton doing well at sales. He always relished, though, visits from fellow breeders and was known as a generous and knowledgeable host – with a penchant for selling interested parties half-a-dozen heifers when they only actually wanted two! Latterly, stepping back from the ‘byre shovel’ had meant that he could participate in his favoured pastimes of fishing, shooting and ornithology and he had many loyal friends who joined him on some ‘expeditions’ which usually ended up at the ‘conservation’ end of the scale. He was also keen on following Scotland’s rugby team, having been himself a regular first team choice at fly half for Dumfries. Donald was married to Emma, the daughter of a Dumfries doctor and together they raised their family, Jamie, Rachel and Duncan, first at Grange Farm, before moving to Chapelton when Jamie came back from working in London to pick up the reins. He is also survived by his sisters, Judie (McGowan) and Kay (Goldie). Ken Fletcher, Editor, The Scottish Farmer
What a busy life Donald must have led. It is a wonder how he found time to look after all his interests at home. His devotion to duty was second to none. I remember well a Society Directors meeting at Ingliston, when he arrived in the farm lorry having first been to Scotbeef first thing in the morning with fat cattle. Although we lived 200 miles apart, until recently, we visited fairly frequently, and it was always such a pleasure to be shown around the Chapleton herd usually ending up with a lovely pub lunch in his local village Haugh of Urr. Many of us will remember the 2010 conference dinner in front of Chapleton House on a beautiful summer evening. Donald was a great salesman, but always with charm and a smile and a welcome to new breeders when met up at shows and sales. His wise council as a breed Director and past President, is sorely missed. He had a knack for knowing the right answer to thorny problems, which occurred from time to time. He once said to me ‘you know life was much easier when no one wanted our cattle’. On another occasion at a major show and sale, where he had done very well, he said ‘Gosh I didn’t deserve that’. Reference has been made to his fishing trips to the west Highlands and Islands, but he was also a keen deer stalker with the sporting instinct of what was better left on the hill to breed. Laterally, this was on the massive Ben Wyvis which is also a name familiar in Shorthorn circles. Donald is sorely missed and will be remembered for many years. I and fellow breeders send our best wishes to the Biggar family at this sad time. Major John Gibb
Rachel Biggar raised over £16,000 for the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution in memory of her father, Donald who was a great supporter of the charity. From 7 June to 7 July 2021, Rachel ran a total of 100km where she is currently living in Greece, with high temperatures and humidity adding another element to the challenge. Rachel said: “I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the kindness and incredible generosity of everyone who has donated to this fundraiser, many of whom knew my Dad for many years and some of whom never met him at all - it has been an incredibly humbling experience. Thank you to everyone who donated; I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined reaching that total sum.” www.beefshorthorn.org
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Fact FILE 50 pedigree Beef Shorthorn cows 50 pedigree Texel ewes 61ha grassland
Meonside cows with three month old calves
Futureproofing a beef enterprise with Beef Shorthorn And meeting market demand with an efficient functional suckler suited to low input, grazing systems
T
om Bradley Farmer says he’s working up to three years ahead to determine what beef farmers will be looking to stock, and he’s confident Beef Shorthorn will fit the bill. “That’s the time lag - from selecting the genetics through to having bulls and heifers for sale. However, I know Beef Shorthorn is an efficient functional suckler suited to low input, grazing systems, and as we move towards the new support systems, then I think that’s what our marketplace will be about,” he says. The family’s Meonside Beef Shorthorn herd comprising 50 pedigree cows and followers pays testament to that efficiency; 85% of the herd is calving within the first
five weeks, cows are milky weaning seven to eight-month-old calves on average 40% to 60% of their bodyweight and the herd is rearing 90% calves from cows put to the bull. The breed is also extremely docile which Tom says is not only important to himself managing the herd singlehanded but also for other producers particularly since labour is becoming more and more scarce. “With a set of new breeders coming into the marketplace and an increasing number of registrations, then I believe there will be a growing demand for Beef Shorthorn foundation females, and a very big one for heifers, followed by repeat purchases,” he comments.
A line up of Meonside heifers 16
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
“In fact, when you factor in our 50 pedigree Texel ewes, we’re currently heading to maximum stocking rate and I’m already selling some of our best heifers to both new and established herds.” Twenty-five-year-old Tom’s Beef Shorthorn journey was fast tracked in Stirling, February 2021 when he achieved a record of 27,000gns for Meonside Nidavellir, 12,000gns for Meonside Nosty and 6,500gns for Meonside Millicent Ninet. “It was a lonely time, in the middle of another lockdown, however that success gave us that extra spur to keep going; in fact, we were overwhelmed, it was just as though the stars were aligned.”
topline and mobility but if an animal has good EBVs, then all the better. EBVs have a big place in our selection process, but they’re only as good as the data you input. “We are now trying to pull together a good genetic base and then buy or breed a bull to produce a female that best represents the breed. Our latest private purchase was Podehole Piper chosen for his correctness, and exceptional bloodlines, including some of the breed’s best female lines.” Tom Bradley Farmer
Twelve months earlier Tom enjoyed his first taste of success in Stirling with Meonside Mufasa selling for 11,000gns. Mufasa was the first calf born on Scottish soil since the herd settled in Dumfriesshire. “So far, demand has been absolutely fantastic, however that level of trade isn’t going to happen every year, consequently we keep a firm eye on the commercial market.” Farming is in Tom’s blood having grown up at Drayton Farm, a Hampshire unit which had been in the family for 150 years. However, it wasn’t his original career path. “I’ve always liked sport and was initially looking at doing sports physio. But before going to Uni, I had a year out and worked at home with my brother, David and my grandad, Frank Moffat, I realised I wanted to farm and ended up studying Agriculture at Harper Adams University. “When it came to David and I taking on the family farm reins then it simply wasn’t big enough for us both, the farm was in a TB 1 area and located in a limited marketplace. My grandparents and my mum, Sally gave us the opportunity to up sticks and buy outright another farm. We’d always had Scotland in mind with a lot of our stock already sold up North, but it was still a big decision to make; in 2018 we finally agreed on Dumfriesshire, a great grass growing area with good logistics.” The following year, Tom graduated in Agriculture and headed north to manage the 61ha Wester Parkgate and ship up the Meonside herd, established by Frank Moffat and Simon Bradley Farmer in 2006. “Wester Parkgate is a grass-based farm with a bit of hill making it perfect for the Beef Shorthorns,” explains Tom, who now runs the farm singlehanded whilst David
is currently managing a newly established Texel flock in Oxfordshire - a job he says he couldn’t refuse. “Apart from managing the stock, I’m kept busy introducing new infrastructure, setting up the unit to bring the best out of the grassland and the herd.” Taking forward the Meonside herd is amongst his list of priorities. “My dad and grandad put in the solid foundations; without them the herd wouldn’t be where it is today. Foundation lines came from Layberry, Aylward, Sannan and Ballylinney, going back to lines from Dunsyre and Uppermill. These with added lines from Glenisla and alongside homebred females give us this genetic pool that is breeding consistently well. Stock bulls Elliot Salute and Willingham Kensington have clicked tremendously well whilst Meonside King Kong continues to impress into his fifth mating season, breeding correctness with that breedy stamp. “As well as phenotype, I look for the correct structure, the right udder placement,
Agreeing a new herd sire was a family decision, he explains. “Whilst I manage Wester Parkgate and the buck stops with me on the day-to-day stuff, the business is a family partnership between mum, David and myself. I get a great deal of support from them, even though they’re all in Southern England, and that’s really important to me.” To the future and Tom considers herd health status is going to be even more important, testing for Neospora as well as maintaining the herd’s high health status will be vital for the market. “We would like to start herd classification in the next couple of years; we’re confident it will be able to further help in the selection procedure.” He adds: “I feel very lucky to have been given such an opportunity, and plan to put in the graft to make my family proud and the venture a success. My goal is to be running the best Beef Shorthorn herd in the country in the next 20 years, keeping pace with the evolving marketplace to ensure it continues to meet demand from both the pedigree and commercial producers.”
Cows and two year old heifers running with Caramba Kinvara www.beefshorthorn.org
17
‘S’
18
is the
Year Letter
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
for
2022
ROYALLA ROCKSTAR K274 SEMEN AVAILABLE FOR UK SHIPMENT Sire:
Royalla Ostentatious G404 AUS
Dam:
Marellan Mitzi 8087L AUS
ROYALLA ROCKSTAR
Photographed in September 2020 after service season.
Sire of
Interbreed Supreme Champion Male at Beef Australia 2021
Beef Shorthorn EBV Graph for Royalla Rockstar K274
Sons of Royalla Rockstar
Offered by Mineshop and Podehole herds • New Australian genetics. • Fully registered in the UK Coates Herd Book. • DNA SNP sample G680460. • Top 1% maternal index, Top 5% of Terminal and self replacing indices. • Easy calving been used on heifers. Calves quick to get up and suck. Easy fleshing. Homozygous polled and free of any myostatin variants.
Please contact Sally Horrell m: 07932 052524 | e: podeholefarm@gmail.com www.beefshorthorn.org
19
Naming Your Cattle by Sally Horrell
‘S’ is Letter
the for
Year 2022
The heritage of the Beef Shorthorn breed stretches back 200 years which the Society is celebrating in 2022 and some of those animals alive today will be able to trace their pedigree back to the beginning. Before the days of databases and computers, this would have been done through the many Volumes of the Coates’s Herd Book and the animals names played an important part in knowing their origins. This is still important today and we can see at dispersal sales where breeders will be chasing particular female breeding lines. With this in mind naming the cattle in your herd needs thought and an understanding of the heritage of the breed.
T
he first part of the process is registering a prefix for your herd. In general, it is more accepted to use a geographical name which will anchor the herd to a part of the country, farm, valley or village. If a prefix has previously been allocated, it is not possible to use that one again which keeps the herd specific to the breeder. In the excitement of having your first calf to register it can be tempting to rush in with
20
Naming Females
Before modern day techniques of recording performance some cow family names were considered to be so important within the breed for their milk or fleshing prowess that the cow names became ‘protected’ and to this day can only be used for animals descended from those lines.
Family lines are important and give a good indication of the animals breeding lines so the advice would be to retain this as part of subsequent generations.
Some of those names can still be found in current bloodlines such as Broadhooks, Clipper, Lancaster, Millicent, Nonpareil, Princess Royal, Rothes, Secret, Ury Maid
a creative and dynamic offering but there are a few factors that need to be observed and some that may become part of the practicalities of names in your herd in the future. So here are a few pointers.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
and Wildeyes to name a few. The full list of protected names is on the Society website and you can only use one of these names in your cow name if it is descended from those bloodlines. Your heifer calf should then have an individual name or identity number as part of its registered name. The individual animal name should start with the letter designated for that year. In 2022, it will be the letter ‘S’. So, if the dam of your cow is Stoneleigh Foxglove and your prefix is Ayrswater the following options could be used: A. Ayrswater Foxglove Susan B. Ayrswater Foxglove 1st C. Ayrswater Foxglove 123 (or whatever the last three or four digits of the ear tag number are). If you have a small herd using an individual name starting with the year letter can be useful as it gives a guide to the animals
age and can be more recognisable, but if you have a larger herd finding say 20 heifer calves individual names when the year letter is ‘X’ can be challenging. The individual name can never be a ‘protected’ name. The Society’s registration system will block a protected name and the office will contact you if need be. If you are using the numbering system b. Ayrswater Foxglove 1st, subsequent calves from any of the Foxglove line would be 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc irrespective of which generation they calved from. Naming Males It is advisable that bull calves are named with the year letter. It makes it easily recognisable from which year the calf was born and who its cohorts might be. The majority of bull calves will be named using this system. So, for example in 2022, a bull calf out of Stoneleigh Foxglove could be Ayrswater Sergeant.
The year letters run alphabetically but the letters i o q v are not used. This is because historically the year letter was tattooed in the calf’s ear and those letters were easily confused with others in the alphabet when over time the tattoo became less clear. Whatever naming system you decide to use it is a good idea to then stick with that so that other breeders can identify your animals breeding lines too. It is also worth remembering when you give any animal a name that it will appear in a pedigree for four generations and a number of years will have passed, so a very topical name may seem very out of place in years to come. The heritage of our breed is an important part of its provenance and the name you give your animal should be one you can be proud of. So, when your youngest offspring suggest you call the new calf ‘spotty ears’ or after their favourite TV character or some such it might be wise to desist!
www.beefshorthorn.org
21
Kassam of Longfield one of our senior stock sires
25 Bulls sold ex farm 2021 25 Bulls retained for sale 2022
Stanfordpark Princess Rizzo National calf show Reserve Female Champion
Visitors are always welcome Stanford Park Farm, Park Lane, Stanford in the Vale, Oxfordshire, SN7 8PF Simon Bradley Farmer: 07739 035667 | Tina Russell: 07711 810354 Email: beef@stanfordpark.co.uk 22
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
stanfordparkbeefshorthorns
LEADING THE WAY WITH
BREED - MILK - BEEF LONGFIELD LOVELY EXHIBIT (EX90)
Next Generation Semen
Available from VALE MEADOWS FLOSSY’S CAVALIER
Excellent, long lived female line, Easy Calving, Polled, Roan, Zero Myostatin SEMEN FOR SALE from over 12 different bulls, all selected for their breed qualities
Next Generation Breeding Home bred LONGFIELD LOVELY XQUISITE
Interbreed Calf Champion 2021 = Edenbridge and Oxted Show
Visitors Always Welcome Tina Russell 07711810354 | Simon Farmer 07739035667 Email: Longfieldshorthorns@gmail.com 1 The Old Dairy, Stanford Park Farm, Park Lane, Stanford in the Vale, Oxon SN7 8PF @LongfieldBeefShorthorns
www.beefshorthorn.org
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What is polled testing? T
here are two types of polled gene – polledness from Celtic origin and polledness from Friesian origin and each of these traits are reported separately.
As with myostatin, each animal has up to two copies of each gene and therefore, they are either non- carriers (have no copies and are not polled), heterozygous polled (have one copy) or homozygous polled (have two copies) of each or either type. This means that a tested animal may be heterozygous polled for each type of polledness, but this does not make them homozygous polled. The results for poll testing are reported as follows Result
Description
Translation
Pc/Pc
Homozygous polled
two copies of the Celtic origin poll gene
Pf/Pf
Homozygous polled
two copies of the Friesian origin poll gene
N/Pc
Heterozygous polled
one copy of the Celtic origin poll gene
N/Pf
Heterozygous polled
one copy of the Friesian origin poll gene
N/N
Non-Carrier
Horned
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Get Ahead with a Poll KING DAVID of Upsall Working Condition
Classified EX95
PERSEUS
PRESIDENT of Upsall
Broughton Park Thunder Son 1st Prize Bull at Wolsingham Show 2021
of Upsall
First Son of Mandalong
PRIME LEADER
PALMERSTON of Upsall
of Upsall
Dingo of Upsall Son
King David of Upsall Son
President, Perseus, Prime Leader and Palmerston of Upsall bulls will go forward to the sale at Stirling in Spring 2022.
NELSON
FIREFOX
of Upsall
of Upsall
For further information on Upsall Shorthorn Bulls and Stock availability contact.
Stock Sales: GERALD TURTON +44 (0)1845 537932
Stocksman: GEORGE McCULLOCH +44 (0)7555 296054
Upsall Castle Farms, Upsall, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 2QJ, UK
www.upsallshorthorns.co.uk 15227 Upsall Shorthorns FP Advert (Repro).indd 1
THANK YOU
to all customers and interested parties that purchased from our recent reduction sale.
04/11/2021 13:24
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Fact FILE 70 Beef Shorthorn calving females 10 Beef Shorthorn cross Highland cows upgrading to pure status 500 Blackface ewes, one third crossed with a Bluefaced Leicester 1,053ha hill grazing 80ha winter keep 80ha improved grassland 162ha forestry including 40ha native woodland
Beef Shorthorn - proven a low maintenance functional suckler cow for half a century at Glenisla Glenisla is synonymous with Beef Shorthorn genetics which can be found in herds throughout the UK and beyond. We visited the hill unit which lies between 950’ and 2,400’ on the Angus Perthshire border to find out more.
B
eef Shorthorn offers beef producers a low maintenance functional suckler cow, one which provides a perfect fit for future sustainable systems, comments Major John Gibb.
Major John Gibb and Catriona
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
He speaks from experience having successfully proved the native breed at Glenisla, the family’s 1,377ha unit for almost five decades whilst he continues working on the fringes handling cattle, with on farm movements and markets. “I believe the breed’s maternal qualities continue to be just as relevant as they did when my late father, Harry Gibb introduced Beef Shorthorn crosses in the 1950s,” he says. “Furthermore, it’s those characteristics that will enable us to continue to very naturally manage both the pedigree and grading up herds on commercial lines going forward, in order for our hill farming enterprise to continue to be viable. “Beef Shorthorn bred cows are fertile - we give them three cycles with the bull, they calve by themselves, the calves are thrifty and they make superb mothers - they provide plenty of milk
Temperament is very important to us, particularly when day to day management is all down to myself along with our stockman; our cattle are so very quiet. and they certainly look after their calves, a fact reflected in weaning performance,” explains Major Gibb. At 200-day weaning this season, bulls averaged 1.54kg daily liveweight gain, steers 1.42kg and heifers 1.20kg. His daughter Catriona, who 10 years ago returned home to Glenisla from a Montessori teaching career in London runs the farm with stockman Ian Burgess, whilst his son, Nicholas is part of the partnership and is mostly occupied with forestry and game management which includes some red deer stalking. Catriona continues: “All our cattle are naturally reared above 1,000’. Cows and calves are initially turned on to improved grazing before we move them on in August to graze the open hill for six weeks.” Steer calves are sold straight off their mothers in Forfar market whilst bull and heifer calves are wintered inside on grass silage, supplemented with minerals and suitable concentrate. “This year we have used the quiet wean system - a clip in calf’s nose for five days before separation; it seemed to work, reducing stress and possible pneumonia.”
The emphasis on forage means its management is naturally important at Glenisla. “We concentrate on keeping the pH balanced, from 6.0 to 6.5 using mostly calcium lime. Re-seeding each year amounts to around 8ha using modern grass varieties, we include Clover and recently we introduced Chicory and Plantain. “Our cows are working cows, out-wintered; they thrive on natural grazing and on supplementary grass silage and minerals which enables us to make huge cost savings - we don’t have sufficient housing, and labour and straw which comes at a big premium up here. We could calve both herds outdoors, however quite simply for management reasons they come in in early March, just before calving, after which they run out and come in to feed,” explains Catriona. “Temperament is very important to us, particularly when day to day management is all down to myself along with our stockman; our cattle are so very quiet, which really helps to ease the workload. In fact, I regard Beef Shorthorn’s docility is one of the breed’s best features. The herd is also
demonstrating longevity, averaging 10 calf crops. Our heifer replacements are grazed near home to calve at two years old having achieved our target 450kg at first service; we use homebred bulls with accompanying suitable EBVs.” The Glenisla brand has been built over the years by annually selling a draft of heifers, and more recently selling bulls to a number of well-known herds. Major Gibb comments: “Over 20 years ago, in conjunction with Roley Fraser of United Auctions, we instituted the heifer sale at the October bull sales. I believe this led to a greater awareness of the breed and possibly led to Morrisons taking the breed under its wing, recognising that Beef Shorthorn produced top quality eating beef in addition to the breed’s maternal role.” Confident that demand will continue, he adds: “Whilst we don’t know exactly what’s around the corner, people will continue to have to eat, and the hills and uplands will have to be put to some use. We’ve found our cattle perform well on such a low input sustainable grazing system, in fact, I believe every second cow in the country should be carrying Beef Shorthorn genetics, and we’re getting there.” This article was initially printed in Farmers Guardian 2021
www.beefshorthorn.org
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2021
SHOW TEA M
Cherry 1st Cherry 4th Duchess Molly Duchess Rosemary Millerston Jamboree Jackie Picture Perfect Glebefarm Rocketman
RUAS 2021 Reserve Overall Champion Duchess Molly Reserve Junior Champion Jackie Picture Perfect Reserve Native Interbreed Pair Cherry 1st & Jamboree Res Native Interbreed Group of 3 Jamboree & Molly Res Native Interbreed Group of 5 Jamboree, Cherry 1st & Molly
ALFIE & JAMES SHAW
07775 730000
www.gflivestock.com
33 Tobermesson Rd, Dungannon BT71 7QE
Glebefarm livestock
EX 95 2021
Bushypark
Cherry 1st
four years on...
At the heart of our most successful cow family is Cherry 1st Ex95; lifting Overall Champion Brood Cow 2021, with her family again winning Best Cow Family this time in the large herd section.
Vistors always welcome
Over the past four years we have travelled the UK and Ireland to build our herd of Beef Shorthorns. We were honoured to be chosen as the Overall Champion Herd in Northern Ireland this year. The next stage of our journey is to choose the females in 2022 that will go onto other herds, and we look forward to working with our friends in the breed to help grow and develop the Beef Shorthorn breed to its fullest potential.
glebefarm NI CHAMPION HERD 2021
Beef Shorthorn mob grazing in a rotational system at Birsay
Progressing an efficient, future fit suckler system with Beef Shorthorn genetics Herd KPIs • 24 months average at first calving • Six week bulling period • 75-80% herd calves within first three weeks • 100% herd calves within nine weeks • 645kg average mature cow weight • 1.1kg/day calf DLWG to 200day weaning • 41% cow efficiency
B
eef Shorthorn has been tried and tested by the Scarth family for more than six decades at Birsay located on Orkney mainland’s north west tip. And the breed is very much for the future. “Whilst we are uncertain of future policy, Beef Shorthorn genetics are providing us with the flexibility to continue maintaining an efficient suckler beef enterprise,” says David Scarth. “Our cattle suit the system - both our pure Beef Shorthorn managed on commercial lines and Beef Shorthorn cross Angus herds. We are breeding small, compact cows that are good foragers doing well on our less productive ground; despite having a short summer, we can grow grass. We’ve a beast here that can convert forage and put on flesh and look after herself in winter. Our cows also make great mothers, they’re easy to manage and they’ve that essential docility,” he says. “We are always attempting to improve herd performance, get better, move forward and make gains. It’s not about the destination, we believe in living the journey,” he says.
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
“For example, we’ve moved to calving all the heifers from 30 to 24 months and reduced the bulling period from 18 to six weeks. We now have 75% to 80% of the herds calving in the first three weeks and everything calves within eight to nine weeks, previously it took 20 weeks. “These improvements benefit us in a number of ways. Labour is more focused in a shorter calving period, a more uniform calf crop makes for easier management, heifers are more uniform in size so we have more homebred replacements to select from. We’re now able to select cows that rebreed quickly. “Progressing cow efficiency is slow and incremental but by weighing at weaning you can identify the cows that are not performing and remove from the herd, whilst we can identify the best performers from which to breed bulls. “We’re ideally targeting a cow that can wean 50% of her body weight, it’s a challenge however, so far our best cows are getting there. Average herd weight at
Fact FILE 50 pedigree Beef Shorthorn cows 110 Beef Shorthorn cross Angus suckler cows 170 ewes 290ha inc 20ha spring barley
weaning is currently 645kg and average calf 200-day is 265kg, DLWG works out at 1.1kg/ day and average cow efficiency 41%,” David explains. “When we introduce new genetics to the pedigree herd, then we use AI; selection priorities are a poll sire, very low birthweight and good muscle score, in that order. I firmly believe in paying attention to EBVs combined with structural correctness.” He continues: “I like to have control of the herd - from selecting the genetics through
to finishing and checking the kill sheets, consequently I’m focused on breeding cattle to meet market demand. We have the flexibility to sell weaned calves or as 500kg forward stores, however the entire crop of calves, apart from those heifers retained for replacements, are currently finished within 18 to 20 months and sold off the island to Woodheads for Morrisons Shorthorn Beef scheme; they’re averaging 340kg deadweight and the vast majority within spec.”
schemes’ grazing options; they’ve proved to be good converters even on the rougher wetter land.
Canvans pedigree Beef Shorthorn herd was established over 60 years ago by David’s great aunt, Anna Spence. “I continued with the breed because I was so impressed by its ease of management as well as performance.” In turn, he decided to introduce Beef Shorthorn genetics to his Angus suckler herd. “Our criss cross breeding strategy has resulted in improved efficiency, as well as hardiness.”
“This summer we’ve been experimenting; we rested half of the herbal leys and some other grass fields for 40 to 50 days - much longer than previously. At times in midsummer we were stocking the herbal leys at about 70 to 80 LU/ha on two day shifts. We were surprised by how contented animals were and how quickly the grass recovered.”
Around half the farm is managed in an environmental scheme designed to preserve water margins and habitats for a number of species, from voles to various wading birds. “Our cattle work well with the
“In the last two years, we’ve introduced a rotational grazing system. Cattle are split into three mobs and sheep one or two mobs depending on time of year. We established 8ha of herbal leys using traditional plough and cultivation techniques but without any fertiliser or herbicides.
He adds: “To the future, we have two established suckler herds and Beef Shorthorn is providing us with that flexibility. There is growing interest in grass fed native bred beef and the opportunity to continue to sell in to a branded marketplace to Morrisons is going to be a big bonus.”
David Scarth
www.beefshorthorn.org
31
Westmoor Merlin
Visitors always welcome
Carrarock Chalkie at 10 years
Caramba Poser Tommy Staunton 00353 86 6047333
Driving for efficiency with Beef Shorthorn x Angus Why a criss cross suckler herd is proving to be sustainable on an extensive hill unit
Fact FILE 80 Beef Shorthorn cross Angus breeding cows and 76 heifers 1,100 Blackface cross Swaledale ewes
Breakachy suckler herd efficiency comparison Former Cont x herd
Current Beef Shorthorn x Angus herd
Herd size (cows)
50
80
Mature cow weight (kg)
750
600
Eight-month wean weight (kg)
305
308
Cow efficiency (%)
41
51
21 - 28
15 - 20
3.0
3.0
Supplementary silage (kg/head) All year round ave BCS
Archie Slimon with a portion of the herd’s Beef Shorthorn cross Angus incalf cows
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
E
fficiency is the key driver for the Slimons at Breakachy, Laggan, home to an 80 cow Beef Shorthorn cross suckler herd which is scheduled for further expansion.
“It’s over 20 years ago since we decided to restock with native breed cows, at the time we said we’d be happy to take a cut in calf weaning weight, however we’ve proved that definitely not to be the case,” he explains.
“It’s not about topping the suckler sales, it’s margin per cow that will continue to be most important to us going forward, and we’re finding the solution in our Beef Shorthorn cross sucklers. Smaller cows are definitely the most efficient,” says Archie Slimon who farms with his wife Cathy, an extensive Inverness-shire hill unit.
Smaller cows need less to eat to sustain both themselves and their calves, and they are using more of their energy intake to provide milk. Consequently, introducing Beef Shorthorn cross cows has enabled the Slimons to reduce daily winter silage fed by around 40% to between 15kg to 20kg a head, whilst maintaining the herd in the same body condition all year round.
“Our 80 Beef Shorthorn cross Angus cows last season achieved 51% efficiency; they averaged 600kg at weaning an eight-month-old calf averaging 308kg. In comparison, this unit used to stock 50 Continental cross cows, they averaged 750kg, weaned a calf averaging 305kg at eight months, that’s just 41% efficiency.
That’s not all. “Introducing Beef Shorthorn to a criss cross breeding strategy has vastly improved cow temperament. Wild cows are not for us. The breed is more docile, in fact our cows are really, really quiet which is a main benefit for us when there’s just Cathy and myself managing the daily workload, whilst two of our four children are keen on the farm and help out a lot when they’re home,” he says. “Having hardiness together with good feet and overall good locomotion is important and since our cows and heifers have to walk long distances. The entire herd is run outdoors all year round, mainly on the heather hill - the unit runs from the steading at 800’ to 3,000’. The exception was last year when we brought the cows and heifers indoors to calve, just a few days ahead of due date, simply because of the atrocious weather,” he says. “Every newly calved cow and heifer was back out on to the hill out as soon as the calf had had a suck. They continued to make great mothers taking their calves with them.” Whilst steers are traded through the ring at eight-month weaning, a small number of heifers are selected for replacements the current cull rate is running at around the 10% mark, consequently the Slimons have the opportunity to add value to the remainder which are sold in calf to the Limousin. “These replacements, 30-months of age at point of sale, attract much interest from throughout Scotland, and in particular from repeat buyers on Skye. Last season 17 lots sold through Dingwall and Highland Marts to average £1,900 and top at £2,300.”
When Archie arrived back to Breakachy from college over 20 years ago, the unit carried 50 Simmental cross cows together with 1,600 ewes. “We’d acquired a little more in-bye and decided we wanted to expand the herd and cut back on the sheep, however we realised we couldn’t calve up to 70 Simmental cows outdoors on the hill; we were having to assist up to 15% each year, and recording a 5% loss. “We went off to buy an Angus bull to put over the cows; the difference was between night and day. We immediately found we could reduce the number of times each day we checked the cows at calving outdoors. Shortly afterwards we decided to go complete native and replaced the Simmental with Beef Shorthorn to develop a criss cross breeding strategy. Apart from docility, the Beef Shorthorn has brought more milk and ease of fleshing. The Slimons also found they’d introduced ease of calving. “We can count on one hand the number of cows with single calves we’ve calved in the last 20 years, whilst we have had to calve the odd set of twins and an occasional heifer.” The weaned heifers are turned out on to the open hill lying at 1,000’ to 1,200’; they reach 400kg to 420kg target service weight at 24 months, continue to stay on the hill and keep in condition.
“Whilst the herd overwinters on the hill with minimal supplementary silage and concentrate rolls, each member had to work hard grazing which in turn helps encourages regrowth for the sheep in summer and the ewes tend to spread more evenly grazing.” To the future, and the Slimons are considering expanding to 90 suckler cows whilst retaining current ewe numbers. “Smaller Beef Shorthorn cross cows have proved to be efficient whilst complementary to the sheep enterprise both vital to a future sustainable business.”
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Twenty years of breeding – where have we come from, and what does the future hold? AHDB breeding projects manager - cattle, Alex Brown
B
reeding lies at the foundation of any beef production system. Whilst herd breeding decisions are just one element of cattle management, selecting superior parents for breeding will lead to cumulative and permanent gains in herd productivity, profitability and efficiency. Suckler producers across the UK have a variety of systems, resources and end markets, each of which has its own requirements in terms of both male and female performance. Identifying what you yourself, and your customers require from your cattle, is an essential first step to choosing a bull to breed your cows with. Good genetics are the basic building blocks of animal production, no amount of extra feed and good management can truly overcome the influence of poor genetics. The benefits of genetic improvement are both cumulative and permanent, so good breeding decisions will continue to pay dividends in the herd over long periods of time. The use of estimated breeding values (EBVs) across the agricultural industry has led to huge gains in productivity and profitability in the past 50 years. As the industry has gained more knowledge on the use of these tools, we are now able to continue that improvement in productivity while maintaining health and welfare traits. In this article, we take a closer look at genetic improvement in the Beef Shorthorn population since 2001, to discover how the breed has improved over time, and how more effective use of EBVs could speed up progress and add value within the breed. Genetic index trends Looking at the trend in index values for the Beef Shorthorn breed since 2001 (Figure 1), we can see that the breed has made progress in terms of the three Beef Shorthorn indexes; Terminal Index, the Self Replacing Index and the Maternal Index. The breed averages (Mean EBV) for the Terminal Index has almost doubled in that time period, and the Self Replacing Index has increased by over 50%. For each index, animals that were within the top 10% of the breed in 2000, would find themselves below breed average by today’s standards. The Maternal Index has shown a slower rate of progress over the past 20 years, however this is because this Index was only introduced in the past few years. However, on the maternal side, we see good genetic gain in milking ability, where the breed average EBV has more than doubled since 2001.
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Figure 1
Where do we go now? How can maternal traits be an issue if the self-replacing and maternal indexes are improving? The Self-Replacing Index is designed to rank bulls by their genetic potential for the production of high-performing female replacements while producing prime steers and excess heifers for beef production, and the Maternal Index is designed to rank bulls based on their potential to breed female replacements, and heavier weaned calves. So although there is more of an emphasis on maternal attributes in these two indexes, they do take into account both terminal and maternal traits. It is quite likely that the improvements that we see in these two indexes are being driven by their terminal components rather than their maternal components. It’s therefore important to look at individual EBVs for maternal traits, as well as index values when selecting maternal bulls for breeding.
Calving ease reminder: both the calf and the dam have an effect on overall calving ease, the calf through its size and shape - the ‘direct’ component, and the dam through her pelvic size and shape -the ‘maternal’ component. The calving ease daughters EBV is made up of the maternal genetic component, plus half of the direct genetic component for calving ease.
Table 1: the current rate of change per year for each recorded trait in Beef Shorthorn cattle, based on animals born in 2001-2019, alongside intensity of selection that this is equivalent to Current change per year
Intensity of selection (2019 benchmark)
Milk (kg)
0.21
40%
Intramuscular fat (%)
-0.01
40%
Weaning weight (kg)
0.63
45%
Yearling weight (kg)
0.88
45%
Scrotal size (cm)
0.01
45%
Trait (units)
Carcase weight (kg)
0.76
45%
Eye Muscle Area (cm2)
0.06
45%
Retail beef yield (%)
0.03
45%
Calving ease direct (%)
-0.09
50%
Calving ease daughters (%)
-0.07
50%
Gestation length (days)
-0.02
50%
Birthweight (kg)
0.06
50%
Finishing weight (kg)
1.03
50%
Mature cow weight (kg)
1.03
50%
Fat depth (mm) -0.01 50% Source: AHDB Data since 2001 shows that the general strategy employed in breeding Beef Shorthorn cattle is to select animals whose genetics reflect the breed average or better (Table 1). The breed has therefore taken the important first step towards good genetic progress, by not breeding from animals whose genetics are below average. Although it’s a great first step, using the breed average as your selection threshold for breeding will set an upper limit to the amount of progress over time. If the breed continues to use “above average” as their selection threshold, while other breeds push towards breeding only animals from, for example the top 20% of the breed, there is a high risk of the breed being left behind in terms of performance. To really stimulate genetic progress in the breed, and ensure that the Beef Shorthorn retains its place in the UK beef market, then you should be holding your breeding cattle to higher standards of performance, and targeting only the top 25% of animals for use in breeding. At the moment, it may not be as easy as you would like to identify these higher performing animals. As with so many things in life, ‘if you can’t measure it, you can’t
manage it’. The best way to identify the best genetics within the Beef Shorthorn population is to encourage widespread performance recording among pedigree breeders. If you’ve yet to sign up to Breedplan performance record your herd, then for more information and how to, please email ellie@beefshorthorn.org
Take home messages • Aim high, not average, select within top 25% of breed • Performance record wherever possible ‘If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it’ • Keep an eye on maternal performance • Know your market, and breed animals that will excel for yourself and your customers www.beefshorthorn.org
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GRANDTULLY
BEEF SHORTHORN
SAC PREMIUM CATTLE - HEALTH SCHEME MEMBER.
CALF AT 8 MONTHS OLD
CALF AT 4 WEEKS OLD
BVD ACCREDITED SINCE 2007. IBR ACCREDITED. JOHNE’S DISEASE RISK LEVEL 2. LEPTO PENDING ACCREDITATION.
Donny & Shona Calder Braes Of Grandtully, Grandtully, Aberfeldy. PH15 2QZ 40
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Tel: 01887 840462 Mob: 07717 665016 Email: caldershona29@gmail.com
Photo: Isla Campbell
Beautry Pedigree Livestock
Quality Cattle Bred In The Yorkshire Dales
CHAMPION HERD NORTH OF ENGLAND HERD COMPETITION 2021 Photo: Wayne Hutchinson
STOCK BULLS – SENIOR - BEAUTRY MALFOY
JUNIOR - JODAME NOBLEMAN Photo: Isla Campbell
Beautry House, Rathmell, Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 0LA Telephone: 01729 840284 Mobile: 07506 470175 Email: northernequine@btconnect.com Beautry Pedigree Livestock
Also Beautry Pedigree Beltex and Texel Sheep www.beefshorthorn.org
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Linear Classification update National Bovine Data Centre geneticist, Darren Todd
S
ince the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society introduced its linear classification service in 2015, almost 7,000 females have been scored by NBDC classifiers. As well as an overall score, animals are grouped into classes, with cows classed from Poor (P) for those below 65 points, up to Excellent (EX) for those scoring 90 points and over. Heifers are restricted to a best class of VG (80 to 85 points). The breakdown of animals per class is shown in the tables and charts below. After an initial catch-up period peaking in 2016, the total numbers of cows classified have steadied at around the 700 mark per year. The five-year rolling average between 2017 and 2020 was 697. For heifers, there has been a similar trend, with a rolling average of 429 between 2017 and 2020. Scoring was interrupted due to Covid in 2020 and again in 2021. However final 2020 numbers were still within trend. An increase in the proportion of EX cows in 2019/20 is noticeable in Figure 1, compared with 2017/18 with a corresponding reduction particularly in GP cows. Similarly, in Figure 2, among heifers, there may be a slight trend towards a greater proportion of animals being scored VG in 2020. For cows, it could be that breeders are becoming more familiar with the type of cow that will achieve a high class and therefore prioritising them for scoring.
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Figure 1: Cows (2nd calf and over) scored per class per year
Figure 2: Heifers (1st calf) scored per class per year
The Society has commenced trialing linear classification of stock bulls over three years old. In future, members will have the opportunity for the classifier to assess one stock bull at each annual visit.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
For any further information on linear classification please email ellie@ beefshorthorn.org or NBDC’s jackieclark@ nbdc.uk
shorthorns
andrew thornber & daughters T : 07891 812558
Livestock for sale - Visitors always welcome by appointment. Calf Hey Farm, Barkisland, Halifax, HX4 0ET E : blackbrookshorthorns@gmail.com
TB4 Area
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What is ‘Maternal Matters’? AHDB animal health and welfare scientist, Rebecca Small
W
hen it comes to raising the profit margin, AHDB’s campaign ‘Maternal Matters’ brings the focus away from carcase traits and back to the maternal performance of the suckler cow. The importance of maternal characteristics is underestimated in the English suckler herd with only 82% of suckler cows producing a calf each year. An economic study suggests that fertility is five times more important than growth rate and 10 times more important than carcase quality to the suckler producer, so are we missing a trick here in the UK? AHDB’s new Maternal Matters campaign is focussed on increasing the use of good
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maternal genetics within the English suckler herd whilst also informing producers of the management and selection practices required to enable greater cow lifetime reproductive performance and profitability through careful heifer breeding and development. Over the next two years we’ll cover:
You can’t manage what you don’t measure
• •
Focusing on specific maternal KPI’s could increase the performance and output of your suckler herd.
• • • •
KPI’s and suckler profit margins Choosing breeding stock to produce female replacements Managing heifers to successfully calve at two Choosing bulls for replacement heifers Calving heifers Post-calving heifer management
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Knowing what to measure, so that management decisions can easily be made, can sometimes be confusing. So the first part of ‘Maternal Matters’ looks at herd key performance indicators (KPI’s).
Using KPI’s allows you to benchmark against your own farms performance year on year as well as benchmarking against other producers performance to highlight areas of strength and weakness.
org.uk) and requires knowledge of business income and expenditure. 2. Age at first calving Reducing age at first calving is a proven and effective way of reducing COP and increasing cow lifetime performance. Replacements account for 8.5% of COP, so can we really afford not to calve them at two? Aim for between 22 and 26 months for maximum efficiency. While there are many factors contributing to successfully calving at two, hitting target bulling weights is essential to ensure puberty is reached early enough and heifers calve easily. Nutrition and selecting for positive 200-day and 400-day growth can be achieved using estimated breeding values (EBVs). 3. Cow herd efficiency Cow herd efficiency assesses the relationship between cow weight and calf output. It is linked to profitability and reflects herd fertility, health, genetics, feed and management. To calculate you need an average liveweight of calves at weaning, an average liveweight of females to the bull and your average age at weaning (in months). A cow should wean 40% to 60% of her liveweight in calf.
What KPIs should you consider monitoring and how are they calculated? 1. Cost of Production (COP) per calf weaned
Pay close attention to selecting female replacements. Keeping records of their mothers ability will make selection easier. Bull choice to breed replacements from is also vital. Milk EBV, Mature Cow weight EBV and 200 day growth EBV are all important, whilst always looking for easy calving. 4. Females calved in first six-weeks
Knowing your COP allows you to make informed marketing and business decisions. An accurately calculated COP can also be used to benchmark yourself against similar enterprises and identify areas where you’re spending/income may be above/ below average.
A tight calving block indicates good fertility and makes management easier resulting in calves that are more consistent at weaning, easier to market and can be effectively managed in a block. The aim is for over 65% to calve within the six-week window, with anything above 80% being excellent.
COP can be calculated using the AHDB KPI Express tool (see farmbusinessreview.ahdb.
The feeding, grouping and general management of cattle all have a huge
impact on fertility. The egg that is fertilised at bulling is matured in the cow before she calves, so nutrition pre-calving is as important as post-calving. Body condition score is a good indicator of energy status and ask your vet to take blood samples if you feel mineral deficiency may be an issue. Minimise stress around bulling and in the following weeks to improve conception rates and consider keeping heifers in a separate management group right through to second calving. 5. Daily liveweight gain (DLWG) of calves to weaning With the right genetics, the dam’s ability to milk and correct grassland management, calves should average at least 1.1kg/day from birth to weaning. It is important that this is achieved cost effectively, and if higher rates of growth can only be achieved from increased inputs, COP must be considered carefully. Weigh calves at weaning to calculate, with the average weight gain from birth to weaning divided by the average age of calves when weighed. Young calves are the most feed-efficient animals on the farm; make the most of this. Good quality colostrum is essential in a suckler system, and this can be achieved through getting cow nutrition right through pregnancy. Ensuring cows have good milking ability both through genetics and nutrition, will make the most of those early feed conversion rates. Good feed quality is key, be that grass or forage. This applies not only to the cow, but to the calf as well, as by four-months old, only half its feed requirements are met by milk. To calculate all of the KPIs mentioned in this article and to see how your farm compares, visit the AHDB KPI tool found at farmbusinessreview.ahdb. org.uk To find out more about the AHDB Maternal Matters campaign visit www.ahdb.org.uk/ maternal-matters and to ensure you keep up to date with AHDB go to ahdb.org.uk/ keeping-in-touch to register your details with us.
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Craigfaddock Beef Shorthorns Craigfaddock Parnassus s Champion Junior Bull NI Herd Competition 2021
Champion Small Herd NI Herds Competition 2021
to Bradhill Craigfaddock Praetorian - Sold gree Sales Shorthorns. With thanks to Pedi Online Livestock Auctions.
Visitors always welcome
Clough, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland Contact David (07738414713), John (07878418862) or Tom (07842607190) email: davidalexander24@hotmail.co.uk
BEEF SHORTHORNS AT SKIPTON 2022 SALES AUTUMN SALE OF NATIVE SIRED STORE CATTLE WEDNESDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER ANNUAL SHOW & SALE WEDNESDAY 9TH NOVEMBER Craven Cattle Marts Ltd Gargrave Road, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 1UD
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T: 01756 792375 E: admin@ccmauctions.com W: www.ccmauctions.com
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Check out our Facebook page: Craigfaddock Beef Shorthorns
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Myostatin a quick overview
M
yostatin continues to be a subject of conversation and following feedback from members, the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society has now added the option to show Myostatin test results on the pedigree certificates. For new and existing members, this is a reminder of the main issues to be aware of, together with the Society’s policy. First, it must be said that many breeders do see increased musculature in animals that carry deletions in the Myostatin gene. Remember, that the normal gene’s role is to regulate muscle growth, in addition to controlling other aspects of the animal’s metabolism and physiology. If the gene is mutated, then its function is lost. The Society wants to ensure that breeders make informed choices in their breeding strategies. On that basis, we now require that all bulls to be registered to the Herd Book are tested and characterised for Myostatin status. Bulls that carry two copies of any mutated version of the gene are ineligible for the Herd Book.
Knowing a bull’s Myostatin status is only half the story. For this reason, the Society would encourage members to test their female cattle so that they can plan matings and be aware of the likely Myostatin possibilities for a calf. In summary, it is a fact that the prevalence of the Myostatin mutations is increasing in the breed. We know that in a competitive beef market the single copy phenotype does confer some phenotypic benefits. We also know that there are metabolic and physiological problems with Myostatin mutations and these can impact on the fertility, milking ability and easy calving traits that have underpinned the Beef Shorthorn’s reputation. It is to be hoped that judicious use of these mutations in breeding pure Beef Shorthorns will safeguard the breed’s reputation and standing in the suckler cow market and keep competitiveness for breeders in a commercial setting.
LONGTOWN MART On the English - Scottish border, convenient to M6/M74
BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY, 29th AUGUST 2022
SIXTH ANNUAL SALE OF PEDIGREE BEEF SHORTHORN BREEDING CATTLE A very successful annual event, ideal for herd dispersals and reductions, show for in-calf and 2019 SALES 2019 SALES unserved heifers. Live-bidding on Marteye.ie. www.cdauctionmarts.co.uk
www.cdauctionmarts.co.uk Supplementary Pedigree Shorthorn Sales held Spring and Autumn. On-farm sales conducted in any area.
SHORTHORN & OTHER NATIVE BREED STORE & BREEDING CATTLE SOLD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR INCLUDING MORRISONS` SUPPORTED STORE SALES
Townfoot, Longtown, Carlisle CA6 5LY. 01228 791215 info@cdauctionmarts.co.uk www.cdauctionmarts.co.uk 48
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
LOWTHER SHORTHORNS Nord Vue Farm, Armathwaite, Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 9TN
LOWTHER CROCUS W9 sire: GLENISLA LOCHAN DUBH
TOP SELLER 11,000 GUINEAS STIRLING OCTOBER 2021
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR CUSTOMERS THIS YEAR 2020 marked the first crop of calves from Glenisla Lochan Dubh. We are very happy seeing how this bull has complimented our cattle. We purchased him for his correctness, feeding ease and growth. Look out for more cattle by him and by our new addition, Castlemount Kubota in 2022.
Lowther Konan (currently the highest TI / SRI Beef Shorthorn in the UK with tons of growth, fleshing and bone, perfect feet and top-line) is continuing to add tremendous animals to the herd. Many, including recently sold Lily W10, have been bred out of daughters of LS Eagle 276, the sire of 2015 Stirling Supreme Champion bull, which seems to be a very reliable mating.
Please feel free to contact us to come and view the cattle by appointment only.
LOOK OUT FOR OUR EXCITING NEW GENETICS IN 2022 www.lowthershorthorns.co.uk
FEMALE CHAMPION AND 10,000 GUINEAS STIRLING OCTOBER 2021
LOWTHER LILY W10 sire: LOWTHER KONAN
B R E E D A B I L ITY • P R E D I C A B I L ITY Charles Lowther: 01931 712 350 / charles@askhamhall.co.uk
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Optimising cow mature weight – how heavy is too heavy? By AHDB breeding projects manager - cattle, Alex Brown
S
uckler cows in the UK have been increasing in size over time. Heavier cows provide extra value to the farm by producing heavier offspring, and by having a higher cull cow value. However, they also cost more to keep on farm, and so we must strike a balance on cow mature weight. Research by AbacusBio International on behalf of AHDB, QMS and HCC has used industry data to create a model of UK beef production systems, which shows how increases in mature size affect traits such as carcase size and cow maintenance requirements, and how these changes affect cost and revenue on farm. The team compared the cost of producing cows with a mature weight of 651kg compared to those with a mature weight of 751kg. The results, see table 1, showed that heavier cows benefit the modelled farm through higher cull cow revenue, and by producing offspring with higher carcase revenue and quality.
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
However, heavier cows have higher costs in terms of maintenance feed and replacements, and they also suffer from a decrease in fertility, potentially producing less offspring in their breeding lifetime. Heavier cows also require more land than lighter cows, resulting in a reduced stocking density on farm. Once you combine all of these factors, the cost of production is higher for heavier breeding females and therefore profitability is worse. Having taken all of these effects into account and applying the model across a range of cow mature weights, the team found that the optimum mature weight for a breeding female is between 680kg and 685kg. Beef producers who feed primarily homegrown feedstuffs may be able to keep breeding females of up to 700kg to optimise their profits, as the cost of producing home-grown feed is lower than the cost of buying feed in.
Table 1: Herd margin over feed for different cow mature weights Mature weight 651kg
Animal Cost Maintenance feed
751kg Revenue
£11,771
Cost
Revenue
£21,655
Cull cow
£10,924
£13,144
Replacement growth
£10,620
Heifer carcase value
£15,834
£28,906
£18,278
£34,292
Steer carcase value
£24,522
£42,920
£29,296
£46,175
Bull carcase value
£5,465
£8,120
£6,602
£9,948
Total
£68,213
£90,872
£92,420
£103,561
Margin over feed*
£16,588
£22,658
£11,140
*Margin over feed is the net revenue when feed is the only cost that varies. In this model, all other costs remain the same
Steps to optimise mature cow weight 1. Where available, make use of selection indexes that have penalties applied to breeding female mature weight EBVs; this controls the increase in mature weight, associated with selection for early growth. 2. Weigh breeding females regularly and compare this to the weight of the calf they produce at weaning. Aim for a cow to produce 45% of her weight at weaning. Sign up for performance recording so that the data can be shared with Breedplan and used in genetic evaluation. 3. Don’t retain heifers from your biggest cows in the herd, mature weight is heritable. 4. Buy sires where it is possible to assess the size/weight of the breeding females, and gather more intelligence about the genetic merit of the males for growth, mature weight and other genetic merit estimates. 5. Communicate with commercial farmers to understand the needs in the context of breeding female mature weight, with an understanding that bigger is not always better.
