Limousin magazine summer 2014 issuu by British Limousin Cattle Society

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Limousin the official magazine of the british limousin cattle society

Summer 2014

‘MAGICAL’ GLENROCK ILLUSION SETS NEW WORLD RECORD AT £131,250! £57,750 AULTSIDE BULL SELLS FOR A NEW EXPORT RECORD

SUMMER LIMOUSIN PEDIGREE FEMALE SALES GROSS £1.5 MILLION

DINMORE DUO WIN BURKE TROPHY AT THREE COUNTIES

SEMENSTORE EXPORTS TO GERMANY & AUSTRALIA

10-YEAR LIMOUSIN BREED IMPROVEMENT PLAN ANNOUNCED

LIMOUSINS WIN 14 INTERBREEDS AT SHOW ‘MAJORS’

The World’s First Pour On Housing Treatment That Offers A Shorter Time To Slaughter y a D 8 2 y Onl eat M ld! o h h t wi

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www.closamectin.com Please read the product data sheet and seek advice before use. The dosing programme should be established with your veterinary practitioner or animal health advisor. Manufactured and distributed in NI by: Norbrook Laboratories Ltd, Station Works, Newry, Co. Down, BT35 6JP. Distributed in GB by: Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd, 1 Saxon Way East, Oakley Hay Industrial Estate, Corby, NN18 9EX. Legal Category: POM-VPS. Closamectin Pour on Solution for Cattle contains 200mg/ml Closantel and 5mg/ml Ivermectin. 2896-LA(C)-v1-GB-04/09/14

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Limousin News www.limousin.co.uk

Limousin the official magazine of the british limousin cattle society

Summer 2014

‘MAGICAL’ GLENROCK ILLUSION SETS NEW WORLD RECORD AT £131,250! £57,750 AULTSIDE BULL SELLS FOR A NEW

SUMMER LIMOUSIN PEDIGREE FEMALE SALES GROSS £1.5 MILLION

DINMORE DUO WIN BURKE TROPHY AT THREE COUNTIES

SEMENSTORE EXPORTS TO GERMANY & AUSTRALIA

10-YEAR LIMOUSIN BREED IMPROVEMENT PLAN ANNOUNCED

LIMOUSINS WIN 14 INTERBREEDS AT SHOW ‘MAJORS’

Cover Picture: Courtesy of Catherine MacGregor

NEXT ISSUE Reports and pictures from the October 2014 sales Pictorial round-up and reports from the 2014 Winter Primestock events

Herd profiles and features, and all the news and views around British Limousin Technical Corner

Limousin

Iain Kerr Editor

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

Easy calving muscling

Length

It’s the business

& WIDTH

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Limousin

Limousin News

Contents

Summer 2014

06 News round-up

30-39 Technical Corner

See the latest update on the Carcase Traits Project; International Evaluations in the UK move a step closer; the July BLUP run has been published A record breaking round-up sees news of a new Limousin world record; an export sale record for Garry Patterson; £1.5 Million of females sold at summer sales; long-range Breed Improvement Plan is announced; Chairman delivers annual report to members; Dinmore duo win Burke Trophy; Semenstore seals another export to Australia and also Germany.

Limousin

Limousin News

IDENTIFYING & IMPROVING

CARCASE TRAITS IN LIMOUSIN CATTLE: Limousin Carcase Traits Project Update 110,000 Abattoir Records and Counting… The Limousin Carcase Traits Project, a major part of the British Limousin Cattle Society’s breed improvement work, has been operational for over 2 years now and with one year to go, good progress is being made. A partnership between the British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS), Anglo Beef Processors (ABP) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the aim of this exciting research project is to explore the latest genetic and video image analysis (VIA) technologies to improve carcase traits in Limousin-bred cattle.

The aims of the Project are: l To understand the influence of genetics on carcase traits l To establish reliable methods of recording measurements relating to individual carcase cuts l To produce Genomic Breeding Values (breeding values that use DNA information as well as the performance information we are more familiar with) which identify breeding animals with superior genetic merit for up to seven new carcase traits.

Video Image Analysis (VIA) is a technique that uses computer software to analyse images of a carcase. It predicts individual primal cut yields and EUROP carcase fat classes and conformation grades.

Some Interesting Findings So Far… he data collection phase of the project will continue in to the early part of 2015 and the integration of the new GBVs in to the national Limousin evaluation is anticipated in the latter part of the same year. To date, VIA records have been collected from over 110,000 Limousin-bred animals, sufficient to whet our appetites and start looking at some early indicators of the variation in animal performance and their relative carcase values. We have found:

Combined analysis of VIA measurements and DNA produces a Limousin ’Key’

Limousin

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he advent of such new VIA and genomic technologies offers pedigree and commercial producers greater breeding opportunities than ever before, where high impact selection decisions can be made with even greater precision.

• VIA provides accurate yield information on 44% of the total carcase weight. Significant variation within this exists; for some animals it can be as low as 33% and in others as high as 55%. Where variation exists, so too do opportunities for better breeder selection. • VIA provides significant opportunities to better differentiate between carcases. Of 20000 records of prime slaughter animals analysed, the retail value of carcases at the same weight and EUROP classification varied by over £100/carcase. VIA helps identify the more valuable carcases with greater accuracy. • Some early EBV analysis of the progeny of 30 Limousin bulls has revealed a difference in retail value of £463/calf between the sire with the best VIA EBVs and the sire with the worst. The outcomes of this project will enable producers to identify and capture some of this differentiation. The DNA of any Limousin animal can then be compared to the ’key’ to produce a Genomic Breeding Value (GBV) for each of the 7 new carcase traits

What will all this mean to Commercial Producers and Pedigree Breeders of Limousin Cattle?

ABP provide VIA measurements from procesed carcases. By the end of the year, data will be supplied weekly from three main plants in the UK.

This exciting initiative is the first of its kind in the UK, and has attracted much interest from providers of overseas genetic evaluations when recently presented by SRUC at the 10th World Congress on Genetic Applied to Livestock Production. The value of accurate, unbiased carcase information feeding back in to breeding values and the addition of information from DNA places the Limousin breed in a position of strength to continue supplying improved carcases to the market place. The early results are providing evidence of the financial benefit of this and ABP’s new payment structure on trial will provide the reward for p r o d u c e r s ’ investment in For enquiries contact: producing and using high genetic merit stock. Alison Glasgow, BLCS Telephone: 02476 696500 Email: alison@limousin.co.uk BLCS breeders provide DNA from across the Lim. population

James Draper, ABP Telephone: 0121 717 2500 Email: James.Draper@abpbeef.com Dr Kirsty Moore, SRUC Telephone: 0131 535 3352 Email: kirsty.moore@sruc.ac.uk

BCMS information helps establish pedigree / commercial animallinkage and helps predictmeasures for sires of animals with VIA measurements

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44-63 Limousins

7 Glenrock

Shine at Summer ‘Majors’

Illusion Sets New World Record Price

The quality and numbers of Limousin cattle again lit up the summer show circuit with the breed winning 14 interbreeds at the ‘majors’. Dinmore duo win the Burke Trophy at the Three Counties whilst the first NI Limousin Championships are held. This bumper Limousin issue has all the reports, pictures, and reactions.

We take a ‘behind the scenes’ look at the sale of Glenrock Illusion for a world record price of £131,250 in August. Summer sales of Limousin females gross over £1.5 Million for close on 500 head.

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Limousin News

sales Carlisle May 14

p74

Stirling May 14

p78

Ballymena May 14

p80

Brecon May 14

p81

Carlisle June 14

p83

64-72 Farm Features Three features in this issue give an allround perspective on the performance and profitability of the Limousin breed. We take a look at the respective enterprises of Stephen Graham, Carlisle; Mike Wills, Northamptonshire; and Walter Dandie & Sons, Broxburn, near Edinburgh.

38-51 More Bulls Sold at

40-43 Millie & Kim

Summer Sales

On Top Form in Young Breeders Millie Hendy wins National YLBC Stockjudging whilst Kim Steele-Nicholson wins the Anglo Irish event. YLBC coordinator Annabelle Wint reports on all the action within the Young Limousin Breeders Club.

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Limousin sales in May & June saw an increase of 6% more bulls sold in the year. Aultside Hulk led the way to set a new export mark of 55,000gns at Carlisle. Sales were also strong at Stirling, Brecon, Ballymena and around the regions. Check out the full reports and pictures.