The optimum mature weight for a beef breeding female is 680kg - 685kg: AbacusBio International
Suckler producer survey findings The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society commissioned an independent survey of commercial producers at suckler and breeding sales in major marts in England, Scotland and Wales. The survey was completed by 152 producers farming a total of 13,525 suckler cows Main findings • Mixed genetics; native, native cross, Continental cross • Majority bred own replacements • There was little difference in maternal trait selection priorities • Scottish commercial herds were significantly larger than those south of the Border • The majority of producers were targeting mature cow weight at 650kg or less Table 2: % producers by herd size targeting 650kg or less mature cow weight
England and Wales Scotland
Herd size (cows)
Target mature cow weight 650kg or less
average 78
79%
79 or more
86%
average 143
70%
144 or more
71%
Source: BSCS
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
BALLARD Beef Shorthorns
est. 1997
Stock Bulls – Oakleigh Kildale Lad by Chapleton Bonanza and Fearn Muir by Fearn Elmer
Our aim is to produce naturally reared heifers for the commercial farmer that thrive wherever they may go.
Thank you to all our purchasers in 2021. Look out for our annual draft of heifers at Carlisle by Kildale Lad and Knockenjig Harvester. Contact: Fraser Hugill, Throstle Nest, Sproxton, N Yorks
Bulls usually for sale privately
Tel: 07502425266 e-mail: fjhugill@yahoo.co.uk
@FraserHugill
SAC premium cattle health scheme – Johnes level 1 for 10 years, BVD accredited www.beefshorthorn.org
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Shout about the sire, if you know – show it AHDB breeding projects manager - cattle, Alex Brown
C
urrently only 30% of sires are registered on the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS). While breeders and producers aren’t obligated to record the sire on the database, by not
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
recording known sires, they are potentially missing out information which can add value at all stages of the supply chain such as Morrisons Shorthorn Beef Scheme. Recording sire details also potentially aids
better breeding decisions as well as building consumer trust through greater traceability. The pedigree beef sector currently leads the way in recording the sire on BCMS, and a steady increase in the percentage of sires recorded has been seen since 2012. However, there are still improvements to be made.
Within the industry there is a vast amount of data which could be harnessed to increase productivity and profits, using genetic evaluations if pedigree information for commercial cattle were available.
One example of how this has worked positively is the development of EBVs for carcase traits based on abattoir data. By combining performance records – known as phenotypic data – with pedigree information sourced from BCMS, AHDB has worked alongside EGENES to produce the National Beef Evaluations launched in November 2018, and the Dairy Carcase Index, launched in April 2018. Based on data from the August 2021 National Beef Evaluations, the level of BCMS sire recording within the Beef Shorthorn breed is currently 60.5%, which is really fantastic given the average level of recording. By working to increase the level of BCMS sire recording even further, we can increase the accuracy and scope of EBVs available from these sources of commercial data. Using these alongside existing EBVs from Breedplan should provide you with the opportunity to breed and purchase stock that best suits your system and market requirements, driving the whole cattle industry forward.
If you don’t know your sire, don’t worry Accurate sire recording is not always possible, for example when more than one bull is left to run with the herd, or mixed straws are used for insemination. Don’t be tempted to guess the sire for the purposes of BCMS recording, but if there are sire records on farm please input the data on BCMS when registering calves. If you need help to keep track of which bulls you are using on which cows, AHDB has developed a suckler breeding plan to help farmers record sires used on groups of animals. This plan can be viewed online and ordered in print at https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/suckler-breeding-planfor-better-returns.
What else could change with improved recording? The benefits of sire recording do not stop at an individual level. Even if you don’t directly use EBVs when making breeding decisions, you can still make a difference by recording known sires. More data means greater reliability of EBVs across more sires and thus genetic gains made by those routinely using EBVs will improve performance across the industry. Encouraging bull buyers to record known sires will also help improve levels of recording. Data from the National Beef Evaluations will provide an extra selling point for those selling bulls. Both your pedigree and commercial customers do want this information.
Greater communication between genetics providers, bull breeders and bull buyers is needed in order to create an environment where the display of genetic information is standard.
As part of AHDB’s ‘Shout About the Sire’ campaign, which launched in 2019, you can follow the conversation on social media using the hashtag
#ShoutAboutTheSire
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Feed Efficient
Docile
Stock Bulls
Ardnaskea Snowball
Knockenjig Nimrod
Stock Usually
Tom Mc Guigan 34 Mullanary Road, Middletown, Co Armagh Northern Ireland BT60 4HW
Visitors Welcome
For Sale
Tel: 02837568515/00447801063164
By Appointment
Email: cooperbeefshorthorns@yahoo.co.uk
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Easy Fleshing
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Show and Sales Etiquette By Tina Russell
BEFORE
THE JUDGE
Are you and your cattle ready for the show?
Your judge has been invited to attend by the show society and/ or the breed society, because their experience and opinion is valued and respected. When you enter the ring with your animal you are accepting that the judge’s decision is final. Never challenge your judge in the ring. You will only make a spectacle of yourself and embarrass everyone watching.
Once you receive your entry form from the show society, there are a few points to consider: 1. Make a note of the closing date. 2. In a Beef Shorthorn breed class, animals in the grading register will not be eligible. 3. Help your cattle prepare for the occasion, with plenty of training on the halter and encountering new experiences including nose snips. 4. Wash and trim your cattle, so they look their best. 5. Try your show halters on your cattle at home to ensure they fit, and cattle get used to chain under chin, if appropriate. 6. Have you ordered your Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society tie? 7. Use your show stick on your cattle at home before the show to achieve best results. Remember you are both in the ring together representing your herd, so make the effort to ensure that you too are looking your best for the task. Clean shirt and society tie done up smartly, white coat, smart trousers and appropriate clean foot wear, not trainers and only wellies if the weather is exceedingly wet. Try to avoid wearing sunglasses in the ring, whether competing or judging, as it helps to make eye contact with everyone in the ring. It is inappropriate to have your herd’s name or logo on any hats or white coats, this ensures a level playing field. It is important that you are familiar with the timetable for the day, and that you are not late for the start of the class. Someone will have a schedule of classes, if not the steward, then other competitors. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, we are a friendly bunch. It is poor showmanship if you keep the judge, stewards and other competitors waiting unnecessarily. Having said this, don’t panic, remain calm. The detail is in the preparation before you go into the ring that will ensure a smooth-running day. All show societies will have had to undertake a risk assessment for the show, and as part of this nose snips or bull rings in cattle should be used. So, make sure that you have pre-trained your animal to them before you arrive at the showground. The showring is your opportunity to display your cattle to other breeders and spectators around the ring and recognise the best animals. To help achieve this you need to work with your judge, steward and other competitors.
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You will have an opportunity to discuss their reasons when they walk down the lines after judging and at this point you may learn something new! Every day is a school day! Once the prizes have been awarded, judges may be asked to give their reasons over the loud speaker. Parading the cattle for all to see whilst the judge is commenting on them is wonderful sight and everyone can appreciate the judge’s point of view.
STEWARDS
OTHER COMPETITORS
Acknowledge your steward on entry to the ring, they are there to assist the judge and the smooth running of the class. They too are volunteers and undertake this role out of the goodness of their heart. Without their hard work, the shows would not be able to hold cattle classes.
You are all in this class together, so to help with its smooth running, assist your fellow competitor in front of you, if their animal won’t move. I prefer to ask them if they would like my help before tapping their beast on, just in case they don’t want my help. It’s all about teamwork, a ring full of Beef Shorthorn cattle is a wonderful sight for spectators, lets ensure we do our breed proud and put on a great show.
DURING
AFTER
Enter the ring and walk clockwise around the edge of the ring, leading from the left-hand side of your animal. Please remember the following whilst in the ring:
Once you have enjoyed a wonderful day in the judging ring, please remember that the public and other breeders are still assessing your cattle once they are back in the lines. Ensure your hard-working cattle have been watered, hayed, straw beds kept up together and your lines kept in tidy order.
Never • have your phone switched on • smoke • chew gum Focus on your beast, the judge, other competitors and stewards. Avoid having conversations with folk outside the ring. Tempting as it maybe, to start a conversation, just give them a nod of acknowledgement and catch up with them after the class has finished. There can only be one first place winner, and somebody will have to stand at the bottom end. Without all the participants in the ring you cannot achieve an outcome. It is usual for the judge to ask each competitor to walk towards them and then stand their animal up for them to have their individual inspection. They may ask you their age, or for females, if they are in calf. Never tell the judge who the animal is, how its bred or where it is from. Save this conversation until later, when judges walk up the lines to meet all the competitors and find out more about the cattle they have had put before them earlier. Once you have been presented with your rosette, no matter what colour, it is courteous to complete a lap of honour in the order of placings. It looks bad form if lower placed cattle leave the ring before the higher placed cattle, unless instructed to do so by a steward. Why would you not want another opportunity to parade your beast around the ring again for everyone to see, and consider the judges placings? It’s a no brainer! Remember, you are not only representing you herd, but also the breed society and you should feel very proud of this.
Shows all have Main Ring parades, and ask that competitors attend to put on a great display of British livestock for the public to see. Animals that receive rosettes, especially champions, first and seconds should attend. It looks very sad when there is only a smattering of cattle from one breed. So please support them and help promote our wonderful breed of cattle. Social media is a great way to show your cattle successes and promote breed entries, please do not make any negative remarks on cattle or judging. We all have good days and bad days in the showring. You must prepare yourself to do your best and win, but you can’t win them all. Take it on the chin, congratulate the winners, with a shake of the hand and look forward to another day. Good luck.
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Dunsyre Beef Shorthorns Celebrating 40 years of registrations in Coates Herd Book under the Meadshaw, Loch Awe and Dunsyre prefixes.
Winbrook Pamela 43rd dob 16/03/1978
Dunsyre Gigha 38th. 12/09/2020 n 1982 we registered our first heifers in Coates Herd Book under the Meadshaw prefix.The Meadowsweet, Heathermaid, Gigha,Vatersay, and Skjaklin families are all descended from progeny of fiveWinbrook cows bought from George Dent at Kirby Stephen.
Loch Awe Lily dob 20/11/1987
Dunsyre Leila 69th dob 23/04/2021 In 1984 we bought an unnamed Shorthorn cow in Longtown Mart. She turned out to be Sharplaw Diana Clipper who produced one heifer calf at our new home on Loch Awe-side.We christened her Loch Awe Leila.We have since registered 220 Leilas, Lilys and Violets, under the Loch Awe and Dunsyre prefixes, all descended from this one cow. We look forward to registering further descendants in the 200th volume of Coates Herd Book.
Balmyle Nightingale 10th dob 01/06/1984
Dunsyre Iona 41st dob 21/02/2021 In 1989 on moving to Dunsyre we bought 16 cows from Bill Bruce's Balmyle herd.These were added to the four we had bought three years previously and were the last cows brought into the herd. Our Magic,Venus Opal, Honeysuckle Opal, Iona, Nettle, Daisy Gretta, Foxglove and Rose Magic families are all descended from these foundation cows. Congratulations to Allan Jackson for his Championships with Dunsyre Horatio at the Highland and the Great Yorkshire Shows and to David Leggate for his Reserve Championship with Dunsyre Phineas at Stirling. Carey and Hilary Coombs,Weston Farm. Dunsyre. Lanark. ML11 8NG.Tel 07734 330087 careycoombs@gmail.com www.dunsyreshorthorns.co.uk 60
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
GLENARIFF PEDIGREE LIVESTOCK E S T. 1 9 8 7
PASSION + PEDIGREE + PERSEVERANCE = PERFECTION
M UIRESK N ORTHERN D ANCER
G LENISLA G HILLIE
Brought For 14,000gns at Stirling February 2021
3 sons forward for sale at Stirling 2022
G LENARIFF N EARCTIC
G LENARIFF N ATHANIEL
Sold at Stirling February 2021 for 9,000gns
Sold at Stirling February 2021 for 7,500gns
Nick and Annalain Barrett. “Glenariff” Avon Road, South Wootton, Nr Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE30 3LS Tel: 01553 672440 - E: njandambarrett@yahoo.co.uk Andrew & Danielle Barrett. “Millbrook” Gayton Road, Bawsey, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE32 1EP Tel: 01553 630337 - Mob: 07717 821891
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Bulls of the future and breeding the cow we need SRUC Consulting beef specialists, Robert Ramsay and Lesley Wylie
F
ertility is key to profitability in suckler enterprises. Focussing our efforts on breeding efficient cows which require less maintenance whilst providing us a with a live calf each year is major step towards developing a resilient beef herd that can withstand high input price pressures and crucially have a positive impact on the environment.
The bull you’ve bought this autumn will not have calves on the ground until 2022, at the earliest, and those calves won’t be slaughtered until 2023/24, heifers retained for breeding won’t calve down until 2024 at the earliest and the calves from those heifers won’t be slaughtered until 2025/26. 2030 doesn’t seem so far away when we look at it like that.
The UK government has set out a net zero target by 2050 with considerable reductions in emissions required to be achieved by 2030. Agriculture has an important role to play in meeting these targets and while 2030 still seems some way off, the bulls we’ve already purchased this autumn and those next spring will have a huge impact on our breeding herd and its efficiency over the next 10 years.
In beef systems, the main contributor to carbon emissions is the cow herself - 47%, with empty, non-productive cows being the main offenders as they continue to emit methane without contributing to beef production. However, there are many changes that can be implemented into our breeding decisions and management
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strategies that can reduce the carbon footprint of the beef herd, whilst also improving the profitability of the business.
Fertility By focusing on maternal traits when looking at a bull we can move to counteract some of these fertility problems. What we need to do is to make the existing cows / numbers more productive. The more live calves we can have on the ground the lower the emissions per kg of beef produced and the better the overall profitability of the beef enterprise.
EBVs worth considering when looking to improve fertility: •
Calving Ease EBV - less assistance required therefore less chance of calf loss at calving and associated problems with getting cows that have had bad calvings back in calf
•
Gestation length EBV – shorter gestation length usually results in a smaller calf and fewer calving difficulties
•
Age at first calving EBV – Calving heifers younger, two years instead of three years – if applicable to the breeds and system) will reduce the number of non-productive cattle held while also reducing feed and fertiliser requirements
•
Calving interval
•
Scrotal circumference – a larger size is linked to earlier puberty in heifers, allowing the potential for these heifers to calve down at two years of age, which can lead to a 4% potential reduction in emissions
Out with emissions and profitability, breeding for an easier calving cow will reduce stress at calving time and also help to deal with the ongoing challenge many farms have of finding good staff willing work with cattle who don’t want to have to sleep with the cows at calving time.
Temperament Temperament is another important trait to work on for cows of the future, again with many farmers working alone with cattle it is vital that they are docile. Research also shows that flighty cattle are often harder to finish and may often result in dark cutting meat once slaughtered due to high levels of stress hormones in their bodies, which reduces the value of the end product. Temperament is also a heritable trait, culling flighty cows out will have a positive and lasting impact.
Feed efficiency While there are a few breeds out there working on providing net feed efficiency figures that allow you to select animals that require less feed to achieve similar growth, it is an area that all breeds should
be looking at. With feed costs being around 70% of variable costs of a livestock enterprise, being able to select animals that can be more efficient at converting feed into liveweight will help to reduce feed costs as well as reducing emissions. With higher feed costs impacting farms this year and continued pressure on finding sustainable protein sources for cattle feed it is key that as an industry we make progress in selecting cattle that utilise feed best.
Cow size Mature cow size will also become more important as we move forward, small to medium sized cows are more than able to wean calves of 40% to 50% of bodyweight, and more whilst having a lower maintenance cost than larger cows. See p50, 51 for more information on optimising mature cow weight. Bull selection and breeding decisions that have been made in 2021 will not only have a large impact on where your herd is in terms of its carbon footprint come 2030 but on how resilient your herd will be to the challenging sector that beef continues to be.
JOIN THE PREMIUM CATTLE HEALTH SCHEME Disease Control for • • • • •
BVD, Johne’s Disease, IBR, Leptospirosis and Neospora Remove costly disease from your stock Provide health assurance for your customers Safeguard the health status of your herd CHeCS Bovine TB Herd Accreditation programme At the forefront of animal health. A leading scheme with nationwide coverage and competitive prices. fb.com/SRUCVets
@SRUCVets SRUC Veterinary Services Greycrook, St Boswells, Roxburghshire, TD6 0EQ T: 01835 822456 / E: pchs1@btconnect.com / www.cattlehealth.co.uk
SRUC is a charity registered in Scotland: SC003712
www.beefshorthorn.org
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H IGHLEE BEEF SHORTHORNS
Visitors always welcome
Coldrochie Leif calf
Highlee Precious Enya
Coldrochie Leif calf
Coldrochie Leif Calf
Contact us: Mark: 07768 211717 Tracy: 07880 790595 Home: 01422 822932 Email: tracysevern@aol.co.uk
Coldrochie Leif calf
Coldrochie Leif
SAC Members Johnes R1 Accredited for BVD, IBR & LEPTO 4 yr TB
Highlee Beef Shorthorns, Brick Green Farm, Scammonden Road, Barkisland, Halifax HX4 0DE.
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
LOAK FARM
Investing in the future of the Beef Shorthorn breed
O
ur aim is to provide the best young healthy stock possible. Using old, established and proven bloodlines and cutting edge fertility treatments, we’re seeing incredible consistency across our herd. Please feel free to call or drop in and visit us at Bankfoot,
LOAK FARM, BANKFOOT, PERTH, PH1 4EB Please contact Adrian on 07824 485677
Psalm 104:14 Email: ARobertson@kinly.com
INVESTING IN AI CHeCS ACCREDITED CATTLE FULL VACCINATING PROGRAMME
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Direct marketing and selling Shorthorn beef a few essential practical guidelines By Tim Riley Are you thinking about direct marketing your own Shorthorn beef? The following article considers what you may need to do and offers a few essential practical guidelines. The content is informed by some of our Beef Shorthorn herd owners who are already marketing their own beef and responding to a growing market for native breed beef with good provenance.
B
reeders who direct market their beef stand to improve returns on carcasses and so keep a greater part of the profit that would normally go to markets, buyers, meat processors and retail outlets. The additional return on a carcass can approximate from £500 up to £1,500 per carcass, however it does require investment in both time and resources. Here are some of the experiences of herds to help others that want to get a better profit margin against their cattle. 1, do your arithmetic on which cuts and how many can be produced from a carcass. A good proportion will inevitably end up as mince or burgers but essentially you are aiming for the sum of the parts to give a comparative improved return over selling the beast on the hoof. 2, be sure you have customers to sell to and don’t make assumptions that people showing interest is the same as people paying you. Internet selling can work - Facebook/Instagram/Website, but if you are only producing a small number
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of carcasses a year then demand can fall off as people expect goods to be sent to them when they press the purchase button. If the goods aren’t ready, customers lose confidence in you. A very common observation was that demand is high but meeting it can be difficult. 3, ensure you have hygienic handling and packing facilities. The same goes for transport if you are picking up carcasses and delivering meat. The Local Authorities, Food Standards Agency, and Food Standards Scotland will all advise on what is needed in term of compliance and legislative requirements. Some investment in the correct equipment may well be needed and this will be an additional cost against income. If you’ve read the above and are still excited to market direct, then the other decisions are down to you on what sort of meat do you intend selling and how does this fit with your broader agricultural enterprise? The most popular killing age is between 19 to 25 months dependent on how quickly an animal can reach the ideal finish
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
for your type of cattle, often between 350380kg deadweight. Grass fed systems may take longer with some animals going to 30 months. In calculating returns, remember that the size and the age of the animal, together with its condition and feeding regime will dictate its Killing Out % which will usually be between 50% and 55% of home weight. On the EUROP scale, aiming for R3-4/O+4 is popular. Different breeders use different approaches as regards heifer’s vs steers vs young bulls. All seem to work but killing age differs quite significantly; and some customers may be less keen on bulls. There is also a growing market for mature beef - cull cows at the end of their reproductive life. You may have seen the various
TV shows and on-trend restaurants that advertise Mature or Cow Beef. This imports a tradition in Northern Spain where dairy cows and cattle, including Oxen, native to Spain are killed for the human food chain at ages sometimes exceeding 10 years. If the cows are well fleshed and well finished the meat is usually well marbled with a good depth of flavour. Contrary to expectation the steaks are usually very tender and other less modern cuts and joints are also gaining popularity. This is not a volume market, but it is developing. At our farm, Stoney Royd we have done this to a limited extent with cull cows, and it maximizes return significantly but does necessitate cold room space for up 40 to 50 days. It is also difficult to go back to under 30 months beef, once tasted! Whatever, carcass type you market, the cutting specification and cold room space is important to achieve the product you want to sell and to optimize return. Abattoirs and big meat cutting facilities are, in general, not going to change their approach for a relatively small number of cattle. This means that either learning or securing the butchery skills is vital. Even local abattoirs and small butchers may show little interest in contract cutting and cold room maturing as they often only have limited cold room space with priority given to their own meat. In marketing and dispatching meat, packaging and transport must be planned. Most producers will vacuum pack but a trend from the artisanal pork industry is to use brown or white paper, as used to be the way in local butchers 40 years or so ago. Customers prefer this presentation, but it does require rapid and efficient delivery. Common feedback from producers was that courier companies can be a weak link in their plans for timely delivery. Losses
through product spoiling when it gets left on a truck in a depot over the weekend seems to be a widespread issue. This argues for a strategy to keep the food miles low and have a local delivery system. One meat producer near me is now employing a bicycle delivery company to do deliveries within a 10-mile radius to good effect. One alternative is freezing the meat and packing to minimize thaw and finding a reliable transporter but generally customers find frozen product less appealing. This article goes only a small fraction of the way toward guiding choices and offering ideas. It is intended to stimulate thinking about direct marketing and to encourage conversation between local breeders and with the Society on what could be done to help local breeders work together to minimize cost and to get great tasting Shorthorn beef on the menu. My grateful thanks to all the herds that responded to my request for information. Hopefully, this is the start of more dialogue on the topic. Any ideas for collaborative approaches, securing grants and or sharing ideas can be sent to me for publicising by the Society. Please email me stoneyroyd@ icloud.com or clive@beefshorthorn.org
The marketplace Beef Shorthorn beef has a great backstory giving it increased public credibility and this is now starting to drive the market again. Interestingly, the House of Lords noted in 1949 that Beef Shorthorns sold at auction had dropped from 4,002 in 1921 to 920 in 1948. In the late ‘80s it was below 100, but today, it has once again increased to around 400 and is on the rise. While Shorthorn beef is once again relevant to current market demand, there is a growing segment of the public worried by environmental destruction, climate change and perceived health risks of red meat and so have bought less and less meat. Beef consumption in the UK dropped by nearly 17% between 2008 to 2019. Those that eat beef are starting to eat less meat but choose better; they want to know more about where it came from, what the animal ate and how it was cared for. That market appears to also be willing to pay more for better quality. So, new opportunities are there for farms to get a better return on their native breed cattle, particularly if pasture fed.
www.beefshorthorn.org
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CHAPELTON Beef Shorthorn & Aberdeen Angus
Founded on Tradition, Focused on the Future... Emma, James and Duncan Biggar Tel: 01556 660205 Email: jwbiggar@gmail.com
James Biggar Mob: 07879 696 450 James Rea Mob: 07826 395 806
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Castle Douglas - Kirkcudbrightshire South West Scotland
SELECT YOUR CUTS
NATIVE 100
FAMILY TO FAMILY
Our beef is dry aged & prepared in-house, by our multi award winning butcher Alan Elliott.
We farm traditionally using only 100% native breeds and the naturally rich grass of Northern Ireland.
We’ve teamed up with other local farming families who share our values & approach to producing great food.
Kathryn & Elaine Shaw T : 07765 272120
E : orders@glebefarmandco.com
Get in touch with us to find out what cuts and beef boxes are available
www.glebefarmandco.com www.beefshorthorn.org
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society
Photographic Competition
2022
The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society is preparing to celebrate Coates’s Herd Book’s bicentenary during 2022 and is looking for help to chronicle that period through images captured by its members and friends.
A monthly photographic competition entitled ‘members and their cattle’ will aim to capture potentially iconic moments through the year as well as great pictures of photogenic Beef Shorthorn. A shortlist will be drawn up of the best pictures each month with a view to ultimately producing a 2023 calendar showing the very best of Beef Shorthorns and their owners. Entries for each month are invited and should be submitted by the 7th of the following month.
Top tips for taking quality photographs Whether you are planning to enter our competition or take photos of your cattle for sale, here’s a few suggestions on how to take a great picture on any devise – camera, mobile phone or tablet. Think about the composition of your photo. Lighting, backgrounds, and the stance of your animal can all make a huge difference to your final picture. The shot’s background is just as important as the eye of the viewer should be drawn to the animal and not be distracted by the background.
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Do • Take several photos, and experiment with different angles and, if possible, backgrounds so you have plenty to select from once you start to download.
• Indoor - make sure the pen is clean illustrating good care is taken of the animal.
• Ensure good lighting. Make the most of daylight, photos during the day are most likely to be well lit. Indoor ensure the shot is well lit, but not showing the flare of a flash.
• Be aware of what the animal is doing i.e. it is not distracted and standing four-square. Shots with animals head up and ears forward are always popular.
• Keep the sun behind you. Photos into the sun can ‘white-out’ an image. Also consider where shadow falls.
• Try to ensure the animals stance is good with front legs square.
• Consider your animals’ best feature and position the angle of the shot to best reflect this. Take photos from the same level as your animal, frame centrally and ensure the animal is not too distant. • Make sure the animal is clean and well presented.
• Outdoor - do not take photos of an animal stood in a muddy environment.
• Ensure background features are subtle, neutral, and clean e.g. a whitewashed wall or a hedgerow. • Change your angle so fence poles do not look as if they are growing out of the head of an animal. • Use contrast to your advantage – a white animal against a light background blends in making the profile less dramatic.
Do not • Use zoom as images may appear grainy on a larger screen. It is best to crop an image later to ensure the animal is in the centre of the frame. • Use camera flash. To avoid red eye, where possible, move an animal into a well-lit area if indoors. • Avoid fences or objects in front of an animal like a wire fence or trough blocking the view of parts of the animal.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
• Be aware of what other animals in the background may be up to, a mating bull may detract from what the photograph is trying to show. • Avoid health and safety misdemeanors, e.g. an upturned fork lying in the centre of a yard. • Do not feature people in the background. • Do not feature vehicles or signage in the background.
Terms and Conditions 1. Open to anyone that creates photos featuring Beef Shorthorn cattle and their owners. The photo must be in its original state and cannot be altered in any way. 2. All photos should be sent directly to a Society employee marked Photo Competition by the 7th of the following month. Email submissions should be sent to clive@beefshorthorn.org or ellie@beefshorthorn.org 3. All entrants must provide the following details: name; address; email address and phone number when submitting their entry. 4. Junior applicants, under 16 years, must provide parental permission when submitting their entry. 5. All photos must be submitted by the photographer or with written permission from the photographer. 6. All entrants acknowledge and consent that any photos entered in the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society’s bicentenary photo
competition may be used by the Society for the purposes of promoting the Beef Shorthorn breed, including but not exclusively publication on the Society website and social media channels as well as the production of a calendar. The intellectual property will remain with the photographer. Images will not be shared with any third party without consent and agreement with the photographer. 7. An independent judge will shortlist the submitted entries each month. 8. The shortlisted entries will then be forwarded to compile a Beef Shorthorn Calendar 2023. 9. Each entrant may submit a maximum of two photos per month. 10. All entries will be judged on the quality and content of the photograph.
Marketing your cattle - presenting the correct image Remember it’s the photos that form an instant impression in any buyer’s mind. A good photo will illustrate elements such as a positive stance, good colouring and animal welfare.
covered in mud, in dirty bedding or with a rusting tractor with flat tyres in the background you may be inclined to form a negative opinion, despite the animal being of good stock on paper.
A poor photograph can change a buyer’s perception. For instance, if you were to view a photo of livestock
For any listing on the Society’s online sales platform, the most important selling point is a photograph that
portrays the Beef Shorthorn breed in a positive manner. Please note the Society will only use photographs that it feels are a true and accurate portrayal of the animal and have not been adjusted or enhanced in any way.
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Mullaglass
BEEF SHORTHORNS
MULLAGLASS MARGO NOW EX91
MULLAGLASS LADY ANNETTA 8TH. BEST HEIFER CALF IN 2021 NI HERDS COMPETITION
NEW STOCK BULL LISNAMANNY LUCKY (BY WYVIS)
M LUCY 7TH VG87 (2ND CALVER) BULL CALF BY WYVIS
THANKS TO ALL WHO CAME TO OUR OPEN DAY, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO TRAVELLED A FAIR DISTANCE
Overall winner NI Herds Competition 2019, Runner Up 2018. AFBI Health Scheme herd Richard Henning: 10 Jockey’s Brae, Newry, Co Down, NI BT35 6NU Follow us on Facebook: Mullaglass Shorthorn
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Tel: 07730762905 | Email: richard.henning@lakeland.ie
W K I O T H O R Rookwith Marvellous 20,000gns Stirling ‘20
Rookwith stock bull Castlemount Junior
Stock enquiries welcome Rookwith Hilda N392 Northern club ‘Rising Stars’ Champion ‘19 Northern Club herd competition champion herd 2018 and 2020 Rookwith Marvellous RHS Jnr and Reserve Male Champion ‘19 And joint top price Bull @ Stirling bull sale ‘20 Page Farms Partnership Rookwith House, Rookwith, Ripon, N Yorks HG4 4AY Tel: Ed Page 07740 027214 Email: edwardpage@pagefarms.co.uk Martin Grayshon 07599 823105
www.beefshorthorn.org
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From field to fork…
Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme Nominal membership fee 30p/kg premium over the average weekly market price for all cattle within the following spec •
• • • •
Sired by an approved registered Beef Shorthorn bull and out of a beef bred cow Slaughter age up to 30 months 280-380kg R or O+ 4L - 4H
Northern Ireland’s Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme has grown since its launch in 2008 to a current 70 members producing an annual 1,200 to 1,400 Beef Shorthorn sired finished cattle. Libby Clarke chatted to two of the group’s members and then went on to meet with Hannan Meat’s owner and ambassador for Beef Shorthorn cattle in Ireland, Peter Hannan.
All cattle must be Farm Quality Assured. The Scheme rigidly sticks to the above criteria in order to offer customers the best eating quality and texture. All cattle are selected on farm by the Scheme’s coordinator, Bryan Wilson.
Beef Shorthorn, the undisputed breed
W
hen it comes to Beef Shorthorn, County Antrim suckler producer Robert Patton firmly believes that no other breed can deliver the profit margins that he is achieving when finishing stock through the Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme. Robert and his son, 14-year-old Thomas, with the help of Colin Davies, run approximately 65 cows and 140 ewes on their Ballycarry based farm which ranges from level land on the sea front, right back to hill. The suckler enterprise has evolved over the years, with most of the cows now having a significant Beef Shorthorn influence. These are then crossed with a fleshy type of Beef Shorthorn bull to produce the type of calves that will ultimately fit the specification they require.
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Robert Patton
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
“We aim for our females to be quiet, of medium size, with good deep bodies, plenty of milk, and wide pelvis. This type of cow suits our ground which can be heavy in places. We then select a bull that will marry up with them well, and continue the soft, easy fleshing theme that we are looking for. The goal is to have the calves reared and ready for killing under 20 months at over 350kg,” explains Robert. Calving takes place within an eight-week period from the 20 March, and runs in tandem with the lambing which also must meet this timeframe. Robert also runs a successful business, Old Mill Saddlery, which is located on the farm holding. This equestrian retail outlet has grown from strength to strength since it was established in 1985, and while the farm is an important part of the overall jigsaw, time efficiency is key. Robert believes the rigid time frame for calving is essential for his overall game plan of having all the spring born calves finished before Christmas the following year. Any cows that calve outside this are sold as outfits off the farm.
All the cattle are finished through the highly successful Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme and are inspected prior to slaughter by the Scheme’s coordinator, Bryan Wilson to ensure the high level of quality is maintained. Robert is averaging dead weights between 350-380kg, and receives a bonus payment of 30p/kg.
“The figures have to stack up for us, and the beauty of the Beef Shorthorn is that they are a low input breed that are easily managed and highly productive. The 30p/ kg bonus payment is the icing on the cake for us. We also sell a number of breeding heifers each year which are snapped up,” Robert adds.
The Shorthorn cross cow put to the Shorthorn bull is a tried and tested formula, however Robert had considered changing his farming set up several years ago and had opted for a Continental bull. While this produced smart calves, the numbers simply did not add up without premium payments from a finishing scheme.
The future of the breed in this commercial herd looks set to continue as it is the key component to its overall success when coupled with the well-established Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme.
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Beef Shorthorn influence improves overall herd profitability
A
visit to the NI Beef Shorthorn National Show at Glenarm Castle some 10 years ago was a turning point for County Down beef farmer, Barry Fitzsimons. Having always been drawn to the breed, he became aware of the Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme that day and the potential benefits that it could offer local beef finishers. The seed was sown, and within a short space of time Barry had secured his first Beef Shorthorn stock bull to run with his 45-cow suckler herd. Bawnforth Farm is nestled within the rolling countryside between Dromara and Ballynahinch and is approximately 400 feet above sea level. It extends to 150 acres, divided into two holdings. Barry, a retired stockbroker, farms in partnership with his wife Frances, son Craig, and with the help of grandson,11-year-old Tom.
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Over the years the Fitzsimons have always fitted their beef and sheep farming enterprise around full-time employment off the farm, so it has been essential for the cow and calf enterprise to be easy managed. A key component is temperament, especially as the farms involve moving stock on a public road. The introduction of Beef Shorthorn to the herd’s breeding programme has significantly improved the temperament of the cows and their calves, an element that has not gone unnoticed, says Barry. “We no longer dread walking the cattle between farms as the docility of the Beef Shorthorn shines through. This is also evident at calving time when the females are quiet and a pleasure to work with.” The cows are calved in March and April, with a view to keep calving pattern as tight as possible. With the Shorthorn influence enhancing fertility in the breeding herd this is easily achieved. Calves
remain on their mothers until January, and are creep fed which ensures a seamless separation at weaning. Most of the heifer calves are retained to assist with increasing the overall herd size using homebred Beef Shorthorn replacements. A strong relationship has built up over the years with Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme’s coordinator, Bryan Wilson who calls out with the Fitzsimons to select cattle for slaughter through the Glenarm brand. All steers reared on the farm are finished through the scheme and must fit the required specification. Barry explains: “We pay a nominal membership fee annually to be part of the Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme, however the benefits we reap as finishers are substantial. In comparison to similar steers not killed through Glenarm, we can see added value to the tune of £131 per head. If you put that across a wagon load of cattle, the extra payment soon adds up.” The easy fleshing of the Beef Shorthorn blended with Shorthorn cross Simmental or Shorthorn cross Limousin cows is also pleasing the Fitzsimons. “In addition to the benefits of selling finished cattle through the scheme, we are also delighted that our stock is ready for slaughter much sooner in comparison to breeds we have used previously which were ready just under 30 months. The most recent Beef Shorthorn steers killed ranged from 19 to 24 months of age, so there is a massive saving in terms of finishing costs.”
Barry Fitzsimons with his son, Craig and grandson, Tom
The Beef Shorthorn influence is certainly a major factor in improving the overall profitability at Bawnforth. In just 10 years, the Fitzsimons have enjoyed watching their suckler herd improve, and in recent times received a number of awards in the NI Beef Shorthorn Club’s commercial herds competition.
Looking ahead, the plan is to continue to manage their farm system as they do now. When the cow herd is at maximum capacity once again Barry and his son, Craig hope to establish regular clients for surplus in calf commercial heifers.
Shorthorn bulls really have proven to live up to their reputation as the great improver when used on our continental cross cows
A selection of Bawnforth Farms Shorthorn sired cows
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Award winning Glenarm Shorthorn Beef - delivering the best
H
annan Meats has just celebrated 30 years in business however, its story began many years before this when owner and Beef Shorthorn ambassador, Peter Hannan was just a lad, growing up on the family farm in County Kildare. At an early age, it was clear to be seen that Peter was going to be a force of nature when it came to business, learning his trade both in rural Ireland and further afield in America. With an eye for quality meat and armed with the knowledge of how to not just provide the very best cuts, but how to cure them to ensure the texture and eating quality was in a league of its own, the recipe for success was firmly sealed. When you first meet Peter Hannan, you are instantly at ease, with a warm welcome and charm to match you can’t help but feel that you have known him for
Shorthorn ambassador Peter Hannan MBE
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years. However, he takes little credit for his success, following his recent honour of receiving an MBE from Her Majesty The Queen.
Peter quipped: “While this is a humbling personal recognition of my role in Hannan Meats and contributions to the wider food industry, I see it as a recognition of the very many people who have supported and encouraged me over the years, it really has been a team effort. Surround yourself with good people, and they’ll make you look great. Thank you sincerely to those who endure and surround me.” For those of us who have followed Peter’s journey over the decades there can only be admiration as he continues to progress and grow Hannan Meats to shine as the multi award winning business that it is today.
Peter’s search for the ultimate beef produce to present to his customers led to the alliance with Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme which was established to promote Beef Shorthorn sired beef. Glenarm Estate’s farm manager, Bryan Wilson was confident that cattle finished to an exacting standard would be worthy of a premium branding, and the processing talents at Hannan Meats were the perfect partnership. The guidelines set up by the scheme ensure that stock put forward for killing meet the criteria and are inspected on-farm by Bryan Wilson before they can be accepted for slaughter. This in turn results in uniformity of quality, as well as the benefit of all participating herds having to be members of the farm quality assurance scheme. The Glenarm Beef then is aged for up to 45 days by Hannans in their legendary Himalayan Salt Chamber, which enhances and locks in the flavour of this superior beef. The result is beef worthy of any table in the land, with demand farreaching right across the UK and Ireland. Hannan Meats is the sole supplier of London’s top-end department store Fortnum and Mason, where only the best will do, as well as countless leading restaurants right across the country. The reason that they reach out to Peter Hannan is that they feel that their customers deserve the best, and Peter can deliver, without compromise. The success story of the Hannan Meats and Glenarm Beef partnership was strengthened by the numerous awards their beef has won,
including in 2016 the supreme champion in the Great Taste Awards secured with their Glenarm Shorthorn 4 rib roast, and Best Speciality Food for NI. Make no mistake, these awards are only presented to the very best there is, and with 10,000 entries to rise to the top is quite an achievement. In conversation Peter acknowledges the very important role farmers locally have to play and would encourage those producing Beef Shorthorn sired cattle to consider the Glenarm Shorthorn Beef Scheme. “Northern Ireland farms produce fantastic, naturally grass-fed cattle with farming practices being excellent. This all ties in with the very ethos that we consider essential in our beef. We like to know where our beef has come from, and in turn the provenance can be passed onto our customers in terms of knowing that they really are being served up the best there is.” For those whose taste buds are watering at the thought of a succulent salt aged sirloin steak, the good news is that you are able to purchase these, and the full range of tantalising meat products served up by Hannan Meats at their butcher’s shop in Moira. They also run a click and collect or delivery service which includes the popular range of meat hampers. For those of you who haven’t made the trip to Hannans at Moira, I can highly recommend it, and if you’re lucky you might just get to meet the very charming Peter Hannan! www.beefshorthorn.org
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BREEDING FOR THE FUTURE: THE NEXT 200 YEARS WORLD SHORTHORN CONFERENCE
T
he 200th anniversary of Coates’s Herd Book will see the UK hosting the World Shorthorn Conference in July 2022.
The 14-day itinerary with an optional three-day Scottish tour, is offering an extensive farm study tour of both Beef Shorthorn and Dairy Shorthorn herds and a visit to the Great Yorkshire Show. The schedule will also feature Breeding for the Future, a one day congress focusing on the next
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200 years and how they can evolve based on data collection. This event will be inclusive to all within the UK livestock industry, and topics will include progression and use of data capture, genomics, environmental developments and the next generation. We look forward to welcoming delegates from around the globe in what is scheduled to be a highly informative, memorable and future forwardthinking event.
Proposed Itinerary Days 1 - 14 Thurs 7 Jul: Overnight Windsor Arrival London, meet, greet and transfer to Windsor; welcome drinks reception and buffet Fri 8 Jul: Overnight Cardiff Visits to: Stanford Park beef herd, lunch and classification workshop Charles Horton’s Hannington beef herd, evening BBQ Sat 9 Jul: Overnight Chester Visit to: Messrs Thomas’s Drisgol dairy herd, Pembrokeshire, lunch
Fri 15 Jul: Overnight Durham Full day Conference, Lumley Castle Hotel OPTION: visit Durham City Medieval banquet dinner, Lumley Castle Hotel Sat 16 Jul: Overnight Durham Visits to: Beamish Heritage Museum World Council meeting / country reports Page Farms Partnership, beef herd, evening refreshments Sun 17 Jul: Overnight Gretna Visits to: Alnwick Castle and Gardens James Playfair Hannay’s Tofts beef herd Youth Show Presentation, lunch
Sun 10 Jul: Overnight Chester Farm visit to be confirmed Lunch, free time to explore Chester historic city Mon 11 Jul: Overnight Harrogate Visits to: Cogent Breeding Ltd, Chester Chatsworth House, gardens and estate tour Tues 12 Jul: Overnight Harrogate Full day visit to the Great Yorkshire Show; beef judging day and Shorthorn celebration parade Wed 13 Jul: Overnight Harrogate OPTION: Great Yorkshire Show; interbreed judging OR Harrogate or York, free time to explore Celebration evening dinner, Showground.
Mon 18 Jul: Overnight Gretna Visits to: James Robinson’s Strickley dairy farm, lunch included Barwood beef herd (Morrisons, Paul Coates), evening BBQ Tues19 Jul: Overnight Gretna Visits to: John Thomson’s Shawhill beef herd, lunch Hetland Hall Hotel Messrs Biggar’s Chapelton beef herd Final tour dinner, Gretna Wed, 20 Jul: Depart to Glasgow Airport
Thurs 14 Jul: Overnight Durham Full day visit to the Great Yorkshire Show; dairy judging
Scottish Post Tour Option Days 14 - 17 Wed 20 Jul: Overnight Perth Visit to: Carey Coombs Dunsyre beef herd
Fri 22 Jul: Overnight Inverness Visit to: Fearn Farm beef herd
Thurs 21 Jul: Overnight Perth Visits to: Major Gibb’s Glenisla beef herd Glenrinnes beef herd
Sat 23 Jul: Depart to Inverness Airport
PLEASE NOTE: Arrangements are subject to change To register your interest please email carolyne@fieldfarmtours.co.uk or visit the World Conference website https://worldshorthornconference2022.co.uk www.beefshorthorn.org
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Beef Shorthorn, expanding its presence in Wales We travelled to Ceredigion to meet Keith Jones who is amongst a growing number of Welsh commercial producers who are swapping their Continental cross suckler herds for Beef Shorthorn.
“F
or us it’s all about low input farming, making the most from grazed grass and forage, keeping things simple and developing a system for the future, explains Keith Jones who has found in Beef Shorthorn the perfect fit for a modern function suckler cow. “So much so, we are currently in the process of building a purebred Beef Shorthorn herd at the expense of our Continental crosses, and we’re about half way there,” he says. Why the turn around? “For starters, the cows and heifers have a lot more milk and I firmly believe if you have the milk, then you can work on the rest with a terminal sire. However, if you have no milk, then you have no calf. Milk is more important than shape. “Next, Beef Shorthorns have a great temperament, they’re a lot quieter, so easy to handle which is increasingly important to us as we get older,” says Keith who manages the Talgarreg, Llandysul based unit with his partner, Helen. “Furthermore, compared to the Continental cross cows, they eat noticeably less; they thrive on pure forage diets and an annual mineral bolus and they’re fertile; more than 75% of the herd is calving within the first cycle, and the remainder within a six-week period which coincides with lambing; we prefer it that way, flat out.
33 pedigree Beef Shorthorn cows, heifers and replacements 14 Continental cross cows 300 breeding ewes and followers, Continental cross and native mix 77ha grassland, all in bye
Keith Jones
360kg, introduce forage and minimal supplementary feed and sell through the ring two to four months later at an average 490kg invariably to repeat buyers. They’re achieving prices that match if not exceeding their Continental cross counterparts. In the last two to three years, we’ve seen an increasing demand for Beef Shorthorn sired calves in the marketplace; trade partly driven by Morrisons Shorthorn Beef Scheme, and partly by finishers becoming more and more aware they finish well and actually weigh more than they appear to.”
“Cows and heifers consistently calve close to their scheduled date and whilst relatively easy to calve, we don’t have to worry about the calves, they’re up and sucking within minutes, and their dams look after them.
Turn the clock back over 10 years ago and Keith used to buy in replacement Continental cross cows with calves at foot. “They were getting more and more expensive to source, they didn’t have enough milk and we were having to give the calves supplementary feed. The entire herd was put to a Continental sire and the calf crop kept for up to 20 months.
“We’re also pleased with these calves which grow well on pure milk and grass diets. We wean at 10 months at an average
“Initially we swapped the Continental bull for a Beef Shorthorn to grade up the herd, however as our confidence grew in the
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Fact FILE
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native breed, we decided to go pure and retain selected heifers for replacement purposes and build our Cetris herd,” he explains. “My selection priorities are zero Myostatin, positive calving ease EBV, followed by one that looks modern to the eye, square and with length.” Homebred replacements have been supplemented with purchases, and heifers from Glenisla, Plynlimon and Sandwick are amongst Keith’s latest investments in 2021. “I would prefer to invest in livestock than machinery and equipment, simply because they have the potential to bring monetary returns, and eventually we plan to sell added value breeding stock.” The native breed’s benefits extend beyond the Talgarreg farm gate. “We’ve met so many interesting new people who farm Beef Shorthorns, we’ve learnt a lot about the breed and different ways of farming, and we’ve picked up the odd new tip - we’re never too old to learn,” he says adding: “I believe you have to enjoy your work, and we certainly do.”
Stock for sale annually. Pedigree Beef Shorthorn & Beef Shorthorn X Highland. Steers and breeding heifers available.
Plynlimon cattle are reared on land above 1,000ft. We breed for ease of management, in particular ease of calving and a degree of internal and external fat cover to assist in adverse weather conditions.
Three generations of the Wheat family
Pedigree or cro
someth e v a h e ss w
ing to suit.
Enquiries welcome to: Christopher Evans, Llerneuaddau, Ponterwyd, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 3AG tel: 01544 327223 | email: cpe@ladyarbourcourt.co.uk Manager: Rheinallt Jones | tel: 01970 890480 Pedigree herd fully accredited. Classification scheme herd average 90 Follow the herd on Facebook at Plynlimon Highlands and Beef Shorthorn cattle
www.beefshorthorn.org
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THE LANGHAM HERD A&C FARMS, HOME OF QUALITY SHORTHORNS ET Langhams Nebraska. 20 Mths
ET Langhams Nevada buffalo. 30 Mths
2019 born sibling by ET - Sire is Australian trait leader Yamburgan Tobermorey Calving Ease DIR +3.5, Calving ease DTRS +6.5, 600 Day weight +71, Eye Muscle +6.8 Exceptional figures backed by performance with terrific growth rates and maternal traits. Their Dam Candy’s Ambrosia, is from a female line of exceptional reliability, we are excited at their potential and look forward to presenting stock from such a sound background.
Weights at 20 months – Nebraska 948kg, Nevada Buffalo 934kg CURRENT STOCK BULLS - Podehole Lionheart - Fearn Morangie - Langhams Kansas Star - Langhams Maximus (ET son of Crooked Post Stockman)
2021 Calves
VISITORS ALWAYS WELCOME - PLEASE CONTACT LANGHAM LODGE RUTLAND www.acfarms.co.uk
FARMS
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PERFORMANCE RECORDED BVD ACCREDITED JOHNES LEVEL RISK 1
CONTACT: Andre Vrona or Jo Rodger acfarms@hotmail.co.uk 07860240930 / 07801709415
ADVERT2015-yellowcircles-OUTLINED.indd Beef Shorthorn Cattle2 Society
Journal 2022
18/01/2015 17:37
www.beefshorthorn.org
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RE GENER AT IVE SYSTEM S
Beef Shorthorn fitting future regenerative systems Regenerative grazing systems are a relative new concept to livestock farmers, however they are finding they’re able to build greater resilience to fluctuations in weather patterns and market prices by working more closely with nature and reducing interventions. The system involves higher-intensity, short grazing periods with long resting times
in-between, using a system of paddocks. It keeps the sward height high and encourages regrowth and development of plant and root systems, which also improves soil microbiology and function. This type of management helps to improve soil condition, biodiversity and livestock health, and maintain steadier financial
margins against the backdrop of reduced support payments and increasing input costs. We explore two systems successfully farming Beef Shorthorn yet operating in contrasting regions - a mixed lowland unit in the Home Counties and a hard hill Lake District farm.
Farming for profit and sustainability
T
he Cherry family is farming a regenerative system for the future, one that is profitable and sustainable. “We’ve developed a simple regime with livestock which requires relatively little management input,” explains John Cherry who farms with his brother Paul and nephew, Alexander. “We are focused on making the cows do all the work, and we’ve found that our Beef Shorthorn have proved they can be integrated in to a profitable enterprise, they are able to deliver and make money. “They’re great natural grazers, they have that essential quiet temperament and the nice thing is they tend to look after themselves and go on to achieve above average performance.”
Beef Shorthorn herd KPIs • 92% calves reared per cows put to the bull • 90% calve in spring within the first six weeks • 100% within the first two months. • Calves weaned at 10 months having achieved an average 0.95kg DLG • Replacement heifers selected according to their dam’s performance, size, and temperament • Introduced to the bull at 13 to 14 months; average 370kg to calve at 24 months • Mature weight average 670kg The Cherry’s quest for a functional suckler cow led them to invest in Beef Shorthorn in 2001. “We used to buy in black Hereford crosses, however BSE put a stop to that; we moved on to Continental crosses yet they proved to be not the best mothers. We wanted to breed better replacements, so next up was introducing a Beef Shorthorn
Fact FILE Darnalls Hall Farm, Baldock, Herts 810ha arable 200ha permanent pasture and woods 130 cow commercial Beef Shorthorn suckler herd Variable soil type: chalky boulder clay
John Cherry
Yearlings, cull cows and calves mob graze the herbal leys 88
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bull, we found the genetics seemed to fit and since then the herd has become progressively pure. We are introducing two hybrid Hereford/Angus bulls this year to try and keep the cow size down and bring in some hybrid vigour. “Compared with our previous Continental cows, Beef Shorthorn make for very good mothers; they’re real fighters. They just don’t give up. Each cow will make a big effort to look after her calf and enable it to suck if necessary. We get involved in perhaps one in 30 calvings, however the vast majority will calve on their own providing we get body condition score
right and that is encouraged by our winter management regime which enables the cows to stay lean until calving commences in March. We’ve noticed the later calvers do best, so in 2021 we are delayed introducing the bull until the beginning of July.” He adds: “We farm on the fringes of a village which is surrounded by frequently used public footpaths.
Mob grazing: the strategy was introduced 10 years ago to permanent pasture and short-term herbal leys on the arable land from March through to December, the length of winter being dependant on the weather. Two main mobs are run in the grazing season. • Main mob, of about 220 animals consists of bulling heifers, cow and their calves. • Second mob is made up of about a 100 yearlings and cull cows and their calves. • A further, smaller mob of older animals close to finishing is run nearer to farm buildings, to ease drafting off fit animals. The main mob is grazed predominantly on permanent pastures, whilst the yearlings get the herbal leys. They are all kept in small areas and moved every day onto the next parcel. The size of each cell depends, of course, on the amount of grass in it. In the spring, before grass growth really gets going, the big mob may get 2.0ha or more every day, in June that would shrink to 0.5ha, the young ones will be in even smaller cells. Our objective is to balance the needs of the animals with the best interest of the plants that feed them and the soil below. The forage is allowed to grow tall, which makes best use of how grasses want to grow. This also encourages the grass-roots to probe deeper into the soil, making better use of available water and nutrients and as a result, no fertiliser is needed. Likewise, no herbicide is used as the mob eats everything in its path, so docks and thistles never get a hold or get swamped out by tall grass. The aim is to get the cattle to eat a third, trample a third and leave a third of what is in front of them. The third, or normally at least a half which they consume is the most nourishing segment, the stuff they trample makes a protective mulch over the soil to keep the temperature perfect for grass growth and the remaining green stuff acts as solar panels to recharge the system ready to grow back before the herd returns. The plan is to give each cell between 60 and 90 days rest between grazings. The Beef Shorthorn love this system and make excellent use of
Beef Shorthorn have a benign temperament, as well as a good forage conversion ability, which not only makes for ease of management, but also safety.”
Bulling heifers, cows and calves mob grazing permanent pasture
the poorer permanent pasture, the young ones thrive on the herbal leys. These are undersown in a spring cereal crop and comprise 19 or so species of grasses, clovers, vetches and trefoils and other broadleaves such as chicory, parsley and yarrow. Not every species survives, but enough do to provide everything the young animal needs. Because they are run on a similar 60+ day circuit, wormers are not required and we don’t provide minerals - the deep rooting herbs appear to provide all that the growing animal requires. The ley will normally be kept for four years, then the land is returned to arable for a few years of cropping. Moving the mob doesn’t take long - five or 10 minutes to roll out the electric cable for a new cell; the size required is calculated by judging how well they’ve consumed the last one, a couple of minutes watching the animals troop past as the electric fence is reeled in and a few minutes to roll up the empty cell fence or create a corridor to the water tank. It’s much easier to observe the herd when it moves, compared to finding set-stocked animals who may be dotted about all over the parish. Any animals with problems such as lameness are easily spotted. Apart from being an efficient method of grazing, mob grazing is all about improving the ecosystem and in turn, grass quality. When we set stocked, heavy rain water used to rush off the land, whereas mob grazing has enabled a mat of grass and subsoil life to develop and the water is now absorbed. Poaching on heavier land has also been reduced. Grazing fresh grass has also eliminated the parasite burden, together with use of wormers. The herd is overwintered once the ground gets too wet, normally around Christmas time, in open air corals bedded with woodchip and straw and fed homegrown permanent pasture silage, straw and any failed cereal or weed silage. The bedding produces an annual 1,500 tonnes FYM which is composted and spread on arable land. Add the natural fertility which the grazing herd is leaving behind and N, P or K is no longer applied to the grazing swards, which make a significant contribution to our low cost, effective system. John Cherry
www.beefshorthorn.org
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RE GENER AT IVE SYSTEM S
Traditional Beef Shorthorns are helping a Lake District farming couple unlock the potential on their upland farm, as Sarah Alderton found out when she visited.
B
eef Shorthorn cattle are central to the regenerative and future-proofed approach to farming which Sam and Claire Beaumont are adopting on their upland farm surrounding the shores of Lake Ullswater in Cumbria. After taking on Gowbarrow Hall Farm from Claire’s family in 2017, they set about replacing the 240 Swaledale ewe flock, which returned an annual meagre £600 profit, with a herd of traditional Beef Shorthorn cows, a breed that would have once grazed the Lakeland fells. The couple knew if they wanted to make a profitable and sustainable living from the upland farm without any farm support payments, the farming method had to consider the entire ecosystem. This led to them adopting a hybrid of rewilding and regenerative agriculture with Beef Shorthorn cattle central to the process. Starting with just four Beef Shorthorns in 2017 bought from Longtown Market and chosen because they are hardy, maternal and can grow well, the herd now totals 51 head with 17 cows, 25 followers and nine finishing stock. “We also chose Beef Shorthorn as they are a breed that is native to the area. We know that back in the 1930s there was a herd of Shorthorns on the farm,” says Claire. Any animals not retained for breeding are sold at around 29 months at 650-700kg and 330-360kg target deadweight; all cattle are Pasture for Life certified 100% grass-fed and sold via a local Kendal butcher or through their own meat box scheme. The cows are the primary source of income on the 156ha farm. Working with regenerative agriculture expert Caroline Grindrod, of Wilderculture CIC the couple have designed a farm system that consists of two main blocks.
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The herd outwintering on deferred grazing at Gowbarrow
…and a few weeks later
Spring summer block
Winter block
• Mob (regenerative) grazing 42ha lower meadows from April/ May when calving commences
• 82ha block deferred grazing including woodland where store cattle and dry cows outwintered
• Entire herd, grazed as one mob except the breeding bull and a steer
• Grazed from December weaning to April/May
• Youngstock also mob grazed on these meadows throughout the winter after December weaning
• Ground left ungrazed for the entire summer by cattle and four Kune Kune pigs
• Solar energiser powers electric fencing powered separating paddocks in to 1-2ha
• It is hoped, in time, this area will revert to wood pasture
• Cows are moved every one to three days, depending on time of year and grass growth • Each paddock left to rest for 45 to 120 days; rest day lengths increase later in summer to over 90 days • Water provided via a mobile water trough, gravity fed through a network of pipes
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
The average stocking rate is 0.4LU/ha, with the herd still growing. Stocking rates are set to increase to 0.6LU/ha in a few years; 17 cows were bulled in 2021, with six heifers to add to the herd in 2022. The couple are slowly building the herd by breeding their own replacements, but admit they don’t know how far they will grow since what they are doing is
unpractised. Claire says: “We don’t know the farm’s capacity, however we want it to have a complete ecosystem, and the cows are an important part of that. We don’t want to push it too far,” she says.
Fact FILE 156ha permanent grassland, all classed as either severely disadvantaged area (SDA) or SDA moorland. This includes 32ha moss fell, 82ha rough grazing and wood pasture and 42ha meadows
Breeding aims Sam explains: “We are currently refining the herd by removing some of the larger cows weighing more than 600kg and focusing on breeding a smaller and more traditional Beef Shorthorn cow that has shorter legs and a deeper body which helps them to digest fibre better. We would prefer to have 30 small cows on the farm than 20 big cows. Butchers don’t want animals with long legs, the bones are just trade waste.
Sam and Claire Beaumont with Ike
All in mid-tier stewardship. Currently applying for higher tier stewardship and undertaking feasibility studies for this
“This system is better for our farm as it enables us to have a higher stocking rate and is more conducive to outwintering as the lighter the cattle, the less chance of poaching. Our ideal cow weighs between 500-600kg,” he adds. The herd’s fertility is excellent, with all cows calving in a five-week block at the end of April. All cows were in calf within their first two cycles. The bull, however, is left with the cows for three cycles from mid-July. As a result, they had no returns to service this year and only one cow didn’t get in calf.
Mob grazing the spring summer paddocks
Sam says: “We think the bull covers the cows a lot better as he serves the cows in a paddock and doesn’t have to run as far.”
Farm outputs The Beaumonts aim for the farm to be a profitable and sustainable business, which is something they are already achieving. Cattle are finished entirely off pasture, with the only bought in product on the farm being some mineral seaweed, which is offered in the winter to offset an iodine deficiency. “The last bullock we killed was 29 months old, weighed 700kg liveweight, and killed out at 360kg deadweight. Finishing cattle are averaging between 1.2kg to1.5kg a day off grass alone. Some hay is offered in the winter, but we are not buying in any concentrates or using any fertiliser,” Sam explains. By managing the cattle in this way, the couple returns a gross income of about £2,500 for each animal processed for beef, returning a net profit of up to £1,600. “Aside from the Basic Payment Scheme and environmental schemes, we are looking at the beef enterprise as a standalone business. Already we are making a lot more money than the sheep were and returning a living from the land. “Beef Shorthorn fits this system well as the mothers are milky, fertile, grow well and are natural foragers meaning they make the most of this upland farm. They are also long-lived, with the average cow age in our herd being between six and seven years,” he says. Sam says vet and med costs have also decreased since mob grazing as they are no longer having to worm adult cattle due to the grass being cleaner following more extended rest periods. All stock is still treated for fluke in the autumn as it is a challenge. However, the couple is already looking to minimise fluke by introducing poultry to eat the fluke intermediary host, the mud snail.
Farm extends to 1,400ft above sea level Closed herd of 51 Beef Shorthorn cattle; breeding for traditional smaller cows with a 500600kg mature weight Four Kune Kune pigs and four Fell ponies Farm split into two blocks - summer and winter grazing. All cattle grazed as one mob in the summer, with stores and cows grazed in the winter block from December and youngstock on the lower ground 100% cows calving in first two cycles in a five-week block Average cow age six to seven years.
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Neospora Neospora was one of one of those hot topic health issues for discussion during our 2021-member forum meetings. Here, Gerard te Lintelo MRCVS explains the parasite-based disease’s life cycle, what to look out for, testing, treatment and prevention. Whilst testing remains optional, he reminds that annual testing of all female breeding animals as per the CHeCS scheme should be routine; herds require three consecutive clear annual herd screens to obtain risk level 1 status.
Introduction Neosporosis was first discovered in cows with abortions in the UK in 1987. This disease is nowadays recognized as a major cause of reproductive problems and abortion in cows and it can have a significant economic impact. Neosporosis is caused by Neospora caninum (N. caninum), a tiny parasitic single-cell protozoal organism about half the size of a red blood cell that can invade and live inside animal cells.
Transmission N. caninum has a unique life cycle (fig.1). Cows are intermediate hosts and dogs, and other canines like wolves, are the definitive hosts. A definitive host is an animal which harbours the adult parasite and where the parasite reproduces sexually and sheds eggs. An intermediate host is an animal which harbours the larval stage(s) or the asexual forms of the parasite. N. caninum is spread either vertically from one generation to the next generation within one species (cow to calf) or horizontally from one host to the other - dog to cow or cow to dog. Vertical transmission is considered to be the principle route of N. caninum infection in cattle and this vertical transmission maintains the infection within a herd.
Horizontal transmission from definitive host to cows This occurs mainly when a cow becomes infected from eating dog faeces through contaminated feed and water supplies. After infection N. caninum will spread from the cow’s digestive system to other tissues in the cow. This can then cause 94
Fig. 1 Neospora life cycle
acute infection - abortion, or N. caninum can change into a dormant state by hiding in tissues. The incidence of horizontal transmission in cows is generally low. However, an abortion storm can be seen when multiple animals within a herd have been exposed to the same contaminated feed and or water. Dogs usually acquire N. caninum by eating infected placentae, foetuses or dead calves.
often seen when seropositive animals can be traced through maternal family lines within a herd. The probability of a seropositive dam producing a calf that is seropositive prior to consumption of colostrum is around 95%. Note that these antibody-positive calves can appear clinically normal at birth.
Vertical transmission in cows
N. caninum can cause encephalomyelitis inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, in calves infected during pregnancy. This can have the following consequences; early embryonic death, abortion, stillbirth or birth of a feeble abnormal calf or birth of a normal calf with no obvious effect of N. caninum infection. The following scenarios can be seen on farms.
The main route of infection in cattle is trans-placental from dam to calf and the same cow can pass the infection on to multiple offspring. N. caninum infection is thought to be maintained by vertical infection on most farms. This is practically
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Clinical manifestations
Diagnostics tests There are two situations where diagnostic testing for N. caninum is indicated.
Aborted foetus
Infection of a naïve nonpregnant cow If a naïve - not previously infected, cow is not pregnant when infected horizontally, the infection usually produces no clinical signs, but seroconversion - becoming antibody positive, occurs. This can lead to persistent infection with N. caninum within tissue cysts in the brain and spinal cord of a cow. However, infection of calves in subsequent pregnancies is less likely to occur when a non-pregnant naïve animal has been infected via the horizontal route compared to cows first infected during pregnancy.
Infection of a naïve pregnant cow If a naïve cow is pregnant and in early pregnancy (two to three months) when horizontally infected, the infection may lead to early embryonic death due to suspected uterine-placental inflammation. If a naïve cow is pregnant and in mid-pregnancy (three to seven months) when infected, the infection may lead to either abortion or birth of a weak, abnormal calf, depending on the month of gestation. At this stage of gestation, the foetus has an immature immune system and is unable to fully fight off the infection with subsequent
invasion of the placenta and calf. This leads to extensive tissue damage and the abortion of an autolysed foetus or a weak abnormal calf that is born with neurological symptoms and low weight at birth. If the naïve cow is in late pregnancy when infected, the infection leads to the birth of a weak or normal calf that is seropositive for N. caninum. During this stage of pregnancy, the immune system of the foetus is more mature than that of a younger foetus and it is therefore more able to control the infection, leading to limited or no clinical signs in the new-born calf.
Infection in persistently infected cows Cows can become persistently infected after horizontal transmission or after vertical transmission as a calf. During pregnancy, the N. caninum larval stages which were lying dormant become reactivated and will cause similar symptoms as mentioned above; early pregnancy embryonic death, middle pregnancy abortion or birth of a weak or brain damaged live calf and late pregnancy a seropositive weak or brain damaged calf or a normal calf. It is a very important feature of the epidemiology of this disease that apparently healthy calves can be born to apparently healthy, but infected dams.
•
testing is indicated in individual clinical cases of abortion, general fertility problems and weak or dead born calves where N. caninum might play a roll. Practically this entails histopathology and PCR testing on the foetus and placenta. Blood samples for antibody testing should be taken from the dam.
•
screening for N. caninum on herd level (including health schemes) via anti-body testing. All individual antibody results for N. caninum should, however, be interpreted with caution because the immune system is not static and antibody levels fluctuate as this parasite forms cysts that wall themselves off from the host’s immune system. A single serum sample from an individual cow may not reflect her infection status accurately, particularly on farms without a history of N. caninum abortions.
Treatment and prevention There is no treatment for N. Caninum infection in cattle. Infected cows and all their offspring should not be retained as breeding animals. Remember that >90% of infected cows will pass infection on to their calves and that some infected cows can sometimes test negative. Prevention of exposure of cows to feed and water potentially contaminated with faeces from dogs, including farm dogs, that may contain N. caninum eggs is the main measure farmers can take to prevent horizontal transmission from dog to cows. Farm dogs should not have access to potentially N. caninum infected placentae, dead foetuses or dead calves to prevent horizontal transmission from cows to dogs. A Neospora-infected animal is of no direct risk to the rest of the herd - there is no horizontal transmission of infection occurs between cows, but as mentioned above, infected material, if eaten by the definitive or intermediate hosts can pose a risk. It is important to remember that Neospora eggs can survive in the environment for many months. www.beefshorthorn.org
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CHeCS TB Entry Level Membership: is it for me? TB testing for many farmers is a tense time with a break down costing on average £18,600, writes SRUC Veterinary Services; Helen Carty BVM&S, Cert AVP (Cattle), MRCVS. The stress surrounding such an event is unquantifiable. As many aspects of farming are out with our control, it is vital to manage those factors that we can control. CHeCS TB Entry Level Membership is about taking control and is therefore most definitely for everyone.
Vets are ideally placed to advise on biosecurity and infectious disease control. A specific training programme, devised by BCVA, is now available to vets to bring them up to speed on minimising risk of TB from both cattle and wildlife. Once vets have completed their training and become BCVA Accredited TB Advisers (BATVA), they can engage with their farmers to design farm specific action plans to reduce risk of TB incursion, re-infection or persistence. These biosecurity measures do not need to cost the earth, and each year can be reviewed and improved. Perhaps in time, herds will choose to move to the full Accreditation Programme, however this is not necessary. Although TB is under statutory control, it is important to remember that testing and culling alone is not enough to control this disease. Farmers also need to implement controls to minimise the risks that other cattle and wildlife pose. CHeCS TB Entry Level Membership framework allows farmers to work with their vet to identify their preferred option for control of each of the six key risk factors.
CHeCS TB Entry Level Membership: how to sign up Figure 1 explains the process but first off, speak to your vet. There will be vet fees for desiging the farm specific action plan, but this should be considered an investment in your herd’s biosecurity. The CHeCS-licensed health schemes will provide the necessary forms and charge approximately £10-£40 annually, depending on whether your herd is already testing for other diseases through CHeCS. For more information visit www.checs.co.uk/diseases/bovine-tb/ Figure 1: CHeCS TB Entry Level Membership, how it works Farmer discusses with vet and decides to join
Farmer looks for participating health scheme on the www.checs.co.uk and gets in contact
Form is signed off by farmer and vet, and returned to health scheme to retain on file
Health scheme sends back CHeCS TB Entry Level Membership form
Farmer and vet discuss requirements and identify preferred options in each Risk Factor
1. Minimise TB risk from purchased cattle, eg only buy in cattle from lower-risk herds 2. Minimise TB risk from cattle in other herds, eg never graze cattle on contiguous grazing at the same time as a neighbour’s cattle
Vet undertakes BATVA training through BCVA to be able to sign off CHeCS TB Entry Level Membership
3. Minimise TB risk from your own animals, eg cull inconclusive reactors 4. Minimise the spread of TB through muck or slurry, eg no imported slurry or muck to be used on cattle grazing land 5. Reduce TB risk from badgers, eg monitor for badger activity with cameras or mapping 6. Have a TB test failure contingency plan, eg have a plan for youngstock to leave the farm
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Helen Carty
• SRUC Veterinary Services run the Premium Cattle Health Scheme (PCHS), one of the largest CHeCS Licensed Schemes serving pedigree and commercial, beef and dairy herds. For further information visit www.cattlehealth.co.uk 01835 822456 pchs1@btconnect.com
Repeat annually
C
HeCS launched its TB Herd Accreditation Programme in 2016 as the gold standard for TB control. The biosecurity measures necessary to participate in this programme may not be suitable for all cattle farmers and this is where the TB Entry Level Membership comes in. It is accessible for all cattle farmers and encourages collaboration with your vet, to make improvements where you can.
Herd BVD, IBR and Lepto Accredited, Johnes Risk Level 1 since 2010, TB 4yr testing
Charles, Sally and Harry Horrell Pode Hole Farm, Thorney, Peterborough PE6 0QH m: 07860 541160 | e: podeholefarm@gmail.com | www.facebook.com/podeholefarm Stockman: Roy McDonald | m: 07961 085672 www.beefshorthorn.org
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Beef Shorthorn, an efficient modern functional suckler working in its native north east Peter Turnbull says he feels as well placed as any suckler producer managing transition to the new support system thanks to a decade of experience successfully farming purebred Beef Shorthorns in a Countryside Stewardship agreement.
“W
Peter Turnbull and his niece, Neve Hodgson who works part time on the farm
e’ve learned about reducing inputs and stocking at very low rates to match the scheme’s Higher-Level requirements, yet we’re farming cost effectively and producing hardy, healthy cattle from the top of the North Yorkshire moors at an average 750 feet,” he explains. “Our Beef Shorthorn have proved to be modern, functional suckler, they’re natural, easy fleshing cattle, thriving on pure forage diets in a very marginal system.” The main portion of the herd is grazed at approximately 1LU/2.5ha in species rich woodland which also provides an environment for nesting wading birds. “We would out winter the herd if practical, however this unit is extremely exposed to biting easterly winds and the risk of poaching makes it impractical for us to feed supplementary forage, so we house on pure forage diets for approximately 16 weeks until straight after calving in April. Same applies to the heifers, we don’t feed any creep, we like to naturally grow them on to calve at three years. “Furthermore, we’re breeding a moderate 650-700kg cow - she’s more active, eats less and minimises poaching enabling us to keep the herd out longer whilst leaving more grass for the sheep to tidy up,” comments Peter from his home base at West House Farm, Kildale. Herd fertility is reflected in the fact 90% calves within the first three weeks, and virtually the entire herd with the next cycle. “We like to calve and lamb at the same time whilst we’re around all the time, however we’ve found our Beef Shorthorns to be easy calving and they’re good mothers with
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plenty of milk, traits that set native breeds apart from the rest.” Peter swapped a Continental cross suckler herd producing stores for Beef Shorthorn back in 2010 investing in genetics from Endeavour, Glengoy and Upsall. Blelack Masterpiece stamped his hallmark on the Oakleigh herd. “We used to buy in Continental cross cows with calves at foot when we needed to, however we found we were buying in health issues. Furthermore, we’d had the odd incident with our Continental cows and with labour being scarce, we wanted something with a better temperament. “When we took on a Forestry Commission unit tenancy and entered the 10-year Countryside Stewardship Higher Level agreement it provided a new opportunity. We decided to stock a native breed to meet with its requirements. We looked at them all and eventually decided Beef Shorthorns had the most going. These cows were quiet, had the polled factor, and the breed had the added interest of being the most native to this region yet it had evolved to be a modern functional suckler. “The breed’s strict health status was also very appealing and to establish a purebred
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Fact FILE 30 Beef Shorthorn cows and in calf heifers 12 Beef Shorthorn heifer replacements / for sale 1,300 ewes and 350 ewe lambs 1,500ha moorland over two farms 240ha in bye grassland over three farms Blackface and Swaledale run on the moor, drafts and Mules on bye. Blackface and Bluefaced Leicester tups sold for breeding purposes.
herd provided the opportunity for closing it down.” Oakleigh joined up a CHeCS health scheme in 2013 and has since achieved elite health status, being accredited free from BVD, IBR and Lepto and Johne’s Level I. “Having decided Beef Shorthorn should fit our ground, that’s proved to be the case, and it doesn’t stop there.” The breed’s impact at West House Farm is having a ripple effect in the region, he says. “There’s a real growing demand here for Beef Shorthorn. Whilst we’ve traded heifers to a top of 6,500gns in Carlisle and I like to continue to support the marts, we’ve sold several bulls to suckler producers farming within a 20-mile radius of the farmgate. They too are seeking to introduce more milk, easier calving, reduced mature cow size and better temperament to their Continental cross herds since they’ve less labour on farm and they don’t want to buy a bull in the mart that’s been presented as overfed. I’m finding they return within two or three years to buy some heifers,” he says adding: “I’m confident that trend will continue as we rapidly head towards full introduction of the new payment system. I believe we have in Beef Shorthorn a modern functional suckler suited to the future.”
Wenmar Beef Shorthorns This year we have selected the following six donor cows to support the society’s celebrations during 2022
Beef Shorthorn embryos from Canadian, American and Australian genetics available right here in the UK.
HC Red Nan 38G
Shadybrook All Perfect 5E
HC Perfect Maid 27G
HC Leading Lassie 5G
HC Sparkle Delight 20B
HC Ladie Margie 26G
The embryo sires selected for this celebration year include Muridale Thermal Energy 15A, HC Bluebook 22B, Crooked Post Curfew 8F, Fraser’s 3N DR. Pepper 132D and Saskvalley Pioneer 126P. Full details of specific pairings for the celebration year and all of our embryo stocks in the UK can be found on our website.
• Purchasing embryos from us at Wenmar Beef Shorthorns allows you to become our genetic partners. We are offering support packages to our customers every step of the way, from initial selection guidance, recipient guidance, through to support with documentation when registering your ET calf.
• All of our donor cows are jointly owned in a partnership agreement with a long standing friend. The cows reside on a farm in Western Canada and go to residential centres for embryo collection.
• All of our imported embryos will be guaranteed to have with them the appropriate documentation, and all calves will be eligible for registration in the UK Beef Shorthorn Society herd book.
As your genetic partner we guarantee support every step of the way throughout this journey.
For a full listing of all of our cattle, embryos and semen available please visit our website:
www.wenmarbeefshorthorns.com Wenmar Beef Shorthorns
For a friendly chat and further details contact Martyn Moore.
Wenmar Beef Shorthorns, Warren Farm, Lulsley, Knightwick, Worcestershire, WR6 5QT.
Mobile: 07767 608012 Email: martyncmoore@manx.net
www.beefshorthorn.org
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‘Northern Lights’ Annual Production Sale Friday 21st January 2022
Johne’s Level 1 & Neospora Tested www.fearnfarm.com E: admin@fearnfarm.com M: 07770 863506 | T: 01862 832205 102
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Fearn Farm @FearnFarm fearn_farm
The Mill at Fearn Farm is a flexible, new purpose built holiday house with two properties. The Wee End sleeps 4 and The Mill End sleeps 10, with an internal door you can join the properties up as one big spacious house. Fully equipped kitchens •Wood burning stoves • Super king zip lock beds • Luxurious linen and towels • WiFi • BBQ outdoor eating & relaxing areas 10% discount for Beef Shorthorn Society members For availability and to book go to www.fearnfarm.com/holidays Enquiries: fiona@fearnfarm.com 01862 832522 • 07801675970 Fearn Farm, Tain, Ross-shire IV20 1TL The Mill at Fearn Farm
themillatfearnfarm
www.beefshorthorn.org
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#NEXTGEN
Our future UK agriculture is embracing some significant transitions as the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is phased out, and more focus is placed on the environment. Sarah Alderton speaks to five next-generation beef producers at the start of their farming journey to find out how they feel about the future, what got them into farming and their love of the Beef Shorthorn.
How did you get into farming? Farming is in my blood. My grandparent’s farmed dairy, beef and sheep in Staffordshire and delivered animal feed. I was also a member of Young Farmers. Twelve years ago, when I was 21/22, I decided to set up my herd. A great opportunity arose when 18ha and a shed came up for sale, so I bought it. I started with two foundation females; one was from Mark Holmes of the Holmeere herd and the other female was from Chelford Market from Mrs Robson of the Lynthorpe herd. I also purchased some commercial cattle.
#NEXTGEN Emma Trueman Roundhill herd, Staffs/Derbys border • 30 pedigree females and 50 head run across approximately 40ha • Works full time as veterinary practice manager at Moorland Veterinary Centre, Staffs • Increased the herd through embryo transfer, flushing and AI
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Why Beef Shorthorn? I wanted a docile breed since I would be working with the stock on my own and since joined by my partner, Dave and brother Andrew; they are always on hand to help out. The breed can also thrive on low inputs, and they are hardy, which was needed since the ground I own near Flash on the Staffordshire/ Derbyshire border is 1,500ft above sea level. It’s like winter in the summer. How many cattle do you have? My entire herd is now Beef Shorthorn and I have about 50 head, with 30 breeding females. I also rent another 20ha. One of my foundation cows, the Lynthorpe cow, has been flushed and I have done a lot of embryo work and AI. She had excellent maternal traits and everything she has produced I liked. I have retained a lot of females, which has allowed me to build up the herd. What do you enjoy most about having cows? It’s like having a second family. I get a lot of enjoyment seeing something go on and do well. I do a bit of showing and have been to the UK Championships at the Great Yorkshire Show a few times. This year I took a first with a yearling heifer. Locally, I have won a few interbreeds.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
How did you get into farming? I grew up on Fearn Farm, the family unit which today consists of 4,000 breeding ewes - mainly Aberfield cross, 100 purebred Beef Shorthorn cows, 60 Luing, and some arable. We also contract farm 50 Luing and buy-in steers to finish for a beef box scheme. Farming has always been in my blood and I plan to come home to the family farm when I finish studying at SRUC, Edinburgh. However, in the next 10 years, I would also like to go travelling to Australia and New Zealand. I would like to see the different farming techniques they use and look for new ideas to bring back to Fearn Farm.
#NEXTGEN James Scott Fearn herd, Inverness • Second-year student studying HND Agriculture at SRUC, Edinburgh
How do you feel about the future of UK agriculture? There’s a massive opportunity for young people in the industry to do their own thing. At Fearn Farm, I think we are in a good position to ride the ups and downs due to the diversity of stock we have, the type of stock and our holiday let diversification. Eating quality is also important and is something we are aware of. I think this will only become more important in the future. What do you enjoy most about farming? I get great satisfaction from seeing quality stock on the farm. We have worked hard over the years to build up a good herd. We are now selling pedigree stock through an online platform called Your Bid. We used it for the first time in Covid; it was developed by the Giddings farming family in New Zealand. It opens up your herd to a wider audience.
How did you get into farming? My route came when I got a job at a hunt kennel where I did various jobs, such as running the fallen stock scheme. I then got a job in 2916 with Sarah Wilkins of the Rumsden herd, which was where I was first introduced to Beef Shorthorns and instantly fell in love with them. Sarah ended up dispersing her herd, and that’s when we decided to establish our own herd. We ended up with a lot of her cattle. What is your aim for the herd?
#NEXTGEN Tori Henderson Sharpsbridge herd, East Sussex • 12 breeding females, four in-calf heifers and followers • Established herd in 2019, with partner Andrew Pagett • Renting 20ha from the Sutton Hall Estate, Lewes
We are currently tightening the calving patterns and injecting some different genetics into the herd. We have received some help from Charles and Sally Horrell, who have lent us a couple of bulls to use on our cows as we don’t own a bull. We aim to continue improving the herd by injecting new genetics. The cows have got to make us money for us to spend money. We have recently sold a couple of bulls locally and finished a few through the market. There is a strong market for Beef Shorthorn bulls from local dairy farmers. Our aim long term is to focus on selling females through Society sales. I would also like to get back into showing as I did a lot with Sarah, but then Covid shut that down. In the future, I hope to promote the breed and our herd through local shows and the UK Championships at the Great Yorkshire Show. I would also like to increase the herd to 20 breeding females. How do you feel about the future in farming? It’s quite a worrying time for farmers. However, people need to eat, and I think we are breeding a cow that is fit for the future due to its low input needs. I see there always being a market for the Beef Shorthorn.
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How did you get into farming? I grew up in Yorkshire where my mum was a nurse and my dad a social worker. We lived in a small rural village and I used to help out on the local farm from about the age of 10. I loved working on a farm and knew it was what I wanted to do. I went to Askham Bryan College and, after finishing was a machinery contractor for a few years; that’s when I missed the livestock side and decided to move to Aberdeenshire. What does your daily job involve?
#NEXTGEN Jon Adamson Aberdeenshire • Self-employed working on two Aberdeenshire-based traditional mixed farms • Owns eight Beef Shorthorn breeding cows • 12ha rented
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I am self-employed and work for two local farmers with the stock and doing the tractor and fieldwork. I have also established my own herd of Beef Shorthorns. I have 20 animals but am limited with shed space and don’t own any land, just the 12ha I rent. I struck lucky when I started my herd seven years ago as I managed to secure a Canadian embryo cow, Elsies Jade and her daughter. I am also a retained fireman. Like farming, no day is the same. It mostly fits in around my farming work. Why the Beef Shorthorn? Where I grew up, the Beef Shorthorn was a popular breed. They suit the low input, grass-based system, are easy to work with and not crazy money. What are your plans for the future? Land availability is the biggest constraint and I can’t realistically grow the herd. However, I have bought a heifer for my daughter as she loves farming. It’s a white heifer, so it stands out. I also plan to continually improve herd genetics. I have already sold some stock through H&H online at the start of Covid and locally.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
How did you get into farming? I grew up on the family farm where we had a small herd of pedigree Charolais cows and a small flock of Charollais sheep. My father, Ian, is the stockman at the Uppermill herd, one of Beef Shorthorn’s oldest herds. I used to help him on the farm, and I knew from about the age of 12 I wanted my office to be out in the field.
#NEXTGEN James Rea Chapelton herd, Dumfries and Galloway • Stockman at Chapelton • Previous student at Uppermill herd, Northern Ireland • Studied Agriculture at Greenmount College
When I was 12, we had the Uppermill show team at the Northern Ireland Beef Shorthorn Club Show at Glenarm, which the late Donald Biggar judged. Donald placed me first and my younger brother, David second in the young handler’s section. My father said to me then, ‘you never know, you may go and work for the Chapelton herd one day’. How did you get to work at the Chapelton herd? After finishing Agriculture at Greenmount College, I saw the stockman’s job advertised. I feel very fortunate to be now working at Chapelton; I do enjoy working there. They are so professional. What does your day-to-day job involve? I’m managing the cattle - checking stock, feeding, preparing stock for sale, basically any cattle work. I also help on their commercial farms too. What do you love most about your job? I like the calving and seeing the calf progress through the different stages. But, most of all, I love the showing and selling as you show off everything you have worked for, for a couple of years. It’s an excellent way to help advertise the Chapelton stock. What are your future plans? I want to strive to be the best stockman I can be. I want to stay with the Chapelton herd and, perhaps, even set up my own herd in the future. The Beef Shorthorn is such a lovely breed to work with.
www.beefshorthorn.org
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F UPOR CO SA M LE IN IN G O SA U LE R
S
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
AR
RICKETSTOWN SHORTHORNS
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Heathermaid
All Ireland champion cow & overall female champion 2021 @ our National show
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Ricketstown Phantasy Rose
All Ireland champion calf 2021 @ our National show (she is a feature lot in our sale 2022)
anniversary
sale
autumn 2022
Kelly Family Ricketstown, Rathvilly, Carlow, R93x2c2 Contact Martin +353879821117 Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates ricketstownshorthorns
Naturally reared at over 1,500ft above sea level since 2011
We usually have stock, semen and embryos for sale and visitors are always welcome Member of SAC Premium Cattle Health Scheme.
Contact Emma on 07800 803029 or email roundhill11@gmail.com Roundhill Beef Shorthorns, Roundhill Farm, Quarnford, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 0TB
Sharpsbridge
Beef Shorthorns
Accredited for BVD, IBR, Johnes Risk level one.
Stock usually for sale and visitors always welcome! Mr. Andrew Pagett and Victoria Henderson Ivy Cottage, Sharpsbridge Lane, Piltdown, East Sussex TN22 3XG
Contact: Andrew: 07929094937 Tori: 07879334662 Email: tori_henderson@msn.com
www.beefshorthorn.org
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SHOWS
Royal Highland 2021
Royal Highland Showcase 2021
T
he supreme title went to the senior bull, Dunsyre Horatio, a 2014 born Langalbuinoch Barney son from Allan Jackson, Headlind Partners, Kirkfield Bank, Lanarkshire.
“Horatio genuinely caught my eye,” commented judge, John JUDGE McCulloch. “He was a very John McCulloch correct bull for his age, with Castle Douglas, Dumfries plenty of size, power and breed and Galloway characteristics. My reserve champion, Headlind Holly Nutmeg was a stylish heifer with tremendous potential for the future and exactly the kind of female I would look for in the breed. On the day, it was however the power and correctness of the senior bull which determined my decision. “I would like to thank the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society and the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland for inviting me to judge at this event and giving me this amazing opportunity! Although this was far from a normal year, the quality of stock was outstanding and a credit to all exhibitors.”
Champion, Dunsyre Horatio
Results Overall champion Dunsyre Horatio
Headlind Partners
Class 1: Junior female born on or after 20 Jun 2019 1st Headlind Rosette Nelly Headlind Partners 2nd Barnaigh Lovely Xquisite Headlind Partners Class 2: Senior female born on or before 19 Jun 2019 1st Headlind Holly Nutmeg Headlind Partners 2nd Balnabroich Nellie Balnabroich Farm Class 3: Senior bull born on or before 19 Jun 2019 1st Dunsyre Horatio Headlind Partners
RattRay Beef ShorthornS Herd est. 2016
Cairnsmore Maradona
Current stock sires Hildaland Hercules Galla Knight Cairnsmore Maradona BVD accredited Fully Organic from April 2021
Junior sires Galla Negotiator Willingham Nautilus (7000gns Feb 2021)
Rattray Papa Smurf, 3rd prize 2020 born bull ,SBSC 2021 herd competition. Will be forward at Stirling Bull Sales February 2022.
Commercial and Pedigree Organic Stock for sale. More info give us a call.
Farm Managers Ann and Calum Clark T: 01346 532874 m: 07480853187 rattray.estate@hotmail.com Rattray Estates Limited registered in Scotland under no 101814
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Balmoral 2021
SHOWS
The Balmoral 2021
T
JUDGE Caroline Ivinson Penrith, Cumbria
he Royal Ulster Agricultural Society attracted an outstanding turn out of quality, well presented Beef Shorthorns to its Balmoral Show on Wednesday 22 September, and while entries were down on previous years, judge, Caroline Ivinson commented they didn’t disappoint.
Champion, Cherryvalley Pearl
“The female classes were exceptional and certainly showcased the Beef Shorthorn breed’s strength and depth of maternal characteristics in all animals forward. The senior cow class was something special, though this quality of female line up made my judging a hard task with all cattle worthy of being placed.
Reserve champion, Glebefarm Duchess Molly M606
“I found my overall champion with Cherryvalley Pearl from Cherryvalley Farms. This two-year-old roan heifer by Creaga Malibu and out of Fearn Monique K1494 showed real strength of breed character, depth of body and beefiness, while still feminine with style and presence when she entered the ring.
Class 612: Heifer, born in 2019 1st Dr Peter Fitzgerald
“My reserve champion again came from the female entries with Glebefarm Duchess Molly M606 exhibited by Alfie Shaw, she was a 2018 first calved heifer by Fearn Jumpstart and out of a Glenisla Duchess dam. Molly showed real depth of breed characteristics and femininity and great mothering ability.
Class 614: Bull, born on or before 31 Dec 2019 1st Alfie and James Shaw Millerston Jamboree
“My junior champion was found in Magherone Lizzy Primrose exhibited by Chris Clarke. Primrose was a 13-month-old dark roan heifer by Fearn Godfather, again another female showing lots of breed character. Reserve junior champion came from Alfie Shaw with Glebefarm Jackie Picture Perfect who had only just turned a year old and had the makings of a great future breeding cow. My final task was to pick the teams - not one of my favourite tasks, but the three groups selected all then went onto achieve reserve championships in the groups of two, three and five, so well done to all the exhibitors. “Finally, I’d like to thank Balmoral Show – RUAS, the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, the exhibitors and ring stewards for allowing me the honour to judge the show, looking after me on the day and making me most welcome.” Results Class 610: Cow or heifer born in 2018 in calf or with calf at foot. 1st Alfie and James Shaw Glebefarm Duchess Molly M606 2nd Graham Duncan Cherryvalley Kirsten Oasis Class 611: Cow, born on or before 31 Dec 2017 in calf or with calf at foot 1st Dr Peter Fitzgerald Fearn Hopscotch Monique 2nd Alfie and James Shaw Bushypark Cherry 4th 3rd Dr Peter Fitzgerald Fearn Monique K1494
Cherryvalley Pearl
Class 613: Heifer, born on or after 1 Jan 2020 1st Chris Clarke Magherone Lizzy Primrose 2nd Alfie and James Shaw Glebefarm Jackie Picture Perfect
Class 615: Bull, born on or after 1Jan 2020 1st David Alexander Craigfaddock Praetorian Class 616: Pair of animals, bona fide the property of one exhibitor Glebefarm Duchess Molly and Millerston 1st Alfie and James Shaw Jamboree Bushypark Cherry 4th and Bushypark 2nd Alfie and James Shaw Cherry 1st
Leading Awards Champion Dr Peter Fitzgerald, Cherryvalley Pearl Reserve champion James and Alfie Shaw, Glebefarm Duchess Molly M606 Junior champion Chris Clarke, Magherone Lizzy Primrose Reserve junior champion Alfie and James Shaw, Glebefarm Jackie Picture Perfect Reserve champion interbreed beef breed native pair Millerston Jamboree and Bushypark Cherry 1st Reserve champion interbreed beef breed native group of three Millerston Jamboree ,Glebefarm Duchess Molly and Cherryvalley Pearl Interbreed team of five: reserve native team Beef Shorthorn Glebefarm Duchess Molly M606 Magherone Lizzy Primrose Bushypark Cherry 1st Cherryvalley Pearl Millerston Jamboree
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Visitors welcome by appointment
Scottish farm based in the hills of Perthshire – Catering for commercial and pedigree producers.
Senior stock bull, Eastmill Laird
Eastmill Laird daughter, Cowford Broadhooks N19 with her first calf, Cowford Broadhooks Rinestone sired by Coxhill Magnum
Coldrochie Legend
Cairnsmore Lovely Dipper with her bull calf - sired by Coldrochie Legend
Eastmill Laird & Coldrochie Legend for sale! Daughters retained in the herd for breeding. Females and young bulls usually for sale
Homebred stock bull, Cowford Major
Coldrochie Princess Royal M33 with her heifer calf, Cowford Princess Royal Reign - sired by Cowford Major
Coxhill Magnum
Meonhill Skjaklin Mavis with her heifer calf, Cowford Skjaklin RoanQueen – Sired by Coxhill Magnum
Thistledown Cowford Farms Ltd The Farm House, Cowford Farm, Stanley, Perth, Scotland, PH1 4PU
Farm manager Mr Charlie Reed Stock person Miss Charley Reed Home: 01738 787766 Mobile: 07975906592 Email: charlie_reed2018@outlook.com
SHOWS
UK Beef Shorthorn Championships 2021
The UK Beef Shorthorn Championships 2021
T
he UK Beef Shorthorn Championships attracted a strong entry of quality cattle at the breed Society’s organised event staged at Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate on Thursday 15 July.
JUDGE Andrew Barrett King’s Lynn, Norfolk
“Despite the uncertainty over bringing livestock out for showing this season, the entry was testament to the exhibitors; they hit the ground running,” commented judge, Andrew Barrett, of the Norfolk based Glenariff herd. “The junior classes demonstrated real strength and depth, and they provided a very, very good show with some exceptional cattle,” he said adding: “A big thanks goes to the Great Yorkshire Show, the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society and the exhibitors for their efforts. A truly memorable day.” Andrew found his overall champion in the male winner, the seven-year-old Dunsyre Horatio from Allan Jackson, Headlind Partners, Kirkfield Bank, Lanarkshire. “This bull demonstrated real breed characteristics; he was easily fleshed, had a super loin, good legs and great mobility - a reflection of the breed’s longevity.” Pipped at the post was Highlee Precious Enya,
HRH The Prince of Wales meets the champion, Dunsyre Horatio and the Headlind team 114
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
a 16-month-old homebred heifer by Millerston Jester from Mark and Tracy Severn, Halifax, West Yorkshire. Enya secured the overall reserve place while earlier in the day, she headed the female line up and also took the junior title. Andrew commented: “This heifer had heaps of breed character, superb balance, and demonstrated absolute excellence by the way she was turned out.” The award for the best exhibitor bred cow and calf went to the three-year-old Beautry Shuna Myrtle by Poyntington Himself from Stuart Currie, Settle, North Yorkshire. She was accompanied by her six-month-old heifer calf, Beautry Shuna Rhubarb by Highlee Milo. “Myrtle was a very, very fresh modern stylish female, with great length and structure.” The best group of three went to Andre Vrona, Langham, Rutland with his homebred team Langhams Nevada Buffalo, Langhams Phantasy Nellie and Langhams Maisie Paige. Buffalo and Nellie teamed up together to win the best exhibitor bred pair, whilst Paige was also amongst the tickets taking both reserve female and reserve junior titles.
UK Beef Shorthorn Championships 2021
SHOWS
Champion, Dunsyre Horatio
Reserve champion, Highlee Precious Enya
Results
Leading Awards
Class 1: Bull, born on or before 31 Dec 2018 1 Allan Jackson Dunsyre Horatio (P) 2 Steve Johnson Gilven Journey (P) 3 Charles Lowther Lowther Konan (P) Class 2: Bull, born in 2019 1 Andre Verona 2 Graham Hunt
Langhams Nevada Buffalo Rookwith Niko (P)
Class 3: Bull, born on or after 1 Jan 2020 1 Graham Hunt 2 Andrew Thornber 3 Caroline and Andrew Ivinson
Sowerbyparks Pilot (P) Highlee Phoenix(P) Sandwick Prefer-a-Bull
Class 4: Female, in calf or in milk, born before 31 Dec 2016 1 Steve Johnson Gilven Sapphire Jenna (H) 2 Graham Hunt Wenmar Gipsy Rose J104 (P) 3 Steve Johnson Gilven Butterfly Georgia (H) Class 5: Female, in calf or in milk, born on or between 1 Jan 2017 and 31 Dec 2018 1 Stuart Currie Beatry Shuna Myrtle (P) 2 Emma Trueman Roundhill Millie (P) 3 Tracy and Mark Severn Highlee Enya Lovai (H) Class 6: Female, born in 2019 on or between 1 Jan and 31 Dec 2019 1 Andre Verona Langhams Phantasy Nellie (P) 2 Fran Baird Charlesbury Emma’s Pride (P) 3 Allan Jackson Headlind Holly Nutmeg (P) Class 7: Female, born in 2020, on or after 1 Jan and before 1 Apr 2020 1 Tracy and Mark Severn Highlee Precious Enya (P) 2 Charles Lowther Lowther Foxglove W7 (P) 3 Stuart Currie Beautry Dewdrop Prudence (P) Class 8: Female, born in 2020, on or after 1 Apr 2020 1 Emma Trueman Roundhill Popsy (P) 2 Stuart Currie Beautry Desiree Portia (P) 3 Michael and Joanne Souter Jodame Priya Butterfly (P)
Breed champion Allan Jackson, Dunsyre Horatio Reserve champion Tracy and Mark Severn, Highlee Precious Enya Male champion Allan Jackson, Dunsyre Horatio, Reserve male champion Graham Hunt, Sowerbyparks Pilot (P) Female champion Tracy and Mark Severn, Highlee Precious Enya Reserve female champion Andre Verona, Langhams Maisie Paige Junior champion Tracy and Mark Severn, Highlee Precious Enya, Reserve junior champion Andre Verona, Langhams Maisie Paige, Best exhibitor bred bull Champion
Graham Hunt, Sowerbyparks Pilot (P)
Best exhibitor bred cow and calf Champion
Beautry Shuna Myrtle and Beautry Shuna Rhubarb, Stuart Currie
Best group of three Champion
Andre Verona Langhams Nevada Buffalo Langhams Phantasy Nellie Langhams Maisie Paige
Best group of two Champion
Andre Verona Langhams Nevada Buffalo Langhams Phantasy Nellie
www.beefshorthorn.org
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‘back to where they came from’ The Derwentwood herd continues to grow with AI, ET and the stock bull Glenisla Jack Frost (P).
(P) Derwentwood Tessa 13 At 3 months of age Sire Glenisla Jack Frost (P)
Derwentwood Remus (P) At 4½ months of age Sire Glenisla Excalibur
Derwentwood Lady Sophia 6 (P) At 6½ months of age Sire Glenisla Excalibur
Derwentwood Tessa 11 (P) At 6 months of age Sire Glenisla Excalibur
TB-4 year area, Johne’s Risk Level 1, BVD Accredited. Show and sale stock vaccinated for BVD, LEPTO & IBR.
~ N & A Hunter ~
Woodlands Hall Farm, Knitsley, Consett, Co Durham, DH8 9EY. tel: 01207 580040 | 07836 739306 email: neil.hunter007@gmail.com
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Another good result in the North of England Beef Shorthorn Club’s Annual Herd Competition 2021, including 2nd Overall Medium sized herd.