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Limousin News

LIMOUSIN, THE UK’s ‘BENCHMARK BEEF BREED’ SHAPING A PROFITABLE & SUSTAINABLE FUTURE BLCS Chairman Peter Kirton gives his annual report to members

Peter Kirton

Stephen Illingworth

“Working and investing in breed improvement, meeting the demands of the commercial market place, and promoting the attributes of this wonderful, and industry bench mark, beef breed.” That’s the key message from BLCS Chairman Peter Kirton, Severn Lodge Farm, Kinlet, Bewdley, Worcs in his third and final report to members published within the 2013 BLCS Annual Report & Accounts. Issued prior to the Society’s 43rd AGM due to be held in September, Mr Kirton cautions that despite the breed and Society’s sustained level of performance over the recent years, that “the forward industry will be a challenging one with continuing downward pressures on the suckler beef industry.” Reward, he goes on to say, in the shape of profitability and a sustainable market share, will be for those breeds that work hard on improvement and can deliver on the values of economic importance including calving ease, feed efficiency, easy care, longevity, growth, marketability and delivering a profitable carcase. Reflecting on the year, Mr Kirton said the core of the Society in terms of membership, pedigree registrations, and pedigree sales had remained strong and provided the platform to consolidate and build from. “We must never lose sight, however, that the success of the pedigree sector remains firmly driven by the demands of the commercial market place. This sees Limousinsired cattle account for just under a third of all beef cattle registered annually with BCMS and over half a million head per year including Northern Ireland”, he commented. Highlights from a busy year of activity reported included: • Society sales grossing £5.7 Million in the year • Pedigree registrations sitting at just under 20,000 in the year • Over £100,000 being returned to members in breed improvement initiatives and incentives • Limousin confirmed as the UK’s No. 1 beef breed for the 18th consecutive year by BCMS • Sixteen summer ‘major’ interbreeds attained and dominance of the Winter Fair titles • Society takes on the provision of Limousin performance recording • Society purchases a freehold property in Royal Leamington Spa

Limousin

Breed improvement is a theme throughout the report with the much publicised £1.8 Million Carcase Traits Project, in association with ABP and Egenes at SRUC, also highlighted. The aims of the project are stated as: identifying animals with superior genetics for carcase traits; practically relating carcases on the hook back to breeding animals; highlighting animals with a superior retail value in the most expensive cuts and overall carcase; and the introduction of a pricing mechanism introduced that rewards superior yielding Limousin cattle. The project, already delivering some eyeopening results, is due to finish in 2015. Building upon this foundation project, a major announcement in the 2014 year will be the Society’s longrange Breed Improvement Plan. Having over some two years gathered wide ranging input and opinion from members, commercial producers & bull buyers, auctioneers, processors, retailers, and geneticists, the Society has been carefully crafting a detailed ten-year Breed Improvement Plan. The plan is reported as “ambitious, commercially relevant, market driven and requiring significant funding. All is aimed at improving and future proofing the Limousin breed and its commercial performance in pounds and pence for beef producers and the beef industry.” Within the report and accounts, BLCS Honorary Treasurer Stephen Illingworth also highlights a solid year of financial performance for the Society including:

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Total income for the period ended 31st December 2013 of £959,289, up by £22,476 Total expenditure was £1,018,935. Income from birth registration fees levelled at £548,142. This was down by £12,559 and is again indicative of BASCO efficiencies with more animals continuing to be registered in the most cost-effective time periods. Sale commission for the year totalled £51,614 which was down by £20,569 on the 2012 record sales year. The total net movement in funds on the year was £88,714. Total funds carried forward came to £2,602,601. The British Limousin Cattle Society’s 43rd Annual General Meeting is due to be held on September 18th at the Society’s offices, 24 Warwick New Road in Leamington Spa.

MARKET SHORTS

APRIL Longtown: Limousin heifers topped at 220.5p per kg from DJ Garthwaite & Son, Wyesby Hill Cottage. Forfar: Bullocks sold to251p and £1673 for Limousins from Nether Myres selling to WE Fairlie, Letham and J Chapman, Wishaw. Overall the six bullocks levelled at 237.2p with 19 heifers at 231.4p Dumfries: sharp trade saw Limousin heifers from D& R Cornthwaite, Balgrayhill selling to 233.5p per kg – sold to R Johnstone & Sons, Butchers, Annan.