Photos by Alfie Shaw
Thank you to all our previous customers. We wish you luck with all your purchases.
~ Visitors always welcome ~ Email: glenislashorthorns@yahoo.co.uk John Gibb 01575 582736
Nick Gibb 07762 541554
Catriona Gibb 07790 798062
Ian Burgess 07919 357128
Glenisla House by Blairgowrie, Perthshire PH11 8QL www.beefshorthorn.org
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Content kindly supplied by Morrisons
Beef Shorthorn successfully replaces Continental presence in dairy herd
B
eef Shorthorn is now the sire of choice for 24 year old James Hodgkinson, who is the fourth generation on the family farm in the Peak District National Park. The family milks 120 pedigree Holstein cows, along with 150 followers, which are either artificially inseminated with Holstein or British Friesian sexed semen or Beef Shorthorn - they’re currently using Castlemount Kubota. James says they’re found the Beef Shorthorn to be an ideal sire on the dairy herd, with ease of calving, good growth rates and easy finishing cattle and have recently purchased a Beef Shorthorn bull, Highlee Paisley from Mark and Tracy Severn. Alongside the dairy herd is a small herd of pedigree Limousins, and commercial cattle, which James would like to reduce in order to run a small herd of Beef Shorthorn stock cows to breed their own bulls. Having previously used Continental sires and selling cattle as stores rather than finishing due to the cost, James thinks using a Beef Shorthorn bull is the future for their farm. He has found
the Shorthorns thrive well on their Peak District land, with all of their land grassland and most in SDA and the Entry Level Stewardship Scheme. James has found that Beef Shorthorn sired cattle are cheap and easy to finish, feeding a diet of rolled barley, grass silage and 1kg of protein blend whilst inside for just three months after grazing. The family also has the added bonus of a premium on the Morrisons Shorthorn Beef Scheme. So far, five Beef Shorthorn sired steers and heifers have entered the scheme, via Woodhead Bros in Colne at 23 months, averaging 370kg deadweight, grading R or O+ 3 or 4L and all achieving the premium. The purchase of their new Beef Shorthorn bull will help to increase the number of cattle going into the scheme. James is a forward thinking farmer and a member of Morrisons Next Generation Producer Group, which provides insight into Morrisons’ unique vertically integrated supply chain. He hopes the breed, along with the opportunity to be a Morrisons Next Generation supplier, will help the farm on its journey to become Carbon Net Zero, as well as aid him in ‘TB proofing’ the herd.
Morrisons Shorthorn Beef Scheme Average Price Comparison (£/kg) £4.50 £4.40 £4.30 £4.20 £4.10 £4.00 £3.90 £3.80 £3.70 £3.60 01-Feb-21
01-Mar-21
01-Apr-21
Shorthorn Beef Scheme R4L Price (£)
01-May-21
01-Jun-21
AHDB - Steers R4L Price (£)
01-Jul-21
01-Aug-21
01-Sep-21
AHDB - Heifer R4L Price (£)
AHDB averages include both commercial and scheme cattle
www.beefshorthorn.org
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ALW AYS A
BAL ANC
TLE CAT ED
TO G N IMI
CTIONAL, EASILY FLESHED N U F E C , WEL U L PROD
Tulip 50th
Chapelton Lionheart
Podehole Rock Nebula with Rosewood Rosewel 12th
Visitors always welcome!
Beef Shorthorn Society Linear Classified since 2016
Stuart & Lynn Macadie Marstyn, Skaill, Thurso, Caithness, KW14 7YD. High Health Status Accredited clear of BVD, IBR. Monitored free for LEPTO. Johne’s Level 1. TB4.
120
Tel: 01847 861225 M: 07711 371385 Breedplan Recorded
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
E: stuart.macadie@outlook.com
Breedplan Recorded
Emma’s Pride 03.10.19
2nd in a strong class at GYS 21 Sire - Charlesbury Hill Maker Dam - Wenmar Perfect Pride L137 - Royal Welsh Show Breed Champion 2019
STOCK FOR SALE
Premium Cattle Health Scheme Members SAC
Macdonald 05.03.20
Edenbridge & Oxted Show 2021 Breed and Reserve Interbreed Champion - Reserve Champion Stirling October 2018 Sire - Charlesbury Mr Mackai Dam - Gordon Millicent 187
BAIRD, EDWARDS & TIMBRELL 07774 416534, 07979 496365, 07889 044070 Email premiercattleservices@gmail.com
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SALES
S t i r l i n g Fe b r u a r y 2 0 2 1
Stirling Beef Shorthorn bulls smash breed records Top 27,000gns; £6,127 average, + £1,347; 54 lots sold; 79% clearance
B
eef Shorthorn established two new breed records; 27,000gns for males and a £6,127 average - up £1,347 on the year for 54 lots sold and with 79% clearance in Stirling on 21 February, where entries met an insatiable demand at the Society’s official sale. Furthermore, females sold to 7,500gns, a record February sale price tag. “We were thrilled to see trade undiminished by Covid restrictions, instead it’s massive strength was fuelled by buyers demonstrating vision,” commented breed society president, Cathryn Williamson. “They were aware that Beef Shorthorn genetics will fit future systems, providing a solution that will deliver a low input, low cost, modern functional suckler cow – one that’s milky, hardy, fertile, forage based, with a quiet temperament and great longevity. And they are also aware that Beef Shorthorn cross steers are continuing to find a ready market influenced by Morrisons Shorthorn Beef scheme.” Sale leader at 27,000gns was the 20-month-old dark roan Meonside Nidavellier who was in the breed’s top 5% with a TI +45, SRI +50, MI +27. Sired by the 10,000gns Stirling champion, Willingham Kensington he was bred by D and T Bradley Farmer, Parkgate, Dumfriesshire and knocked down sold to LJ Townsend, Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway. Minutes before the Bradley Farmers offered Meonside Nosty TI +52, SRI +55, MI +26, another 20-month-old dark roan by Kensington.
Meonside Nidavellir 27,000gns 122
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
He was secured for 12,000gns by JF Irving and Son, Yarrow, Selkirkshire. The vendors’ success continued through to the female trade when Meonside Broadhooks Ninet TI +49, SRI +49, MI +27, a 20-month-old roan Kensington daughter commanded the section’s second highest 6,500gns call from T Russell, Stanford in the Vale, Oxfordshire. The same buyer also went to 3,800gns for Meonside Broadoaks Nella TI +41, SRI +32, MI +19, a rising two-year-old by Kensington. The day’s second leading bid of 14,000gns went to Muiresk Northern Dancer TI +36, SRI +47, MI +26, a 22-month-old roan from Stuart Mair and Sons, Turriff, Aberdeenshire. Sired by Alvie Galaxy, he sold to A J and A Barrett, Kings Lynn, Norfolk. The Barretts recouped more than their investment when they offered two entries by the 5,000gns Glenisla Ghillie. First to go at 9,000gns was the 20-month-old roan, Glenariff Nearctic TI +46, SRI +51, MI +27, to C Williamson, Kingussie, Invernesshire, whilst Glenarriff Nathaniel TI +47, SRI +52, MI +27, a rising twoyear-old roan made 7,500gns to GH Stirling and Sons, Galashiels, Selkirkshire. Two entries each sold for 10,000gns. First was Glenisla Nobleman TI +30, SRI +38, MI +30, a two-year-old roan by Broughton Park Thunder from Major JPO Gibb, Blairgowrie, Perthshire to GL Riby,
S t i r l i n g Fe b r u a r y 2 0 2 1
SALES
Lanarkshire to RG Elliot and Son, Brockhall, Northamptonshire. Next at 7,000gns was Miltonlockhart Noble, from William Allan, Rosebank, Lanarkshire. A 22-month-old red and little white Balgay Journeyman son, he sold to D Hodgson and Son, Chathill, Northumberland. Muiresk Northern Dancer 14,000gns
Bridlington, East Yorkshire. The same vendor offered Glenisla Nitro TI +24, SRI +24, MI +23, a 23-month-old roan by the 12,000gns Millerston Jamboree for 9,500gns to William Young and Son, Kirkcaldy, Fife, whilst Major Gibb’s third and final entry, the same way bred Glenisla Nicholas TI +44, SRI +53, MI +29, a 23-month-old red and little white made 7,000gns to Ian Fleming, Duns, Berwickshire. Major Gibb invested some of his takings when he paid 6,500gns for the Glenisla Excalibur sired Bleaton Protest TI +34, SRI +38, MI +29, a 20-month-old roan from James Wightman and Emma McAlister, Maddiston, Falkirk. The day’s second 10,000gns call was made by W Landers, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire for Chapelton Nearco TI +41, SRI +39, MI +20, a 23-month-old red and white by the 15,000gns Balnabroich Kermit from the late DJ Biggar, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway. Later on, the Landers family recouped some of their spend when their Cairnsmore Nasri TI +28, SRI +34, MI +25 a 21-month-old roan by Redhill Lord Thunder sold for 6,800gns to A and F Skene, Brechin, Angus. Chapelton Novar TI +51, SRI +39, MI +19, a red same age entry from the same vendor, this time a son of the 9,000gns Fergus of Upsall, made 8,000gns to A Morton, Denny, Stirlingshire. A 9,000gns bid secured Podehole Nordic TI +44, SRI +45, MI +21, for James Porter, Lisburn, County Antrim. Bred by Harry Horrell, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, he was a 23-month-old red and little white by the 9,000gns Klondyke of Upsall. Coxhill Norseman TI +39, SRI +42, MI +24, a 22-month-old roan son of the 20,000gns Millerston Kasper from LJ Townsend, Moffatt, made 7,200gns to Pitkindie Farms, Abernyte, Perthshire. Three more entries each sold for 7,000gns. First to go was Dunsyre Nebula TI +37, SRI +35, MI +23, a 23-month-old red and little white Belmore Uptown son from Carey Coombs, Carnwath,
Meonside Nosty 12,000gns
The final 7,000gns call was made by Rattray Estates, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire for Willingham Nautilus TI +38, SRI +37, MI +24, a 20-month-old roan Willingham Lieutenant Commander son. A string of entries from Hon G Turton, Thirsk, North Yorkshire was led at 6,500gns by Numero 1 of Upsall TI +40, SRI +46, MI +27, a 21-month-old dark roan by King David of Upsall. The buyer was John White and Sons, Selkirk, Roxburgh. Another King David son, this time the 20-month-old roan Nehemiah of Upsall TI +31, SRI +28, MI +28 made 6,000gns to McDowell Habost, Lochs, Isle of Lewis. A 22-month-old red Grenadier of Upsall son, Nebuchadnezzar of Upsall TI +34, SRI +36, MI +25 secured a 6,000gns bid from G Gunn, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, whilst the final 6,000gns call went to North Easter of Upsall TI +19, SRI +25, MI +23, a 21-month-old roan Firefox of Upsall son. The buyer was W MacPherson, Carbost, Isle of Skye. The Coldrochie Legend sired Cowford Nipper TI +32, SRI +37, MI +27, an 18-month-old dark roan from Thistledown Cowford Farm, Stanley, Perthshire made 6,000gns to S Brigdale, Ennis, County Clare.
Glenisla Nobleman 10,000gns
Chapelton Nearco 10,000gns
Glenisla Nitro 9,500gns
Females Millerston Iranian Marilyn TI +26, SRI +21, MI +20, commanded a new 7,500gns record February female price tag for Grace Ramsay, Mauchline, Ayrshire. A rising three-year-old roan by the 6,000gns Glenrinnes Goliath, she was sold in calf to Cairnsmore Landmark. The buyers were A and C Farms, Rutland, Leicestershire who also went to 3,500gns for the roan Millerston Augusta Meryl TI +20, SRI +15, MI +19 another same age and same way bred heifer. Grace Ramsay offered a string of seven, 2018 born heifers, each in calf to Landmark, to average £3,915, with the next best at 4,500gns, Millerston Gretta Mandy TI +37, SRI +39, MI +23, a Meonhill Charlie Chaplin daughter selling to MA Lawrie, Kirriemuir, Angus. Averages: 54 bulls £6,127.00; 18 females £3,029.00 Auctioneers: United Auctions
Podehole Nordic 9,000gns
Glenariff Nearctic 9,000gns
Meonside Millicent Ninet 6,500gns
www.beefshorthorn.org
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SALES
S t i r l i n g Fe b r u a r y 2 0 2 1
Bull sales Sales (Guineas)
Lot no
Animal name
Buyer
Sales (Guineas)
Lot no
Animal name
Buyer
4,000
163
Hyndford Novak (H)
Landale & Co
4,000
203
Llwynhywel Nitrogen (H)
R Orr
5,000
164
Highlee Nero (P)
A & C Farms
4,200
204
Dunsyre Nomad 2 (H)
RWH & MJ Fenemore
3,500
166
Shawhill Noble (P)
R & H Braid
3,500
205
Glendual Night Rider (P)
Mulholland Contracts
3,500
168
Headlind New Lad
Scottish Government
2,200
211
Eastmill Nexus (H)
R & H Braid
10,000
169
Glenisla Nobleman (P)
GL Riby
2,300
213
Cowford Nero (H)
Ian Stewart amd Co
4,500
171
Glenariff Nashville (P)
George Peto
4,000
214
Gordon Zulu (P)
G Gunn
9,500
173
Glenisla Nitro (P)
William Young & Son
1,800
215
Rattray Napoleon (H)
Woodneuk Farms Ltd
4,000
174
Norseman of Skaillhouse (P)
A Whiteford
7,000
216
Miltonlockhart Noble (P)
D Hodgson & Son
9,000
175
Podehole Nordic (P)
James Porter
7,200
219
Coxhill Norseman (P)
Pitkindie Farms
10,000
176
Chapelton Nearco (P)
Mr and Mrs W Landers
2,500
220
Coxhill Navigator (H)
JHD Fanshawe
7,500
177
Glenariff Nathaniel (P)
GH Stirling & Sons
6,500
224
Numero 1 of Upsall (P)
John White and Sons
3,500
178
Headline Nobunaga (P)
F & D O’Shea
3,500
225
Meonside Northern Light (H)
AN & HS Tomkis
5,500
180
Muiresk Numero Uno (H)
South Highgate Farms
6,000
226
North Easter of Upsall (P)
W MacPherson
5,500
182
Rookwith Nice Guy (P)
David Nesbitt
6,800
229
Cairnsmore Nasri (P)
A & F Skene
5,500
184
Podehole Rock Nebula (P)
C MacAdie & Sons
3,800
230
Miltonlockhart Nirvana (H)
JHD Fanshawe
7,000
185
Dunsyre Nebula (P)
RG Elliot & Son
5,200
231
Shawhill Norseman (P)
R & H Braid
3,000
186
Knowehead Nitro (P)
Ardnaw Farms Ltd
2,000
232
Millerston Nemesis (P)
Woodneuk Farms Ltd
4,000
187
Millerston North Pole (P)
G Ramsay
12,000
233
Meonside Nosty (P)
JF Irving & Sons
2,600
189
Dunsyre North Star 2 (P)
IHG Warden
2,000
234
Westbroad Norman (H)
P MacInnes
3,500
191
Lagas Noah ((P)
K Scott
4,000
235
Stallashaw Nixon (H)
G Gunn
8,000
192
Chapelton Novar (P)
A Morton
27,000
236
Meonside Nidavellir (P)
L Townsend
7,000
193
Glenisla Nicholas (P)
Ian Fleming
7,000
237
Willingham Nautillus (P)
Rattray Estates Ltd
4,000
194
Trainview Prince Navid (H)
G & A Milne
6,000
238
Nehemiah of Upsall (P)
McDowell Habost
5,000
195
Dunsyre Nureyev (P)
Scottish Government
6,500
239
Bleaton Protest (P)
J & J Gibb
3,200
196
Eastmill Nitro (H)
F & D O’Shea
9,000
242
Glenariff Nearctic (P)
C Williamson
6,000
197
Nebuchadnezzar of Upsall (P)
G Gunn
3,800
245
Westbroad Nereus (H)
Scottish Government
3,500
198
Newton of Skaillhouse (P)
A & D Whitehead
4,000
247
Roundhill Nighrider (H)
NB Taylor & Son
2,500
199
Gregors Napoleon
Strange, Balmyre Farm T/A
6,000
248
Cowford Nipper (H)
S Brigdale
14,000
201
Muiresk Northern Dancer (P)
NJ & A Barrett
3,000
250
Drumsleed Nero
A & K Duncan
Female sales Sales (Guineas)
Lot no
Animal name
Buyer
Sales (Guineas)
Lot no
Animal name
Buyer
2,800
261
Willingham Capri M366 (P)
K Scott
1,400
272
Crichton Cocked Horns 1076 (P)
Y Conway
2,800
262
Chapelton Heathermaid 6662 (P)
L Clark
1,200
273
Crichton Lovely 1096 (P)
David Steel
3,000
263
Westbroad Rusty 12 (H)
A Polson
2,200
274
Millerston Augusta Maud (H)
R & K Williams
1,200
264
Westbroad Rosette 8 (P)
S Andrew
7,500
275
Millerston Iranian Marilyn (P)
A & C Farms
1,200
265
Westbroad Meadowsweet 9 (H)
David Steel
4,500
277
Millerston Gretta Mandy (H)
MA Lawrie
1,800
266
Headline Wineberry Neiva (P)
McDowell
2,000
278
Millerston Iranian Miss (H)
A Polson
3,800
267
Meonside Broadhooks Nella (P)
T Russell
3,500
279
Millerston Augusta Meryl (P)
A & C Farms
6,500
268
Meonside Millicent Ninet (P)
T Russell
3,200
280
Millerston Augusta Melody (H)
K Scott
1,200
271
Crichton Patsy 1069 (P)
S Andrew
3,200
281
Millerston Iranian Midnight (H)
WJ & J Green
124
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
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SALES
Melton Mowbray March 2021
Melton Beef Shorthorns in demand selling to 3,700gns twice
B
eef Shorthorns met a strong demand selling to a top of 3,700gns twice at Melton Mowbray’s multi-breed sale on Saturday 27 March. First to achieve 3,700gns was the 19-month-old red and little white Marrgrange Nelson TI +30, SRI +31, MI +24, a Millerston Jester son from PS and SE Hardcastle, Brough, Humberside. The buyer was T Bowes, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. Leading the female trade at 3,700gns was Podehole Gypsy Nell TI +36, RI +38, MI +24, a two-year-old red and little white
Marrgrange Nelson 3,700gns
in calf heifer by the 9,000gns Klondyke of Upsall. Bred by Harry Horrell, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, she sold to D Cadzow and Co, Pencaitland, East Lothian.
Podehole Gypsy Nell 3,700gns
The Cadzows secured two more heifer lots from the same breeder including Podehole Tessa Primrose TI +41, SRI +48, MI +28, a yearling maiden by Klondyke at 3,200gns.
Averages: 3 bulls £3,220.00; 4 heifers £3,018.75 Auctioneers: Melton Mowbray Market
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Carlisle May 2021
SALES
Carlisle Beef Shorthorn heifers peak at 7,200gns
B
eef Shorthorn females led the trade selling to a top of 7,200gns in Carlisle on Saturday 22 May at the Society’s official spring sale.
Sale topper at 7,200gns was the female and overall champion Runleymill Miss Ramsden Red 21, a two-year-old roan heifer by the 15,000gns Chapelton Dauphin and in calf to Millerston Milkybar Kid. Bred and exhibited by JH Wilson and J Dunning, Settle, North Yorkshire, she sold to Low Barrows Green Farm, Kendal, Cumbria.
Runleymill Miss Ramsden Red 21 7,200gns
Next at 4,400gns was Kimrina Nancy TI +27, SRI +27, MI +23, a twoyear-old roan by the 7,500gns Craigfaddock Khan from CJ Ward, Whitby, North Yorkshire. She went to Evans and Price, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion. A handful of entries from Glenariff Pedigree Livestock, Kings Lynn, Norfolk were led at 3,600gns by Glenariff Nakita Gina TI +37, SRI +41, MI + 23, a 20-month-old roan by the 5,000gns Glenisla Ghillie. She sold to Gates Farming, Oakham, Leicestershire. Next at 3,100gns was Glenariff Natasha Gina TI +22, SRI +19, MI +14, a two-year-old roan Glenariff Kodiac daughter to SR Swales, Burnley, Lancashire. Lowther Sally V8 TI +53, SRI +58 MI 28, a two-year-old red Lowther Konan daughter from C Lowther, Penrith, Cumbria made 3,300gns to A Morton, Denny, Stirlingshire. A bid of 3,200gns secured Sandwick Lovely Navana TI +30, SRI +31 MI +22 for David Jones, Llandysul, Ceredigion. A 23-month-old red and white maiden, she was by Glenisla Jack Frost from A and C Ivinson, Ousby, Cumbria. Another Jack Frost maiden daughter, the two-year-old roan Sandwick Nerdy Millicent TI +30, SRI +33 MI +25 made 3,000gns to CJ Guild and Son, Cumnock, Ayrshire. At 3,000gns, Lipwood Leeanne Primrose led a string of nine entries from ME and TD Tailford, Riding Mill, Northumberland. A 14-monthold roan by Juaul Maelstom, she went to WE Evans, Llanrwst, Gwynedd. Ballard Knockenjig Harvester daughters headed a draft from FJ Hugill’s herd, Helmsley, North Yorkshire. At 3,200gns, the two-year-old Ballard Saphire NI sold to Evans and Price, Aberystwyth whilst Ballard Clipper Noelle, a two-year-old roan made 3,100gns to J Kerr, Wigton, Cumbria. Bulls Bulls were bid to a top of 4,000gns twice. First to go was the male and overall reserve champion, Wrangham Neptune, a two-year-old roan Wrangham Julius son from J and J Green,
Kimrina Nancy 4,400gns
Insch, Aberdeenshire. The buyer was Michael Jameson, Hexham, Northumberland. JM and E Howey, Gordon, Berwickshire secured the second 4,000gns entry, the two-year-old roan, Stonehills Nijinsky TI +37, SRI +38, MI +24, by Jason of Upsall from GL Riby and Son, Bridlington, East Yorkshire. Burnside Nijinsky TI +38, SRI +34, MI+26, an 18-month-old roan by Ingleton C111 from William and Jill McAllister, Ballymena, County Antrim made 3,800gns to TW Denham, Barnard Castle, County Durham. A second 18-month-old entry from the McAllisters, Burnside Norway TI +36, SRI +35, MI +25, by the 7,000gns Gilven Guardsman went for 3,400gns to J Drinkall, Chorley, Lancashire. A 3,500gns call from RD and K Roberts, Bala, Gwynedd secured Sowerbyparks Northern Lights, a two-year-old roan by Uppermill Supreme from S and G Hunt, Sowerby, North Yorkshire. Averages: 10 bulls £3,370.50; 34 females £2,507.65. Ballard draft, 12 females £2,174.37 Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington www.beefshorthorn.org
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KISLINGBURY BEEF SHORTHORNS
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
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SALES
Stirling May 2021
Beef Shorthorn leads Stirling multi-beef at 10,000gns
B
eef Shorthorn led the bidding at 10,000gns in Stirling on Monday 3 May, at the centre’s multi-breed sale.
Sale topper at 10,000gns was the two-year-old roan bull, Coxhill Napolean TI +14, SRI +15, MI +27, a Ballylinney Glen son from Mrs LJ Townsend, Moffat, Dumfriesshire. The buyer was Aucheneck Estates, Killearn, by Glasgow. The same vendor offered Coxhill Neptune TI +44, SRI +44, MI +19, a rising two-year-old red by Millerston Kaspar. He was secured for 5,000gns by J Macadam, Helensburgh, Dumbartonshire. The Scottish Government’s Bull Stud, Inverness invested in two bulls each at 4,000gns. First to go was Knowehead Nomad TI +22, SRI +19, MI +20, a two-year-old light roan by Nearhouse Kane from Mr and Mrs J Redpath, Alyth, Fife. The Stud’s second purchase was Langalbuinoch Navigator
132
Coxhill Napoleon 10,000gns
TI +28, SRI +23, MI +19, a two-year-old roan Langalbuinoch Lord son from R and P McAlister, Kingarth, Isle of Bute.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Averages: 7 bulls £5,070.00 (+ £2,039.50) Auctioneers: United Auctions
Longtown August 2021
SALES
Longtown Beef Shorthorn to 3,600gns
B
eef Shorthorn cow and calf pairs were in demand attracting a top 3,600gns call at the Society’s Summer Sale at Longtown Mart, on Monday 30 August. Sale leader was Sandwick Geewhizz Millicent TI +29, SRI +34, MI +27, an eight-year-old roan Redhill Challenger daughter offered with her fivemonth-old dark roan heifer, Sandwick Millicent Robyn by Warmington Chalky. Bred and exhibited by A and C Ivinson, Penrith, Cumbria, the buyer was Gibson Livestock, Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire. A reduction from Willis Graham’s Ripon, North Yorkshire based herd was headed at 3,400gns by Fieldhouse Maureen, an in calf, three-year-old dark roan Brambleberry Hercules daughter. She sold with her six-month-old bull by the 5,500gns Glenisla Keystone to JK Higgs, Ulverston, Cumbria. Another same way bred cow and calf pair made 3,000gns to John Anderson, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire. Fieldhouse Matilda was an in calf, three-year-old dark roan and her heifer calf, a sixmonth-old red. A bid of 2,700gns secured the seven-year-old in calf Fieldhouse Her Heighness by Dunsyre Duke for Gibson Livestock. She was accompanied with her six-month-old dark roan bull by Keystone.
Sandwick Geewhizz Millicent and calf Sandwick Millicent Robyn, 3,600gns
Gibson Livestock also went to 2,400gns for Limelake Kenya Princess Royal, an in calf fiveyear-old roan Blelack Magic Man daughter from T and A Swinbank, Darlington, County Durham. She sold with her four-month-old roan heifer, Limelane Rhea Princess Royal by Coldrochie Martini.
Averages:13 cows with calves £2,382; 12 in-calf heifers £1,771; 10 maiden heifers £1,748. Auctioneers: C & D Auction Marts Ltd
Worcester Beef Shorthorn heifers peak at 3,200gns
B
eef Shorthorn heifers from Mr G H and Miss Megan Towers, Welford, Northants headed the Society’s official sale in Worcester on 25 September.
Greenley Shuna Pallas, a 16-month-old Highlee Milo daughter made 3,200gns whilst the 21-month-old Greenley Joyful Niamh by Elliot Matrix went for 2,450gns. Both entries sold to Tim and Katy Coles, Silverstone, Northants. Auctioneers: McCartneys
Greenley Shuna Pallas at 3,200gns
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SALES
Millerston Dispersal September 2021
Millerston Beef Shorthorn achieves new 17,000gns female breed record
B
eef Shorthorn achieved a new 17,000gns female breed record price with a cow and heifer calf pair, when Grace Ramsay’s Millerston herd was dispersed in Stirling, on Saturday 11 September. A packed sale ring saw competitive bidding with some potential buyers going home empty handed having failed to secure their picks. Sale leader was Millerston Irania Linnet (P), TI +35, SRI +38, MI +22, a four-year-old roan Meonhill Charlie Chaplin daughter with her six-monthold dark roan heifer, Millerston Irania Rainbow (H) by Portnadoran Maestro. The pair went to Mary Cormack, Canterbury, Kent.
Millerston Irania Linnet with Millerston Irania Rainbow 17,000gns
Next at 15,000gns was Millerston Madeline Lilly (H), TI +37, SRI +42, MI +20, a four-year-old red by Charlie Chaplin and classified VG 85. She sold with her seven-month-old roan heifer, Meonhill Madeline Rae (H) by Cairnsmore Landmark to Hannah Barker, Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire. The same buyer secured the next lot in the ring at 6,500gns. Millerston Primrose Jill (P), TI +22, SRI +13, MI +14, a six-year-old light roan by Millerston Einstein paired with her five-month-old roan heifer, Millerston Primrose Regal (P), a Bushypark Tiger daughter. A bid of 10,000gns secured Millerston Augusta Heidi (P), TI +26, SRI +28, MI +23, and her five-month-old roan bull, Millerston Ramsay (H) by Tiger for AE and AJ Thornber, Halifax, West Yorkshire. Heidi was a seven-year-old red by Millerston Cyclone and classified Ex 92. Tracy Severn, Halifax, North Yorkshire paid 9,000gns for Millerston Irania Molly (H), TI +37, SRI +33, MI +20, a three-year-old dark roan Charlie Chaplin daughter and her six-month-old white bull, Millerston Roly (P) by Portnadoran Maestro. The same buyer went to 6,500gns for another pair, Millerston Gretta Freya (P), TI +26, SRI +27, MI +22, a nine-year-old light roan by Podehole Beefeater and classified Ex 91. Her five-month-old dark roan bull, Millerston Roberto (H) was by Tiger. Ian Stewart, Dungannon, County Tyrone paid 6,800gns for the seven-year-old white Millerston Augusta Highshine (P), TI +18, SRI +22, MI +21, a Beefeater daughter and her six-month-old white Tiger sired daughter, Millerston Augusta Relish. 136
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Three more lots were each bid to 6,500gns. First to go was Millerston Augusta Passion (H), TI +33, SRI +37, MI +23, a 17-monthold roan by Charlie Chaplin. She sold to Thomas Staunton, Kinvara, County Galway. Trina Lock, Blagdon, Somerset went to 6,500gns for Millerston Irania Novelty (H), TI +29, SRI +31, MI +23, a two-year-old roan by Tiger. The final 6,500gns call was made by Steve Swales, Burnley, Lancashire for Blelack Melodious (P) TI +22, SRI +24, MI +19, a 10-year-old roan classified Ex 91. A Blelack Secret Service daughter she was offered with her five-month-old dark roan heifer, Millerston Melody Ripple (P) by Tiger. Two entries shared a 6,200gns bid. Millerston Augusta Luna (P), TI +29, SRI +28, MI +21, a four-year-old roan by Eionmor Ideal paired
Coxhill & Glenardle September 2021
SALES
with Millerston Ransack (P), her four-month-old light roan bull by Cairnsmore Landmark. The buyer was A and C Farms, Langham, Rutland. Strabane, County Tyrone based B Harkin and Sons went to 6,200gns for Millerston Gretta Peach (H) TI +32, SRI +34, MI +25, an 18-month-old dark roan, by Tiger. Millerton Augusta Nova (H), TI +34, SRI +37, MI +23, a two-year-old roan Charlie Chaplin daughter made 6,000gns to PC and M Moore, Knightwick, Worcestershire. Averages: 27 cows and calves £5,810; 5 in-calf cows £3,108; 8 incalf heifers £4,016; 15 maiden heifers £3,094; 4 young bulls £2,310; 1 stock bull £1,890. Auctioneers: United Auctions
Millerston Madeline Lilly with Millerston Madeline Rae, 15,000gns
Coxhill Beef Shorthorn top twice at 6,200gns
T
wo cow and calf pairs led the bidding at 6,200gns when Mrs L Townsend staged a major reduction of her Coxhill Beef Shorthorn herd in Stirling, on 11 September.
First to go at 6,200gns was Coxhill Anabelle Sheena K1733 (H), a five-year-old red and white by Glengloy Callum and classified Ex 90. She sold with her five-month roan heifer, Coxhill Sheena-R682 (H) by the 20,000gns Millerston Kasper to A and C Farms, Langham, Rutland. Coxhill Sheena-275 (H), TI +28, SRI +26, MI +24, a four-year-old red and white Barnaigh Highwayman daughter classified VG 86 together with her four-month-old roan heifer, Coxhill Sheena-R706 (H) by Kasper made 6,200gns to Ian Stewart, Dungannon, County Tyrone. Next at 6,000gns was Coxhill Blythsome Lia (P) TI +20, SRI +23, MI +26, a three-year-old red classified VG85 by Podehole Frederick selling to J and J Green, Insch, Aberdeenshire, together with her four-month old roan bull, Coxhill Rio (H) by Highwayman. The four-year-old roan, Coxhill Kyla L293 (H), TI +28, SRI +28, MI
+21, a Glengloy of Callum daughter with her four-month-old red and little white bull, Coxhill Kyla R720 by Kasper made 5,200gns to Denvir Reid, Killylea, County Armagh. Coxhill Lily K1683 (H), a five-year-old red Callum daughter sold with her four-month-old red and little white Kasper sired heifer, Coxhill Lily-R733 (H) made 5,000gns to Gates Farming, Cold Overton, Leicestershire. A bid of 4,000gns secured Coxhill Desiree K1644 (P), a five-yearold red and white Callum daughter classified Ex 90 for SJ Pullan, Harrogate, North Yorkshire. She was offered with her four-monthold red and little white daughter, Coxhill Desire-R712 (H) by Kasper. A second 4,000gns call came from D and T Bradley Farmer, Dumfries for Coxhill June-N504 (P), TI +30, SRI +29, MI +23, a two-year-old red and little white heifer by Ballylinney Glenn. She sold with her four-month-old roan son, Coxhill Rocko (H) by the 6,500gns Glenisla Masterton. Averages: 32 cows and calves £3,242; 8 in-calf heifers £2,573; 2 young bulls £3,675
Glenardle
T
he sale also featured the dispersal of James Cameron’s Glenardle herd. Bidding peaked at 2,500gns for Glenardle Lovely Margaret (P) TI + 41, SRI +43, MI +24, a three-year-old red and little white by Trainview Prince sold with her five-month-old, dark roan Trainview Hector daughter, Glenardle Lovely Ruby (H). The buyer was S Darnbrook, Newcastleton, Borders.
Averages: 2 cows and calves £2,363; 1 cow £1,890. Auctioneers: United Auctions
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139
SALES
Stirling October 2021
Stirling Beef Shorthorn females in strong demand selling to 11,000gns
B
eef Shorthorn females met a firm demand selling to a top of 11,000gns in Stirling on Monday 18 October, at the breed Society’s official sale.
JUDGE Danny Wyllie Burton on Trent, Staffordshire Monday, 18 October 2021
Heading the trade was a pair of 19-month-old heifers from C Lowther, Penrith, Cumbria. Sale leader at 11,000gns was Lowther Crocus W9 (P), TI +34, SRI +37, MI +24, a light roan by the 9,000gns Glenisla Lochan Dubh selling to Evans and Price, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion. Close behind at 10,000gns was the female champion, Lowther Lily W10 (P), TI +50, SRI +48, MI +29, a light roan Lowther Konan daughter. The buyer was Mary Cormack, Canterbury. Kent. Next at 6,000gns was Glenisla Eva Broadhooks P492 (P), TI +41, SR +48, MI +30, a 19-month-old roan by the 7,500gns Chapelton Glen Clova. Heading a draft of heifers from Major JPO Gibb, Blairgowrie, Perthshire, she sold in a joint bid
Lowther Crocus W9, 11,000gns 140
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
to Thomas Cheetham and Thaymar, Retford, Nottinghamshire. Two entries shared a 5,000gns call. First to go was Westbroad Yoga 12th (P) TI +30, SRI +37, MI +27 from D Welsh, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. A twoyear-old in calf heifer by the 12,000gns Shawhill Leroy, she went to T Russell and S Bradley Farmer, Farringdon, Oxfordshire. Westbroad Meadowsweet 10th (P) TI +37, SRI +44, MI +28, a second two-year-old in calf heifer by Leroy from the same vendor, made 3,500gns to J Common and Son, Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire. J Common and Son went on to place their second 5,000gns bid for Meonside Miss Ramsden P75 (P), TI +36, SRI +36, MI +23, the event’s reserve female champion. A 17-month-old red heifer, by Meonside King Kong she was bred and exhibited by D and T Bradley Farmer, Parkgate, Dumfriesshire.
Stirling October 2021
SALES
Dunsyre Phineas, 7,200gns
Knockenjig Ptarmigan 6,000gns
Female champion, Lowther Lily W10, 10,000gns
The same vendors took 4,800gns for Meonside Foxglove Tansy P59 (P), TI +42, SRI +42, MI +25, a 17-month-old light roan by the 10,000gns Stirling champion, Willingham Kensington. She sold to T Russell and S Bradley Farmer. Balnabroich Farms, Blairgowrie, Perthshire offered Balnabroich Nellie (H), TI +31 SRI +34, MI +23, a red in calf heifer by Meonhill Charlie Chaplin for 4,000gns to Alex Douglas, Strathaven, Lanarkshire. The Glenisla draft also included two entries by the 12,000gns Millerston Jamboree sharing a 3,800gns bid. The 19-month-old dark roan Glenisla Desiree P496 (H) TI +49, SRI +51, MI +23 went to J and D Haigh, Brechin, Angus, while Glenisla Crocus TI +35, SRI +32, MI +20, an 18-month-old light roan was secured by Keith Jones, Llandysul, Ceredigion. Following on, Glenisla Desiree P489 (P) TI +36, SRI +29, MI +22, a 19-month-old roan Glenisla Artic Storm daughter made 3,500gns to Evans and Price. At 3,500gns, Cowford Irania Primrose P50 (H), TI +41, SRI +3, MI +23 led a draft from Thistledown Cowford Farm, Stanley, Perthshire. A 20-monthold roan by Meonhill Legacy, she sold to Aucheneck Estate, Killearn, Glasgow.
Meonside Miss Ramsden P75, 5,000gns
Bulls The bull trade was led at 7,200gns by the reserve male champion, Dunsyre Phineas (P), TI +30, SRI +29, MI +21, an 18-month-old red by Dunsyre Lord Nelson. Consigned by the Leggat Farming Partnership, Logiealmond, Perthshire, he sold to J Innes and Sons, Huntly, Aberdeenshire. Next at 6,000gns was the Leonard of Upsall sired Knockenjig Ptarmigan (P), TI +44, SRI +52, MI +29, a 19-month-old red and little white from Alistair Clark and Sons, Cumnock, Ayrshire to E and T Richardson, Preston, Lancashire. Champion male, Muiresk Peroni (P), TI +39, SRI +41, MI +26, a 19-month-old roan Alvie Galaxy son from Stuart G Mair and Son, Turriff, Aberdeenshire secured a 4,500gns bid from C Horrell, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
Westbroad Yoga 12th, 5,000gns
Meonside Foxglove Tansy P59, 4,800gns
Averages: 8 bulls £4,455.94; 28 females £3,453.75. Drafts: Glenisla 11 females £3,159.54; Cowford 4 females £2,861.25; Skaillhouse 5 females £1,848. Auctioneers: United Auctions Male champion, Muiresk Peroni, 4,500gns www.beefshorthorn.org
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SALES
Stirling October 2021
Class results
Bull sales
Beef Shorthorn Males Bulls born on or between 18 January and 22 March 2020 (Class 1) 1st Cowford Prince (H) Thistledown Cowford Farm 2nd Westbroad Pedron (P) D Welsh 3rd Aberdona Platoon Sergeant (H) R & C Rettie Bulls born on or after 23 March 2020 (Class 2) 1st Muiresk Peroni (P) Stuart G Mair & Sons 2nd Dunsyre Phineas (P) Leggat Farming Partnership 3rd Knockenjig Ptarmigan (P) Alistair Clark and Sons
Beef Shorthorn Females Heifer born on or before 7 July 2019 (Class 3) 1st Balnabroich Nellie (H) Balnabroich Farms 2nd Balnabroich Lovely Norma Jean (P) Balnabroich Farms 3rd Hyndford Nile (P) Ian Tennant
Sales (Guineas)
Lot no
Animal name
Buyer
3,800
284
Westbroad Pedro (P)
J Stewart and Ptns
2,600
292
Aberdona Platoon Sergeant (H)
Scottish Government
4,500
294
Muiresk Peroni (P)
C Horrell Ltd
3,350
295
Galla Promoter (P)
AG and CD MacDougall
6,000
296
Knockenjig Ptarmigan (P)
E and T Richardson
3,000
297
Chapelton Primitivo (P)
Q and E Limond
7,200
299
Dunsyre Phineas (P)
J Innes and Sons
3,500
300
Craigeassie Paxton (P)
Hodge Livestock
Female sales
Heifer born on or between 8 July 2019 and 15 February 2020 (Class 4) 1st Westbroad Joyfull 5th (H) D Welsh 2nd Hyndford Nigeria (P) Ian Tennant 3rd Westbroad Yoga 12TH (P) D Welsh
Sales (Guineas)
Lot no
Animal name
Buyer
4,000
311
Balnabroich Nellie (H)
Alex Douglas
2,000
312
Balnabroich Nikkita (H)
D Bell and Son
Heifer born on or between 16 February and 24 March 2020 (Class 5A) 1st Lowther Crocus W9 (P) Mr C Lowther 2nd Tulip 49th of Skaillhouse (P) Messrs. C. Macadie and Sons 3rd Balnabroich Penny Farthing (H) Balnabroich Farms
2,600
313
Barnaigh Lovely Xotic 12th (P)
R and B Russell and Ptns
2,800
314
Balnabroich Lovely Norma Jean (P)
M Cruickshank
2,800
315
Barnaigh Duchess (P)
M Cruickshank
3,000
316
Barnaigh Isla 8TH (H)
Aucheneck Estates
2,500
318
Hyndford Nile (P)
BE Dickie
2,600
320
Barnaigh Lovely Xquisite 11th (P)
RW MacKay and Co
2,800
322
Westbroad Joyful 5th (H)
Alex Douglas
5,000
323
Westbroad Yoga 12th (P)
T Russell and S Bradley Farmer
1,500
324
Westbroad Bramble 5th 759 (H)
BJ Rowlands
2,200
325
Westbroad Yoga 13th (P)
RW MacKay and Co
3,500
326
Westbroad Meadowsweet 10th (P)
J Common and Son
3,400
327
Wells Niomi 8 (P)
Mark Runciman and Ptns
2,000
328
Tulip 49th of Skaillhouse (P)
Rogam Farms Ltd
2,500
329
Burnfoot Duchess Princess (H)
Rogam Farms Ltd
1,500
331
Lancaster Liz 38th of Skaillhouse (P) A Stephen
2,600
332
Muiresk Broadhooks Primrose (P)
BE Dickie
2,000
333
Balnabroich Penny Farthing (H)
M Cruickshank
11,000
334
Lowther Crocus W9 (P)
Evans and Price
2,200
335
Galla Patsy Katrina (P)
D and T Ballantyne
10,000
336
Lowther Lily W10 (P)
Mary Cormack
2,000
337
Burnfoot Lundy Paula (H)
Rogam Farms
2,600
338
Eastmill Magic Pearl (H)
Audrey MacDonald
4,800
339
Meonside Foxglove Tansy P59 (P)
T Russell and S Bradley Farmer
3,200
340
Meonside Rothes Molly (P)
S and M MacKenzie
5,000
341
Meonside Miss Ramsden P75 (P)
J Common and Son
2,800
342
Glenisla Duchess P486 (P)
R and B Russell and Ptns
3,500
343
Glenisla Desiree P489 (P)
Evans and Price
6,000
344
Glenisla Eva Broadhooks P492 (P)
Thomas Cheetham and Thaymar Ltd
3,800
345
Glenisla Desiree P496 (H)
J and D Haigh
2,200
346
Glenisla Desiree P506 (H)
D Bell and Son
3,800
347
Glenisla Crocus P508 (H)
Keith Jones
3,000
348
Glenisla Desiree P517 (P)
R and K Williams
1,500
349
Glenisla Foxglove Flake P531 (H)
A and CB Millar
2,400
350
Glenisla Sally Broadhooks P534
A and C Ivinson and JH Wilson
2,000
351
Glenisla Desiree P536 (P)
Cornthwaite Moors Ltd
2,100
352
Glenisla Flower P541 (P)
Cornthwaite Moors Ltd
3,500
353
Cowford Irania Primrose P50 (H)
Aucheneck Estates
2,200
354
Cowford Secret Peewit P49 (H)
RL Morris and Ptns
2,400
355
Cowford Broadhooks Pearl P64 (H)
RL Morris and Ptns
2,800
356
Cowford Princess Precious P74 (H)
C Lowther
1,300
357
Tulip 48th of Skaillhouse (P)
Cornthwaite Moors Ltd
2,200
358
Eva Wildeyes 16th of Skaillhouse (P) Rogam Farms Ltd
1,600
359
Tulip 51st of Skaillhouse (P)
2,000
360
Lancaster Liz 36th of Skaillhouse (P) A Stephen
1,700
361
Eva Wildeyes 17th of Skaillhouse (P) A Stephen
Heifer born on or after 25 March 2020 (Class 5B) 1st Lowther Lily W10 (P) Mr C Lowther 2nd Meonside Miss Ramsden P75 (P) D & T Bradley Farmer 3rd Meonside Rothes Milly (P) D & T Bradley Farmer
Champions Male champion Muiresk Peroni (P) Male reserve champion Dunsyre Phineas (P) Female champion Lowther Lily W10 (P) Female reserve champion Meonside Miss Ramsden P75 (P)
Stuart G Mair & Sons Leggat Farming Partnership Mr C Lowther D & T Bradley Farmer
Trophies Uppermill Lovat Cup Best Junior Bull
Stuart G Mair and Sons Muiresk Peroni (P)
DM Stewart Memorial Punchbowl Best Senior Bull
Thistledown Cowford Farm Ltd Cowford Prince (H)
Ardbennie Trophy Supreme Champion Bull
Stuart G Mair and Sons Muiresk Peroni (P)
BSCS Championship Trophy Best Female
Mr C Lowther Lowther Lily W10 (P)
Isabel Brown Perpetual Challenge Trophy Best Two Bulls, exhibitor bred
Marshall Graham Bailey Craigeassie Parker (H) Craigeassie Paxton (P)
DM Stewart Trophy Best Pair of Heifers Herdman’s Prize Herdsman of Champion Female
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D & T Bradley Farmer Meonside Rothers Molly (P) Meonside Miss Ramsden P75 (P) Richard Rettie
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Cornthwaite
BRED TO LAST
CAIRNSMORE HARDY CATTLE
ESTABLISHED 1995
VISITORS ALWAYS WELCOME
BILL, JANE AND BOBBY LANDERS TEL: 01671 402179 MOB: BOBBY 07768 512 891 JANE: 07769 638 606 BARGALY FARM, NEWTON STEWART, DG87BH Email: bargaly.shorthorns@gmail.com www.beefshorthorn.org
143
Established in 1882, the Uppermill Shorthorn is the oldest in the UK and is renowned for its high quality cattle.
James Porter 028 9260 7333 james@gillhallestate.co.uk www.gillhallestate.co.uk
UK9 042012 0818-7 (Picture taken at 4 months)
Uppermill Blythesome Spring Sire: Uppermill Landlord 2nd Dam: Uppermill Blythesome Sylvia
UK9 042012 0801-4 (Picture taken at 7 months)
UK9 042012 0803-6 (Picture taken at 9 months)
Uppermill Secret Skylark 3rd
Uppermill Rothes Jennifer 2nd
Sire: Glenisla Jackpot Dam: Uppermill Secret Skylark 2nd
Sire: Glenisla Jackpot Dam: Uppermill Rothes Jackie
UK9 042012 0816-6 (Picture taken at 5 months)
UK9 042012 0807-3 (Picture taken at 5 months)
Uppermill Baptor
Uppermill Bushmills 2nd
Sire: Llwynhywel Maestro Dam: Uppermill Broadhooks Brownie
Sire: Glenisla Jackpot Dam: Uppermill Blythesome Jacquline
UK9 042012 0608-7
UK9 042012 0601-7
Uppermill Blythesome Judith
Uppermill Secret Skylark 2nd
Sire: Dunsyre Demetri Dam: Uppermill Blythesome Jemma
Sire: Dunsyre Demetri Dam: Uppermill Secret Stef
UK9 042012 0598-4
UK9 042012 0823-3
Uppermill Rothes Jamaica
Uppermill Lovely Leana
Sire: Dunsyre Demetri Dam: Uppermill Rothes Joanna
Sire: Dunsyre Demetri Dam: Uppermill Lovely Lucinda
UK9 042012 0759-4
Uppermill Broadhooks Brenda 2 Sire: Glenisla Jackpot Dam: Uppermill Broadhooks Brownie
UK9 042012 0754-6
nd
Uppermill Broadhooks Bertha 2nd Sire: Dunsyre Demetri Dam: Uppermill Broadhooks Bauble
SALES
Skipton November 2021
Skipton Beef Shorthorn heifers in demand selling to 11,000gns
B
eef Shorthorn heifers met a strong demand selling to a top of 11,000gns and achieving an 80% clearance for a breed record centre entry in Skipton on Wednesday 10 November at the Society’s official autumn sale.
JUDGE Carey Coombs Carnwath, Lanarkshire Wednesday, 11 November 2021
Sale leader at 11,000gns was Podehole Rothes Phoebe TI +33, SRI +30, MI +24, a 20-month-old roan maiden heifer by Knockenjig Hercules from Harry Horrell, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. She sold to A&C Farms, Oakham, Rutland. Podehole Rita Philomena TI +36, SRI +40, MI +24, another maiden from Harry Horrell, was secured for 7,400gns by Leazes Farm, Wolsingham, County Durham. A 19-month-old red and little white, she was by the homebred Podehole Rock Legend and earlier in the day secured the reserve overall title. County Galway breeder, T Staunton, Kinvara invested in two 18-month-old roan maidens from D and T Bradley Farmer, Parkgate, Dumfriesshire. First to go at 5,200gns was the champion, Meonside Desiree Penelope TI + 29, SRI +29, MI
Champion, Meonside Desiree Penelope, 5,200gns 146
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
+23, a Caramba Kinvara daughter. His second purchase at 5,000gns was Meonside Shamrock Pocahontas by the homebred Meonside King Kong. P Turnbull, Kildale, North Yorkshire offered Oakleigh Natasha, a two-year-old roan heifer by Castlemount Ross at 5,000gns. Cumbria breeder, UM Robinson, Kendal secured two, two-year-old roan heifers from the Hon G Turton, Thirsk, North Yorkshire. He paid 4,700gns for Jilt X1437 of Upsall TI +26, SRI +34, MI +26, and 3,500gns for Clipper X1403 of Upsall TI +18, SRI +31, MI +22. Both heifers were in calf, and by Firefox of Upsall. Next at 3,700gns from Ian Tennant, Oldhill, Lanarkshire was Hyndford Nadia, a two-year-old roan by the 8,500gns Coldrochie Keillan to DP and FM Day and Son, Ingleby Greenhow, North Yorkshire. The same buyers went to 3,600gns for Beautry Tessa Persephone, a 17-month-old roan maiden by Highlee Maiden from SC Currie,
Skipton November 2021
SALES
Settle, North Yorkshire who also offered the same age red and little white Beautry Shuna Pandora by the homebred Beautry Malfoy at 3,400gns to JC Bellerby, Leeds, Yorkshire. The 17-month-old roan maiden heifer, Shawhill Dewdrop Phoenix TI +56, SRI+64, MI +32 commanded a bid of 3,600gns from EM Roberts, Llithfaen, Gwynedd. A Fearn Godfather daughter she was bred and exhibited by Thomson, Roddick and Laurie, Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway. Oakleigh Nellie, a two-year-old in calf roan heifer by Blelack Masterpiece from P Turnbull commanded a second 3,600gns bid this time from JK McIntyre, Greenock, Renfrewshire. The same buyer took home a total of five lots.
Podehole Rothes Phoebe, 11,000gns.tif
He went to 3,200gns for Highlee Magic Pixie TI +29, SRI +28, MI +23, a dark roan 19-month-old and one of two maiden heifers by the 7,000gns Coldrochie Leif from Mark and Tracy Severn, Halifax, West Yorkshire. Mr McIntyre also paid 3,000gns for Bradhill Ali3, a 20-month-old roan Wenmar Kentaro daughter from Steve Swales Dairy, Burnley, Lancashire. The Severn’s second 3,200gns entry, the 17-month-old white Highlee Duchess Penelope TI +31, SRI +36, MI +22 went to GT and MA Wearmouth, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria. Averages: 46 maiden heifers £2,319; 20 in calf heifers £2,541; 2 cow and calves £1,784; 1 bull £1,995 Auctioneers: CCM Auctions
PodeholeRita Philomena, 7,400gns
Class results Bull any age (Class 1) 1st Loxley Pedroe (P) 2nd Marrgrange Percival (P)
Mr R and Mrs A Hebdon PS and SE Hardcastle
Cow with calf at foot/ In calf cow (Class 2) N/A Senior heifer 2019 born (Class 3) 1st Hyndford Nadia (P) 2nd Meonside Tessa Nativity (P) 3rd Oakleigh Nellie (P)
Ian Tennant D and T Bradley Farmer P Turnbull
Heifer 2020 born 01.01.2020 to 31.03.2020 (Class 4) 1st Bradhill Ali 3 (H) Steve Swales Dairy Ltd 2nd Podehole Rothes Phoebe (H) Harry Horrell (trading as C Horrell Ltd) 3rd Kimrina Pixie (H) Miss C J Ward Heifer 2020 born 01.04.2020 to 31.05.2020 (Class 5) 1st Meonside Desiree Penelope (H) D and T Bradley Farmer 2nd Podehole Rita Philomena (H) Harry Horrell (trading as C Horrell Ltd) 3rd Meonside Shamrock Pocahontas (P) D & T Bradley Farmer Heifer 2020 born 01.06.2021 onwards (Class 6) 1st Highlee Duchess Penelope (P) Mark and Tracy Severn 2nd Beautry Tessa Persephone (P) Mr S C Currie 3rd Headlind Duchess Rowan (P) Mr T Allan Jackson, Headlind Partners
Champions Female champion and I’Ansons Perpetual Trophy Meonside Desiree Penelope (H) D and T Bradley Farmer Reserve female champion Podehole Rita Philomena (H)
Harry Horrell (trading as C Horrell Ltd)
Male champion and best bull of any age Loxley Pedroe (P) Mr R and Mrs A Hebdon Reserve male champion Marrgrange Percival (P)
PS and SE Hardcastle
www.beefshorthorn.org
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After 100 years we still remain #ImpressiveInTheField
Call 01506 894822 for all your seed requirements enquiries@oliver-seeds.co.uk 148
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
www.oliver-seeds.co.uk
Beef Shorthorn Regional Club Contacts As a Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society member, you are very welcome to join one of our regional clubs. Each one offers an array of activities focused on learning and sharing information, together with various social activities. Here are the contact details for the various clubs, please feel free to get in touch with the officers.
Scottish Beef Shorthorn Club Chairman: Matthew Thomson Vice-Chair: Victor Watson Secretary: Rosemary Dickie Treasurer: Kenny Mair
t: 07900 181635 t: 07736 887246 t: 07887 737040 t: 07384 890092 e: sbsc2012@hotmail.com
Northern Ireland Beef Shorthorn Club Chairman: Tom McGuigan Vice-Chair: Barry Fitzsimons D.L. Secretary: Eileen Cairns Treasurer: Colm McGuigan
t: 07801 063164 t: 07801 123966 t: 07816 525456 t: 07703 008292
‘N.I. Beef Shorthorn Club’ e: tommcguigan34@gmail.com e: bawnforth@yahoo.co.uk e: msnotwise@yahoo.co.uk e: cooperbeefshorthorns@yahoo.co.uk
Northern Beef Shorthorn Club Chairman: Martin Grayshon Secretary: Caroline Ivinson Treasurer: Andrew Ivinson
‘North of England Beef Shorthorn Club’
t: 07599 823105 t: 01768 881343 t: 07570 390226
e: martingrayshon@outlook.com e: northernbeefshorthornclub@gmail.com
Central Beef Shorthorn Club Chairman: Katy Coles Treasurer: Andrew Wright
e: kecoles@ymail.com e: andrew.wright@hlhltd.co.uk
Southern Beef Shorthorn Club
‘Southern Beef Shorthorn Breeders Club’
Chairman: John Fry t: 07885 495674 Secretary: Steve and Joni Davies t: 07733 105990 Treasurer: Mary Chaplin t: 07763 780829
e: johnsfarmsales@gmail.com e: steve@bloomfieldhatchfarm.co.uk e: marychaplin@btinternet.com
Wales & Borders Beef Shorthorn Club Joint Chairman and Secretary: Eric Evans & Sioned Mair Treasurer: Martin Reynolds
‘Wales & Borders Beef Shorthorn Club’
t: 07766 238794 t: 07966 371558
e: sioned.mair@hotmail.com e: martin.shorthorn@gmail.com
South Wales & Mid Western Beef Shorthorn Club Chairman: Anthony James Secretary: Eluned (Lyn) Davies Treasurer: Martin Reynolds
t: 01437 731829 t: 01994 230377 t: 07966 371558
e: martin.shorthorn@gmail.com
www.beefshorthorn.org
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Scottish Club Herd competition: focus on females
T
wo thousand miles and 31 herds made for an epic journey. The weather was exceptionally kind which showed off the cattle to their best. The variety of farms and systems showed that Beef Shorthorn is adaptable and thrives in many situations. The standard of the cattle was so high that it made judging both the herds and individual classes an exacting task. Every herd that we visited had cattle that could have been worthy winners and we are sure that many of the animals entered in the classes will be names we will hear of in the future, but there are only so many prizes to go round. For us the herd competition was all about the females and our criteria for judging was for a balance throughout the herd, with cows doing a good job of their calves. Femininity, correctness, good udders and natural fleshing played their part. Being able to see quality young stock that would add to the herd was integral. The bulls needed to be smooth, fleshy and have good mobility. The placing of the top herds was tight and required considerable discussion between the two of us! Every breeder’s enthusiasm and passion for their cattle and the breed bodes well for the future as does the standard of the cattle we saw. The breed has a bright future and we were particularly impressed by the dedication from the younger participants. Beef Shorthorns will be served well by both the cattle and breeders we met on the tour. Congratulations to the prize winners and many thanks to those who welcomed us on to their farms and took the time to show us around. It was a huge privilege to be asked and we thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity of visiting so many cattle in such a short space of time. Charles and Sally Horrell
Judging in progress 150
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Judges: Charles and Sally Horrell CHAMPION AWARDS Overall: Glenisla Reserve: Chapelton Small herd 1, Leeburn, David Clark 2, Headlind, Alan Jackson 3, Corskie herd, Laura Green Medium herd 1, Balnabroich, Sir M and Lady S Nairn 2, Mountbenger, George Irving 3, Muiresk, Stuart G Mair and Sons Large herd 1, Glenisla, Major JPO Gibb and Catriona Gibb 2, Chapelton, JW Biggar 3, Fearn, John Scott and Partners CLASS RESULTS Cow with calf at foot 1, Chapelton Sister 505120, JW Biggar 2, Glenisla Sally Broadhooks J106, Major Gibb and Catriona Gibb 3, Coldrochie Broadhooks G1, Laura Green Stock bull 1, Chapelton Nomad, J W Biggar 2, Alvie Galaxy, Stuart G Mair and Sons 3, Meonside Nosty, George Irving Heifer born in 2019 with calf at foot 1, Bushypark Beauty, James Frame 2, Glenisla Sally Broadhooks N415, Major J Gibb and Catriona Gibb 3, Fearn Juliet, John Scott and Partners. Heifer born in 2019 in calf 1, Glenisla Foxglove Flake, Major J Gibb and Catriona Gibb 2, Headlind Hollie Nutmeg, Allan Jackson 3, Cairnsmore Nabby Gabby, Bill, Jane and Bobby Landers Heifer born in 2020 1, Glenisla Sally Broadhooks P477, Major J Gibb and Catriona Gibb 2, Dunsyre Daisy Greta, Carey Coombs 3, Balnespick Yantara Pixie, Cathryn Williamson Registered bull born in 2020 1, Chapelton Petrus, JW Biggar 2, Muiresk Peroni, Stuart G Mair and Sons 3, Rattray Papa Smurf, Rattray Estates Heifer calf born in 2020 1, Cairnsmore Tricia, Bill, Jane and Bobby Landers 2, Mountbenger Rachel, George Irving 3, Wells Serena 20, John Wood Bull calf born 2021 1, Chapelton Reuben, JW Biggar 2, Westbroad Rishi, Duncan Welsh 3, Corskie Ranger, Laura Green
Herd visits: to Glenrinnes and beyond
I
n spite of Covid, most of our Club members continued to keep in touch either at markets or watching sales by webcam but it was much more exciting in early August when approximately 60 members and friends met at Glenrinnes Home Farm for our day. Estate manager, Alister Lang explained the estate’s different enterprises on the estate, all of which is an organic system. Together with his stockman, Glenn Dean, we walked out to the bull paddocks where we saw a variety of good lengthy bulls all for sale and one of the stock bulls, Creaga Phoenix. We went on to view the very placid Beef Shorthorn herd full of well-shaped, fleshy cows, rearing very good calves, together with equally impressive bulling heifers all running with the second stock bull, Coldrochie Jeronimo. We also took in the Blackface sheep with Greyface lambs and commercial heifers some of which were about to go to the bull. We also visited the Estate’s deer enterprise and its latest enterprise, a gin and vodka distillery. Our weekend trip to Orkney in September was well summed up by one of our members ‘what can I say….wow.. you didn’t disappoint…stunning scenery, fantastic stock, great food and of course not forgetting the amazing hospitality from the folk of Orkney’. A truly memorable trip due in no small measure to Phyllis Harcus, a well-known Orcadian Aberdeen Angus breeder who organised the itinerary and hotel for us and we even managed a quick stop to view her impressive herd. John Copland, a retired auctioneer from Orkney Auction Mart was our courier and he shared his incredible knowledge of the farms, their families and the island’s history.
Day two, we visited John and Jacqueline Lennie’s very uniform Nearhouse herd, where Nearhouse Lyall, a son of the well-known Pentland Emperor is certainly leaving his mark on an impressive field of his in calf daughters. Moving on we stopped at the Italian Chapel, an artistic and moving experience, and then to Graham Taylor (Odi), South Ronaldsay to see his pegree Beef Shorthorn herd and then on to Brough to view his Shorthorn cross Highland cows. Day three, we stopped by at Orkney Mart where John Copland explained the mart’s history. Moving on we headed for Evie to visit the Cursiter family (Lagas). Michael runs small pedigree Beef Shorthorn and Limousin herds which are the base for his very successful commercial herd where we saw many first class Beef Shorthorn crosses. Looking for something a bit stretchier his newish stock bull Westbroad Jackpot Explorer stood well in the field. Sheep are a large part of their enterprise and our members enjoyed viewing the purpose-built sheep shed. •
The Scottish Club raised £230 for RSABI on our Glenrinnes trip, whilst our Scottish Beef Shorthorn Supper and Herds Competition prize-giving raised £500. We presented £450 to RSABI, whilst a £50 prize was made to Bobby Landers for guessing the lucky square on a 100-square board.
Scottish Club secretary, Rosemary Dickie
Day one, first we visited David Scarth’s Cavans herd where we saw approximately 50 purebred Shorthorns plus 120 cross cows on a grass based system, taking all cattle through to finishing. By using AI to bring in outside genetics, David is able to breed his own stock bulls. Our second visit was to a very forward thinking young man, a Nuffield Scholar and ex-monitor farmer, Steven Sandison, who has built up an admirable farming business from scratch through drive and determination. His Salers cross Simmentals were very impressive. Our final visit was to Shona and Bruce Slater’s Queenamoan herd where quality not quantity shone through; a herd still in its infancy.
Viewing the Glenrinnes herd
The Orkney delegation
Beef Shorthorn cross Limousin at Lagas www.beefshorthorn.org
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Northern Ireland Club Herd competition: some fantastic cattle
A
very enjoyable evening was held recently at the NI Beef Shorthorn Cattle annual dinner at the Greenvale Hotel, Cookstown which featured Beef Shorthorn beef from Hannan Meats, Moira. Club chairman, Tom McGuigan welcomed a packed room of members and their friends to the dinner. He reflected on a busy year for Beef Shorthorn breeders with several events staged by the Club, including a successful open day at Richard Henning’s Mullaglass herd, a fundraising family day hosted by Rachel Jordan, an open meeting for members and Balmoral Show.
CHAMPION AWARDS Overall: Glebefarm, Alfie and James Shaw Reserve: Craigfaddock, David Alexander Stock bull: Rockwood, David McCrory Reserve: Croft, Richard Henderson Brood cow: Glebefarm, Alfie and James Shaw Reserve: Aghalee, Graham Duncan Cow family: Linhill, JP McFadden Reserve: Glebefarm, Alfie and James Shaw Bull calf: Croft, Richard Henderson Reserve: Cooper, McGuigan Family Heifer calf: Mullaglass, Richard Henning Reserve: Burnside, William and Jill McAllister Heifer group: Maralin, Libby Clarke Reserve: Burnside, William and Jill McAllister Young bull: Craigfaddock, David Alexander Reserve: Mullaglass, Richard Henning
COMMERCIAL HERD Champion: David Henderson Reserve: Barry Fitzsimons COMMERCIAL HERDS 1, David Henderson, Lisbellaw 2, Barry Fitzsimons, Ballynahinch PEDIGREE HERD LARGE HERDS 1, Glebefarm, Alfie and James Shaw 2, Tullyard, Ivan Walmsley 3, Finn, Sean Cosgrove SMALL HERDS 1, Craigfaddock, David Alexander 2, Croft, Richard Henderson 3, Gortacar, Denver Reid
The annual herd competition was also a tremendous success, and thanks must go to judges, Tom Staunton and Johnny Keane, who clocked up hundreds of miles during their week of judging. Tom delivered a fantastic report on their visits to all 28 farms. David Henderson won the champion commercial herd and Barry Fitzsimons, reserve. Both judges were hugely impressed with the quality of the commercial entries. In the pedigree section Alfie and James Shaw came out top overall with their Glebefarm herd based outside Dungannon. David and Carole Alexander were in the reserve overall spot. During the prize giving both Tom and Johnny highlighted that during their judging they had seen so many fantastic Beef Shorthorn cattle in each and every section.
Commercial herd champion, David Henderson with reserve winners, the Fitzsimons family and judges, Johnny Keane and Tom Staunton
Libby Clarke Herd presentation from left, Johnny Keane presents the reserve award to Carole Alexander, while James Shaw receives the overall award from Tom Staunton 152
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Beef Shorthorn family fun day raises over £9,000 for charity
K
ingsley and Rachel Jordan welcomed visitors to their Donaghcloney based farm for the NI Beef Shorthorn Club’s family fun day and BBQ. Committee member Rachel came up with the idea as a social event for Club members and their friends, and also to raise money for the Helping Hands Charity. The Jordan Family know first-hand just how essential the remarkable works are that are carried out by the team of doctors and nurses at the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children as their daughter, Grace was in their care a number of years ago with a life threatening condition. She has now made a full and wonderful recovery, and is a beautiful and caring little girl who loves her Beef Shorthorn cattle.
The NI Beef Shorthorn Club is truly thankful to the Bank of Ireland, Moy Park and Slurrykat who offered financial support. Also thanks to all those who donated items for the auction and catering. The Club is very appreciative of all those who attended and who assisted in any way to ensure that it was a resounding success.
Well known auctioneer, Trevor Wylie conducted the sale which saw a wide range of items go under the hammer. Representatives travelled to the Royal Hospital recently to present a cheque for £9,039.73 which is a tremendous amount for such a worthy cause.
• The Club presented the NI Children’s Hospice with a £4,000 cheque raised from proceeds of its 2021 calendar featuring prize winners from the 2020 virtual show and produced under the management of Alfie and Kathryn Shaw.
NI breeders excel at calf show
A
super entry of calves was presented to judge, Bill Landers, Newtown Stewart, Wigtownshire at the NI Beef Shorthorn Breeders’ annual calf show held at Dungannon Mart on November 13. The event which this year was held in conjunction with the NI Hereford Breeders’ Club, attracted an enthusiastic turn out of breeders to the ringside. William and Jill McAllister, Kells had a first class outing with calves from their Burnside herd, securing the overall championship with their stylish November 2020 born entry, Burnside Palo. Sired by their stock bull, Lightning of Skaillhouse, this young prospect drew many favourable comments on the day. Results Champion Reserve Male champion Reserve Female champion Reserve
Burnside Polo Derriaghy Lovely Pricisilla Burnside Palo Shankhill Ronaldo Derriaghy Lovely Pricisilla Aghalee Rhona
In the reserve spot was first time exhibitor, Leanne Green with Derriaghy Lovely Priscilla. With Uppermill breeding on both sides of her pedigree, this October 2020 red heifer caught the eye of many. The reserve male championship was awarded to George and William Gott with Shankhill Ronaldo, a Hussar of Upsall son. Claiming the reserve female position was a Creaga Logic daughter, Aghalee Rhona brought out by Aaron and Graham Duncan.
Champion, Burnside Palo
Leading the way in the best pair from one exhibitor section was George and William Gott, followed by William and Jill McAllister. One of the most popular classes is the young handler’s category, which was won by Charlotte McAllister, with Jenson Lindsay in reserve spot. William and Jill McAllister Leanne Green William and Jill McAllister George and William Gott Leanne Green Aaron and Graham Duncan
Reserve champion, Derriaghy Lovely Priscilla www.beefshorthorn.org
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Northern Club Celebrating members’ success and a popular herd competition
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nce again, it’s been a quiet year for the Club due to one thing and another, however, when shows and sales have taken place, it’s been good to see our members to the fore, both at Carlisle and Longtown sales and at the UK Championships. We would like to congratulate them all on their success. Also, on the show circuit Stuart and Gail Currie (Beautry) won the Westmorland County championship, while Gerrard te Lintello (Mayfield) took the Wolsingham breed and interbreed title. Mark and Tracy Severn (Highlee) were awarded the Royal Lancashire Show’s overall title with John and Janet Wilson (Runleymill) standing reserve. This summer also saw a major production sale from the Upsall herd; congratulations go to long standing Club member the Hon Gerald Turton and his team on their success. We held our annual meeting at the Moorcock Inn, Eggleston; 75 Club members sat down for a great meal of roast Beef Shorthorn beef or local lamb. It was good to catch up and make plans for the coming year. We staged the most prestigious competition of the year - our annual quiz, which was keenly contested, though the use of Google did play a heavy role. Thanks go to the Jo, Mick and Megan Souter (Jodame) and their staff at the Moorcock for hosting such a great fun evening. Martin Grayshon (Rookwith) was elected Club chairman and many members volunteered to help with organisating and running upcoming events.
We’d like to thank all the exhibitors for the kindness, food, and banter. Keep doing the great job that you are doing. Beef Shorthorns are just marvellous animals, the cattle showed us that they can do well on hills and lowland pastures. Bill and Jane Landers Judges: Bill and Jane Landers CHAMPION AWARDS Overall herd: Beautry, S and G Currie Reserve herd: Highlee, T and M Severn Small herd 1, Marrgrange: P and S Hardcastle 2, Featherstone: A and D Whitehead 3, Juaul: Juaul Farms Medium herd 1, Highlee: T and M Severn 2, Derwentwood: Neil Hunter 3, Runleymill: J Wilson and J Dunning Large herd 1, Beautry: S and G Currie 2, Mayfield: Gerard Te Lintelo 3, Farlam, J and C Elliott Cow with calf at foot: Beautry Shuna Myrtle, S and G Currie Stock bull: Coldrochie Leif, T and M Severn In-calf cow over three years: Sandwick Kinkyboots Margo, A and C Ivinson In-calf heifer under three years: Raindale Debbie 3rd, I and S Clough Heifer born in 2020: Stonehouse Betsy 3rd, Jessica Swales Bull born in 2020: Highlee Pheonix, Andrew Thornber and Daughter 2021 born heifer calf: Grinkle Kingsley Kooky Rose, R and H Thompson Birth notified 2021 born bull calf: Lipwood Reagan, M and T Tailford Judge’s choice group of yearling heifers: Inglestone, Laura Ingleby Judge’s choice group of calves: Pikelow, Andrew Thompson Novice class: Quarrydale, J and M Odgers
Finally, as the herd competition popularity grows, we owe an increasing debt of gratitude to anyone prepared to give up the time to judge it, so to Bill and Jane Landers, thank you very much. Northern Club secretary, Caroline Ivinson When Caroline Ivinson asked us to judge the Northern Club herd competition, we were delighted to say yes. So off we set with a route plan for the farm visits: 11 days and 1,150 miles, 33 herds and 722 cattle later we headed home. Finding our champion and reserve animals was a big task from 33 farmers and eight classes, then a small medium and large herd. All sections of the female classes were tremendous, a pleasure to see. First prize pick in this section was Beautry Shuna Myrtle; she took our eye with her female head, natural body width and length, good udder attachment and lovely locomotion whilst her daughter was a better version of her dam. Reserve champion went to Coldrochie Leif, a stock bull with length, good body depth, good topline, clean brisket and great locomotion. Picking our winning herds, we included points in the winning classes and general look of the herd. Stuart and Gail Currie’s, Beautry herd was our champion whilst reserve went to Mark and Tracy Severn’s Highlee herd. 154
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Champion, Beautry Shuna Myrtle
Reserve, Coldrochie Leif
Northern Club Calf Show
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he Northern Club’s calf show attracted a record 74 quality entries to its annual event on 21 November staged for the first time at Darlington Mart. Judge, Esyllt Price, Aberystwyth found her overall winner in the female champion, Blackbrook Heathermaid Rosa, a 10-month-old dark roan, Fearn Godfather daughter. She was bred and exhibited by Andrew Thornber and Daughters, Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Standing below Rosa, in overall reserve place was the reserve female champion, Runleymill Roxburgh Lass Pamfrom John Wilson and Janet Dunning, Settle, North Yorkshire. A 14-month-old white heifer, she was by Chapelton Dauphin and had stood in pole place at the Beef Shorthorn National Calf Show staged at Borderway Agri Expo. Esyllt Price commented: “I was presented with strong classes - a tremendous group of calves. My champion caught my eye as soon as she entered the ring, she was stylish had a powerful body,
length, width and a tremendous topline. I’m sure she has a bright future ahead of her, as for my reserve champion, again this heifer carried herself well, she had a good topline and length.” The young handlers section Champion, Blackbrook Heathermaid Rosa attracted 16 enthusiasts demonstrating their skills. The championship went to Iona Park who earlier on had headed the under 16-year-old section, and in reserve Chloe Roberts winner of the 16 to 26-year-old class. Thanks to the Darlington Mart team and Club members who helped on the day. Results Overall Champion Reserve Male champion Reserve Female champion Reserve Mixed pairs Overall Reserve Young handlers Champion Reserve
Blackbrook Heathermaid Rosa Runleymill Roxburgh Lass Pam Runleymill Rahul Mayfield Rubens Blackbrook Heathermaid Rosa Runleymill Roxburgh Lass Pam Sandwick Percy and Blackbrook Heathermaid Rosa Langhams Phantasy and Langhams Candy’s Ruffian
A Thornber and Daughters J Wilson and J Dunning J Wilson and J Dunning Gerard Te Lintelo A Thornber and Daughters J Wilson and J Dunning A Thornber and Daughters A&C Farms
Iona Park Chloe Roberts
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Central Club Herd competition: memorable cattle and marvellous hospitality
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ell, sadly 2021 turned out to be similar to 2020 in that we could not hold any Club gatherings. We were however able to run out herd competition, and thanks must go to our judge, Clive Roads for his time spent travelling around all the herds. Looking forward to 2022, we are keeping everything crossed that we will be able to make a spring visit to a club member’s herd, and arrange an autumn tour in addition to our herd competition. Any breeders within the Central Club who are not on our mailing list, please do make contact. Club events are always a great way of meeting other breeders and comparing notes! Central Club chair, Katy Coles
Memorable cattle and marvellous hospitality marked the privilege I had to be invited to judge the Club’s herd competition which took me to 23 herds and covering 1,131 miles. Everyone sees cattle with different eyes, and particularly over a two-week period. So many factors come in to play - size of herds, breeding policies and aims, age at first calving, grazing quality and quantity, full time commercial run herds or part time ventures, main farm enterprise or part of an overall farm structure - the permutations are endless. The overall award goes to Podehole, a herd of cattle in the truest sense. Breeding of this caliber takes not only knowledge and expertise, but research and attention to detail over many years. Too many super cattle to name except, Podehole Patriot, junior bull worth a second mortgage to buy. In overall reserve place was the Greenley herd; many decades of thoughtful breeding, selection, expertise and experience is always going to pay off and no exception at Greenley. Type, strength, maternal traits all combined to make an exceptional herd. There were too many great individuals to name but Broadhooks Maria and calf and Nelly Floss were simply outstanding. Clive Roads
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Judge: Clive Roads CHAMPION AWARDS* Overall: Podehole Reserve: Greenley Large herd 1, Podehole, H Horrell 2, Hannington, C Horton 3, Stanford Park, Mr and Mrs Stoneham Medium herd 1, Grafton, T Brown 2, Breakheart, I Rickatson 3, Longlands, T Roberts Small herd 1, Greenley, G Towers 2, Longfield, Tina Russell 3, Winwick, T Cockerill CLASS RESULTS* Cow and heifer calf 1, Grafton Crocus Elesia 184, Simon Farmer and Tina Russell 2, Greenley Broadhooks Maria, G Towers 3, Ballylinney Tessa, L Robson Cow and bull calf 1, Breakheart Gypsy Lily, I Rickatson 2, Lynthorpe Barrington Duchess 284, Mr and Mrs M Stoneham 3, Greenley Waterloo Magic, G Towers Heifer calf born 2021 1, Kislingbury Cara Poppy, R Elliott 2, Greenley Broadhooks Russet, G Towers 3, Podehole Tessa Radiance, H Horrell Bull calf born 2021 1, Mineshop Thermal Energy, C Nye 2, Podehole Ransom, H Horrell 3, Breakheart Revolver, I Rickatson Single heifer born 2019 1, Meonside Millicent Nellie, Simon Bradley Farmer and Tina Russell 2, Greenley Nelly Floss, G Towers 3, Mineshop Isobel N283, C Nye Pair heifers born 2019 1, Kislingbury, R Elliott 2, Grafton Nettle and Naomi, T Brown 3, Hannington, C Horton Single heifer born 2020 1, Podehole Gypsy Portia, H Horrell 2, Greenley Joyful Pearl, G Towers 3, Richaven Kingsley Gem, R Bown Pair heifers born 2020 1, Winwick Brannith Bud 10th and Winwick Heathermaid Poppy, T Cockerill 2, Podehole Madeline Pandora and Podehole Phantasia Peony, H Horrell 3, Mineshop Posey Gina and Mineshop Elsie P314, C Nye Senior bull 1, Lawter of Upsall, C Horton, 2, Klondyke of Upsall, H Horrell 3, Laird of Longfield, Simon Bradley Farmer and Tina Russell Junior bull 1, Podehole Patriot, H Horrell 2, Hanley Parker, D Down 3, Stanford Phenomenon, M Stoneham Group of steers 1, Wigsthorpe, A Burnett 2, Lynthorpe, L Robson 3, Shepshok, S Towers * results as supplied by the judge
Hannington
Herd
Reserve Champion Herd Central England Club 2018 and 2019 BVD and Lepto Accredited Johnes level 1 Stock usually for sale Fully Performance recorded
Charles Horton 07831 489694 01285 850905 cshorton17@gmail.com
Stockman Peter Brain 07733 335376 peterbrain60@gmail.com
Nell Farm Hannington Swindon SN6 7RU
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Southern Club Cattle thriving and prospering in all environments
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t was an honour and a pleasure to be asked to judge the Southern Club herd competition taking myself and Tracy from Kent to Cornwall. We had an amazing journey, we found good cattle amongst all the herds but some were exceptional demonstrating how Beef Shorthorns can thrive and prosper in all environments. Our small herd champions were Maplegem, a new partnership near Swindon with reserve going to Penny and Simon Cave and their Poyntington herd. Both herds had great cows and calves, while some promising young heifers. A special mention to the Ringmore herd who have just purchased their first Beef Shorthorn heifers and young stock bull - one to watch in the future. The overall champion cow and calf coming from the smallest herd in the competition was Legsheath Lilian and her heifer calf, Princess Rosanna - what a cracking outfit. In the medium herds section, both champion and reserve were extremely hard to split and it came down to who I had awarded most first places - Simon Bradley Farmer and Tina Russell with their Longfield herd just pipping the Hursley herd managed by Curly Holdforth and Penny Lowdes. A fantastic selection of cattle in both herds.
Judges: Mark and Tracy Severn Champion herds* Small 1, Maplegem 2, Poyntington 3, Ringmore Medium 1, Longfield 2, Hursley 3, Whitehall Large 1, Meonhill 2, Bloomfield 3, Stanford Park Champions* Senior bull: Charlesbury CK Macjettic, Hursley Bull 2020: Charlesbury MacDonald, Maplegem Bull calf 2021: Renaissance Man, Longfield Cow pre 1.1.18: Candy Queen, Meonhill Cow and calf 2018: Lilian, Legsheath Heifer and calf: Flossy Nutmeg, Hursley Heifer in calf 2019: Meonside Millicent Ninnet, Longfield Heifer 2000: Oceanview Perfection, Smith Heifer calf 2021: Gemma, Meonhill Group of heifers: Meonhill Herd: Meonhill Judges’ pick: Meonhill Myrtle * results as supplied by the judges
In the large herd Meonhill came to the fore. When we walked out onto the farm the enthusiasm of Mary Chaplin was only surpassed by her cattle. Being stood in the middle of what I can only describe as awesome, cows and calves made me smile from ear to ear. Reserve was taken by the Bloomfield herd owned by S and J Davis whose cows had great udders and very sound feet. The overall champion herd was awarded to the Meonhill herd managed to perfection by John and Mary Reynolds. This herd showed a quality of breeding as good as I have seen in my time with Beef Shorthorns. Thank you to all the breeders for your kind hospitality and for allowing Tracy and myself to have a thoroughly enjoyable time. Mark Severn
Meonhill Myrtle
Charlesbury MacDonald
Meonside Millicent Ninnet
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Farm walk: welcoming new members After Covid restrictions it was great to get back farm visits. As a Club, we organised a visit to John and Judy Fry’s farm based at Billingshurst, West Sussex to see there Hansford herd. It was great to see so many members turn out on the day, especially a growing number of new members. The Club has been fortunate to gain several new herds during lock down. A quickly expanding herd, the Frys have built a good grounding for their cattle to further develop. Their original purchases came from Woodhatch and Meonhill bloodlines, they later introduced fresh blood from Fearn and Millerston. Meonside Fusillier and more recently, Coldrochie Leroy have both bred well, with some lovely cattle retained from a home bred bull Hansford Moonshine. Accompanying the Millerston heifers was Millerston Monopoly, a Bushypark Tiger son out of a Dunsyre cow. His first crop of calves are looking well and promise a good future for the Hansford herd and the Fry family. To feed their herd the Frys have some extensively grazed water meadows. Managed under an HLS scheme early spring grazing is
Club members checking out the Hansford herd with Coldrochie Leroy centre stage
not allowed, so we saw plenty of forage in front of these cows and they looked very well. More of the HLS ground is set aside for silaging and winter keep. To compliment John Fry with Millerston Monopoly the water meadows, we saw some lush mixed herbal leys, full of plantains, clovers and wildflowers where the cows looked equally at home. It is great to see various grazing management systems with the Beef Shorthorns thriving on both. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Fry family for their hospitality on a wonderful day that celebrated the end of lock down. Southern Club chairman, Simon Bradley Farmer
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Wales and Borders Club Herd competition: youngstock full of great promise
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completed visiting 21 herds in total travelling from the Llyn peninsula to Haverfordwest and on to Cardiff. The scenery was amazing and the cattle I saw matched it. I was looking especially in the large and established herds for a balanced herd with breed characteristics, type throughout with functional cows, good feet, milky udders with young stock to maintain depth and consistent quality, farmed commercially with the cows and heifers able to make the most of the farm’s available resources. Throughout my herd visits I was impressed by the breeder’s enthusiasm towards the Beef Shorthorn especially the younger generation who should be congratulated on the stock they have selected to build a herd on. It was the heifers and calves that impressed me most full of great promise. Sorry to those that my time ran out and I could not spend longer enjoying your enthusiasm for a breed that fits all systems and gives us pleasure to have on our farms. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
A couple of scenes whilst travelling judging ………. and it rained!
Brenda Wear Judge: Brenda Wear CHAMPION AWARDS Herd Champion: Frenni, Brian and Eryth Thomas Reserve: Buckenhill, Louise Crowther Small herd 1, Buckenhill, Louise Crowther 2, Holkin, Ian and Nicki Hollows 3, Montgomery, John and Ann Humphries Large herd 1, Frenni, Brian and Eryth Thomas 2, Penygelly, Stuart Lane 3, Llwynhywel, Evans and Price CLASS RESULTS Bull 1, Mullaglass Keeper, John and Ann Humphries 2, Millerston Jukebox, Brian and Eryth Thomas 3, Largyvale Jack D, Stuart Lane Cow and calf 1, Frenni Elissa Ffion, Brian and Eryth Thomas 2, Montgomery Nellie, John and Ann Humphries 3, Fedwen Laura, Ela Roberts 2020 Heifer 1, Frenni Clipper Pearl, Brian and Eryth Thomas 2, Holkin Daisy Penelope, Ian and Nicki Hollows 3, Lamboro Pat Pending, Alma James Calf of my choice 1, Buckenhill Brenda Rose, Louise Crowther 2, Frenni Elissa Rosalind, Brian and Eryth Thomas 3, Danygraig Jacquines Rose, Sue Parry
Herd visit The Talsarn herd hosted our Club visit in August. Located in a beautiful spot in the Brecon Beacons National Park with the farm ranging from 950’ to 1350’, the herd was established just over three years ago by Gareth and Catrin Price together with Catrin’s parents. Their foundation cattle were purchased in Stirling in 2018 with a cow and calf from the Coldrochie disperal and an in calf heifer from 160
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Talsarn heifers
Our visit to the Talsarn herd
the Knockenjig herd. They told us that they had caught the bug and privately purchased additional cows from the Lamboro herd and at the Rygbi Farmers Market sale. The family has since grown the suckler herd to 17 breeding cows, six in calf heifers and 17 maiden heifers. Stockjudging, raffle, guess the weight, and the hospitality provided by our hosts over two open days, raised more than £1,700 divided between the DPJ Foundation and the Alzheimer’s Cymru. Wales and Borders Club treasurer, Martin Reynolds
South Wales and Mid-Western Club A herd visit and a herd competition
J
ust like last year, Covid put a stop to the majority of events here in Wales during 2021, much like the rest of the UK. Restrictions do seem to be lifting at long last which allowed us to visit Catrin and Gareth Price’s herd of Beef Shorthorns, North Country Cheviots and Llyn Sheep. I think we all enjoyed seeing the animals and the much welcomed hospitality. A big thank you to all involved as it takes a lot of effort to put on a herd and flock visit for one day let alone two. I would like to thank Bernard Llewellyn for judging our herd competition as I know he is extremely busy with his own farm and visitors to Carreg Cennen castle. Lastly, I would like to thank Lyn Davies and Martin Reynolds for all of their hard work keeping us organised and well informed ensuring a successful club. South Wales Club chairman, Anthony James I found judging the herd competition to be a most enjoyable experience; congratulations to the winners and to many other individual animals and herds that deserved mention. The champion herd award went to Brian and Eiryth Thomas where I found very few weaknesses and an exceptional group of young
stock. In reserve place was Alma James’ Lamboro herd which was run very commercially. Bernard Llewellyn Judge: Bernard Llewellyn CHAMPION AWARDS* Herd 1, Frenni, Brian and Eiryth Thomas 2, Lamboro, Mrs Alma James 3, Cetris, Mr Keith Jones CLASS RESULTS* Best bull 1, Millerston Jukebox, Brian and Eiryth Thomas 2, Alma James 3, Mrs Marian James Best cow or heifer 1, Mr and Mrs Hywel James 2, Gareth and Catrin Price Pair heifers 1, Alma James 2, Mr and Mrs Price 3, Mark and Lynn Davies Best calf born in 2021 1, Brian and Eiryth Thomas 2, Mrs Marian James 3, Mr and Mrs Hywel Davies * results as supplied by the judge
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STONEHILLS BEEF SHORTHORNS
Elite Health – Breedplan Recorded – Type Classified
New Junior Stock Bull Glenisla Nobleman (P)
Index Value
Breed Average
+33
+27
+39
+27
+31
+23
Index Value
Breed Average
Terminal Index
+57
+27
Self Replacing Index
+65
+27
Maternal (GBP)
+26
+23
Index Value
Breed Average
Terminal Index
+43
+27
Self Replacing Index
+49
+27
Maternal (GBP)
+28
+23
Terminal Index
Self Replacing Index 10,000gns purchase Stirling ‘21 Sire – Broughton Park Thunder Maternal (GBP) Dam – Glenisla Foxglove Tansy Z461 (P) EX 93
Senior Stock Bulls
Jason of Upsall (P)
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Podehole Rock Master (P)
Sire – Royalla Rockstar K274 (AUS) (P) Dam – Podehole Madeline Helena (H) G.Dam – Podehole Madeline Zeta EX91
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Health test requirements for Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society sales (2020-21) We are leading the way and health cards at Society Sales continue to be an important source of information for buyers. Here is our checklist.
Male Animals
Test required
Vaccination
Health card boxes to be completed
BVD accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional - but recommended
Non BVD accredited herds - must be part of the health scheme and be testing for a minimum of 12 months
Yes - Antigen and antibody
Optional- but recommended
The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed The individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed
IBR accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional - but recommended
IBR non-accredited herds
Yes - Antibody
Optional - but recommended
Lepto accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional
Lepto non-accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional
TB
Date of last test
Johne’s - must be a part of the CHeCS health scheme and a minimum Level 4 and be testing for a minimum of 12 months 164
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The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed The individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed If tested the animal’s individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed The date of the last test and the TB testing interval must be completed. If a herd is TB exempt this must be shown. The TB information must be completed. Every animal must have the risk level of the herd shown in the box. Non-homebred animals have no details in the Johne’s box.
Female Animals
Test required
Vaccination
Health card boxes to be completed
BVD accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed
Non BVD accredited herds - must be part of the health scheme and be testing for a minimum of 12 months
Yes - Antigen and antibody
Must be vaccinated to cover period of sale. The Society strongly recommends that in-calf females are vaccinated prior to service Must be vaccinated to cover period of sale. The Society strongly recommends that in-calf females are vaccinated prior to service
IBR accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional - but recommended
IBR non-accredited herds
Yes - Antibody
Optional - but recommended
The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed The individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed
Lepto accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional
Lepto non-accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional
TB
Date of last test
The individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed
The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed If tested the animal’s individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed The date of the last test and the TB testing interval must be completed. If a herd is TB exempt this must be shown. The TB information must be completed.
Johne’s - must be a part of the CHeCS health scheme and a minimum Level 4 and be testing for a minimum of 12 months
Every animal must have the risk level of the herd shown in the box. Non-homebred animals have no details in the Johne’s box.
Calves at Foot (the minimum age at date of sale is 2 weeks) Calves at foot
Test required
Vaccination
Health card boxes to be completed
BVD accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional - but recommended
Non BVD accredited herds - must be part of the health scheme and be testing for a minimum of 12 months
Yes - Antigen
Optional - but recommended
The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed The individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed
IBR accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional - but recommended
IBR non-accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional - but recommended
Lepto accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional
Lepto non-accredited herds
No - Individual test optional
Optional
TB
Date of last test
Johne’s - must be a part of the CHeCS health scheme and a minimum Level 4 and be testing for a minimum of 12 months
The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed If tested the animal’s individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed The herd accredited box must be completed and if vaccinated the details must be completed If tested the animal’s individual test result must be shown and if vaccinated the details must be completed The date of the last test and the TB testing interval must be completed. If a herd is TB exempt this must be shown. The TB information must be completed. Every animal must have the risk level of the herd shown in the box. Non-homebred animals have no details in the Johne’s box.
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Fees (1st January 2022) Registration Costs (please note that there may be testing costs in addition to your registration fee) ON LINE AND FARMPLAN (all prices include VAT unless otherwise stated) Male Under 6 months
£31.20
Female Under 4 months
£31.20
Male 6 to 12 months
£61.20
Female 4 to 12 months
£68.40
Male Over 12 months
£241.20
Female Over 12 months
£121.20
ET Imports
Transfer of ownership (Transfers for animals purchased at Society sales are free) *Please note pedigree certificates should be signed on the back by the breeder or accompanied by a letter agreeing the transfer. Purchasers are expected to pay the transfer fee. The registrations office must be informed at time of transfer if the vendor has agreed to pay.
£60.00 £120.00
£40.00
USING PAPER FORM (all prices include VAT unless otherwise stated) Male Under 6 months
£36.00
Female Under 4 months
£39.60
Male 6 to 12 months
£66.00
Female 4 to 12 months
£73.20
Male Over 12 months
£246.00
Female Over 12 months
£126.00
ET Imports
Transfer of ownership (Transfers for animals purchased at Society sales are free) *Please note pedigree certificates should be signed on the back by the breeder or accompanied by a letter agreeing the transfer. Purchasers are expected to pay the transfer fee. The registrations office must be informed at time of transfer if the vendor has agreed to pay.
£60.00 £120.00
£40.00
Testing Costs All bull calves must be sire verified and Myostatin tested. All imports must be registered, sire verified, myostatin tested, and tested clear for TH. Progeny from embryo transfer must be registered, sire verified, myostatin tested, and tested clear for TH. TEST COSTS (all prices include VAT unless other stated) SNP profile Single Nucleotide Polymorphism - DNA profile *SNP forms the base for all other genetic tests so is required for any other tests listed to be carried out
£28.80
TH trait analysis Society rules can be found on the Society website regarding TH testing. This is compulsory for all imports.
£10.80
Myostatin testing A requirement for all bull calves, imported animals and embryo registration calves
£6.00
Polled trait analysis An optional test to be requested at the time of sample submission
£3.60
External profile transfer fee To transfer DNA profiles which have been created at other laboratories, for example, for animals purchased from abroad
£5.40
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Parentage/sire verification (up to three parents) If you are not sure of the parentage of any animal, it must be verified. *This is also a compulsory test for bull calves born after 1st January 2018. Additional parents This fee will be charged per additional parent, if there are more than three possible parents or for any additional parents notified after submission
£3.60
£4.80
All prices shown include VAT, unless stated otherwise. Payments must be made in £ sterling.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
A winning combination
President of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, Charles Horton runs his Shorthorn Hannington pedigree herd at Nell farm in Gloucestershire. Charles makes the most of what is grown on farm, with Harbro processing and treating his cereals with Maxammon to maximise DLWG and adding Rumitech minerals to improve feed efficiency.
· Improved DLWG · Reduced feed intake · Improved feed efficiency · Reduced methane emissions Call Michael Richardson for more information: 07917 416356
harbro.co.uk www.beefshorthorn.org
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Rules and conditions of Coates’s Herd Book (Beef) Amended 16th November 2021
1) All registrations to be sent to The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, Society Pavilion, Avenue M, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2RG, UK. 2) The Society will only accept registrations from the breeder, or with the permission of the breeder, who must be a bona fide member of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, or in the case of imported animals, from the owner. 3) Registrations may be made online via the website and is the preferred method, or on paper forms which can be obtained from the Society and photocopies can be made. Fees must be submitted along with application forms. Computer based information systems may be substituted for registration forms by prior approval of the Society. 4) Cost of registration: Please refer to the current costs published and dated by the Society. Refunds will not be made in the event of a registration being cancelled. 5) The member will be able to register his/her cattle under the member’s herd name provided the herd name is registered. The Directors may decline to register any herd name considered similar to another breeder or which they consider to be inappropriate. 6) To be eligible for registration, all animals must be of Shorthorn colour: red, white or roan. 7) Animals may be refused registration if of a colour showing markings or conformation foreign to the Shorthorn breed and including genetic defects. Bull calves tested and shown to have a double myostatin deletion or two single deletions will not be eligible for registration. Those bull calves refused registration due to their Myostatin status will have their registration fee refunded. 8) Female Calves must be registered or birth notified by the age of four months. Male calves must be registered, or birth notified by the age of six months. All cases of dead-born calves or calves which for any reason are not to be entered into the Herd Book must be notified to the Society on the appropriate form. Such notifications must be made within four months of the date of birth. There is no fee for birth notification and all calves, including dead or cross bred calves must be notified to maintain cow calving records. 168
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9) See below: a) Each animal submitted for registration must be the progeny of a sire and dam each of which is registered with the Society in the Coates's Herd Book (Beef), or in the case of an imported animal which is registered either in another EU herd book or in the herd book of a third country approved association and accompanied by a zootechnical certificate showing both parents and all grandparents registered in the main section of the herd book of origin. b) Late registration of calves for which full details have been notified to the Society will be accepted for registration on payment of the appropriate fee. Any animal not previously birth notified may be refused late registration. 10) On late registration, of birth notified calves, fees increase as follows (all prices include VAT): a) Heifer calves over four months and up to 12 months old £67.20 b) Bull calves over six months and up to 12 months old £60 c) Female animals over 12 months of age £120 d) Male animals over 12 months of age £240 11) Animal identification: Each animal for registration must be identified as follows and exactly corresponding to the unique UK Cattle Passport e.g. UK 000000-000000 or unique individual identification number from the zootechnical certificate. A Coates's Herd Book (Beef) number will be issued on the pedigree certificate. 12) Animal name: Females - Herd name/cow family name/cow name or number. Males - Herd name/bull name or number. 13) Calves’ names shall also include a suffix as a designated letter: P polled, H horned, AI got by artificial insemination, ET embryo transfer, IIU imported in utero. 14) Polled and Horned animals to be recorded together in the Herd Book. The abbreviations (P) or (H) to be registered as part of the name. (P) where the progeny is polled or showing loose scurs unattached to the skull. (H) where the progeny is horned or dehorned. 15) When an animal is a twin it shall so be stated following the name of the animal on the registration and the sex (M) or (F) given of which it is a twin.