Limousin News

BRITISH LIMOUSIN ANNOUNCES LONG

RANGE BREED IMPROVEMENT PLAN l Ten-year breed improvement plan rolled out

l Society prepared to invest over £1 Million in

breed improvement

In a major industry announcement the British Limousin Cattle Society has rolled out details of a progressive and long-range Breed Improvement Plan. The plan, identifying ten key breeding goals, will see an investment in the period of over £1 Million by the BLCS. With a 30% annual share of UK beef sired registrations being Limousin sired, it is estimated that the improvement in performance and genetics delivered through the plan could be worth an additional £50 Million per annum to commercial producers using Limousin cattle! The breeding goals outlined include: solutions to identify and improve feed efficiency; improving the rate of gain in growth and carcase traits; improving cow production efficiency along with further genetic improvement across a range of maternal traits. Work has already been initiated in the shape of the £1.8 Million Carcase Traits Project in conjunction with ABP and SRUC’s Egenes. Three years in, this project’s aim is to identify and reward Limousin animals with superior genetics for carcase traits. More recently, a bid has been submitted to DEFRA specifically aimed at a Feed Efficiency project. Commenting, BLCS Chairman Peter Kirton said: “This plan has been carefully put together having over some two years gathered wide-ranging input and opinion from members, commercial producers and bull buyers, auctioneers, processors, retailers and geneticists. It is ambitious, commercially relevant, market driven and requires significant funding. “It represents a landmark body of work for the breed and is indicative of the Society’s purpose and commitment to its core values of breed improvement and investment in the future to bring profitability for pedigree breeders and commercial users of Limousin cattle and genetics.” After some forty-three years in the UK, the Limousin breed is the benchmark for the UK’s beef industry being the overwhelming terminal sire breed and suckler cow of choice with the ‘Limousin industry’ valued at over £350 Million per annum. Please see the Limousin Breed Improvement Plan feature on pages 20-21.

Stephen Illingworth, joint purchaser Melanie Alford, Glenrock Illusion, Tom and Vicki Illingworth

GLENROCK ILLUSION SETS A WORLD RECORD BREAKING SALE PRICE OF

£131,250!

Whilst in most issues of the Limousin magazine we are fortunate enough to have a few juicy headlines and stories, it is not too often where we can report on a ‘world record’. So stand up and take a bow Stephen, Helen, Tom & Vicki Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie, Dumfries who, at their herd sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, in August, sold their maiden heifer, Glenrock Illusion, for the amazing sum of £131,250! In a sale never to be forgotten, Glenrock Illusion was purchased by Mike & Melanie Alford of the Foxhillfarm pedigree herd, Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Cullompton, Devon, in a half share along with Danny Sawrij for his Swalesmoor herd at Kedzlie Farms Ltd, Kedzlie, Blainslie, Lauderdale, Galashiels. The new mark sets a welter of records with it being a world record price for a Limousin animal and an all-breeds UK & European record for a bovine animal. Glenrock Illusion overtook the previous record holder, which also happened to be a British Limousin, the bull Dolcorsllwyn Fabio from Glyn Vaughan, who was sold for £126,000 in 2011. Agricultural, main stream, and international News networks, along with websites, and social media were buzzing in the aftermath of the record breaking trade. As was well publicised, the herd sale was held to help the Illingworths purchase Howgillside after some 20 years of tenancy. From all at the British Limousin Cattle Society, and across the livestock world, the warmest congratulations are extended to Team Illingworth! A full report recording the record breaking sale in words and pictures can be found on pages 12-13

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Limousin News

AULTSIDE HULK SETS LIMOUSIN SALE EXPORT RECORD AT 55,000GNS! l May & June Collective Bull Sales Gross £1,257,643 l Numbers sold increase by 6% on the year l 262 bulls sold average £4,800

Sitting alongside the ‘rocking’ Limousin summer female trade was a strong bull trade that saw both numbers sold and averages up on the corresponding year. Through the 2014 May and June BLCS Collective Sales, 262 bulls were sold which was up by 6% on the year. Averages levelled at £4,800 which was also up, by £330, on the previous year.

LIMOUSIN BREED WINS

14 INTERBREEDS

AT THE SUMMER SHOW ‘MAJORS’!