16) The Society reserves the right to recover from the member the full cost of responding to correspondence and enquiries for identification resulting from tag loss, the responsibility for proof of identity at all times to rest with the owner. 17) In any dispute over parentage the Society reserves the right to have the animal DNA/blood typed at the owner’s expense. 18) Male calf registrations: From July 1st 2011 all male calf registrations must be accompanied by a tail switch hair sample for DNA testing. From 1st January 2018 all male calf registrations for calves born on or after 1st January 2018 are to be sire verified at their breeder’s expense. As this process is completed for each calf a Parentage Verified field will appear on the animal enquiry screen of the website showing either ‘SV’ for sire verified, ‘DV’ for dam verified, or ‘PV’ for parentage verified. Where this field is empty the animal has not yet been verified. In the case of females that are neither embryos nor imports and with no parentage queries this field will not be completed and will be left intentionally blank as verification is not required. Where sire verification is not possible for whatever reason, the Society has a discretion to register a male calf. 19) Embryo or imported in utero calf registrations: Registration of calves got by ‘embryo transfer’ and ‘imported in utero’ shall be accepted by the Society provided all other bylaws of the Society are complied with. All embryo born animals born on or after 1st January 2018 are to be parentage verified and myostatin tested at their breeder’s expense. As this process is completed for each calf, a Parentage Verified field will appear on the animal enquiry screen of the website showing either ‘SV’ for sire verified, ‘DV’ for dam verified, or ‘PV’ for parentage verified. Where this field is empty the animal has not yet been verified. In addition, all imported embryo born animals born on or after 1st January 2018 are to be TH tested free. A copy of the import flush certificate or Embryo Registration (ET1) form and in addition a copy of the Embryo Amendment (ET2) form must be lodged with the Society office at the time of flushing and implantation respectively. Where parentage verification is not possible for whatever reason the Society has a discretion to register a calf. 20) Registration of calves got by AI must be accompanied by confirmation of the service date. 21) Where a bull has been hired in or borrowed a letter or email of service is required from the registered owner of the bull who must be a member of the Society. 22) All bulls born after 1st January 2000 used for semen collection, must be SNP profiled and myostatin tested and that report lodged with the Society prior to registration of its progeny got by Artificial Insemination/ET. 23) When live animals are imported the importer must register with the Society a SNP profile of the live animal which meets Weatherbys Acceptance Standards or submit a tail hair sample for DNA testing at the importer’s expense; where semen is imported the importer must register with the Society a SNP profile for the semen which meets Weatherbys Acceptance Standards or submit a semen sample for SNP testing at the importer’s expense; where embryos are imported a tail hair sample from the resulting progeny must be
submitted to the Society for SNP testing at the breeder’s expense. In all cases all imports must be accompanied by a zootechnical certificate from either another EU herd book or from a herd book listed on the EU Third Country Approved list, on which all parents and grandparents are listed in the main register of the herd book of origin, together with the relevant registration fee before any progeny can be registered. In the case of imported embryos from a mixed flush, a zootechnical certificate is required for all possible sires. Where such certificates do not show four generations, the importer is required to supply a four-generation pedigree from the herd book origin (up to and including great-great grandparents). The imported genetics is entered into the ‘register for imported animals’. The country of origin will be denoted on the registration certificate by abbreviation. Offspring of these imported genetics, subject to the breed standards of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society at the time of application, are eligible for registration in Coates's Herd Book (Beef). All imported animals are to be sire verified, TH tested and myostatin tested before registration at their breeder’s expense. As this process is completed for each animal a Parentage Verified field will appear on the animal enquiry screen of the website showing either ‘SV’ for sire verified, ‘DV’ for dam verified, or ‘PV’ for parentage verified. Where this field is empty the animal has not yet been verified. Where verification is not possible for whatever reason the Society has a discretion to register an animal. 24) It is beholden on the importer to satisfy the breed standards required by the board of directors of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society at the time of application and registration. The Board of Directors of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society shall accept no liability for costs incurred with an unsuccessful application. 25) Private Sale – if an animal is transferred into another pedigree herd outside a Society sale, the seller must sign and date the back of the pedigree certificate and return it to the Society for endorsement and re-issue with the appropriate fee due from the purchaser. For any registered pedigree animal sold in this way from one pedigree breeder to another the assumption will be that the animal is to be used for pedigree breeding unless stated otherwise. 26) When selling pedigree Beef Shorthorns which include the involvement of the Society in the transfer of the pedigree certificate to the new owner, the Society recommends to its members, with no cost, liability or involvement of the Society, to provide to the buyer the quality assurance of Breeding Warranties currently required by the National Beef Association. 27) The Herd Book is closed and the Society no longer accepts foundation animals but for those animals already in the grading register the grading up process is as follows: GRADE A (one Top Cross) Female progeny only of a Beef Shorthorn Bull registered in Coates's Herd Book (Beef) out of a Special Foundation Cow approved by inspection by the Society to be registered in a Grade A register. The female calf to be recorded as suffixed with the “GRADE A”. The dam to be identified on the pedigree certificate by the cattle passport number and “Special Foundation Cow” suffixed to its common name. www.beefshorthorn.org
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GRADE B (Two Top Crosses) Female progeny of an animal registered in Grade A, by a bull registered in Coates's Herd Book (Beef) to be registered in a Grade B register if of Shorthorn type colour and conformation. Such calves to be recorded as suffixed with “GRADE B”. GRADE C (Three Top Crosses) Female progeny of an animal registered in the Grade B by a bull registered in Coates's Herd Book (Beef) to be recorded in Grade C register if found to be of Shorthorn type colour and conformation. Such calves to be recorded as suffixed “GRADE C”. Progeny (male and female) of an animal registered grade C to enter Coates's Herd Book (Beef) in the appropriate section. 28) All grade females registered in Coates's Herd Book (Beef) are not eligible for showing in pedigree Beef Shorthorn classes and if entered for Society sales they will be sold at the end of the sale. 29) The Society reserves the right to DNA sample any pedigree Beef Shorthorn animal at a show or Society Sale and to make public the results. 30) Where, from the date of submission of the herd health declaration to the date of sale, the health status of a consignor’s herd has changed, the consignor is required to notify the auctioneer and the Society. The Society reserves the right to notify the auctioneer where no notification has been given. 31) The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society shall reserve to itself by its board of directors the sole and absolute right to interpret these and other guidelines, rules, regulations or conditions and to settle or determine all matters in regard to or otherwise arising out of the business of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society. 32) These rules and conditions are subject to EU and UK legislation and as such, may be superseded by governing law. 33) Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on the website database and the pedigree certificate the information is not warranted by the Society as it is based on data supplied by members and/or third parties. The Society and its officers shall not have any liability for the accuracy of the information contained within either the website database or the pedigree certificate. The Society reserves the right to rectify any subsequent errors that may be identified as well as taking any appropriate action that may be required to preserve the integrity of the Herd Book. 34) The Society accepts no liability for any misunderstanding or misinterpretation. Members are advised to contact the Society on any points for clarification. New rule. The Society reserves the right to sanction independent herd inspections. Failure to grant access to, or co-operate with, the inspector will lead to a suspension of registrations and may result in the removal of membership. Registration rules appertaining to the genetic defect Tibial Hemimelia effective from 3rd October 2007
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35) All animals imported into Coates's’s Herd Book (Beef) must be tested TH free. 36) Progeny from imported semen will only be accepted for registration in Coates’s Herd Book (Beef) if the donor bull has been tested TH free or if the progeny is tested TH free at the breeder’s expense. 37) All samples sent for TH testing will require a result release form to be included giving permission for the results to be sent to the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society. All TH results will be published on the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society website. 38) Progeny of TH carriers, or progeny of animals deemed by the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society to be ‘at risk’ must be TH tested in order to be accepted for registration in Coates’s Herd Book (Beef). From 1st March 2008, no TH carrier animals will be accepted for registration into Coates’s Herd Book (Beef). 39) Any TH carrier animal previously registered with the Society and transferred to a new owner will have the pedigree certificate stamped with the words ‘TH Carrier’. 40) TH carrier animals or animals deemed by the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society to be ‘at risk’ cannot be sold at Society sales. At risk animals are defined as animals whose pedigree contains an unbroken line to a known TH carrier. 41) The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society reserves the right to insist on a TH test, at the breeder’s expense for any animal registered with the Society or submitted for registration. Notes for Sale/Auction Catalogues Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on the website database and the pedigree certificate, the information is not warranted by the Society as it is based on data supplied by members and/or third parties. Purchasers should check the animal enquiry screen of the Society website for sire or parentage verification. Where this field is blank the animal has not been verified. In the case of females that are neither embryos nor imports and with no parentage queries this field will not be completed and will be left intentionally blank as verification is not required. The Society and its officers shall not have any liability for the accuracy of the information contained within either the website database or the pedigree certificate. The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society has previously sanctioned the use of Maine Anjou cattle (a French breed of Shorthorn derivatives) in a controlled breed improvement programme. That successful programme is now complete and has been closed (Oct 1999). All calves born on or after 1 January 2001 shall be registered in the Coates's Herd Book (Beef) with no mention of percentage (pertaining to Maine Anjou influence) provided that both parents are previously registered in Coates's Herd Book (Beef). Purchasers who are interested in the influence of Maine Anjou in any prospective purchase are invited to inspect the four-generation pedigree certificate or contact the Secretary for further details. Cattle born before 1 January 2001 will continue to display the percentage of pure Shorthorn blood on their certificate.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society TH Policy Last amended on 16th September 2021
1. All animals imported into Coates’s Herd Book (Beef) must be tested TH free. 2. Imported embryos will only be accepted for registration in Coates’s Herd Book (Beef) if the sire and dam have been tested TH free, or alternatively where this information is incomplete the embryo is tested free. 3. Progeny from imported semen will only be accepted for registration in Coates’s Herd Book (Beef) if the donor bull has been tested TH free. 4. Progeny of TH carriers, or progeny of animals deemed by the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society to be “at risk” * must be TH tested in order to be accepted for registration in Coates’s Herd Book (Beef). From 1st March 2008, no known TH carrier animals will be accepted for registration into Coates’s Herd Book (Beef).
5. Any TH carrier animal previously registered with the Society and transferred to a new owner will have the pedigree certificate stamped with the words “TH Carrier”. 6. TH carrier animals or animals deemed by the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society to be “at risk” * cannot be sold at Society sales. 7. The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society reserves the right to insist on a TH test, at the breeder’s expense for any animal registered with the Society or submitted for registration. * At risk animals are defined as animals whose pedigree contains an unbroken line to a known TH carrier.
What is TH and why does the Society have a TH Policy? Tibial Hemimelia (TH) is a rare lethal genetic condition inherited when affected animals inherit two copies of a recessive gene. Calves are born with severe deformities including twisted rear legs with fused joints, large abdominal hernias and/or skull deformities. Should calves survive the birthing process, they cannot stand to nurse. The TH genetic defect in Shorthorn cattle can all be traced back to one bull, Deerpark Leader 13th, who was a carrier. When a very small number of birth defects were found in calves in the breed in 2006 extensive research was done and a strict genetic testing policy was put in place to eradicate the disease from the Coates's Herd Book and the UK population of Beef Shorthorns. From 1st March 2008, no animals known to be carrying the defective gene have been registered in the Herd Book. Animals carrying the gene from before that date will have it clearly marked on their Pedigree Certificate. Any progeny from these older animals will have to be tested TH free before being accepted for the Herd Book. The Society still carries out a rigorous policy on TH testing of all imported animals to ensure it does not re occur in the UK.
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Guide to Registrations This should be read in conjunction with Coates's Rules and Regulations
Birth notifications • All births to be notified within four months. • There is no charge. • Birth notification is required for all births, including dead calves, to maintain cow records. UK produced calves born by natural service • Bull calves must be sire verified and myostatin tested. • All calves, regardless of gender, must be verified where the breeder has any concern over parentage. It is the breeder’s responsibility to notify the Society. Check with the Society that there is a SNP profile on record for all possible sires and for all possible dams (where sire/dam verification is required). Please call the office for confirmation or look on ABRI where it will be shown as a G number. If there is no genotype on record with the Society, you will not be able to register any bull calves until the sire(s) (and dams where required) have been genotyped. Submit the birth notification. Submit the registration and where verification is required, please post a clean tail hair sample from the calf, containing at least 40 good hair follicles.
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UK produced calves born by UK semen • Bull calves must be sire verified and myostatin tested. • All calves, regardless of gender, must be verified where the breeder has any concern over parentage. It is the breeder’s responsibility to notify the Society. Check that there is a SNP genotype on record for the bull (and for the possible dams where dam verification is required). Please call the office for confirmation or look on ABRI where it will be shown as a G number. If there is no genotype on record with the Society, you will not be able to register any bull calves until the sire(s) have been genotyped. Submit the birth notification. Submit the registration and where verification is required, please post a clean tail hair sample from the calf, containing at least 40 good hair follicles.
UK produced embryos from UK cows and sires • All embryo calves must be sire and dam verified and must be myostatin tested. • An embryo flush form (ET1) and subsequently all embryo amendment forms (ET2) to be lodged with the Society at the time of flushing and implanting respectively.
• Both parents and ALL grandparents of the donor cow and all possible sires, must be from the main register. • A Weatherbys SNP profile (or hair sample) for the donor cow and a Weatherbys SNP profile (or unused straw or hair sample) for all possible sires to be lodged with the Society at the time of flushing if not already available. If it is not possible to parentage verify an embryo the progeny will be ineligible for registration in Coates's Herd Book. Check that there is a SNP genotype on record for the donor cow and all possible sires. Please call the office for confirmation or look on ABRI where it will be shown as a G number. Where there is no genotype on record submit SNP profiles or hair/semen samples for the donor cow and all possible sires by the time of flushing. Submit the ET1 flush form at the time of flushing. Submit the ET2 form at the time of implant. Notify the Society if the implanted embryo(s) fail. Submit the birth notification. Submit the registration and post a clean tail hair sample from the calf, containing at least 40 good hair follicles. Imported live animals • All imported animals must be sire verified, TH and myostatin tested. Check that the animal is registered in a EU herd book or in a herd book from an association with third country recognition. The Society is not able to accept animals which are not from a herd book within the EU or from a herd book which does not have third country approval. Check all parents and all grandparents are in the main section of the herd book of origin. Obtain, from the herd book of origin, the zootechnical certificate AND a four-generation pedigree (to greatgreat grandparents) where the zootechnical certificate does show four generations. Check that there is a SNP genotype on record with the Society for the sire which meets Weatherbys acceptance standard. Post a clean tail hair sample from the imported animal containing at least 40 good hair follicles. Imported semen • A zootech certificate from the herd book of origin which must be either within the EU or have third country approval (this is
a live list and should be checked regularly for new additions/ removals) must be lodged with the Society. • A four-generation pedigree certificate where the zootech certificate does not cover four generations. • Both parents and ALL grandparents must be from the main register. • A SNP profile for the semen to be lodged with the Society at the time of import, if not already available, which meets Weatherbys’ acceptance standard. BEFORE PURCHASE: Check that the bull is registered in an EU herd book or in a herd book from an association with third country recognition. The Society is not able to accept semen from a herd book that is not in the EU or which does not have third country approval. Check both parents and all grandparents are in the main section of the herd book or origin. Check that there is a SNP genotype on record with the Society for the bull. Obtain, from the herd book of origin, the semen zootechnical certificate AND a four-generation pedigree (to great-great grandparents) where the zootechnical certificate does show four generations. AFTER PURCHASE: Submit the birth notification. Submit the zootechnical certificate for the semen at the point of submitting the calf registration, along with a clean tail hair sample from the calf, containing at least 40 good hair follicles. AFTER RE-SALE: After re-sale, notify the office giving details of the new purchaser. Imported embryos must have • An import or embryo flush form (ET1) and/or embryo amendment form (ET2) to be lodged with the Society at the time of import/implantation. • A zootech certificate from the herd book of origin which must be either within the EU or have third country approval (this is a live list and should be checked regularly for new additions/ removals) to be lodged with the Society at the time of import. • A four-generation pedigree certificate where the zootech certificate does not cover four generations for all parents, including a four-generation pedigree for every possible sire where a mixed flush has been taken. • Both parents and ALL grandparents of the donor cow and all possible sires, must be from the main register. Continued over www.beefshorthorn.org
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• A SNP profile for the donor cow and all possible sires, which meet Weatherbys acceptance standard, to be lodged with the Society at the time of import if not already available. BEFORE PURCHASE: Check that the donor cow and all possible sires are registered in a EU herd book or in a herd book from an association with third country recognition. Check all parents and all grandparents are in the main section of the herd book of origin. Check that there is a SNP genotype on record with the Society for the donor cow and all possible sires. Obtain, from the herd book of origin, the embryo zootechnical certificate AND a four-generation pedigree for the donor cow and all possible sires (to great-great grandparents) where the zootechnical certificate does show four generations.
At private sale to transfer ownership • Please note that pedigrees will only be transferred to members of the Society. Seller to complete the reverse of the certificate to confirm the date of transfer and the name and address of the purchaser before giving the pedigree to the purchaser. The transfer payment is due from the purchaser and not from the seller. Purchaser to return the original certificate to the Stoneleigh Park office along with payment of £30 (inc. VAT) for each transfer. Animals must be transferred BEFORE any progeny can be registered.
Online animal information • Where to check for a G number: www.beefshorthorn.org > Database > Animal Enquiry
AFTER PURCHASE: Submit the ET1 flush form at the time of flushing (OR the intra-trade certificate showing the movement of the embro from the previous owner to the new owner) along with the zootechnical and four generation pedigree certificate(s) for the embryo. Submit the ET2 form at the time of implant. Notify the Society if the implanted embryo(s) fail. Submit the birth notification. Submit the registration and post a clean tail hair sample from the calf, containing at least 40 good hair follicles. AFTER RE-SALE: After re-sale, notify the office giving details of the new purchaser. DNA requirements for imports (semen, live animals, embryos) • External SNP profiles must meet Weatherbys Scientific’s acceptance standard. This standard can be downloaded from the Downloadable Documents area of the website or requested from the office. There is an additional charge for an external profile transfer of £5.40 (including VAT). It is the responsibility of the breeder, and not the Society, to provide this information which must be sent to: The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Society Pavilion, Avenue M, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2RG Tel: 02477 103406 Email: registrations@beefshorthorn.org 174
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Glossary of terms • SNP – Single nucleotide polymorphisms, commonly referred to as ‘Snips’. SNP genotypes are carried out by the Society and are the preferred DNA profile for all sires and dams. • MS – Microsatellite. MS genotypes were undertaken before SNP genotypes superseded this technology. Where only a MS genotype is available it can still be used to parentage verify calves, however this means that there will be an additional cost as the calf will have to be MS profiled and SNP profiled.
DNA Testing Guide
In association with
Eartag sampling for genomic and routine parentage testing Once you have taken the eartag sample, please follow the guidelines below for your particular tag type: TAG TYPE
PROCEDURE
Dry Desiccant Tags
Keep in the fridge until you post to the Society. Must be sent first class in a padded envelope within three weeks of collection.
Gel Suspension Tags
Liquid Suspension Tags
Store between 15-24°C in a dark cupboard until you post to the Society. Send to the Society in a padded envelope within 5 ½ months of collection. Store between 15-24°C in a dark cupboard until you post to the Society. Send to the Society in a padded envelope within one week of collection.
Hair sampling for genomic and routine parentage testing Tail hair root follicles are an excellent source of DNA for genomic and routine parentage testing. However, the performance of samples processed and the reliability of the genomic results are dependent upon sample quality. Pull at least 60 hairs from the tail switch – please do not include coat hair. DO NOT CUT the hair - if the sample is missing the follicle (root), it will not contain DNA. If you don’t have enough hairs, there will not be enough DNA for genotyping. Gather at least 60 hairs, and grasp them tightly as close to the skin as possible with hands or pliers. As an animal gets older, the hair roots become harder to remove, so the use of pliers often aids removal.
Semen sampling for genomic and routine parentage testing If sending semen samples, thaw and place one straw in the packet provided. Then seal and send immediately to the Society. Please so not send used straws, only full un-used straws of semen are suitable for testing, due to the amount semen needed for DNA extraction and risk of cross contamination. Please send each sample in a separate bag to avoid cross contamination of samples.
Pull the hair slowly and firmly away from the tail, making sure to get the roots. Do not collect shed hair for sampling, as the follicles will carry degraded DNA. Ensure the hair is completely dry, and as clean as possible, otherwise the DNA will degrade before extraction.
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When more than one animal is sampled, take extreme care to avoid cross contamination of hair roots between animals. Only put the hair from one animal in each sample bag. Be sure there’s no substance on the sample, such as sprays, detergents or other cleaning agents. Only take hair samples from live animals. Please ensure that the DNA sampling bag is labelled with the correct animal details or, if we have not provided the pre-labelled bag, please write the animal’s name and full UK tag number on the bag with permanent marker. Once you have placed the hair in the bag, seal it tightly ready for return. Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
and hence muscle growth is unregulated. The most obvious departure from normal in the phenotype of a double muscled animal is the enlargement of musculature, particularly in the rump and shoulder areas. There are however other traits which may or may not be significant, more particularly where the syndrome is fully expressed: • Prominent creases between muscle groups • Minimal fat cover and modified fat composition • Shorter, thinner and less dense bones • Delays in puberty, reduced fertility and reduced milk production • Increased likelihood of dystocia • Enlarged tongues in new born calves • Poorly developed genitals • Increased susceptibility to respiratory disease probably due to increased demands on aerobic metabolic activity • Increased meat tenderness and yield There are nine known variants of the myostatin mutation, four of which are known to have occurred in the Beef Shorthorn: • E226X - the most common variant found in the Shorthorn and the Maine Anjou. • nt419 - sometimes found in Shorthorns and occurs in the Maine Anjou • nt821 - occurs in the Belgian Blue, Blonde, Limousin and South Devon and the Angus. Occasionally occurs in the Beef Shorthorn • F94L - common in Limousins and occasionally in the Shorthorn • C313Y E291X Q204X D182N S105C - unrecorded in the Beef Shorthorn
Examples of poor hair samples which have failed to produce a result. Insufficient hair and coat hair
Test results are presented as having no copy present (0), one copy (1) or two copies (2). The results of crossing between sires and dams, who do, and do not, have a mutation can be grouped as follows:
Quality samples are the key to getting good DNA from your cattle. Plenty of tail hair with strong follicles Send your samples to: The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, Society Pavilion, Avenue M, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2RG. Myostatin This test is a registration requirement for all imported animals and embryo registration calves, regardless of gender and all bull calves. The double muscle condition in cattle arises from a genetic abnormality in the production of ‘myostatin’, which is a protein that acts on muscle cells’ autocrine function to inhibit myogenesis: muscle cell growth and differentiation. It is encoded by the MSTN gene. An animal with the defective gene lacks the myostatin protein 176
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0x1
50% no copy 50% one copy
1x1
25% no copy 50% one copy 25% two copies
0x2
100% have one copy
1x2
50% have one copy 50% have two copies
2x2
100% have two copies
On the basis of current knowledge, the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society recommends: • that breeders continue to select for ‘balanced’ cattle that exhibit traits that the breed has historically been known for, and is increasingly sought after for, using traditional and modern techniques. In addition, breeders and their customers should be aware of the implications of using bulls or cows that carry the mutation. Breeders may wish to consider testing as many bulls or cows that they suspect may carry the mutation (single or double copy). They may also wish to check the status of any animal they buy. If no test result is available, then checking the pedigree may determine if there is a possibility of a variant being passed on. If a breeder feels they can manage the potential downsides of retaining a myostatin positive (single or double copy) female, we would encourage the use of a myostatin free bull and that the progeny be tested.
The Society requires some compulsory DNA tests to be carried out on certain types of animals, however you may wish to request noncompulsory tests for other animals. The table below sets out the compulsory and optional tests for each type of animal and the table on the next page sets out the prices of each test.
In light of the genotype monitoring undertaken on the Society’s behalf, the Directors of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society have issued the following directive:
• As of 1st January 2021, any bull carrying a double deletion of any myostatin variant, or single deletions of two distinct variants, will be ineligible for registration in Coates's herd book.
Females wanting Myostatin Only
• As of 1st January 2021, any bull carrying a double deletion of any myostatin variant, or single deletions of two distinct variants, will be ineligible for a Society recognised show class or a Society recognised or supported sale.
Females with Parentage Queries
• As of 1st January 2020, all bulls, of any age, entered for sale at a Society sale must have their myostatin status listed in the catalogue.
Bull Calves
Imported Animals
DNA Testing Check List Embryo Transfer Registrations
All stock sires of calves registered since 1st January 2018 will be tested for myostatin at the Society’s cost. If insufficient DNA is available from a previously submitted hair sample breeders will be requested to resubmit samples.
Before you send your sample check which tests are required
Imported ET Animals
At present the regulations for all bull calves registered with the Society require that a hair sample is submitted for sire verification and myostatin testing. The myostatin test is carried out at the Society’s cost and the results will be published on the database.
SNP Profile Myostatin TH Polled
• These regulations will be kept under review. All cattle imported into the UK Herd Book and any progeny resulting from embryo transfer will also be myostatin tested as part of the registration process. It should be noted that the Society is required by law to make all genetic testing information freely available. The Society is obliged therefore to publish the results on the ABRI database and to include new information as it becomes available. This applies whether testing is carried out by the Society or by an individual breeder.
Sire Verification Parentage Verification Compulsory Test:
Key:
Optional Test:
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society DNA Tests For pricing please refer to the Society website
BEEF SHORTHORN CATTLE SOCIETY DNA SUBMISSION FORM
DNA Sample Bags
BULL/COW/ET COW/CALF/ET CALF Sample This packet contains hair (with root Follicles) from: ANIMAL DETAILS Name:.................................................................................HB No:.........................................................
Example of a Society DNA bag. Please make sure to fill in all of the details, especially multiple sire information.
SNP Profile TH Trait Anaylsis - Society rules regarding TH can be found on the Society website
Tag/National ID:........................................... Type: Single/Twin......................................................... Date of Birth:......................................................................... Sex:.........................................................
Myostatin
Dam: ................................................................................. Tag No: ...................................................... .. Sire: ................................................................................... Tag No:.........................................................
Polled Trait Analysis
Sire:....................................................................................Tag No:......................................................... Sire: ....................................................................................Tag No: ........................................................ I confirm that the enclosed hair/tissue sample came from the above animal. I also confirm that by submitting this sample to the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, I agree for a SNP profile to be created which will be used for the purposes of parentage analysis, to determine if required the myostatin status and the TH status and if specified below to determine the polled status. I agree that this sample or the resulting SNP profile, may be used by the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society to conduct further tests in the future and that the data may used by other Beef Shorthorn societies and agencies. Name of owner:..................................................................................................................................... Address: ................................................................................................................................................. Owner’s Signature:................................................................................................................................ Please place this packet in an envelope and send to: Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, Society Pavilion, Avenue M, Stoneleigh Park, CV8 2RG Tests required (please tick as appropriate): SNP Profile
Myostatin
TH
Sire Analysis
Dam Analysis
Parentage Analysis
Polled
Parentage Verification for up to three parents. If you are not sure of the parent of any animal, it must be verified. Additional Parents - Three parents are included in the cost of parentage verification as long as they are stated when you submit the animal. This fee will be charged per additional parent if there are more than three possible parents, or for any additional parents notified after submission. External Profile transfer fee (to transfer DNA profiles which have been created at other laboratories, for example for animals purchased from abroad)
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Timescales For DNA Tests We send batches of samples to Weatherbys on Mondays via courier, so that they reach the lab on Tuesday’s, they then start the process.
HOW THE PROCESS WORKS AT WEATHERBYS 0 days
1 week
3 weeks
Your sample is received at the Society office, we send samples to the lab in batches, once a week on Mondays
Samples are received at the lab and start the process on Tuesdays
It takes up to 10 working days to create the SNP profile
4 weeks
4 weeks
4 weeks
If samples don’t produce a suitable profile, we will write to you to request a new sample and once we receive it the process will begin again
Information on the profiles are reported to the Society, if the profile, parentage and myostatin is verified, we will update the database then write and inform you of the result
It takes up to an additional five working days to read the myostatin and polled results and at the same time the parentage verification is checked
OR
7 weeks
9 weeks
If there is a parentage exclusion it takes an additional 10 working days to rerun the sample to confirm the result, and for the lab to let us know. We will then contact you for information about other possible sires and dams. Once you inform us of other possibilities, we check to see if they are SNP profiled, if yes, we request that the lab check to see if they qualify
If the new possible parents are not SNP tested, the progeny animal will need to be re-tested on MS so that it can be compared to the parents profile, this takes an additional 10 working days
Very latest In DNA Technology
Globally Recognised as a Leading Laboratory in Genotyping Agricultural and Companion Animals Offering the very latest DNA technology for genomics and parentage verification in: Cattle • Horses • Sheep • Pigs • Dogs • Goats Genotyping for the Genomic enhancement of EBV’s using the Weatherbys Scientific Versa SNP50K ™ and Illumina HD (770K) Bovine microarray Chips. Also Genotyping for: Myostatin • Polled • TH • Three Traits • A1 & A2 Beta Casein BLAD • Breed Assignment And many more- please contact the laboratory for a full list. FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT OUR LABORATORY AT:
Weatherbys Scientifi c , Unit F1, M7 Business Park, Newhall , Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland. W91VX86
Telephone: +353 (0) 45 875521 | mail@weatherbysscientific.com | www.weatherbysscientific.com
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GENOM ICS AN D PARE N TAGE V ERIFI CAT IO N I N : CAT T LE • HORS E S • SHE E P • P IG S • DO GS • GOATS
SCIENTIFIC
Breed characteristics Male and female Colour: red, white or roan, red and white, red and little white, and dark roan and/or red roan. Black markings are undesirable. Can be polled or horned. Double muscling is undesirable. The legs should show a degree of angle at the hock and at the pastern but not be too straight or too sickled. Feet should have a good depth of heel and when walking the hind-legs should follow straight behind the fore-legs.
Male Strong masculine head with broad muzzle with teeth making good contact with the palate and showing no signs of undershot or overshot jaw. Strong neck and shoulders with clean brisket. Good body depth and spring of rib with underside running parallel to long, firm topline. The rump should be long, wide and square on top with a slight slope from hooks to pins. From the plates a wide, firm fleshed first thigh following down through a deep, well rounded second thigh to a well filled deep flank. The testicles should be of uniform size and consistency, suspended equally and not twisted. Testicle circumference should be at least • under 18 months – 32 cm • 18 to 24 months – 34 cm • over 24 months – 35 cm The size of the testicles is directly related to the fertility of the bull and his daughters. A loose pendulous sheath is undesirable.
Female Head should be feminine with bright, clear, alert eyes and a wide muzzle with teeth making good contact with the palate and showing no signs of undershot or overshot jaw. Neck should blend neatly into the shoulders with a good width to the chest and a neat, clean brisket flowing into a level underline with no extended gut. A deep body with a good spring of rib is desirable to give plenty of rumen capacity. Topline from the shoulders to the hook bones should be long and straight with a slight slope from the hook bones to the pin bones. Plenty of width between the pin bones to provide ease of calving. From the plates a natural width of firm fleshed first thing following down through a deep second thigh to a level flank with good udder attachment and medium sized square teat placement.
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Merchandise You can purchase a selection of branded merchandise in our online store at www.beefshorthorn.org/merchandise P&P is £5 per order and all prices include VAT. Look out for new items being introduced in 2021!
Beef Shorthorn Badge £3
Beef Shorthorn Cuff links £10
Beef Shorthorn Polyester Tie £12
Beef Shorthorn Silk Tie £18
Beef Shorthorn Herd Book (All Years) £15
Beef Shorthorn Weighband £5
New Range Coming Soon 180
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Accelerate genetic gain
Optional stimulation programme
Collect from young or pregnant donors On-Farm services
Utilise rare or valuable semen
Livery Service
Cattle IVP services AB Europe offers farmers professional and reliable services as well as access to the latest reproductive breeding technologies to maximise and accelerate genetic gain from their superior cows
@abeurope @AB_Europe @AnimalBreedingEurope 01875 614 500 www.beefshorthorn.org
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Photos courtesy of Penny Paisley @ 1309 Design
Junior bulls and heifers usually available for sale
CUTTHORN SHORTHORNS ‘Bred from the ground up’ Members of SAC : High Health Status Contact Alastair Gibson to view—07823334910 Cut Thorn Farm, Gibside, Newcastle upon Tyne NE16 6AA
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Ingleby
Pedigree Beef Shorthorns
Inglestone Victoria Lilac with Inglestone Victoria Petunia
Inglestone Marguerite Katie
Inglestone Magic Ruth
Inglestone Victoria Petunia
Visitors are always welcome Laura Ingleby: 07843 501643 inglestone@icloud.com The Boxes, Maunby, Thirsk YO7 4HA
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CATTLE SOLD AT:
Established for over a decade. Traditionally bred Beef Shorthorns incorporating some very successful North American genetics. Bulls sold to 12,000gns and heifers to 6,500gns. Enquiries always welcome.
John & Matthew Thomson & John Dick
| |
Stirling and Skipton and at the Annual Longtown Pedigree Sale Monday 29th August 2022
Newlands, Eaglesfield, Dumfriesshire, DG11 3AA. Tel: 01461
500769 & 07900 181635
Email: info@shawhillshorthorns.co.uk
www.shawhillshorthorns.co.uk
‘S’
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is the
Year Letter
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for
2022
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Looking back through the years and to the future
www.beefshorthorn.org
Wenmar Beef Shorthorns Beef Shorthorn bulls, cows and heifers raised naturally for pedigree and commercial breeding
Visitors always welcome to view our cattle and breeding policy at any time, without any obligations other than to enjoy their visit
Blending strong British and worldwide Beef Shorthorn genetics • We attempt to blend the best Beef Shorthorn genetics we can find from around the world, enabling us to offer our customers both sound fertile bulls, and hardy milky cows and heifers
• We recognise the importance of the strength of the female line, any female on our farm is able to be purchased if we are above our minimum number in her cow family
• Our cattle are reared to grow on naturally, when they leave us they are targeted to be ready to successfully breed
• Young bulls usually for sale all year round
For a full listing of all of our cattle, embryos and semen available please visit our website:
www.wenmarbeefshorthorns.com Wenmar Beef Shorthorns
For a friendly chat and further details contact Martyn Moore.
Wenmar Beef Shorthorns, Warren Farm, Lulsley, Knightwick, Worcestershire, WR6 5QT.
Mobile: 07767 608012 Email: martyncmoore@manx.net
A rich history - celebrating Coates’s Herd Book 200th anniversary
T
he following pages provide a mere snapshot of Beef Shorthorn’s extensive heritage.
We briefly chart its early course from the Tees valley in the north east of England to global, its rise in popularity with over 44 cattle breeds having benefited from using Shorthorn blood lines in their
I used to be informed that the history of the Shorthorn breed reflected the history of England, which I suppose would, to a great extent, be true. There was an urgency for the breed to be registered in George Coates’s Herd Book during the Napoleonic wars and after a century of war, harvest failure and disease, followed by the impact of inflation and the industrial revolution which led families to flock to the towns to work in the new industries. Those sweeping changes also encouraged the emigration of great stockmen starting up again in the Argentine, Australia, Canada and South Africa. Had you visited a village hostelry in the Tees valley 200 years ago you would have found clusters of farmers and stock people.
1822 - 2022
evolution, to its virtual demise, followed by the upsurge in demand during the last two decades. A sincere thank you to our contributors Carey Coombs, Major John Gibb, Frank Milnes, James Nelson, John Thomson and the Hon Gerald Turton, together with excerpts from TB Marson and John Wood-Roberts.
They would not have been talking about Stephenson’s Rocket being developed in Darlington. If you thought you heard mention of a Duchess she was no Lady. They would have been talking about the success and the qualities of the new breed of short-horned cattle, or Durhams if you lived on the Durham side of the Tees. During the history of the breed it would take too long to mention all the heroes who made it possible. The breeders and those who continued to campaign to raise the money to publish the first book, and the old man who rode his white horse over the Dales collecting calving dates and names of bulls. Hon Gerald Turton
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The breed’s origins By John Thomson
G
eorge Culley, a great agriculturalist and pupil of Robert Bakewell described the Shorthorn as excelling in providing the greatest quantity of beef, tallow and milk and was particularly enthusiastic about their milking abilities, the quantity given being ‘beyond any other breed’. He describes the colours as being varied, red and white mixed or flecked, but very pleasing and agreeable.
At that time, towards the end of the 18th century, the Shorthorns, or short-horned breed were still known by some as the Dutch breed and, by others, as the Durham, the Holderness or the Teeswater, depending on their location. These cattle were generally only to be found along the east coast of England, their homelands reaching from the southern part of Lincolnshire northwards to the Scottish border. It has frequently been suggested that imports from Holland and the low countries were not uncommon as there was a free flow of trade back and forth across the North Sea, although such imports must have been illegal as, from the reign of Charles II to the close of the 18th century, importations of cattle into England were forbidden and this would account for the absence of these transactions from customs records of the time. There is also a strong argument that can be made that the Dutch influence is greatly overstated and that this breed of red and white, and combinations thereof, cattle were of Scandinavian, probably Danish, extraction and were brought to this country over the North Sea by the Danish settlers and farmers who followed in the wake of the Viking predations when they, and their cattle took root in that part of England which was known as the Danelaw in the years before the Norman Conquest of 1066. The geographic location of the breed fits this thesis. Nonetheless, it seems that, amongst others, Michael Dobinson of The Isle, near Sedgefield, County Durham went, as a young man in the earlier part of the 18th century, to Holland and brought back bulls which are reputed to have greatly improved the local cattle. Indeed in 1730, John Bates, grandfather of the great Shorthorn pioneer, Thomas Bates, purchased six cows and a white bull from Dobinson. Other imports were not so successful and were believed to have been detrimental to the development of the cattle in
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certain areas, particularly towards the south of their territory in Lincolnshire. The cattle of Holderness were also suggested as being of doubtful reputation, although not all writers agree on this. What they did agree on was the large size of the Holderness animals and William Ellis, writing in 1744 tells us that ‘of all the cows in England, I think that none come up to the Holderness breed for their wide bags, short horns and large bodies’. Strickland’s Survey of the East Riding of Yorkshire reiterated that these cattle were remarkable for their large size and commented that they were similar to the cattle of the Low Countries and the North Western parts of Germany. In around 1740, the St Quintin family were said to have introduced a bull and some cows from Holstein which were similar to the native Holderness breed but possessed some superior qualities which passed down to the cattle in their locality. Perhaps they were of large size and poor quality but these East Riding cattle were certainly reported to be good milk producers, ‘many giving eight gallons per day’, and they have certainly contributed to the genetic makeup of today’s Shorthorns. Sir George Strickland was for some 40 years a major improver of the Holderness and, on his death in 1808, his sale achieved the highest prices which had ever been given for cattle in that area at that time. In the later years of the 18th century, the best Shorthorns were reported to be ‘large, massive, expansive cows, with great width and substance, hardy constitutions, mostly red and white spotted’ and, it is added, often with black noses. As one moved north of the Yorkshire Wolds, a marked improvement in the quality of the cattle was noted; finer bone and better carcase being the order of the day rather than the pursuit of the largest size, with the best specimens of the breed being found ‘in that fine country on both sides of the River Tees’ where Yorkshire bordered Durham. The beef, the finished product, found a ready market as victuals to the East India vessels and the coal ships of the Tees, Wear and Tyne, not to mention the demand from the appetites of the ever-growing army of workers in the mines and heavy industries of the north east of England. It was the influence of the Tees and Darlington bulls and Colling breeding which would produce the smaller, lighter boned and more readily fattened Shorthorn of the 19th century.
BICENTENARY
George Coates’s Herd Book
F
or centuries, cattle breeding in England took place ‘by natural causes and from force of circumstances’ or by the mating of ‘anyone’s son with nobody’s daughters’, but the 18th century improvers and followers of Robert Bakewell had changed all this with planned breeding and matings which, of course, necessitated proper record keeping. Records were, however, personal to the individual breeder who could share these with others to whatever extent he wished.
1791 The General Stud Book for Thoroughbred horses had first been published by James Weatherby This was the world’s first stud or herd book and it would be well known to the aristocratic and sporting breeders of Shorthorn cattle who would have been attracted by the thought of a similar publication being produced for their cattle.
1822 - 2022
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1822 Without Coates, there would have been no book and it is a great tribute to him that the first volume of Coates’s Herd Book was published two centuries ago. It was the first cattle herd book in the world. Jonas Whitaker of Greenholme, a leading breeder, was key to the success of the work. He financed the Herd Book’s first and early editions. Volume 1 was printed, at his request, at the Wharfedale Stanhope Press in Otley, his local town. This first volume included, as did other early editions, engraved illustrations of noted cattle of the time; 721 bulls were listed and approximately 850 females. The first bull in the book was Abelard, bred by Major Bower, got by Mr C Colling’s Cecil, his dam was Easby, bred by Mr Booth, ‘by his lame bull’. Names could be very basic; the early herd books included many such as Allison’s Gray Bull, J Brown’s White Bull and Jolly’s Bull. These bulls lived prior to 1780 and were only being recorded in 1822. It is no wonder that their names were brief and the true recollection of their pedigree must, in many cases, have been equally limited.
1812 At Wynyard, home of Sir Henry Vane Tempest, a group of these breeders agreed that pedigree records should be collected and published and George Coates of Carlton, near Pontefract; a breeder himself, he agreed to undertake the task. The Collings were present at this meeting, as was Thomas Bates and John Booth. Sir Henry agreed to provide the necessary funds but died shortly afterwards, before the funds could be disbursed. This delayed the work for some 10 years and further delay was incurred with the death of Robert Colling in 1820. Two years earlier at Colling’s dispersal, he had agreed with Jonas Whitaker to provide money for the project. By now Coates was busy, riding from place to place on his grey pony with a satchel of papers and pedigrees on his back or attending the fairs and market days at Yarm, Darlington and elsewhere and always seeking the necessary information. He was helped by others, particularly Thomas Bates, and if some of the information was later found to be a little suspect and there were those who suggested that he was sometimes too ready to assist his friends, he achieved wonders when one considers that what he had to work with was human memory and transient records, both of which could be fallible and sometimes partisan.
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George Coates was assisted by his son who continued publishing new editions up to Volume 5 in 1842. The work was then taken over by Henry Strafford, a distinguished auctioneer of his day who was assisted by one of his clerks, John Thornton who would go on to be the most famous pedigree livestock auctioneer of all time. Publication of the herd book remained a private enterprise, with approximately 800 copies each year sold for 1gns each, until 1872 when a meeting was held with a view to forming a Shorthorn breeders’ society.
Coates’s Herd Book exert
BICENTENARY
1875
1881
The Shorthorn Society of the United Kingdom and Ireland was established with the Duke of Devonshire as its first president. The Society then acquired the copyright, manuscript, work in hand and about 2,000 unsold volumes from Mr Strafford for £5,000. The Society then took on the publication of Coates’s Herd Book from Volume 21 and continues its production down to the present day.
There were ongoing problems with duplicate animal names and the Society urged breeders to add to the name of the animal ‘a designation of the locality where it was born’; thereafter, the use of a herd prefix became the custom.
The Shorthorn records of the 19 century are littered with complaints of incorrect or fraudulent pedigrees and the Society’s purchase of the herd book assisted in dealing with these. Penalties could be severe; one farmer, Henry Hopkins was sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labour for showing a winning Shorthorn at the 1875 Birmingham Agricultural Exhibition with a totally false pedigree. th
1904 The Shorthorn Society decided that exclusive names for herd was an excellent idea to identify breeders, their policies and their stock by a prefix of affix, for example the Durnos of Uppermill. This was followed by an exclusive three figure combination for the herd’s earmark.
1949 Registrations reached an all-time high 25,781 female registrations 15,517 grading register 6,707 bulls Coates’s had always been an open herd book, enabling cattle of quality to be brought in and graded up into the full pedigree record thus assuring the growth of the breed in good times and the infusion of a needed outcross in lean times.
1976 The Herd Book fell to an almost all time low with just 45 herds registered
2001 The Society agreed for the Herd Book to be closed to any outside influence, however breeders could import Beef Shorthorn genetics provided they carried country’s designation.
2020 Registrations 3,525 females 1,031 bulls
1822 - 2022
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Charles and Robert Colling The Colling brothers, Charles and Robert, farmed near Darlington and bred and developed what they, and other breeders, referred to as the ‘improved Shorthorn’.
T
he Collings were by no means the first in their field and, certainly from the first quarter of the 18th century, ‘in that fine country on both sides of the Tees’, there is a tradition of a distinctive and productive breed which had been improved by the work of their predecessors. As well as the cattle on the great estates, names of improving breeders of the Shorthorn become increasingly known to us from the 1750’s onwards. These breeders apparently made great improvements to the breed so that their influence strongly persisted and was not ‘extinguished all at once by magic or an earthquake in the year 1785 when Charles Colling commenced breeding’.
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The foundations of the Colling fame was the bull later known as Hubback. He was bred by John Hunter of Hurworth and probably born in 1777. Hunter had farmed for a time and, on giving up farming, he had retained one cow which grazed the local lanes and was served to a bull owned by Mr Snowdon. Once calved with a bull calf, mother and son were sold at Darlington Market to a gentleman who sold the bull calf on to a local blacksmith. In turn the bull, at six years old, was found in the possession of Mr Fawcett of Haughton Hill. Charles Colling, when going into Darlington on market day, bought some excellent
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
veal and he discovered that the veal calves had been sired by Fawcett’s bull which was serving cows in the vicinity at a one shilling fee. Charles didn’t buy the bull but his brother Robert and another breeder, Mr Waistell did. They paid Fawcett 10gns. They used him for a year or so and then sold him to Charles Colling for 8gns. Waistell thought that Charles had agreed that he could still send cows to the bull but, when he sent one the following year, Colling, or perhaps Mrs Colling demanded a 5gns service fee which Waistell understandably declined to pay. Charles Colling kept the bull for two
BICENTENARY
years then sold him on to a Mr Hubback for whom the bull was ultimately named. Colling later realised his mistake in selling him. Back in 1784, about the time that Hubback was acquired, a cow from the Duke of Northumberland’s Stanwick Estate in North Yorkshire was sent to Darlington Market. Charles Colling bought her for £13 and named her Duchess. Served by Hubback, the offspring, developed by Thomas Bates, were to pass into Shorthorn history and financial insanity as the famed Duchess family. In 1785, Charles Colling purchased the cow Favourite and her heifer calf from Mr Maynard of Eryholme after a lunchtime visit and the intervention of the ladies of the party. The two animals became known in the Colling herd as Lady Maynard and Young Strawberry and proved extremely influential and, with these and the founders of the Duchess tribe in his herd, together with the Hubback strain on the bull side, Charles Colling had something to work with.
Indeed, it was believed that he had the best four Shorthorn cows in existence and, through the bull Foljambe, a maternal grandson of Hubback, he bred Bolingbroke who, in turn, bred Favourite, the bull who was to sire the famous and enormous Durham Ox and the great 1,000gns, Comet. Comet’s dam was both daughter and sister to his sire, Favourite. No bull in the history of the breed has so many Shorthorns as trace back to him as does Favourite.
Favourite
Durham Ox 1822 - 2022
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Comet
Comet’s dam was both daughter and sister to his sire, Favourite but, whilst close inbreeding was certainly a feature of the Collings breeding policy, its use has been rather overstated and for many years the brothers sought and used various outcross bulls none of which seemed to do them any good. Hubback and Favourite were the bulls on which their fame was established. The Shorthorn, whatever the detail of its pedigree, was a dual purpose breed
and, despite the reputation for beef, the Colling cows, in common with their contemporaries had to do their bit for the dairy. Charles Colling’s Ketton herd was dispersed in 1810. Whilst its quality had fallen away a bit in recent years, the fame of the Collings and the high prices of the Napoleonic Wars ensured an exceptional trade with an average for 47 lots of over £150 and the great bull, Comet, making a legendary
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1,000gns, a sum worth approximately £85,000 in today’s currency. At this sale, buyers proved to be very much from the northern counties whereas by the time of Robert Colling’s sale of his Barmpton herd eight years later, bidders from four or five counties south of the Humber were very much in evidence with the highest priced lot at 630gns being the bull Lancaster who had five crosses of Favourite in his pedigree.
Ketton Hall, home of Chas. Colling BICENTENARY
Captain Barclay, the great pedestrian
R
obert Barclay Allardice Esq of Ury, based near Stonehaven, Kincardineshire in north east Scotland and known universally as Captain Barclay, was a powerful man but ‘rather round than broadly built’. As a sporting and, inevitably, a gambling man, he fell in and out of prosperity. While prosperous, he would go to England to buy good Shorthorns and, when not so prosperous, he would have to sell them and so he disseminated the breed in the North East of Scotland perhaps more efficiently than he would have done had he been a quieter fellow. The Captain is believed to have been the first man to have established a Shorthorn herd in the North of Scotland. In about 1822 he first started to acquire cattle and purchases which were to prove of real importance were made at Mr Rennie’s Phantassie herd dispersal in 1827. Soon afterwards, the Captain threw caution to the wind and sold off all his other cattle to concentrate solely on the Shorthorn breed.
guests were imprisoned. The door was unlocked in the early hours and the guests allowed to get a little sleep wherever in the house they could find it, while the Captain and a hard core of hardened drinkers sat on until daylight. In 1847, the Ury herd was again dispersed. This sale was not as successful as the first. There were no English or Irish bidders this time and the cattle were sold to buyers in the North of Scotland including Cruikshank of Sittyton and Campbell of Kinellar. The Captain died, aged 75 years in 1854. His Shorthorn legacy is carried down to us in the Ury Maid family which has proved so successful at Upsall and elsewhere.
In 1828, ‘probably to replenish his exchequer’, Captain Barclay held his first full dispersal sale; about 80 head totalling some £3,000. Some stock was distributed in the north but the best cattle went to Irish buying commissions placed with the auctioneer. Regular sales of young bulls and surplus stock were held at Ury and the post sale hospitality was monumental. Barclay would sit at the end of the great table and, as the meal concluded, whisky punch would be served. Two gentlemen who were guests on one occasion recalled that, after a glass or two, they thought that they would head for home but they then found that the door was locked! However, they planned that when the servant brought more hot water for the punch, they would make their escape. But when more water was called for it was passed through a hatch in the wall and still the two
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Bates and Booth The first half of the 19th century was dominated in the Shorthorn world by Thomas Bates and the Booth family; neither they, nor their cattle could have been more different.
T
homas Bates (1775 - 1849), latterly of Kirklevington, in the Vale of Cleveland was a successful large scale farmer whose interests included studying science, agriculture and moral philosophy at Edinburgh University when in his mid-thirties. His enthusiasms, agricultural, political and social, were wide ranging and it was said that ‘he might have become anything, even prime minister, if only he did not talk so much’. His first Shorthorn purchases were from the Collings including Duchess by Daisy Bull who was the precursor of the world famous or infamous Duchess family which remained Bates’ pride and joy until his dying day. His fame was underpinned by these Duchesses and his Oxfords and the bull, Duke of Northumberland.
There was the saying ‘Bates for the pail, Booth for beef’. Bates developed truly dual-purpose cattle with milk production to the fore; selling butter at Newcastle Market was a major earner. A Booth enthusiast would say that the Bates cattle were too effeminate.
Thomas Bates
his standards. He always encouraged the Shorthorn trade with North America and, at one time, had plans to move there himself. Bates predicted that he would not live to see his cattle fully appreciated and this proved true. He died in 1849 and, although 5,000 people were said to have attended the herd dispersal prices were low, reflecting the state of the times. Twenty
Examples of Bates bred cattle
four years later at New York Mills the mania of demand for his Duchess family would culminate in prices of up to $40,600 for a single animal.
Bates had strong views on shows and thought that family groups should be shown so that prizes could be on family merit and ‘not the chance obesity’ of an individual ‘pampered at ruinous expense’. He travelled his team to the first Royal Show at Oxford by steamer from Middlesbrough to London and then by canal to Aylesbury. His cattle triumphed but the following year the Booths had the upper hand. Bates fell in and out of love with showing over the years and, when losing, blamed the judges not for their awards but for not accepting 12
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
BICENTENARY
The pedigree of the Booth family rather rivals that of one of their Shorthorns. As far as the breed was concerned, Thomas Booth was the founding father. From about 1790 he farmed at Killerby, near Catterick, North Yorkshire and had two Shorthorn breeding sons, John and Richard. Richard was to commence on his own account at Studley with stock bought from his father in 1814. In 1819, John took over Killerby and his father, Thomas, moved to Warlaby. This later passed to Richard who then farmed Studley and Warlaby together. Richard was to remain unmarried and ultimately the farms passed to John’s sons. John and Richard were both great characters but very unalike. John was a traditional jovial sporting farmer, tall and well built and a great horseman and huntsman; his brother was a quiet man but with an extraordinary aptitude for swimming at which he performed some remarkable feats. Richard judged a great deal and never went for great size in the animals selected.
Bracelet
From a policy of inbreeding, closer than that practiced by the Collings, the Booths developed heavy fleshing cattle of strong beef character, quite unlike those of their friend and rival, Thomas Bates.
They followed in the footsteps of Bakewell in hiring out, rather than selling, their more promising bulls thus having them for their own use if they proved useful.
his nephews were still dominating the show circuit in the 1860’s. However, the overfitting of females for shows allied
to their sometimes dangerously close inbreeding, undoubtedly affected the fertility of some of their family lines in later years and this, together with an over dependence on nurse cows, may have influenced the fact that their stock did not catch on with breeders in Scotland and North America to any great extent. Nonetheless, their herds made an immense mark on the development of the Beef Shorthorn as a distinct breed.
Throughout the generations, the Booths were the most sought after source of bulls for the true beef bred Shorthorn herds of England and their stock were also very dominant in Ireland. With famous individuals such as Bracelet and Necklace they founded a long line of prizewinning cattle. They were enthusiastic showmen; Richard, in particular, established what was probably the most remarkable herd of its time and 1822 - 2022
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Amos Cruickshank, the Quaker Wizard It was said that ‘by the determined devotion of a lifetime, Amos Cruickshank shifted the centre of the Shorthorn world from Teesdale to Aberdeenshire’.
A
mos was born near Inverurie in 1808. In 1837, in partnership with his brother, Anthony he took the tenancy of Sittyton, Newmachar, Aberdeen. The two brothers shared an enthusiasm for Shorthorn breeding but could otherwise not have been more different. Where Amos was quiet and thoughtful, indeed almost taciturn, his brother was quite the opposite. Anthony was a successful businessman in Aberdeen and, with his funds, the
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partnership was well able to acquire foundation cattle which Amos, on his own, would not have been able to afford. Amos long outlived Anthony but while they were together it has been said that they worked ‘in unbroken harmony’. This may, however, not always have been the case for their tastes in cattle could be different and Anthony was always more ready to fall for the fashionable animal or pedigree.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
A ‘good one’ or ‘not a good one’ were very much the extent of Amos’s comments on cattle and the pedigree or the breeder carried no weight with him if the animal itself was not up to scratch. Initially, the Cruikshanks made no attempt to keep to any particular bloodlines and animals were bought from widespread sources. It was after more than 20 years of looking for the right stock that, from the bull Lancaster Comet, they bred Champion of England,
BICENTENARY
Amos and Anthony Cruikshank
Canada. Prior to that, in the 35 years from 1842 to 1876, it is reckoned that some 1,030 bulls were sold, both at auction and privately.
probably the greatest stock bull ever seen in Scotland. Then, upon the widely varying lines of breeding collected together in the herd, they used Champion of England for some 10 years. Amos got what he sought which was a consistent type of short legged, broad ribbed and thick fleshed cattle feeding to satisfactory weights at an early age. At this time, although still selling for very high prices, the fame and success of the Bates bred cattle had peaked and the Cruikshank cattle gradually imposed their breeding to establish the ‘Scotch Shorthorn’ which would dominate the world cattle industry for close on a century to come. Anthony Cruikshank was in poor health for some years up until his death in 1879 and, effectively from about 1863, management of the herd was solely in the hands of Amos. From about 1873 the herd was effectively closed to outside blood and became selfsustaining from then until its dispersal in 1889. In its later years, from 1877, surplus stock, bulls and females, were mainly sold to go abroad, principally to the USA and
1822 - 2022
It took time for pedigree breeders to appreciate their merits and some 95% of these bulls went to farmers for crossbreeding; what a positive impact that must have had on the cattle of Aberdeenshire and Northern Scotland. The on-farm sales at Sittyton were unusual in that the customary spread of food was exceptional but, unusually for the times, there was no alcohol on offer. Amos Cruikshank was teetotal. A report of the 1870 sale tells us that about 500 people were entertained to luncheon after which about 70 cattle, bulls and heifers, were offered by the auctioneer. The cattle are described as ‘low standing’ but strong, fleshy and bred for hardiness of constitution. Unusually, they were catalogued according to their size and not according to age. They were stalled in pairs in the byres for presale inspection. As a Quaker, Amos Cruikshank spoke in the old way and his words and correspondence were peppered with ‘thou’, ‘thee’ and
‘thy’. By the late 1880s, he was in failing health. Being a bachelor, he had no family and resolved to sell the herd. He did not fancy the hassle and uncertainty of an auction sale and probably still did not fully appreciate the esteem in which he and his cattle were held and that such a sale would have been bound to have been an enormous success. He opted therefore to sell the herd as a whole to the renown exporters, James Nelson and Sons of Liverpool. The intention was to export them to the Americas but, because of financial problems in Buenos Aires, the herd, about 150 head, remained on the farm, much to Cruikshank’s delight for almost another year. This financial crisis led to many of the animals not being exported and instead being sold at home. This proved to be a huge benefit to the future of the breed in Great Britain with William Duthie of Collynie, Deane Willis of Bapton and others taking up the chance to buy the cattle. Some animals, made it to Argentina where the old name lived on in the ‘Cabana Sittyton’ of Tomas Duggan. Amos died in 1895, aged 87 years. The Cruikshank legacy was lasting and worldwide but perhaps there was too much concentration on Sittyton and ‘Scotch’ breeding to the exception of other even, dare one say it, English, lines of descent. Indeed, in 1892, Amos had confided that his herd ‘had been in want of reinvigoration for some years prior to its sale’, something that his dedicated followers were blinded to.
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William Duthie, the King of Shorthorn men Born in 1839, William Duthie of Tarves, Aberdeenshire, was the third generation tenant at Collynie, where he was to establish one of the most famous names in the Shorthorn history.
F
rom his earlier years William showed an interest in cattle breeding including a friendship with Jonathan Whitehead, the neighbour from whom the Collynie foundation cows were bought in from 1856. During the later 1870’s Duthie, farming at Collynie and Tillycairn, established a good herd and was greatly influenced by the Cruikshanks of Sittyton. In 1882, he made his most significant acquisition when Amos Cruikshank promised him Field Marshal as a weaned calf at 80gns; however, the deal nearly came unstuck as Anthony Cruikshank, unaware of the arrangement promised by his brother made the calf available to visiting prospective purchasers. There was a nervous moment or two until Amos was able to report to Duthie ‘William, they have not chosen thy calf!’. It was said that Field Marshal was the noblest looking bull ever seen in the north. He was hired for a time to the Royal herd at Windsor which did not do him or Duthie any harm. In 1885, a shrewd purchase was made from his neighbour, William Marr of Uppermill. This was a roan calf, Rising Star, a close relation of Field Marshal and both were out of cows of descent from Cruikshank’s Champion of England. In 1889 about 40 of the older Sittyton cows were bought for Collynie, having previously been destined for export, and these were topped off by purchases at the Uppermill dispersal of 1905. Although an enthusiast for Sittyton breeding, Duthie was nervous of Cruikshank’s later devotion to very close inbreeding and he maintained his herd by the avoidance of extremes and, with infusions of Bates blood, sensibly keeping milking properties to the fore. 16
On farm bull sales, conducted by MacDonald Fraser and Co, commenced in 1888 and followed annually, soon on a joint basis with the near neighbour, William S Marr of Uppermill. Much later, cattle from the Tarves herd of Mr Duthie’s nephew, J Duthie Webster were included in the sales and the 1916 catalogue of bulls and females included, for the first time, cattle from James Durno who had followed Marr in Uppermill.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
1888, ave £35.15s 1895, £79.00 1919, 5,300gns Collynie King Lavender, a bull calf from Duthie to Peter Cazalet 1920, 24 young bulls ave £1,400 Collynie King Lavender would be worth the equivalent of over £300,00 in 2021 purchasing power. BICENTENARY
Collynie bred cattle proved enormously successful at sales and shows throughout Great Britain and the Americas for many years. One of the best bulls that Duthie bred was Collynie Ringleader and at one Smithfield Show the first prize animal in each of six classes were sired by him. William Duthie was never a slave to fashion and is not especially associated with the founding of famous cow families such as were established by other breeders. He took to any pedigree which had high class animals of one type through its top ranges. He was said to be more of a general improver than a developer of tribes and types. He was not always right but in a high proportion of instances his breeding instincts proved more than correct. Duthie liked to show off his cattle in a fresh field with longer grass so that the legs of the cattle would not appear too long. For the same reason, he would always try and have the cattle pass by the visitors on the lower side; quite the opposite of what we might try and do today. Of Duthie it was said that ‘the workings of his mind were sometimes apt to be complex and difficult to follow even by a Northern Scot’ but he was popular with children and young people and his many old friends who found him to be grave yet richly humorous and a prime example of the ‘rural type of character which modern education has almost killed out’. His rather narrow views ‘broadened and mellowed in later years’ and he was always an Aberdonian at heart. Whilst at Smithfield Show, he would always have a Sunday evening when he would have his London based countrymen to tea. In 1908, his friend and admirers commissioned a portrait of him in oils by Sir John Reid, accompanied by a folder of testimonials. The list of subscribers, a who’s who of the Shorthorn world of the period demonstrated the esteem in which Duthie and his famous herd were held. Among the many letters from titled personages and others, one from someone less exalted in society particularly summarises the feelings of those who contributed to the presentation. Mr Hutcheon of The Wholesale Warehouse, Turriff simply wrote ‘I regard Mr Duthie as a great man in a 1822 - 2022
Collynie
An image presented by Queen Victoria to Duthie. Field Marshal went to finally work in the Windsor herd
great county, a prominent chief in one of our greatest industries, a broad minded capable businessman. Long may he remain the standard bearer of the Shorthorns’. After William Duthie’s death in 1923, the herd was carried on by his nephew, John Duthie Webster and, in October 1937, after the annual sale of calves, it was announced that the Collynie herd had been sold to Sir Bernard Greenwell of Surrey, owner of the Marden herd. There had been 50 annual sales of bull calves from Collynie, from 1883 to 1937, without a break 1,239 bull calves in total, together with 469 heifer calves. No Shorthorn herd in the world had had so
many animals sold and for so high an average price. Mr Duthie Webster died in 1944, aged 78. He had carried on the herd with considerable success, given that his uncle’s shoes would not have been easy to fill. www.beefshorthorn.org
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A UK snapshot of the high days 1882 - 1928 33,854
export certificates issued
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different countries UP: tremendously positive impact on sale prices DOWN: best breeding cattle lost to overseas market
1906
Shorthorn - the universal intruder American Shorthorn Herd Book
600,000 + entries
1935 Shorthorn Society of Argentina
400,000 entries (Hereford 78,000; Aberdeen Angus 60,000)
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1908 GB census 7 million cattle 60% Shorthorn bred
1908
pedigree auctions
6,213
78
animals sold top 720gns, ave £33
sales
365
396
Perth
Belfast
top 550gns
501 Birmingham
top 650gns Trade marginally down on previous years; the boom created in the wake of WWI was yet to come.
Principal auctioneers England John Thornton & Co of London, Kingham, Cotswolds and Reading Thornborrow & Co. of Penrith, York Lythall & Co: Birmingham Scotland MacDonald Fraser & Co of Perth: Aberdeen, Inverness, Perth, Belfast and Darlington
BICENTENARY
WWI and after
1865 Perth sales established
1915 Perth show classes included
1915 - 1954 only 21 herds participated in the supreme championship
1915 - 1941 only 11 herds shared the 26 supreme awards
1911Coates’s Herd Book 1,900 members 5,496 bulls 7,904 cows
WWI was a period of incredible progress for agriculture. Food production had to be stepped up, mechanisation accelerated, in 1917 Fordson’s mass produced tractors hit the road and livestock production became more important to feed the army and with an anticipated reduction in imports, feed the nation. Whilst Government designated large areas for compulsory ploughing the Shorthorn Society argued more cereals equalled less grazing. Meanwhile, demand for Beef Shorthorn surprisingly continued to incrementally increase year on year. Whilst we have focused on the Argentinean trade, the following table reflects the burgeoning global trade. Very few if any shipments were lost which demonstrated the enormous skills and dedication of both Royal and Merchant Navies.
1922Coates’s Herd
Book Centenary
1925
Agricultural workers 4,648 members
14 shillings/ week
1822 - 2022
Milk: 1 shilling/ gallon
Wheat: £11/ton
6,089 grade-up
20,437 female 8,504 bulls registrations
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The high days The live export trade played such a massive influence in the breed’s successful development for more than a century.
B
eef Shorthorn genetics influenced cattle breeding in 44 different countries peaking around 1920 at 2,589 head, of which 1,230 were shipped to Argentina and other South American countries. The other major importers were Canada and the USA. This chapter takes a close look at trade to the Argentine and its development.
1536 The Spanish conquistadors introduced half wild native cattle featuring strains bred for their fighting qualities, not meat production, to graze on the unfenced Pampas. Fast forward to the 19th century and a new beef industry started to evolve. Shorthorn was the first British native breed to be introduced. 1823 Shorthorn 1858 Hereford 1879 Aberdeen Angus By the end of the century and the advent of rail, refrigerated trains and ships, and Argentina’s beef export industry started to thrive. The flipped seasons between the northern and southern Hemispheres meant that Argentine beef came onto the market at a time of year when beef was less at hand in the Northern Hemisphere, which further lifted the potential export market in the USA and European markets.
1823 Beef Shorthorn was the first foreign breed to be imported. As in many other countries, Argentina’s selection was designated to produce not only meat but also milk. Hon Gerald Turton reported the first registered Beef Shorthorn bull was Tarquin, a Teesdale,
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County Durham bred bull. He was imported by John Miller, an Elgin man who had settled in the Argentinian Republic after independence and purchased the ranch La Caledonia in 1823. Tarquin’s white socks became an essential reminder of the superior quality of his calves. His offspring did a great job convincing the Argentinian cattlemen that they needed more of these Shorthorns. The breed became soon knownas the ‘Great Improver’.
1857 The first truly authentic details of imports to the country were noted when Seǹor Leonardo Pereyra established a herd at San Juan, his 34,000-acre holding bordering on the River Plate. John Thomson reported, presumably pedigree breeding was difficult up until about that time as ranching was very much on an open boundary system; the first stock fencing was introduced to the country in 1846. As time progressed, Argentinian breeders had an eye to the beef export and refrigeration trade and the prospects for making their fortune. Prior to refrigerated transport, the South American export market was predominantly in hides and tallow; this was backed up by the production of salted or jerked beef but most of the carcase was disposed of which led to concern at the loss of potential income from both beef and mutton carcases.
1860s - 70s President Sarmiento of the Argentine Republic offered a substantial reward to anyone who could find a really successful way of preserving beef so that it could be shipped to the European market. As it happened, sheep meat was the first to be carried when, in 1877, the steamers Frigorifique and Paraguay brought frozen mutton to France from Argentina. Seǹor F Torrome took out his first large consignment of Shorthorns. BICENTENARY
1880s
at the time. A consignment from Britain diverted in 1902 to the Canary Islands after being refused admittance to Argentinian ports.
Shipping firm, T Nelson and Sons reported substantial exports from Scottish herds, and also mainly that of Lord Lovat at Beaufort Castle. During the 1890s, The Nelsons were pioneers of refrigerated shipping during the 1890s. Cruikshank, Sittyton exported animals to form a new herd established by Tomas Duggan whose family members Bernardo and Carlos Duggan, were major players in the Shorthorn world and well-known faces at the Perth bull sales.
Business picked up in 1903 and with an exportation of 1,150 head of Shorthorns. A big problem was the slaughtering of stock after an alleged failure of the TB test after they came out of quarantine in Buenos Aires even though they had passed the same test before departing British shores. There was considerable controversy over the test’s reliability; some things haven’t changed in over a century.
Donald MacLennan, a highly regarded exporter for many years to come, shipped five heifers from Scotland and a red yearling bull bred, at Windsor by Queen Victoria. Cattle prices were low in the 1880’s and in the ensuing years a number of exports to South America were made at bargain prices.
The Royal Show 1905 held at Kilburn staged an auction with a first prize bull selling to The Argentine for 1,000gns. The 1906 Perth champion went the same way at 1,500gns. Leading exporters at that time were Messrs Casares, Miller, MacLennan, Hughes, Poels, Rawes, Kennedy, Bruce, Rodger and Bickerstaffe. In 1905, they had shipped a total of 1,500 cattle.
The Torrome family shipped 200 head including many Bates cattle followed by 37 head of Duchess, Oxford and Wild Eyes females went to Seǹor Serrantes of Buenos Aires.
1903 -1907
1890s
mainly heifers, exported
Prices began to dramatically escalate with bulls going out which had been bought for 1,000gns and 600gns. CT Getting and Son and others were involved with 200 cattle to Buenos Aires. However, further financial troubles and cattle sent out over the next few years encountered revolutions and attempted revolutions in Argentina and several other South American countries.
1895 - 1896 exports revived
Argentinian cattle population grew
22 million head inc
64,000
pedigree Shorthorns
2,500,000 effectively pure Shorthorns In those years, Messrs MacLennan, F Miller and C Pinnell made large shipments of bulls and 700 cattle in all were despatched. Large numbers followed in succeeding years with 700 Argentine bound in 1899.
1900 - 1910 Refrigeration transformed the market for South American meat products. Britain was importing 220,000 tons from Argentina, approximately two thirds of its total imports. Trade fell to a low ebb from 1900 to 1903, largely due to a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in Buenos Aires province which came from an importation of Shorthorns from France where there was an active Shorthorn importation trade
1822 - 2022
8,500 + Shorthorns
75% Argentinian cattle
contained Shorthorn genetics These numbers excluded quantity from the French Shorthorn Society bred from Shorthorns purchased at Paris Shows.
1910 - 1920 Prices and demand for Shorthorn bulls continued to rise through the Edwardian and pre-war period and Emilio N Casares and Sons were reckoned to have set the ball rolling for the long run of high prices for export animals when they bid 2,000gns for Cupbearer of Collynie at William Duthie’s 1912 sale. In the earlier part of the 20th century, the Shepherd family built up a great business with South America with Joe Shepherd being the moving spirit. No one spent more money on publicity than he did and when his consignments of Shorthorns were nearly ready to go, he would take supplementary pages in the Livestock Journal with photographs depicting six or eight of the bulls. He ensured that the advertisements reached Buenos Aires some three weeks before the bulls and thus made certain that buyers appetites were suitably whetted. James Sidey was another notable Shorthorn exporter to Argentina and Uruguay, assisted by his nephew, Hugh Black. In 1919 their firm, Sidey and Poels, exported some 300 pedigree cattle to Uruguay together with approximately 1,000 sheep. They also imported fat cattle from Buenos Aires and Montevideo to Antwerp in Belgium. Hugh Black would travel to Argentina twice a year to do business, a time-consuming exercise in the days before air travel. Interestingly, the 1939 Buenos Aires sales witnessed three bulls bred in Britain’s largest Shorthorn herd, Bridgebank and Cruggleton at Stranraer, to average £3,230.
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Perth Macdonald Fraser and Co Ltd opened the new Caledonian Road market in 1875; the venue was designed for business expansion and acting for the Shorthorn Society’s Scottish region. The ‘golden trail’ was opened up the following year, after the arrival of an Argentinian visitor who was so impressed by the stock on offer. In 1879, the sale was visited by several overseas visitors and from then on buyers regularly came from Canada, USA, Australia, Argentina, Germany and South Africa. As numbers grew, the Shorthorns had to be judged in the street for several years. The atmosphere was unique with central and secondary rings, and the cattle housed on two levels. It was almost a forgone conclusion that even if you didn’t see your friends at all in the interim, your contacts whether from the UK or overseas would be at the next event; if not, one was worried.
B Anderson Lord Lovat Senor Piran
The judging rin
g, Perth streets,
1947
Mr Lovat Fraser, Mr Harry Fraser and Brig Lord Lovat DSO MC in the Perth rostrum 1946
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BICENTENARY
WWII and beyond The prosperous trade continued through the 20th century and it is surprising to note that the export trade continued during WWII and the threat of U boats. In 1941, 151 pedigree cattle were exported of which 104 were Shorthorns.
1945 Peace returned to the world and prices for the right cattle were high. In 1948, JV Rank’s Bapton herd from Kent, reported selling six homebred bulls to Argentina at prices ranging between £3,000 and £5,000 and, in the same year, James Schofield paid 6,000gns for Calrossie Pibroch, destined, again, for Argentina.
1948
Transportation
The 1948 Perth February sales, 20 bulls sold for over 1,000gns the following year 11 bulls realised over that magic figure. Of these, all but two were intended for export with at least five being destined for the Argentine via the agencies of James Schofield, P Gammie, John Barnes and Robert Brydon.
By the 1840s, steam started to replace sail on short journeys, however space below deck was relatively limited due to the quantity of coal required. The steamer was able to make more voyages and much less affected by wind, tide and general weather.
1955 Auctioneers, Bullrich and Co., were advertising in 1955 a Gran Remate Conjunto de Toros Shorthorn, a grand collective auction featured 51 imported bulls from Baird and Malcolm, RLP Duncan, AJ Marshall, Joseph Shepherd and Thomas Watson. 1950’s and into the 1960’s the exporters would still be at the ring at Perth bull sales. Bullrich from Buenos Aires, James Schofield from Appleby in Westmorland who had been in the business since 1922, Moubray Alexander of EM Alexander and Co., from County Sligo, Jimmy Coupland of Coupland and Evans, W and P Gammie and others. They made the trade with a huge differential between the value of the export bulls and the also rans.
Angus and Hereford were similarly heavily involved going for similar overseas markets, however Shorthorn exports were probably equal to the other two breeds added together. Angus was possibly preferred in some cases to the Hereford because of the breed’s natural polling ability. These two breeds were likely to have been proportionally worse affected by the size factor when the issue hit home and precipitated the invasion of the Continental breeds. Furthermore, transport and health regulations tightened and, as the 1960’s turned into the 1970’s, the live overseas trade to Argentina and elsewhere, for pedigree cattle generally and the Shorthorn and Aberdeen Angus in particular, simply faded away.
1822 - 2022
By the mid 1880s, steamers were capable of over 15 knots and had larger capacities, including for passengers, steam heating and eclectic light. A dock system in Buenos Aires had commenced and vessels were able to anchor sufficiently close to the port for improved passenger and cargo movements. Live cattle were assumed to be crated, however it remains unknown the ships’ capacity since large areas would be required for coal, and volumes of hay, straw and water for the approximate one month passage to Argentina, three months to Australia. How many stockmen accompanied the animals also remains uncertain. One of the only facts we are aware of is the cattle were dosed with arsenic to maintain and encourage hair growth; the dose had to be precise otherwise they would have to dispose of a valuable casualty at sea. James Nelson and Sons, a Liverpool based cattle salesmen with retail meat outlets moved to the Argentine and built Las Palmas meat factory; the first frozen meat shipment was in 1889. Argentinian beef and mutton were initially of inferior quality and not well suited to the British markets, consequently imports of British pedigree animals were stepped up yet they were insufficient to meet with demand. NZ and Australia frozen shipments increased significantly during the 1890s. However, the USA was by far Britain’s major source of chilled beef in the early 1900s.
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The Shorthorn influence in the USA, Canada and Australia USA - 1783 When initially introduced to Virginia, the breed had attained the name Durham. It was the first improved breed to be imported into the new world and the qualities the animal possessed made it in great demand and its influence spread rapidly across America. Shorthorns were popular with America’s early settlers. They valued this breed for meat and milk and found Shorthorns a pulling power for the wagon and plough. The breed followed pioneer wagons across the Great Plains and into the far West.
1846 The American Shorthorn Herd Book was the first to be published in this country for any breed, with the formation of the American Shorthorn Association (ASA) following 26 years later in 1872. Breeders from nine states formulated the organization, wishing to provide a service for its members and a way to record ancestry through the registration of Shorthorns. The ASA is one of the oldest American breed organizations in existence today.
1854 Midwestern farmers had begun direct importations from Scotland, concentrating their efforts on Shorthorns strictly for beef production. Even in its early history, the breed was recognized because of its ability to adapt. It could be easily bred with the Spanish breed, Longhorns, brought in earlier by conquistadors. These early animals fit neatly in the time period to meet demand and needs during the early development of the beef cattle industry.
A USA and Canadian delegation with Scottish breeders in Perth 1946
1948 Shorthorn Herd Book split between Beef and Milking Shorthorn. The American Milking Shorthorn Association was established in the same year.
Canada - 1831 The first Shorthorn arrived to Canada from New York State. At that time, North American Shorthorn’s were already registered in Coates’s Herd Book.
1870’s
1867
Breeders discovered ‘natural hornless’ cattle occurring from timeto-time in horned herds. Thus, Polled Shorthorns were discovered and were the first major beef breed to be developed in the United States, having gained its origin in 1881 in Minnesota. Polled Shorthorns possess the same qualities for adaptability, mothering ability, reproductive performance, good disposition, feed conversion, longevity and popularity as their horned counterparts.
The Canadian Herdbook was established and first published and Shorthorns were included. In order to qualify for entry, an animal had to have four generations of documented Shorthorn ancestry, the same qualifications as the Coates’s Herd Book.
1889
The first Shorthorn Association in Canada was established and called the Dominion Shorthorn Breeders Association. After a few changes in name and scope, the current Canadian Shorthorn Association was established in 1950 and continues today.
The American Polled Durham Association was formed with Polled Shorthorns recorded in the American Polled Durham Herd Book. The associations merged in 1923 and all registrations were then included in the same herd book. 24
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1886
Whilst just 16 Beef Shorthorns were shipped to Canada in 2014, that figure escalated through the Great War years to 478 by 1918. BICENTENARY
Australia - 1803
1918
1825
Shorthorn Herd Book of Australia Volume 1, published by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria after consultation with Shorthorn breeders. It followed the standard set by Coates’s Herd Book with the earliest entry, a bull born in 1849. Comet appears as the sire of grand dams back to the 14th generation. The volume contains registrations of beef and dairy types.
First authenticated importation of Shorthorns included Young Comet, a grandson of Comet.
1921
About 1827
Shorthorn Herd Book of Australia Volume 3 published, now by the Shorthorn Society.
First importation of a bull registered in Coates’s Herd Book, by Thomas Iceley, Coombing Park, NSW.
1904/1931
About 1848
‘Perhaps no breed in the world has left its mark upon breeding and commercial stock as the Shorthorns. They are admirable for all classes of country because of their wonderful adaptability to soil and climatic conditions. Their prepotency over other breeds renders them ideal for cross-breeding purposes. The beef type is the one seen on most of the Diamantina runs. Here, on the sweet spinifex country, they show early maturity. When 16 to 20 months of age, they can be sent as baby beef to the Adelaide market; the country butchers give high prices for such nuggety sweet beef.’ Excerpt from ‘Our Sandhill Country’ by A. M Duncan
Marked the first reference to an importation of Durham cattle which heralded a significant trend in breeding. By the 1850s, Shorthorns were considered to make up half of the Australian cattle herd.
Victorian Shorthorn Herd Book established. Other states followed: in 1870, NSW and in 1914, Queensland.
1874 DS McLarty, Bundore Station manager, bred ‘an outstanding roan cow without horns’ believed to be the beginning of poll Shorthorn breeding. Long afterwards, McLarty’s Lone Pine stud became a foundation breeder in the Poll Shorthorn Herd Book of Australasia.
1875
1935 Poll Shorthorn Society of Australasia established with its own herd book.
NSW chief stock inspector reported Shorthorns to make up 90% of all cattle in the state.
1876 ‘Costello rode on alone a further 250 miles to Rockhampton where he found that a lovely coastal property named Cawarral was for sale. He purchased it on sight, with its 4,000 splendid Shorthorn cattle, hundreds of well bred horses of racing stock and rambling old homestead built up, Queensland fashion, on high blocks and topped with a shingled roof. There were outhouses, training stables, paddocks ….…’ Excerpt from ‘Kings in Grass Castles’ by Mary Durack
1882 In a long-remembered feat, James Warby drove 1,800 Shorthorns north to Cloncurry, picked up another 2,000 Shorthorns, drove the mob to Burketown, then across the Headingly Track to the McArthur, and eventually to Margaret River.
International visitors at the Perth ringside 1946
1880s
1960
CB Fisher stocked Victoria Downs with up to 30,000 Shorthorns at any one time.
The Shorthorn Society of Australia rebranded to the Beef Shorthorn Society of Australia, mirroring a recent change in England.
1822 - 2022
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Irish Shorthorns
1
812 marked the first record of Shorthorn in Ireland when Sir Vane Tempest, of County Durham shipped to his estates in the north at Glenarm some ‘Teeswaters of the Shorthorn breed from Collings’. In the same year, 10 Shorthorns were recorded at Ballinasloe, County Galway. Introducing Shorthorn was intended to improve the indigenous cattle that were reported to be small, light and various. Imports continued, however the potato famine, followed by the depression led to set backs in cattle breeding yet by 1867 there were 57 registered breeders and 182 in 1902. By 1938 there were reported over 1,000 Shorthorn herds, however most of them were non-pedigree and it would appear that many herds were dual purpose. Amongst the principle breeders from the north were the Crawford brothers of Tullyhogue. After winning at Belfast in 1897, they promptly sold the bull Baron on Tullyhogue to the Argentine; the resulting publicity awoke breeders, both from north and south, and also brought British exporters to Belfast and the Royal Dublin Society bull sales. The trend snowballed and Irish buyers went to English and Scottish sales to purchase bulls with which to attempt to emulate the Crawford’s success. Herds which reported to have considerable impact in both the showring and export marketplace included Pumplestown and Magheramorne.
Shorthorns and Kerrys at Tipperary
market, 1910
Magheramorne Masterkey
Magheramorne line up, 1940s
Unfortunately, the export interest was largely quashed in the autumn slump of 1919, and general interest didn’t return until the 1950s. Furthermore, confusion persisted in terms of beef and dairy types and the herd book remained undivided. Deerpark cattle owned by brothers, Ned and Michael Quane and their sister, earned quite a reputation in Australia and America, however they were never accepted into Coates’s Herd Book. The Highfield herd owned by Matthew and John Malloney worked 26
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
closely with Deerpark, exchanging bloodlines and managing in a similar outdoor grazing system without any supplementation apart from hay at calving. Like the Quane brothers they were bachelors and equally hospitable holding many gatherings in their parlours. John Malloney was reputed for keeping the majority of his office in his lorry along with some papers in his fridge. Highfield bred cattle were also shipped to the USA with Highfield Rathcannon creating a world record in 1978 at the Illinois sale when a two thirds share sold for $48,000. BICENTENARY
There are many good cattle in Ireland both in the North and also in the Republic. It would take too long to do justice to their story. I remember in the early 1960s when the blue greys became too expensive to the average British suckler cow breeder, strong blue grey heifers started coming in from southern Ireland. Then you started to get unfamiliar colours, I remarked on this to a friend from Northern Ireland and he said you have to remember that the cows in the south will be 70% Shorthorn. Hon Gerald Turton Towards the end of the 1960s, the Irish Department, alerted by beef producers, recognized that the decline in the Shorthorn breed was a ‘bad thing’. It introduced a Government sponsored cattle study group which eventually reported in 1968. The outcome was a state-sponsored scheme run in full co-operation with the Shorthorn Cattle Society of Great Britain and Ireland and also breeders with the aim of re-establishing the Shorthorn as a major breed and influence. The scheme aimed to identify and then propagate the type of Shorthorn best suited to the national economic circumstances. The Department and a panel of breeders jointly selected stock; financial incentives were given for retention and breeding of selected animals and they were allocated a separate section in the herd book. Selection was rigid with one in 10 females inspected, bulls even more so. From 1970 to 1976, 25 bulls and 1,250 females were selected. In Northern Ireland, the Beef Shorthorn population declined from the 1960s. Glenbrae founded in 1990 by James Nelson, Larne, was the first new herd to be formed in a generation. The two founding females were a Floss from Chapleton and an Augusta from Fingask herd. The Northern Ireland Beef Shorthorn Club was established in 2000 as a focal point, and interest in the breed has made a healthy come back in the last 10 years.
1822 - 2022
Tournant Sir James A pedigree Beef Shorthorn bull born in 1976 under the Irish Improvement Scheme was awarded the Limerick championship; his owner was asked where he purchased the dam. He replied that it was such a remote place that he was only the third individual to drive a motorised vehicle down the little road in 50 years following British forces in 1921 and the installation of electricity in 1954. However, the owner of the bull went on to describe how he had bought two steers sired by Tournant Sir James and thinking it would be good to take them to Smithfield. He set off from Wicklow with no idea where Smithfield was apart from the fact that it was in London. He was accompanied by his elderly stockman, who had never been out of Ireland. He was as cranky an individual as one could find, and who also had a fondness for whiskey. As they neared London and the traffic got heavier at every roundabout the stockman would utter the words ‘ah Jasus’ followed by a swig from a bottle of whiskey. Somewhere around the Houses of Parliament with cattle bellowing, steam rising, animal waste trickling from the trailer and a drunk swearing stockman they were stopped by the police. After consulting with the police, they were given a police escort to Smithfield by two head shaking incredulous officers, Of course after all this they won the Shorthorn class at the show, but we never heard how they got home. Hon Gerald Turton
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1930s to the next century A period of international turmoil but also a time when agriculture made some huge strides, some forced by circumstance, others to meet a growing population’s demand for food. The dual-purpose factor became increasingly to the fore and favoured the Shorthorn; registrations continued to expand.
Judging in progress 1949
Getting ready to show 1949
1936
1938
The Scottish Associations amalgamated, they comprised Scottish Central, Aberdeen, Banff and Kincardine and Northern Counties. In 1959: the Scottish Shorthorn Breeders Association staged an EGM to propose a special resolution which was passed: that the name of the company be changed to the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society.
Following the move to Victoria House where the Beef Shorthorn, Dairy Shorthorn and Lincoln Reds all shared the same address, Shorthorn president, Robert Hobbs commented: “There’s a real danger we shall lose our place in the national foundation of stock in UK and Ireland if no beef breeder will budge an inch from the short legged Argentine type and get more udder; the dairy men refuse to sacrifice gallows to obtain better beefing and the Lincoln Red men as well, are reluctant to yield on their size in return for quality. We are all going to lose the huge advantage of the amalgamation and its benefits.”
Top left; Burnton Bankbook 1946 Top middle; Easterlovat Climax admired by Geo Raeburn and Sir Edward Reid Top right; Snowball Earl of Elgin, Scottish National Show Baby Beef Champion
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BICENTENARY
1940 The Shorthorn Society and probably others were approached by the Government to bring to an end the practice of nurse cows used to boost their calves and produce a fine coat and maximum flesh / fat cover. To quote Gordon Blackstone: “Put two bulls in the ring, one short legged and fat and one with growth potential and up on the leg, longer and narrow and the buyer will pay more for the short fat one weighing 12 to 14 hundredweight than one weighing one ton at three years of age.”
1943 The Society introduced the edict dehorned females could not be shown. The order was withdrawn in 1951. Dehorned bulls could not be shown until 1962.
Naturally, and despite the fact annual trade to South America had dwindled to less than 100 head per year, few took notice of the critics and the response when the Argentine trade declined or even ceased. Decline became relentless year on year and for so many reasons including lack of size, no colour markings, too early to fatten and insufficient milk. Demand was led by fashion favouring the Angus, coupled with market requirements for a larger animal that didn’t put on fat with early maturity. The marketplace forgot the breed’s assets - temperament, ease of calving, mothering ability some of it’s maternal selling points which uniquely reflect today’s Beef Shorthorn, a functional suckler cow.
1957
1947
Citing’s of the Continental invasion began; the Shorthorn Cattle Society along with other breeds fiercely protested to Government against the proposed importation of ‘a large quantity’ of Charolais cattle. Government took no notice.
Scottish Shorthorn Breeders’ Association president, Lord Lovat along with others voiced their concern the writing was on the wall. “Beef Shorthorn is losing size, and inevitably it will be difficult to increase size, as size always begets size. This coincides with early maturity with its added issue of laying on fat. Demand is changing, or has done. We are in danger of evolving a breed that cannot walk or even suckle a calf.”
There were huge differences of opinion of the Shorthorn breed going forward between the some of the most trusted and prominent breeders of the day and whilst any breed must have a variety of types if it is to survive different market demands, at the time there were too few of those with quality and scale.
The St Boswells calf sale with a 3,500-head entry reported averages • Hereford cross £38.13 shillings • Angus cross £38.11 shillings • Beef Shorthorn cross £30.00 Denis J Cadzow, East Lothian later reflected the possible fall in demand was because UK breeders were trying to sell an out of date model, left overs from the Argentinian market. They were simply too small, too compact and too fleshy. However, demand remained strong through the 1940s, herds, registrations and membership increased. All records were smashed in Perth in 1946 when 14,500gns was paid for Pittrodrie Upright to Ralph Smit, USA; of the 309 entered, 60% of the 110 sold and exported were to Argentina.
The Lady of the Moment Whilst ladies could frequently be seen at the Perth ringside, beef cattle breeding had been unquestionably a male domain until the post WII years, when Hon Mrs Irene Dewhurst was amongst those to break the mould. Referred to by the Society as the Lady of the Moment, in 1959 she purchased the then world famous Naemoor herd from Major Robert Mowbray and relocated it from Kelso to her newly modernised farm at Crieff. Having maintained the herd in its entirety and from export interests, the Society’s 1961 Shorthorn Record reported: “How very fortunate we are to have such a likeable personality in the person of Mrs Dewhurst who by reason of her tremendous enthusiasm and complete confidence in Beef Shorthorn, has given us a truly inspiring lead which we would all do well to follow in the months ahead.” Polled Shorthorns
Strathearn Show, 115 Beef Shorthorn entries
1822 - 2022
The vast majority of the early work on polling was carried out in the USA, however the incorporated genetics came from England going back to the 1820s. Fast forward over a century and 1948 witnessed a major step forward - the first importation of polled cattle from the USA. Despite the Society’s reluctance to register these cattle, the Poll Shorthorn Society established in 1950, eventually to be merged with the main Society in 1962. www.beefshorthorn.org
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The 1960s and early 70s
1970s
Agriculture was evolving, along with consumer demands
By the early part of the decade, Beef Shorthorn breeders were concerned their cattle were too small and lacked muscle, especially when compared with the Continental breeds that were entering the UK.
• Genetic progression enabled cereals to be grown in continual cropping • Beef enterprises had to be profitable, previously cattle were valued for building land fertility • A global shift to intensive beef production • Barley beef was emerging in vogue • Advent of AI • The successful Charolais importation opened the gate for a plethora of Continental breeds • Introduction of Performance Testing and Beef Recording • Fat had become a dirty word • Think lean, think healthy
1961 The breed’s future, the big picture: EE Hessel from ICI, Jealott’s Hill Research Station was invited by the Society to express his views in its Shorthorn Record magazine. Getting to grips with bull breeding as a business, he identified three routes to market •
export and stock bulls for pedigree breeders was minimal
•
dairy, AI had virtually eliminated the marketplace for bulls
•
suckler sector, with an annual requirement for 6,000 bulls, was one in which breeders should have an important place
He warned over overfeeding young bulls, and argued ‘it cannot be too strongly stressed that commercial considerations, not abstract breed points, must take precedence in breeding policy, if the breed is to have a future place’. He encouraged take up of performance and progeny testing schemes, and urged breeders to open their farm gates to prospect bull buyers - commercial suckler producers to demonstrate the results. Whilst Charolais importations were on the horizon, there was ample breathing space for Beef Shorthorn breeders to act and meet the competition head on.
1968 It would appear EE Hessel’s timely advice fell on deaf ears. Seven years later, Society president, RH Watherston warned ‘the breed was in a pretty desperate situation with record low registrations. Why? Basically, the commercial market has been lost, and that is the basis of all pedigree breeding, and it’s been lost because of lack of growth potential in the breed. It is now a case of drastic action to get back in to the market and a question of hunting for Shorthorn type cattle to introduce growth and vigour in to our females. The breed is worth saving since it has so many attributes what are of value to the beef industry of the world’.
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1971 Another warning, this time from Society president, Wm Anderson that industry changes were a foot including potential entry to the Common Market, rising costs and demand for a different type of breeding stock. ‘The message to breeders is they must produce stock that in turn must produce the lowest possible cost per hundredweight, and meat must be acceptable to the modern consumer. Animals forward at the Society sales are getting bigger, and carrying far less excessive fat. As long as we continue along these lines, then there will be an increasing demand for our bulls’. Alas Mr Anderson was being a little too optimistic.
1976 Coates’s Herd Book fell to an almost all-time low with just 45 Beef Shorthorn herds registered.
1976 To help stem any further decline, the Society sanctioned the introduction of the French Maine Anjou, a breed that was actually descended from the same Durham cattle as the Shorthorn. Unsurprisingly, the decision was extremely controversial at the time, but most breeders now acknowledge it was a necessary step which saved the breed from irrelevance. Hon Gerald Turton continues the story. The advent of artificial insemination enabled many of the remaining Scottish Shorthorn breeders to start breeding the European breeds Charolais, Simmental and then Limousin together with other breeds which did not prove so successful. However, a renown Charolais breeder, Bill Bruce, Balmyle, Perthshire headed to the north of England and purchased 200 strong Bates type Shorthorn heifers which he put to the best Maine Anjou cattle he could find. Within a year he had cut the numbers down from 200 to 20 and they formed the nucleus of his future herd which enjoyed huge success in a very short period of time. From1979 to 1985, Bill Bruce was continuously taking the Perth championship and invariably the top price with his ‘long, tall, modern bulls for the 80’s’. The Balmyle families retained the first letter of the herd where they came from; the Gainford tribe were Genoas, the Tessas from the Twells and the Irenes came from Ireby. John Harrison’s Gainford cattle had been admired for over a century and attracted many overseas visitors. They were Booth cattle that were milked by hand so he knew their potential. Bill Bruce flushed Balmyle Tessa 5th to Balmyle Scorpio and from that
BICENTENARY
one flush got three bull champions which made a formidable contribution to the breed at that time. Of four full sisters, three were female champions at major shows. The youngest and smallest was purchased by Upsall at the dispersal sale and introduced the Tessas to Upsall.
1987
The herd book was closed to Maine Anjou blood lines in 2001, except by introduction through the Grading Register
1986/87
1982
Thanks to a legacy, the Society office came into the 20th century investing in its first computers ‘with all that entailed in the conversion of pedigrees to the wonders of modern science’.
By now several breeders had started to look for more rapid changes by rolling out carefully designed crossbreeding programmes with the Lincoln Red, and Maine Anjou, together with Australian and Canadian importations. They didn’t anticipate the fairly dramatic increase in size over a decade, according to the Meat and Livestock Commission’s AA Mathieson. Furthermore, 1981 Perth bulls’ rump height was measured with the tallest at 146.5cms (4.8ft), considerably higher than the waist high belt buckle beasts. Weight (kg) Age (days)
1970/71
1979/81
Increase (kg)
100
112
143
+ 31
200
214
233
+19
300
312
328
+ 16
400
400
427
500
488
522
+ 27 + 34 Source: MLC
Despite these progressive breeders’ best efforts to modernise Beef Shorthorn, the national herd continued to shrink and the breed was introduced to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust watch list.
1988 Society president, J Campbell Graham shipped 51 females and three bulls from Alberta, Canada, in what was regarded as the largest private breed importation of the time. The effort substantially widened the gene pool. During the next decade, progressive breeders continued to select for characteristics which would modernise Beef Shorthorn.
1989 Only 24 herds registered cattle in Coates’s Herd Book (Beef) The total was less than 400 registrations, and of these 50 were Campbell Graham’s imports. Of the rest, 151 were pure bred and nearly 200 head had some degree of Maine Anjou blood in their back breeding. In the late eighties there was an outbreak of BSE (mad cow disease) in the UK which peaked in 1992. In total it is estimated that 180,000 cattle were affected.
Beef Shorthorn evolving Above; Tofts Romany, Royal Highland and Royal champion, 1995 and 1996 Top left; Balmyle Crackle, Royal Show champion 1993 Bottom left; Chapelton Xile, Royal Highland and Royal interbreed champion 1989
1822 - 2022
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1990s
1998
A growing influence of the Holstein breed in the dairy industry affected the availability of Hereford and Angus cross Friesians which had become a mainstay of the suckler beef industry. Suckler beef farmers started looking to breed more of their own replacements and many of them turned to the Beef Shorthorn.
HM The Queen was advised to delegate some of her responsibilities. HRH The Princess Royal accepted the invitation to replace her as Patron of the Shorthorn Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
1993
2001
The number of Beef Shorthorn herds registering calves had increased to 63, but many of these had very small numbers.
Foot and Mouth struck the UK. Amongst those afffected was the Chapelton herd where the Biggar family lost 1,000 head of cattle and 2,000 sheep.
1995
2004
The debate continued in the Society over whether Signet or Breedplan offered the best solution for performance recording and registrations. It was eventually resolved in favour of the Australian developed Breedplan system.
Beef Shorthorn was no longer considered at risk by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust since more than 1,500 breeding females had been registered in Coates’s Herd Book.
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BICENTENARY
Hon Gerald Turton, Upsall recalls the impact of Shorthorns over the decades, both in the UK and further afield. The Burghley Park herd, Stamford I am clearly not able to pick out all the pioneers that contributed to the amazing success of the breed and featured in the first Coates’s Herd Book. However, the Burghley herd at Stamford, which was featured is an example of a herd that existed for over 150 years they started with large very roomy cows which were kept for milk. In 1859 the Marquis of Exeter hired a Booth bull, Royal Buck a bull that made a big difference to the quality of the carcase and the quality of the entries for the Paris Show. When I visited Burghley
Park in the 1980s after seeing the cattle, I was shown the cow byre and the roof beams were completely decorated with trophies for winning at the Paris Show between 1870 and 1886. Prices had varied up to £4,000. At that time, hundreds of British bred Shorthorns were exported all over Europe, and the Paris Show was regarded as a fine show case for the breed. Burghley Park was one good example of the many breeders who at that time were developing the export market for Shorthorn.