Limousin

Leading the way at the Society’s May Sale in Carlisle was the 55,000gns Aultside Hulk which set a new export record for a UK Limousin bull, and a joint Scottish Limousin record price, for seller and Carlisle sale debutant Garry Patterson, Aultmore, Keith. Hulk, a Wilodge Cerberus son, was purchased by the Ardlea herd of Dan Tynan, Co Laois, Eire. The 114 bulls sold averaged £6290, up by almost £400 with seventeen selling at 10,000gns or more. The majority of bulls sold for 2000-5000gns once again underlining the value on offer to commercial producers. Worthy of a very honourable mention, a team of four bulls at Carlisle from the Foxhillfarm herd of Michael & Melanie Alford, Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Cullompton, Devon, made a gross of 75,500gns and were led by the 38,000gns Foxhillfarm Irishlad. The May Sale at Stirling saw a similar pattern with more bulls sold on the year, an 87% clearance, and averages up by over £500. Top price was the 8000gns paid for Grahams Highgold from local breeders R&J Graham, Stirling. Commenting, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “Commercial producers recognise that there are quality Limousin bulls available in numbers at the sales that can be purchased at a sensible and good value price. The breed is scoring heavily in producing cattle with the carcases, conformation, and weights required, but with less costs in terms of inputs. Putting less in and getting more out adds up to profit.” See the bull sale reports section on pages 74-83

Some high quality shows of Limousin cattle, in strength and numbers, saw the Limousin breed rack up an impressive 14 interbreed titles at the four 2014 summer ‘show’ majors of the Royal Ulster, Royal Highland, Great Yorkshire, and Royal Welsh. Remarkably, the breed has won 46 major interbreed titles at these same shows in the last three years! Across the entries the cattle have been a terrific showcase for the breed in every section including young heifers with potential, young bulls, working females doing good calves at foot, and senior stockbulls. The shows remain a valuable forum to highlight a breed and its quality and consistency through visual assessment. It is also a shop window for young bulls, and females, aimed at future sales and a platform to compare animals and their breeding.

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Amongst a welter of Limousin highlights was William Smith’s remarkable ’three in a row’ interbeed win with Milbrook Gingerspice at the Royal Ulster; Doug Mash doubling up at the Highland and the Great Yorkshire with Brockhurst Bolshoi; Glenrock Illusion strutting her stuff; and Paul Dawes’ Dinmore team at the Royal Welsh. At what is now the Royal Three Counties, Dinmore also won the Blue Riband Burke Trophy for the Limousin breed with Diamant and Dinmore Glorious. The Burke Trophy was of course formerly a highlight at the Royal Show between 1951 and 2009, before being moved around the country to differing ‘Royal’ shows. Check out the 2014 summer show ‘special’ section in pictures and words on pages 44-63

Limousin News

BCMS FIGURES CONFIRM BRITISH LIMOUSIN AS THE

UK’S LEADING BEEF BREED FOR 18TH YEAR

Beef-sired calves in Great Britain in 2013. Source BCMS. Northern Ireland: Beef Registrations 2013. Source LMC. GB TOTAL

29%

Limousin 495,310 AA 269,549 Charolais 220,576 British Blue 186,927 Simmental 163,555 Other beef breeds 362,603 1,698,520

29% 16% 13% 11% 10% 21%

ENGLAND

28%

SCOTLAND

29%

Limousin 282,628 AA 171,109 Charolais 85,713 British Blue 143,968 Simmental 80,987 Other beef breeds 260,442 1,024,847

28% 17% 8% 14% 8% 25%

Limousin 129,868 AA 83,652 Charolais 91,697 British Blue 16,836 Simmental 72,556 Other beef breeds 55,332 449,941

29% 19% 20% 4% 16% 12%

WALES

37%

Limousin AA Charolais British Blue Simmental Other beef breeds

82,814 37% 14,788 7% 43,166 19% 26,368 12% 10,012 4% 46,584 20% 223,732

Limousin AA Charolais British Blue Simmental Other beef breeds

98,007 48,049 82,645 18,126 24,101 38,717 309,645

NORTHERN IRELAND

32%

32% 16% 27% 6% 8% 13%

LIMOUSIN NEWS, ADVERTISING, AND PROMOTION THROUGH

FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

The popularity of the Society’s Facebook and Twitter pages continues to grow as an easy-to-use means of communication and keeping up-to-date, on a day-to-day basis, with news from around the world of British Limousin. The Society’s Facebook page now has 3,000 ‘likes’ and is constantly growing. Regular updates keep it fresh and informative. The reach of social media is such that individual posts are attracting up to 10,000 ‘views’ within 48hours of posting! That’s a lot of advertising and getting the Limousin word out!