Down under - Weebollabolla The Munro family were amongst the pioneers of the breed at Weebollabolla in New South Wales. In 1848 Alec Munro a young man in his teens found himself leaving his home on the Black Isle on a ship bound for a new life in Australia. His uncle, who was in the property business out there had persuaded his father that that was where the future lay. That same year the Hall brothers of Scone had bought some Shorthorn cattle that had been imported in the 1830s by John Lee of Bylong. During the next 20 years they imported many bulls from England amongst them being Black Briars no 1858, Napoleon No 1889, and Patract No 1843. Napoleon was bred by HRH Queen Victoria at her Windsor Stud Farm. The Hall Bros were descendants of Thomas Hall, an English noted breeder of Shorthorn cattle and the owner of Tripes who was the mother of the Princess family, the first recorded
1822 - 2022
be Royal Commission was one of the first bulls to weighed imported to Britain to correct the size issue. He . inners prizew many sired He years. eight 2,634lb at
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female line in Coates’s Herd Book. When the Halls bought their cattle from John Lee, they purchased with their original foundation Prince Albert, a grandson of Albert No 728 bred by John Booth, and joined him to select Lee cows in 1849. Shortly after he arrived in Australia Alec Munro had seen the Halls cattle as a youth and been very impressed by their quality, size and scale and had told his father that one day he would come back and buy them. In 1868 drought in the Hunter Valley meant the Hall brothers had to move their cattle up to their newly acquired property in the Moree district, Weebollabolla. By 1873, Alec Munro had purchased Weebollabolla at public auction which came with 500 Shorthorn stud cows. By 1902, a branch stud was formed at Goodar which has grown into one of the largest bull producing studs in Queensland. Alec was a very practical man importing bulls from England, but during WWI he fell out with the newly formed Stud Breeders Association of Australia over some of their rules so he stopped registering his calves. Only purebred bulls were used in the herd, and only his own purebred bulls when he found the bulls he had been buying were not attaining the growth he required. Alec had evolved very definite ideas in his mind about the type of animal that would give the most financial profit to the breeder. He liked a bull with natural high carriage of its head, neatly laid in shoulders to walk freely over long distances, great length between pins and hips to form a platform to pack on the expensive cuts of beef.
Polled Shorthorns were being bred at Goodar in 1929 and these were selected in a polled herd. Alec’s son, RF Munro was a genius at selecting sires that would reproduce the cattle he wanted and was always constant and unswerving to produce cattle to the pattern set by his father. One of the innovations was to take some of the best of the polled cows and he formed a new polled stud at Boonal where they were bred separately from the horned herd. News of the great success of the demand for smaller carcasses in the Argentine and the trend for the Scotch Shorthorn type, which was making big money seemed to convince opinion at the Sydney Royal Show that they should deliberately breed cattle with smaller bones. RF Munro stated at the close of the judging day that he would continue to breed cattle of the old type, because any experienced breeder should know that. The studs at Weebollabolla and Boonal have had a vast influence on the Shorthorn herds of Queensland and the Northern Territory. A conservative estimate would be that by 1971, 16,000 bulls had been sold from these two studs. Weebollabolla 2019 Top $14,000 67 bulls averaged $5,952 94% clearance 30% DNA tested homozygous for polled gene 2021 marked Weebollabolla’s 54th annual bull sale, together with 600 performance recorded females and 1,000 head feed lot and cropping.
Germany
By 1910, the number of breeders had increased to 2,138 members of the Shorthorn Union in Schleswick Holstein and 16,000 animals were entered in it. It did not take them long to discover that the rich alluvial soil from land reclaimed from the sea was particularly suited to the breed. As the industrial development and with it the population the increase had begun very much earlier.
results had been good in every case although of course there was a variation between farms. By 1936 there was clearly a shortage of Shorthorns so they were forced to use crossbred Shorthorn bulls. In 1948, exports included eight Beef Shorthorn bulls including Cruggleton Agency, a second prize bull from the Royal and the Royal Highland Show. They were followed in the late 1960s and early 1970s with two separate missions each taking 10 bulls. We were asked to host both visits. Being a bit worried about the Commissar, I asked our farm vet, James Herriot who told me that some years before he had been taking some sheep to Vladivostok and the Commissar kept asking about one of the sheep that had a slight cough. The situation got so bad that he had to lock himself in his cabin.
The Schleswick Holstein breeders were sending 100,000 cattle a year to the English market. In 1886 at a cattle show in Kiel, all the first prizes were given to the Shorthorns. This helped the breed when beef from South Africa and Australasia opened up. It was decided that for breeding beef the Scotch Shorthorn was favoured over the English. However, four bulls were purchased at Perth in 1938 and in 1939 during the phony war it was noticed that two German breeders were present at the Perth bull sales.
Later, when I told Donald McGillivray, he said that reminded him that when he took some animals to a Russian Fayre, when they arrived the couples were split up and the wife of one couple was put with the husband of another couple and vice versa. I am sure it amused the Russian organisers, but it had to be sorted out. We never got any report of the success or failure of the missions, but I gather they would have gone to some vast Cooperative Cattle Breeding Station where nobody takes an interest in the outcome.
In 1843 the importation of an English Shorthorn steer into Germany stirred interest in the breed being used on the local cattle found in Schleswig Holstein. With the Paris Show and private sales from Scotland, the first German Shorthorn herd book was founded in 1871 for only animals whose parents were entered in the English herd book so only purebred Shorthorns were entered.
The first importation into the USSR arrived in 1928 and by 1930 there were 181 bulls used on the native pure bred Kalmucks; the
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BICENTENARY
Cruggleton and Bridgebank I am too young to remember the great Bertie Marshall, Wigtownshire a major breeder and exporter and a great character whose father had begun shipping cattle to the Argentine back in 1890. At one time the Cruggleton and Bridgebank herd numbered over 1,000 registered Shorthorns. Bertie was reckoned to be one of the greatest judges in the world and a fearless one. His definition of character in an animal was ‘one that goes along with its head in the air, like Lord Lovat’.
the top prices were paid for members of the Princess family. In a tribute to the great stockman featured after his death in the Shorthorn Record it was reported Bertie said: ‘The longer you live, the less you know and the more you find out’. Whatever, he is recognised as the great stockman of his age. No one has any doubt that Marshall of Bridgebank and Cruggleton takes his place in true line of succession to the Collings brothers, Booth and Bates, Barclay of Ury, Robertson of Ladykirk, Hay of Shethin, Cruickshank of Sittyton. and Duthie of Collynie.
To prepare Bertie for his life a head, his father introduced him to the expert tuition of George Harrison of Gainford Hall, near Darlington; at 18 years old, he began taking cattle to the Argentine spending several months there each year for 28 years. In those days, it was quite a responsibility to keep valuable animals in condition on a long voyage and prepare them for sale. The second bull that Bertie bought was the outstanding Gainford Ringleader by Collynie Mandarin, the best breeding bull he ever owned with the exception of Cruggleton Perfect. After two seasons, he was sold to the Argentine, but it was a decision he always regretted. It was a great loss to the breed when he died in 1952. Apart from the Perth bull sales where the big money was made, he also ensured that the York sales were well supported and between 25% and 30% of the bulls would be from Cruggleton in the 1930s. Once again cow families were particularly important, his Princess family were much sought after. On his death, the sale was very much stimulated by the news that both the Australian and South African Governments had lifted their export restrictions imposed when Foot and Mouth Disease was at its height in the country. Buyers from these two countries locked horns to bid against breeders and livestock agents from the USA, Canada and New Zealand and every other cranny of the Shorthorn world were there. It was a phenomenal sale. None who were present will ever see the like again, and everyone seemed to have realized that beforehand. Bidding was at the rate of 450gns a minute. It was feared that little would stay in this country after the first day. The old cows were sold on the second day and the home team fought back. Nobody had expected the second day would beat the first, but the home breeders were not prepared to allow the old favourites to be taken away. Most of
1822 - 2022
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Calrossie Established by Captain John McGillivray in 1906 who was brought up among his father’s fold of a pedigree Highland cattle. After dispersing the fold, a white Shorthorn bull was used over both the family’s Highland and Aberdeen Angus cows. He bought his first bull in Perth for 40gs to work on 50 black cows; he sold him a year later to the Argentine for 200gns which at the time he considered a fortune, consequently he bought some females, the first a Floss at 40gns, and a Miss Ramsden for 45gns; history was born - progeny from both went on to with championships in Perth and Palmermo. He also invested in an Augusta cow for 810gns from Ireland. Over the years he made many judicious purchases; any non-performers were speedily culled.
Calrossie Control; Perth, Royal Highland and Royal champion
Between 1921 and 1955, Calrossie won 12 Perth championships, eight reserve titles and countless groups awards. His first champion was Calrossie Field Marshall selling for 2,600gns whilst in 1955 he sold Calrossie Paramount 8,500gns both were shipped to Australia. During that period strings of bulls sold for four figure sums to both the home and overseas marketplace. Captain McGillivray was awarded an OBE is recognition of his services to cattle breeding. He was a Shorthorn Cattle Society president, director of the RHAS and of the Animal Disease Research Association. His son, Donald McGillivray joined the business as a partner in the early 1950s. He remembers his father as a great marketeer and
insisting on choosing every mating himself. His cattle were housed for inspection in pairs by type, size and colour. He also recalled his father’s dislike for nurse cow practice which started in the 1930s and continued as another controversy for many years. One of Donald’s memories was taking the cattle by train to Perth, being individually walked, more than four miles, to Nigg station, over fields if it snowed, and there joining other consignments from approximately 13 other breeders to make up 12 trucks in the load. In 1951, the Calrossie sired Balbithan Highland Leader sold in Perth for 3,000gns to EL Killen, New South Wales. He brought with him his two daughters, Mary and Diana who Donald went on to marry - ‘the best day of work I ever did.’
Windsor The first recorded instance of a Royal presented bull was to King William IV in 1836 by Sir Charles Morgan Bart. Following on the Prince Consort demonstrated huge enthusiasm for farming and Shorthorn herds were founded on various Royal Farms. The Royal Farms’ Shorthorns were shown all over Britain, in Dublin and Paris. A two year old bull featured in the Great Exhibition, Crystal Palace 1851. Queen Victoria followed on the interest. In 1886, Cruickshank’s Field Marshal was sold to William Duthie, Collynie where he was used before being hired to the Windsor herd. Other Cruickshank bred sires followed. Royal Farms’ success at the major shows was regarded as particularly remarkable since only home bred bulls were shown. In 1892 New 36
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H.M. King George VI. with Mr. Alexander Ritchie, the Land Steward, looking at Scotch Shorthorns of the Windsor Herd at the Royal Farms, Windsor, on the occasion of the visit of Overseas Delegates to Agricultural Conference, 18th May, 1946.
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Year’s Gift was sold for 1,000gns and the herd led the year’s average for 36 animals traded. Queen Victoria is recorded to have honoured William Duthie on more than one occasion with various gifts including a silver mounted inkstand which she had made from one of the hooves of her Collynie-bred prize winner, Princess Josephine 2nd, and another oil painting of Field Marshal. King George V, when Duke of York, requested both William Duthie and Amos Cruickshank to be presented to him at the Highland Agricultural Society’s Show, Aberdeen, 1894. Duthie was further
honoured by being presented to King Edward VII at the Smithfield Club Fat Stock Show, London, 1904. The herd continued with HM King George VI taking a personal interest paying frequent visits to the farms whilst at Windsor. During WWII, the herd was largely used for high quality beef production and as a reservoir for weighty and prime cattle for the Christmas show and sale at Slough where the Royal entries, reported as always numerous and of outstanding quality, were in great demand and realised high prices to London and other butchers, some of whom supplied London restaurants.
Gainford Gainford Hall was taken over by George Harrison in 1896. He had bred Cleveland bays and Shorthorn at Leaholm near Whitby. Having moved to Gainford he went to Aberdeenshire and bought the cow, Warfare and the bull, Royal Ury. Both became celebrated winners at the Royal and the Royal Highland. Mr Harrison became one of the most successful exhibitors gaining over 2,000 prizes and championships between 1893 and 1904 including the Royal, the Royal Dublin and Highland. Several of these champions were high priced purchases from Duthie, McWilliam and Marr of Uppermill. He and his son, John tended to steer a middle way dual purpose course. They developed a very upstanding type and maintained size which appealed to the export market. George decried ‘both the suet pudding over fat and the confetti dairy type animal that would be blown away’.
Gainford Goldie, 50,000lbs 3.8% butterfat
Upsall The Upsall herd was established in 1909 by my great uncle, Sir Edmund Turton. Prior to WWII, Upsall heifers were sold to Canada, and afterwards bulls to Russia, New Zealand and South America. In 1960, the herd’s first polled bull, Hilldale Collynie 100th (P) was purchased. He had been bred on the West Coast of America. My father, Robert Turton MP continued the herd. He used to sell bulls at the York sales, where up to 30% of the bulls would be from Bertie Marshall, Cruggleton. He would buy females and some bulls for export. I joined the herd in 1959-60. We weighed all our bulls and entered them in Beef Recording competitions at BOCM Selby and Oatridge. In 1965, I flew to Canada to the Shorthorn Sales in the Mid-West where the cattle on the whole were small. I was very lucky to be in the company of Jim Donaldson a very knowledgeable cattle breeder who had been buying some good Scottish herds exported them and held an annual sale. I had bought our first polled bull in 1960. Before the war there were approximately 10 Scottish breeders and I was keen to make progress. In 1966 Gordon Blackstock was sadly killed in a road accident and I was lucky to buy three Victorias at his sale. One of the cows produced a quality bull calf. Wib Donaldson 1822 - 2022
Mandalong Super Elephant
arrived one day and wanted to buy it. Having seen the effect of on farm sales we had four every five years. They attracted quite a number of new breeders at a bad time for the breed. However, we had to move to an auction mart, as the health testing got too expensive, but they did produce new breeders at a difficult time for the breed. www.beefshorthorn.org
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In 1975, we used Mandalong Super Elephant and today we are using his grandson, a 100% polled bull. When I was in Canada I thought the best polled animals had a TPS Prefix. We needed a foreword and in 1963 we asked Harold W Thieman to endorse: “The polled feature is vital in the production of modern beef. It eliminates the risk of horn bruises. Polled Shorthorns have a grand, quiet temperament. In fact, they have the best temperament of any of the varied breeds of beef cattle. Trucking, feeding, shipping and handling are easily managed and de-horning is not necessary. To dehorn means to invite trouble flies, screw worms and infection and regardless of how well done, there is a set-back in growth and development. Dehorning at best is a distasteful and often expensive task.” Cattle in Canada and Australia are almost all polled, yet we have a long way to go which is very sad.
In 1980, we at Upsall had a large order for embryos from a Beef Shorthorn breeder near BuIlawayo in what is now Zimbabwe. One of the first acts when Mugabe became President and Mr Nkomo was his vice president was to send a Korean brigade to slaughter as many Matabele they could find. Unfortunately, the Thomson Beef Shorthorn herd became victims of the slaughter and no doubt became roast for some murdering Generals. In 1982 Pen Gunningham, an Argentinian, had been asked to judge the Beef Shorthorns at the Royal Agricultural Show at Stoneleigh. Unfortunately, the Argentinian President had decided to invade the Falklands so the invitation had to be withdrawn. It was not till the World Conference in 2010 before we saw Argentinian breeders examining Beef Shorthorns in Britain again.
We follow on with background to three more herds which continue to have a significant impact on the Beef Shorthorn Herd Book. Glenisla There was an urgent need to feed the nation by increasing red meat and potato production, during and after World War II. I recall my father, Harry setting out to contribute. We grew a field of potatoes at 1,200 feet, something which would nowadays be ridiculed whilst on the livestock side, three shepherds ran our 1,100 ewe Blackface flock which achieved a rearing rate of between 60% and 90% depending on the winter weather. The 1950’s witnessed increased cattle on the hills and uplands. The breeding females were mostly cross Highland or blue grey crossed to an Angus bull and their progeny produced the best quality Scotch beef. Thereafter came the Irish blue greys and blacks, to be followed by Hereford Friesian and Luing leading to today’s herd of Continental and native breed crosses.
walked the remaining 25 miles with a halfway one night stopover at Dirnanean, which belonged to Francis Balfour, one of the first Luing breeders and a family friend. Meanwhile one of my last duties in the Scot’s Guards was as a marshal at Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral procession, from Westminster to St Paul’s Cathedral when I marched alongside The Royal Naval Gun Carriage Crew on a bitterly cold January morning. Other highlights of my military service included Kenya for a year and a half, assistant adjutant at RMA Sandhurst where I learnt to ride a horse for the Sovereign’s Parade, and pipe band tour to USA and Canada, after which I returned to Glenisla and in due course launched into the Shorthorn breed. Major John Gibb
My father went off most years to Oban to buy cross Highland heifers, which were transported first by train to Pitlochry, then
Chapelton The Biggar family has kept a pedigree herd, supplied and continued to supply customers globally with reliable and high-class animals and to their credit it as to be said that no single customer has ever had reason to complain of the treatment received nor the stock supplied.
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Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
The name of Biggar is of as high repute in the cattle industry as that of the Bank of England in financial circles, and the Biggar word as good currency as a Bank of England £10 note. Initially associated with pedigree Galloways, apart from their value as a pedigree herd, Galloways are largely used for crossing
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purposes the favourite being with a white Shorthorn bull. And it was probably the popularity of this cross which brought the Biggars in to direct contact with pedigree Scotch Shorthorns. Walter Biggar judged cattle in different parts of the world, made many contacts, was called upon to execute commissions at home, not only to supply Galloway cattle, but also to other breeds, notably scotch Shorthorn with which he became increasingly identified. One of his sons, James Biggar became a Shorthorn enthusiast and founded Chapelton in 1942. In 1945 the herd amounted to 25
females comprising the following families: Clara, Rothes Queen, Augusta, Nonpareil, Charity, Clipper, Rosebud (Orchard), Goldie (Garbity), Brawith Bud, Rosewood (Cluny), Torr’s Brights, Waterloo Princess (Cluny) and Orange blossom. The foundation animals had been selected with experienced discrimination and an eye to the acquisition of a definite and acceptable type. Stock bulls: Cruggleton Reminder and Kinellar Broker, a level low-set bull with plenty of quality and substance. TB Marson, The Scotch Shorthorn, 1946
Uppermill The herd was established in 1847 by William Marr, with his first purchase at the Ury sale, though it was a heifer calf purchased at Jonathan Whitehead’s annual sale at Little Methlick 1855 that maybe said to be the foundress of a herd that has always been deservedly renowned for its excellence of its females, no less than for the character and qualities of its males, and based on its inception from Sittyton and Collynie blood. The first joint Collynie Uppermill annual sales were held at adjacent Tillycairn in 1892, and thereafter until 1937. William Marr was succeeded by his son in 1898, who suddenly died in 1904, after which the herd was sold - 113 animals averaged £115 5s 4d. John Marr, a cousin took over the Uppermill tenancy transferred his Shorthorn herd and farmed there until his death in 1915 at which point the Marr family’s connection with Uppermill ceased and the herd dispersed achieving a top of 1,000gns for a red calf out of Lancaster Lady 2nd to Duthie, Collynie. Uppermill as a Shorthorn mecca was destined to continue and attain still greater fame when it was succeeded by Durno, a family name for ever associated with all that is best in Scotch Shorthorns the world over. James Durno transferred his herd from Jackstown to Uppermill. Mesmerist was the principal stock bull and sired heifer calves up to 2,000gns sold to the Argentine in 1919. The following year, James Durno paid a then record 6,600gns for the Perth champion, Millhills Comet.
James Durno
James Durno was succeeded in 1923 by his two sons, James and Leslie. The family’s success continued with championships at the Edinburgh Highland Show, in Perth and leading prices to home and export buyers. In Perth 1945, Uppermill Augustus sold for 1,400gns to BJ Barnes, Wigton for export to the Argentine, however he was consigned to Royal Farms, Windsor for use in the King’s herd until he was due for shipping. The Uppermill matrons constituted one of the finest herds in the world. They are low-set, wide framed, deep milking cows with the unforced wealth of natural flesh betokening constitution and the
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power of rapid economical acclimatisation to any considerations, and kindly easy feeders. They have proved in the past to be invaluable to the breed, and there is no doubt they will continue to maintain and augment the present great reputation of Uppermill stock. 1946: Addendum: with heartfelt sympathy to Mr and Mrs James Durno and their daughter, Miss Mary Durno following the loss of James Durno junr who was suddenly killed in a motor accident. He was one of those all too few alas, of the younger generation who by birth, training, and his own training was a leader and sheet anchor in a wide sphere. TB Marson, The Scotch Shorthorn, 1946
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Beef Shorthorn in the 21st Century By Frank Milnes
F
ollowing his retirement as Shorthorn Society secretary in 1999, John Wood-Roberts wrote a book entitled Shorthorns in the 20th Century. I can assure you I have absolutely no intention of writing a book but my tenure with the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society began in 2000 when I took on the role of secretary and was then involved in the first 16 years of the 21st Century with the progression of the breed and what an exciting period that was. As previously mentioned, at the start of the new millennium the number of Beef Shorthorn cattle was so low that the breed was recognised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust as being at risk. The plight of the breed was highlighted by former Society president, Bob Howard in 1998
50% of registered Beef Shorthorns in five herds; Chapelton, Glenisla, Loch Awe, Uppermill, Upsall The Society had taken the decision in 1976 to allow the use of Maine Anjou sires on Beef shorthorn females in order to increase the frame size of the breed and whilst this had proved very successful the Directors decided, in 1999, to close the herdbook to
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further use of Maine Anjou blood in order to consolidate the improvements made and to retain the inherent maternal traits of the Beef Shorthorn. The decision was then made to drop the percentage figure on all registration certificates from January 2001. The improvements made to the breed and the realisation by commercial producers of the attributes of the Beef Shorthorn as an ideal suckler cow led to a steady increase in the number of Beef Shorthorns both in pedigree registrations and in the commercial beef herds. A sure sign that Beef Shorthorns were now considered a major part of the beef industry came in 2004 when the breed was removed from the RBST at risk category as registrations continued to increase.
ABRI There was an increasing demand from commercial producers for figures to show the genetic potential of the bulls they were buying in order to increase the profitability of their herds; at this time there were only 12 herds performance recording so the amount of available data and the reliability of that data was very small.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
The Signet recording system was geared more towards terminal traits than maternal traits and so the Directors took the decision to migrate the Society’s registration and performance recording programme to the Australian ABRI system in 2004. The adoption of the ABRI system then allowed more maternal traits to be included in the index calculations and even allowed specific indexes to be produced for Beef Shorthorns. Credit for much of this work must go to Carey Coombs who was instrumental in providing all the information required to calculate a new index. Having come from a dairy background I was well aware of the rapid improvements which could be made by using high index bulls. I was also aware of the rapid decline in genetic potential of a herd by using low index bulls. Fig 1, is a very simple illustration of the genetic gain which can be achieved if a bull is used which has a higher index than the female it is mated to and the disastrous results of then reverting to a low index bull. The genetic index of any progeny is the average of the two parents and the table illustrates how quickly four generations of improving genetics can be wiped out in a single generation by using a bull with a lower index than the female. BICENTENARY
Cow Index
Bull Index
Progeny Index
Fig 1: Use of indices and genetic impact
Original } cow
100
120
110
1st Generation
110
120
115
2nd Generation
115
120
117.5
3rd Generation
117.5
120
118.75
4th Generation
118.75
90
104
The value of meaningful genetic data to improve the potential of a herd and to increase the value of animals for sale was quickly realised and the number of recording herds increased rapidly.
TH All animals, humans included, come across harmful genetic mutations at some stage and so it was in 2004 that an American geneticist Dr Jon Beever gave a paper at the 2004 World Shorthorn Conference in the United States confirming that a recessive gene called Tibial Hememelia (TH) had been found in Shorthorn cattle in America. Animals born with two copies of the recessive gene were born with severe skeletal deformities and could not survive. At that time, it had only been seen in America and did not appear to be of any consequence to Shorthorns here in the UK. In 2005 however, the first cases of TH appeared in the UK with progeny of animals from embryos imported from North America. Research carried out in America by Dr Jon Beever had traced the defective gene back to one bull which had been used extensively in America and Dr Beever had developed a DNA test to determine if an animal was carrying the defective gene. Armed with the knowledge of the identity of this bull I looked at the possible number of affected animals in the UK. Using the ABRI database I was able to manually trawl through hundreds of pedigree lines in an effort to determine the extent of the problem we may face. 1822 - 2022
Fig 2: Pen card example
There are some days in your life which you never forget. I remember starting to trace all the progeny of the affected bull through to the present day and discovering hundreds of potential carriers of the recessive TH gene. I cannot begin to describe my feelings when I realised just how big the problem could be. Fortunately, in 2006 we were able to start testing for TH and with the help of ABRI we flagged up all the animals in the database, going back up to 12 generations, which were deemed to be at risk of transmitting the defective gene. As more animals were tested and the link to the recessive gene broken the number of cases seen in our herds was thankfully very small and the problem of the genetic mutation was bred out of our Beef Shorthorn population, although all
imported animals and semen had, and I believe still have, to be tested for TH to ensure the problem was not re introduced. That is a very concise account of a very worrying two years.
Herd Health The health status of bulls brought in to a pedigree herd is vital to avoid introducing disease into the herd. The Society directors were very keen to do everything possible to give purchasers the best possible information on the health status of their purchases. In 2005, I subsequently attended a meeting with an all industry stakeholder group of vets, auctioneers, breed societies and health scheme representatives, where agreement was reached on the production
Podehole Rambo, 8,000gns, Perth 2002, amongst the first signs of renewed demand www.beefshorthorn.org
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of a pen card for individual animals to be displayed at sales giving accurate, validated information on the health status of the animal. See Fig 2, p41. The pen cards were produced by the CHeCS accredited health schemes and were available for all producers to use providing of course the relevant tests were carried out by one of the accredited health schemes. In 2007, the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society was the first breed society to insist that all animals for sale at Society sales had to display a pen card. This requirement was updated in 2009 with a requirement for compulsory testing for every animal and animals testing positive for BVD were not allowed in the sale. This was a huge step forward in ensuring that all animals sold at Society sales were free of BVD. It meant, and still does mean, that prospective purchasers can buy Beef Shorthorn cattle safe in the knowledge that they will not be introducing BVD in to their herd.
Fearn Scotsman, Perth 2003, highest centre price at 11,000gns for 50 years
My role as breed society representative on the CHeCS board of directors ensured that the production of a standardised pen card, on request, was written into the requirements for all CHeCS approved health schemes. This initiative was further strengthened by the Beef Shorthorn directors in 2014 when all animals entered for Society sales had to come from herds which were members of an accredited health scheme testing for BVD and Johne’s. The display of pen cards at sales was subsequently adopted by several other breed societies. The pen cards have been amended slightly over the years but the important information it provides is a huge benefit to any prospective purchasers of pedigree cattle.
Chapelton Dauphin, 15,000gns, Perth 2012
Sales The type of cattle the Beef Shorthorn breeders were now producing were becoming ever more popular amongst commercial breeders and the investment the breeders had put in to their stock was rewarded with higher prices at sales and an ever-increasing number of pedigree registrations. 2012 saw a new breed record for a Beef Shorthorn bull sold at auction when Chapelton Dauphin sold for 15,000gns beating the previous record price of 14,000gns set way back in 1946. This record was certainly not going to last as long and has been topped several times in recent years with the record currently standing at 27,000gns. 42
Meonside Nidavellir, the breed record holder in 2021 at 27,000gns
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
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Branded Shorthorn Beef Bob Howard mentioned in his Journal report in 1998 that more emphasis should be given to marbling and taste in beef but early efforts to promote branded Shorthorn beef through Scotbeef and M&S fell down through lack of a consistent and continuous supply. Marketing branded Shorthorn beef took on a new lease of life however following talks with Morrisons supermarket which launched its ‘Traditional beef scheme for British native breed cattle’ in 2011. It paid producers a premium for all native breed cattle with an increased premium for Beef Shorthorns. This was undoubtedly the biggest encouragement the breed had ever had to produce more Beef Shorthorn cattle.
Increased registrations and members Morrisons’ Andrew Thornber was the driving force behind the initiative to source sufficient Beef Shorthorn sired cattle to be able to launch branded Beef Shorthorn beef in Morrisons stores. Working with Andrew on this project was one of the most exciting and rewarding initiatives the Society had ever been involved in. The publicity the breed received from this partnership and the premium paid by Morrisons for Shorthorn sired cattle was a driving force in encouraging more commercial producers to use a registered Beef Shorthorn bull.
Fig 3
The ensuing years saw a continued increase in the number of pedigree registrations, as well as a sustained increase in the number of Beef Shorthorn sired animals coming forward for slaughter as confirmed in data received from BCMS. Fig 3 illustrates the accelerated increase in pedigree registrations following the introduction of the Morrisons Shorthorn Beef scheme. Society membership was also increasing at a steady and consistent rate. The Beef Shorthorn breed was rapidly moving from being a rare breed to becoming a significant force within the beef industry.
Source: BSCS 1822 - 2022
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Type classification Whilst the numbers of Beef Shorthorn cattle continued to increase it was important to remember that whilst the breed provided excellent beef due to inherent marbling in the meat, the main function of the breed was as an ideal functional suckler cow. The breed’s fertility, mobility, longevity, adaptability and easy calving attributes are everything required in an ideal modern suckler cow. Subsequent conversations with Andrew Thornber on how we could improve the breed and increase the number of animals coming on to the Shorthorn Beef scheme led to the suggestion of a type classification system designed to identify the best females to breed the best bulls. I was very keen to progress this idea as in the past I had classified Dairy Shorthorns and was well aware of the improvements which could be obtained by breeding from the best females in the herd. As the Beef Shorthorn is predominantly a maternal breed it was important to identify the maternal traits which could be transmitted to the next generation. The main points to consider in a classification system were: • • • •
• •
The Beef Shorthorn is a maternal breed Bulls are sold to breed replacement females Not all maternal traits are visible in the bull Females need to be identified which conform to recognised structural requirements Structural soundness is heritable and can be improved by selection Classifying has to be consistent, reliable, impartial and comparable between herds
With the help of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society’s breed development committee we devised a type classification programme for Beef Shorthorns and held several workshops with the Holstein Cattle Society’s classifiers who would provide the classifying service. Ensuring breeding bulls are always bred from the best females is the surest way to increase the quality of a herd so breeding bulls from cows with an above average index, which have classified VG or
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Excellent gives the breeder the information he needs. Beef Shorthorn was the first beef breed to implement a national type classification programme and the uptake from breeders was very positive. Other maternal beef breeds were very quick to see the advantages of classification and 11 other beef breeds subsequently began classifying using the system devised by the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society.
Breeders Clubs One of the interesting and enjoyable things about being a member of a breed society is the interaction between likeminded people being able to share and talk about a common interest and this is no more apparent than in the network of regional breeders’ Clubs. As the breed has grown in numbers and popularity so the number of members has grown. It has been a real pleasure to see the number of breeders’ Clubs spring up around the country. At the turn of the century there were only two regional Clubs and this has now grown to seven, covering the whole of the UK. Their regional activities are so important to the success of any breed Society.
Retirement Probably one of my proudest moments in my 16 years as secretary came at my retirement dinner at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2016 when Morrisons announced the launch of branded Beef Shorthorn beef in its stores. It had been five years in the planning and to see the Beef Shorthorn logo on packages of beef in Morrisons supermarkets was very special. My 16 years as secretary of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society saw incredible growth of the breed in numbers and quality of stock. The initiatives the Directors put in place were beneficial not only to Beef Shorthorn breeders but also to other beef breed societies. I look back on my time with the Society with a sense of satisfaction and pride but above all enjoyment. I made many lasting friendships during my time at the Society and worked with some great people. I am sure the breed will continue to grow and prosper.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
During the last decade Registrations:
4,556, + 60% Active membership:
1,056, + 100% + Beef Shorthorn and Beef Shorthorn cross populations within the beef sector:
+222% BCMS Record auction prices 27,000gns bull Stirling Feb 2021
17,000gns cow and calf Stirling Sep 2021
15,000gns female Stirling Oct 2020
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Coates’s Herd Book
The Next 200 Years Carey Coombs
C
oates’s Herd Book has bequeathed a unique legacy to Beef Shorthorn breeders. It is the oldest herd book in the world and it tells the long and varied story of how thousands of men and women have bred and reared Shorthorn cattle. It is, above all, the story of the cattle themselves. All of us now breeding Shorthorns can study the foundations of our own herds through the thousands of pages of individual entries, each one recording a new birth, a new calf, a new member of a herd. Every calf’s name written in faded print on these well-thumbed, dog
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eared pages has been a member of our extraordinary breed. Some of those calves went on to leave their mark; some have disappeared without trace; but every single Shorthorn animal recorded in our famous herd book has been part of an incredible journey that reaches its 200year landmark in 2022. As inheritors of this legacy, we possess the fruits of the breeding endeavours of all those breeders and stockman who contributed to the success of the breed. It is in our hands to take the breed forward and to secure the legacy of Colling, Booth,
Bates, and the thousands of others who have played their part over the years since. The immortal first lines of LP Hartley’s ‘The Go Between’; ‘The Past is a foreign country. They do things differently there’ is both a truth and an untruth for cattle breeders. Some things in animal husbandry stay the same forever. Other aspects of livestock breeding are forever changing. Shorthorn cattle have never ever been of a single or uniform type. Attributes of all the many branches of the Shorthorn family have undergone constant manipulation
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and change at the hands of breeders, ever since the very first volume was published. There have been strains within the breed, most obviously the Dairy and the Beef Shorthorns, which until very recently have been considered close enough to allow them to inter breed. There have been branches that have evolved into wholly separate breeds, including the Lincoln Red and the Whitebred Shorthorn. And as well as breeding for more milk or more beef, there have been other distinctive ‘types’. Some cattle have been taller and some shorter than average; some breeders have selected for broad heads; some have preferred the shape of their cattle to be longer and narrower or fatter or thinner, or heavier or lighter. A glance at the engravings in the early herd books tells us that the characteristic reds, whites and roans that we all know and love haven’t always been as well established as we sometimes like to think. Little has been sacred to Shorthorn breeders’ whims and ambitions. Clearly, they have done things differently in the past – and we may well have to do things differently in the future. For all that, one question always stays the same: “Who’s going to buy my cattle, what are they looking for, what will they pay?” We have all researched the market or at least had a good guess at what might be in demand. We form a picture of what might sell to best advantage and we set out to breed the ideal animal. We aim to create the perfect cow or the bull that will secure our herd’s future and our name for posterity. We dream that one day our herd prefix might be said in the same breath as Cruggleton and that we might breed a sire with the potency of Comet. We look over the shoulders of other, more successful, breeders to see what they are doing right and imagine that copying what they seem to be doing must surely be a shortcut to glory. When I first took a bull to the old mart at Perth in 1989, the breed was at a low ebb. The herds presenting bulls at that time could be counted on the fingers of one hand. I asked myself if the breeders of the day Mary Durno, James Biggar, Major John Gibb, Hon Gerald Turton, Bill Bruce and the King of Fife himself, Willie McGowan 46
were refusing to give up on an old breed just through sentiment and stubbornness. Shouldn’t they all be looking to the future? Large lean muscular cattle such as the Limousin, the Charolais, the Simmental, the Marchigiana, the Romangnola, the Belgian Blue, the Pinzgaur, the Saler. The choice seemed limitless and it was time to move on. But I remember James Biggar taking me aside and saying, “If you keep going long enough and straight enough…you’ll meet them all coming back.”
definition of the term ‘breed’. Breeds have never been defined genetically and although great strides have been made in genotype evaluation, as yet there is no agreed genetic definition of any beef breed. Beef breeds have been defined by phenotypic characteristics and the Beef Shorthorn’s breed characteristics as written do not, in essence, distinguish it from any other breed, other than by describing the superficial traits of hair and skin pigmentation.
So, it was to the stockmen of the day that I turned to for the secrets of their trade. Masters such as Robbie Minty from Uppermill, Robert Grierson from Chapelton, Arthur Lawrence from Glenisla, Liz McGowan from Fingask, Friar Thompson from Balmyle. If they could top the market, then perhaps some of their success might rub off on me. That, at least, was the ambition.
Although in literature there exist slightly deviating definitions there is some consensus that a ‘breed’ is a specific group of domestic animals sharing a homogeneous appearance (phenotype) and exhibiting some homogeneous behaviour. Breeds are recognised to have been formed through genetic isolation and either natural adaptation to the environment or selective breeding, or a combination of the two.
Now, in 2021, James Biggar has been proved right and we’re meeting them all coming back. These breeders and stockmen who first inspired me weren’t just stubborn or old fashioned. They had foresight. They predicted the future. They knew that there was something in the Shorthorn, something invaluable, something that might be needed in the 21st century. But predicting the future wasn’t easy then and it isn’t easy now. There is little science to it. There are hunches and there are gut feelings but perhaps it’ll do no harm to delve a little deeper. Perhaps we might get some direction by asking the same simple, basic questions again. What is a pedigree breed? What is a beef cattle breed? What are breeders’ objectives? What should they be? And what is the role of a Breed Society? Perhaps in trying to answer these questions we can seek some insight and inform our guesswork as to what might lie ahead.
What is a pedigree breed? While species tend to be relatively easily defined because their genotypes and phenotypes stand well apart, though some are closer than others, and despite the centrality of breeds to agriculture generally and animal husbandry in particular, there is no single, scientifically accepted,
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
A breed is therefore not an objective or biologically verifiable classification but is instead a term of art amongst groups of breeders who share a consensus around what qualities make some members of a given species members of a particular subset. Members of a breed when mated together produce offspring of a ‘breed type’. This analysis is hard to argue with. Since there is no scientific basis on which to define a breed, there can be no definitive criteria for what constitutes one. Rather, the question depends on whether a sufficient number of breeders of such animals agree on what criteria ought to be applied and whether a consensus view can be reached. Since this is a matter of both individual judgement and collective agreement, it follows that what are considered to be essential hallmarks of the breed may change over time. Whether it does will depend on the particular qualities being sought, usually in response to changes in commercial or aesthetic preferences. BICENTENARY
Whilst breeders often emphasise the importance of maintaining the purity of a breed, in practice there is no such thing as a pure breed, merely a subjective assessment of an animal’s conformity to a limited range of phenotypic variations. Perhaps this is about to change in the age of genomic evaluation and one day we will have a defined genome for the Beef Shorthorn. But this is likely to raise more questions than answers, not the least of which is who has the power to decide what that genetic makeup is and what its limits should be. Is this really going to be any easier than manipulating the phenotype?
What are beef breeders’ objectives? Beef cattle breeders inevitably have a variety of objectives in their breeding programmes. These objectives depend to a great extent on their own farming systems and environments. They will inevitably be driven by economic considerations through the need to make as great a return as possible from sales of live and dead animals.
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Individual circumstances mean that the focus may be more on functional attributes such as locomotion and easy calving in an extensive grazing system, or alternatively on higher meat and milk yield in a more intensive situation where forage is of higher quality, where there may be provision of supplementary feed, and where supervision of calving is easier. Different trait emphases are made in crossbreeding programmes where one breed may make a complementary contribution to that made by another breed. There may be other breeding objectives such as showring potential or fashion, or merely a person’s ability to indulge their own individual preferences.
What should the objectives of breeders be? On the one hand, it’s a free world. Breeders should be free to breed whatever type of animal they want. If a breeder wishes, for whatever their reason, to introduce particular traits or attributes into his or
her herd or to select so as to promote others, why should they not? Providing the resulting animals display the correct hair and skin colour and are therefore recognisable as Shorthorns or, at least, Shorthorn like, what’s the problem? Given that, as has just been described, there is no means of defining, far less isolating, the Shorthorn genotype, then who has the right to say whether they are or are not ‘proper’ Shorthorns? This view is, however, circular. Since, as noted above, the existence of a breed depends, ultimately, on a consensus amongst breeders as to what qualities members of the breed must possess in order to qualify, it follows that any outliers must, in the end, be constrained, if not prevented. It may be that neither breeders nor commercial buyers agree with what the outlier considers to be desirable qualities. Although it may turn out, over time, that the outlier has been farsighted and his or her preferences become widely accepted and perhaps even mainstream this is to take risks which might be regretted. The individual breeder may regret his or her www.beefshorthorn.org
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choices by taking a severe commercial or reputational hit but this may, in turn, impact negatively on others. This could include not only those who have adopted and pursued any such preferences but also, more widely, the breed society which has accepted them, particularly if it transpires that other, more desirable qualities have been lost or compromised.
What is the role of a breed society? More specifically, what is the role of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society? While its constitution contains detailed articles of association which focus on governance, the substantive role of the Society is ill defined. Breed Societies can be considered guardians of a particular breed and, broadly speaking, aim to preserve the integrity and ‘purity’ of the breed through an unwritten mix of tradition and ambition All breeds change over time. In the last 50 years there has been a transition in the Beef Shorthorn from the small dumpy meat packers’ ideal of the sixties that lost its place to continental breeds, to a breed that once again has commercial relevance in the suckler beef industry in the UK. In the 1980s Maine Anjou bloodlines were introduced
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into the UK Beef Shorthorn herd which immediately revitalised the commercial relevance of what appeared to be a dying breed. These farsighted breeders, together with those that imported bloodlines from North America and Australasia almost certainly saved the breed from the Rare Breeds register.
Both approaches broadened the breed’s genetic base, but it is probably agreed by most people that a ‘Beef Shorthorn type’ has been maintained. Does this mean that the breed type has now been perfected and that breeders should strive simply to maintain a relative homogeneity within the breed? Has, or should, the Society have any role in directing the direction of future travel? There is no easy answer or right answer. A breed must maintain some consistency of type but must also maintain a healthy level of genetic variation. A broad genetic base is a good thing, but only if it still conforms to a subjectively agreed breed type. Attaining consensus within the breeding community will be vital for the Society.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
If no broad agreement can be reached, there are real dangers for the future of the breed. This is an age-old conflict for all breeds. If a branch diverges from the main breed type, then there is a danger that the breed will exhibit too much variation. That brings the very real risk of losing out to another breed that is more firmly focussed on fulfilling the needs of a particular system or environment. A breed must be fit for a purpose, but it cannot be all things to all men. Equally it cannot be just one thing to one man. So, while, on the one hand, the breed must be able to evolve and adapt, there are also dangers in the strictures of governance being too inflexible and halting innovative and reactive breeding programmes from farsighted breeding entrepreneurs. Competition between breeds is healthy and likely in the future to be increasingly competitive. All breeds need a unique selling point. Ours needs defining, developing and pursuing. The breed society must therefore define and maintain a breed type and purpose. It must be wide enough to enable variation but narrow enough to retain a type. It will be subjective and it will the board’s responsibility to stand up to challenges, whether it be on colour or size or musculature or any other variation.
BICENTENARY
A taste of future dilemmas has been the recent sometimes acrimonious discussion over the place of the myostatin mutation within the breed. In effect, the debate has been a surrogate debate around breed type and who decides and what the physical manifestations and limits of a breed should be. Until the recent past, double muscling would, quite simply, have been completely unacceptable. Any double muscled cattle inspected for suitability for admission to the herd book would have been excluded without ceremony. More recently, the Society’s Board has had to react to the increased presence of myostatin without any clear guidelines as to how best to do so and it has I hope reached a sensible compromise. Now, it must further develop and contextualise the reasoning such that, should any further mutations emerge, any future process may be less reactive and more transparent.
The ideal attributes of Beef Shorthorn cattle It could be said that the clue is in the name; the primary focus of Beef Shorthorn breeding would be lost if it was forgotten that our cattle are being bred for the 1822 - 2022
production of beef. The main functions of muscle in a live animal are fourfold: movement, maintenance of posture, joint stabilization and heat generation. Muscle in a live animal is not meat (though muscle in a dead animal is exactly that) but is an essential component of the animal that has evolved to serve those functions, using mechanisms to regulate their growth and development. Amongst those mechanisms are myostatin. The myostatin mutation does not confer advantages in wild animals and actually hinders survival when any of the variations occur. As farmers, we have to ask ourselves as to whether our management and husbandry systems can manage these physiological disadvantages in order to sustain a potential economic benefit. This applies to selection for extreme performance in any trait, not just musculature.
However, this raises the question of whether we think we are doing more than producing a meat product when we breed cattle. If all
we want to do is to breed the most profitable beef, then perhaps we should give up and give over to the scientists and businessmen who happily tell us the future is labgrown meat. We can cut out the laborious, wasteful, time consuming and cruel practice of actually keeping and killing animals and look forward to a brave new vegetarian future. Domesticated animals surely serve many more roles than just being a readily available source of protein. Farming systems have evolved to feed people in a locality. Animal products like meat and milk have been used to sustain local populations in those areas of the world where these have been the only practical means by which a population can feed itself through the unpredictable seasons. Personally, I would find it a rather challenging and potentially miserable www.beefshorthorn.org
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experience surviving on the green stuff I can grow in this part of Lanarkshire where I farm. Beef animals are part of farming systems that have evolved. They play a part in recycling nutrients and interact with the invertebrate life and microorganisms of the soil. Wildlife isn’t just crows and foxes. Importing food for millions hasn’t always been an option and possibly might not be in the future. Beef animals have a cultural and ecological past and I would argue have a cultural and ecological future.
The future of beef cattle breeding Even without a crystal ball, there are two things we can be sure of. First, that environmental challenges are real; secondly, that the world’s human population with continue to grow and will need to eat. Denial is not an option. A climate change catastrophe is looming and the loss of biodiversity is significant because it is symptomatic of ecological breakdown. If pollinators and soil microflora and fauna is diminished, then productive agriculture will be further compromised. In this scenario, it seems likely that the most successful farmers will be those who embrace the environmental challenges by addressing them now, through their own farming systems, helping ameliorate climate change, enhancing soil structure and encouraging natural ecological processes. The question for breeders of Beef Shorthorns is this: how can the breed best play its part in future pastoral systems? Can the Beef Shorthorn be seen to be part of an enhancement of the environment? Can we then produce beef sustainably and make a major contribution to a future food systems? In my view, these are the serious challenges that lie ahead for all of us. Of course, planning any breeding programme demands predictions of not just future environmental conditions but the economic and regulatory conditions that will prevail in the projected timescale. As breeding cattle is a very long-term process a breeder’s lifetime or more, and there is no access to a reliable crystal ball then future proofing a breed is likely to be difficult.
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There are also some other certainties, not all of which are positive. Unsurprisingly, farmers will have very limited influence on policy or regulation. These will be guided not just by science but driven by other agendas. There will be continued misinformation on nutrition and welfare. Very few people in power understand food. Politicians rarely, if ever, understand either the economics or the ecology of food systems and they don’t understand the culture of food. They don’t understand the ethics of food and they don’t understand the biology of food. Our policy makers very rarely have any idea of the balances and complexities of farming and food. As well as finding a path through the political maze, it also seems likely that the challenges of farming sustainably, and being seen to farm sustainably, will be exacerbated by a continuation of the promotion in the media of various campaigns of lies and misinformation about beef cattle and their role in human nutrition. This will then lead to competition from artificial meat grown in laboratories and increased scrutiny of animal welfare. In the face of these various challenges and while It may be an oversimplification, on the face of it the breed has two very different and opposite options. 1, Intensification If the intensification route is chosen, then competition will be with heavily muscled cattle managed in highly managed systems producing commodity beef. They will need to be efficient converters of feed and the beef will compete with pork and poultry. 2, Extensification The alternative option will be for cattle with much more emphasis placed on functionality and forage conversion. Profits will depend on attaining higher prices for higher quality meat. Whatever evolving breed type or types are bred they will have to find a niche within one or other of the above scenarios.
Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Journal 2022
Breeders must determine what role they see for the Beef Shorthorn, and then decide whether a change of phenotype will help or hinder the expansion of the Beef Shorthorn’s role within that niche.
Breeding and promoting the Beef Shorthorn The Beef Shorthorn website has as its lead slogan: Beef Shorthorn, the Functional Suckler Cow. Are we serious about this slogan? Is this our USP? The Cambridge Dictionary defines ‘functional’ as meaning ‘designed to be practical and useful rather than attractive.’ To be practical and useful our cows must be structurally sound, they must be fertile, long lived, easy to calve and docile. Above all they must be efficient utilisers of forage and not be reliant on high quality feedstuffs. Such functionality will deliver efficiency. Efficiency is where profit lies and is how the hard-headed commercial farmer will be drawn to the breed. To be truly economically practical and useful, our cows must at the end of the day produce a valued end product and plenty of it. So, yield is important and so is quality. And never mind what the Cambridge Dictionary says our cows can be attractive too. Good looks can be squeezed in alongside function. Even hard-headed farmers appreciate a good view! Competition between breeds will not get any less fierce in the future. If we are serious about building on our current revival then we must be serious about what our place is in the beef Industry and we must be serious about our marketing. If we can agree on the Beef Shorthorn’s USP, then we must stick to it. If the Aberdeen Angus’s USP is meat quality, then woe betide the Angus breeder who fails to pursue meat quality with anything other than single minded ambition. If the USP of the Charolais is size and growth rate, then any breeder compromising that ambition is letting the breed down. If our USP is functionality then any breeder compromising that ambition is compromising the breed.
BICENTENARY
A prediction for the future of the Beef Shorthorn • The breed will continue to be in the safe in the hands of farmers who make best use of modern technologies as well as time honoured husbandry and stockmanship skills. • These thousands of successful farmers will continue to breed red, white and roan cattle of a consistency of type that is recognised across the British Isles and beyond. • Beef Shorthorn cows will become an ever more familiar sight across the country, grazing both upland and lowland pastures.
• Beef Shorthorn beef will be sought out by all those who appreciate that the finest quality beef is not only a first rate source of essential nutrients, but that the cattle from which it is obtained are an essential component of ecologically efficient agriculture. Eating Beef Shorthorn beef will draw on the skills of pedigree breeders, farmers, butchers, and cooks, and its flavour and succulence will ensure that it is much, much, more than merely food. • Coates’s Herd Book will continue to be published for another 200 years.
• The Beef Shorthorn will be known as a sound functional breed famed for its quiet disposition, its hardiness, and its fertility.
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