# Facebook and Twitter are free to use. You can send messages , upload photos and videos for free, and link to websites. # Facebook and Twitter connect to people from all around the world and the UK. Limousin posts are regularly viewed and commented upon from the USA, Australia, Canada, across Europe, and many more countries worldwide. # Facebook and Twitter plays a very important role in getting the latest news, updates, and reminders of all the Society’s forthcoming sales, shows, events, and activitites. So if you haven’t already why not ‘like’ the Society on Facebook or ‘follow’ us on Twitter. It’s a great way to network news to an ever-growing audience and to keep up-to-date with all the news, as it happens, from the world of the UK’s number one beef breed!

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Limousin News

LIMOUSIN SOCIETY OFFERS ‘CONCORDE CONFERENCING’ FACILITIES Now one year in to its new premises, the British Limousin Cattle Society has launched Concorde Conferencing facilities on its headquarters ground floor at Concorde House, Leamington Spa. Promoted through the new website www.concordeconferencing. com, Concorde Conferencing is offering local, national, and agricultural businesses stylish, modern conference and meeting facilities set within its period building. On offer is the use of a board room, conference room, and a smaller meeting room. Well situated for convenient, easy access and enjoying plenty of free parking space, meetings have already been held and further bookings taken. The meeting rooms are well-appointed, fully IT facilitated, with free Wifi, and can be tailored to requirements. The launch of Concorde Conferencing sees the Society’s building being further utilised. As well as the ground floor conferencing, the Society occupies the first floor whilst the second floor has been fully let out.

www.concordeconferencing.com Following the N Ireland Limousin Championships & Young Breeders Anglo-Irish Stockjudging on 26th July, an Open Evening was held at the Larkhill Pedigree Herd, Seven Mile Straight, Antrim owned by Brian & Cahir McAuley which included a BBQ, Farm Walk and entertainment. The event was well attended and grateful thanks on behalf of the NI Limousin Club go to the McAuleys and extended friends and family.

Limousin

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Limousin News

ILLUSION ADDS TO LIMOUSIN MILESTONES!

The sale of Glenrock Illusion added a significant piece of history to the list of milestones the breed has achieved since arriving in the UK in 1971. 1971

2006

2011

2010

First importation of 178 pedigree

Limousin bull Haltcliffe Vermount

Pedigree registrations reach almost

A UK all-breeds and all-centre record

Limousins arrive at Leith Docks,

sells for 100,000gns at Harrison &

20,000 (19,974), a new record mark

average of £6232 is set at Carlisle in

Edinburgh.

Hetherington’s Borderway Mart,

May for the 121 bulls sold.

Carlisle, for vendors Messrs Ridley, to set an all-beef breeds World, European

1986

and British record at auction.

2010

2012

Membership of the Society just under

Limousin becomes the UK’s leading AI

3,000 mark (2,932) – a record figure

Beef Breed.

A UK all-breeds and all-centre record average of £8242 is set at Carlisle in February for the 131 bulls sold.

2011

1996 First-ever British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) figures reveal

Haltcliffe Vermount

Limousin as the UK’s most numerical

Pedigree registrations in the year breaking through the 20,000 barrier for

Dolcorsllwyn Fabio, from Glyn & Nia

the first time to a new record mark.

Vaughan, is sold for £126,000 setting a

beef breed. Limousin has retained this position each year through to present (2014).

2012

new Limousin world record and a UK & European bovine record.

2008 Discovery of the F94L gene, a

2011

modification of the myostatin gene,

01-11

found almost exclusively in the

Limousin heifer Bankdale Erin sells for

Limousin Breed. Shown in international

65,000gns at Harrison & Hetherington’s

Limousin-sired BCMS passports

research to increase the weight of

average 34% market share over 10

prime cuts in animals by as much as

year period.

19%, overall beef yield by 7%, 11% less shear force to cut a sample of eye

Dolcorsllwyn Fabio

muscle.

2003 Grahams Samson, from R&J Graham, sells for 55,000gns at Borderway Mart,

Bankdale Erin

Carlisle and smashes the UK record Limousin sale price.

2004

Borderway Mart,Carlisle, at dispersal

Pedigree Limousin cattle sold at official

British breeder Aled Edwards is elected

sale for vendor Gordon Wilson of the

British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS)

as World Limousin President.

Bankdale herd, to set a World record at

sales break through the £8 Million

auction for a pedigree beef heifer.

mark in the year for the first time to set a new all-breeds record sales gross

2010

The United Kingdom hosts the International Limousin Congress.

Pedigree sales gross £6.36 Million, a

mark of £8,184,303.

2011

record figure. A UK all-breeds centre

2004 Nine bulls sold at the ILC Elite

2012

2008

2014

record average of £6,045 set at Carlisle

UK all-breeds record for frozen

in February for 176 bulls sold. For

embryos set at on-farm Haltcliffe Sale

the first time, a Limousin bull sale

when two embryos sell for 4,500gns

The maiden heifer Glenrock Illusion

surpasses the £1 Million mark in gross

per embryo.

sells for £131,250 and sets a new UK

sales.

& European all-breeds record for a

Pedigree Sale average £15,400.

bovine animal and a new world record for a Limousin animal.

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Limousin News

‘JUST MAGIC’ AS GLENROCK ILLUSION SELLS FOR A WORLD RECORD £131,250 Here we take an ‘up close and personal’ look at the sale of the world record priced maiden heifer Glenrock Illusion who smashed the record figure at the herd’s sale held at Carlisle’s Borderway Mart on Friday 22nd August 2014. record for a pedigree from a Scottish herd, sale centre record….. there’s bound to be more! Not to get lost in the midst of one price, the sale was a flyer throughout for the lots catalogued. As well as the mighty gross, 15 maiden and yearling heifers averaged £15,155 with 32 cows served and/or suckling averaging £6,811.87. In all, 11 lots made five figures or more. Time to get a quote from the man of the moment Stephen Illingworth: “We always knew Glenrock Illusion was a very special heifer, to sell her for £131,000 is way beyond our wildest expectations and is very much the icing on the cake for what was a great sale throughout. From the day she was born Illusion was something special and she has just gone on and kept improving. This year she has had the profile in the show ring which has helped to showcase her. She has so much style and presence, size and length, width along the back and is full of character and femininity. She’s a very special heifer with the pedigree behind her as well.” Nobody could disagree with that.

wo minutes and twenty seconds or 140 seconds. Either way not a long time to galvanise some thirty years of a pedigree herd to the point where a new breath taking world record is set ….. and on the day the herd is sold. From taking the first bid of 10,000gns to bringing down the gavel at 125,000gns, two minutes and twenty seconds was the time it took H&H auctioneer David Thomlinson at Carlisle’s Borderway Mart, on Friday 22nd August 2014, to sell the maiden heifer Glenrock Illusion and raise the bar to a new level in selling pedigree livestock. The occasion was of course the sale of the Glenrock Herd on behalf of the Illingworth Family of Stephen and Helen and their children Thomas and Vicki. What of the purpose of the sale advertised as featuring the ‘Great and the Good’? Well, after a 20-year tenancy the Illingworths had the chance to purchase the farm, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. Proceeds of the sale would go towards financing the purchase. A tough but courageous decision and one made to future proof Illingworth generations ahead. Only the herd matriarch ‘Glenrock Spangle’ was to be retained and what an influence she had had on the herd’s development and of course is now ‘mum’ to the new world record holder. Some sixty odd lots later littered with terrific cattle throughout the record mark was accompanied by a £537,000 sale gross. A job well done, a big step forward, an incredible high, still tinged with a little sadness. It was a remarkable, never to be forgotten day that unfolded in front of the largest crowd seen at a Breeders’ Sale at Carlisle in some 20 years and testament to the quality on offer and the herd’s reputation. So to the records set by Glenrock Illusion. A world record for a pedigree Limousin animal and an all-breeds UK & European record for a bovine animal. Picked up along with these big ones was the record price for a female, record for a maiden heifer,

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Glenrock Illusion, a January 2013-born embryo calf by the 23,000gns Goldies Comet and out of the herd’s aforementioned Glenrock Spangle, arrived at the sale with a glittering show record behind her. Titles included being Junior Limousin Champion and Reserve Junior Interbreed Champion at the 2014 Royal Highland, Junior Limousin Champion at the 2014 Great Yorkshire Show, and Scottish Limousin Grand Prix Champion in August this year. It all kicked off with the Junior Championship and Reserve Interbreed at the 2013 Stars of the Future Show. And so to mum and dad, Glenrock Spangle and Goldies Comet. The remarkable twelve-year-old Spangle already had plenty to shout about having bred females to 20,000gns (Glenrock Bianca, Red Ladies 2007) and bulls to 16,000gns (Glenrock Fortune, Carlisle May 2012). At the Glenrock sale itself, Spangle

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Limousin News progeny sold for a gross of £257,000 with her life-time progeny surpassing £366,000! Just one not insignificant point, Rachels Lesley, Glenrock Spangle’s mother, was originally purchased for the herd at Carlisle for 700gns. Now there’s value and a good eye! Spangle’s sire is Kype Interrogate. The first flush of Glenrock Spangle and Goldies Comet had provided six eggs, five pregnancies and a gross in excess of £180,000. Goldies Comet, a son of the prolific Wilodge Vantastic and out of the noted Goldies Vitality, is the stock bull owned jointly by the Maraiscote and Calla herds respectively

38,000gns Foxhillfarm Irishlad.” Looking at the record price Melanie continued: “We bought Bankdale Alice in 2011 for 15,000gns and to date her progeny have grossed in excess of £170,000. We hope we can do the same with Illusion.” Is pedigree showing a shop window? Here’s Melanie again: “We saw Illusion as a calf and have watched her all summer at shows, she just gets better and better.” Enough said. Danny Sawrij, a prolific buyer himself at Limousin sales, runs the Swalesmoor herd of 30 pedigree Limousins. As well as Illusion he also purchased the second top price on the day,

commented: “Glenrock cattle and bloodlines have been at the forefront of the Limousin breed for a number of years. The depth of bloodlines and proven breeding presented an opportunity for new and established buyers to purchase some quality animals and genetics. The cattle sold readily and many bidders will have left disappointed that they could not purchase. The sale was held at fairly short notice and these were very genuine cattle. In forty years of selling Limousins, this would easily fit into the top five breeders’ sales that I’ve been involved with.” “As for the world record-

Society’s Facebook page. A similar number viewed the video clip of Illusion’s sale also on Facebook. BBC bulletins, radio clips, and national broadsheets were to follow. Within a few days a quick Google search saw that the story had been networked and reported in the likes of China, USA, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and of course most of Europe. Glenrock and Limousin goes global, powerful stuff! The last words on this memorable day should of course go to Stephen and the Illingworths: “There was a terrific crowd at the sale and so many bidders that helped

Glenrock Illusion

Glenrock Campari

Glenrock Humdinger

Glenrock Diamante

Glenrock Impulse

Glenrock Inclusive

of Ian Nimmo and David Baillie. Comet’s progeny had itself previously sold at up to 30,000gns. The breeding was there, the showing had been done and so to the buyers….. Step forward the joint purchasers Mike & Melanie Alford of the Foxhillfarm pedigree herd, Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Cullompton, Devon, in a half share along with Danny Sawrij for his Swalesmoor herd at Kedzlie Farms Ltd, Kedzlie, Blainslie, Lauderdale, Galashiels. Speaking after the sale, a delighted Melanie Alford said: “For us the dam line is the key to any successful breeding programme and Glenrock Illusion is just full of breeding, class, and style. At this stage we may flush Glenrock Illusion to Sympa or to our homebred

Glenrock Impulse (same way bred as Illusion) for 24,000gns and this time jointly with Neil and Stuart Barclay for their Harestone herd at Insch, Aberdeenshire. The cattle presented on the day were a credit to the Illingworths and Stephen was quick to praise the ‘young team’ of stockmen and helpers captained by Tom Illingworth but marshalled by the ‘experienced’ Jock Wyllie and Rob Kirton. So to another quote and this time from auctioneer David Thomlinson. The first auctioneer to breach the 100,000gns mark for a pedigree bull in the UK (Haltcliffe Vermount), DT did it again with Illusion. “Perhaps I’m getting the hang of it with experience,” he suggested! More to the matter at hand he

breaking Glenrock Illusion, animals like this very rarely come on the market. With the depth of breeding behind her she will not be a one-off. I’m thrilled to bits that the sale was held at Carlisle. It was a great day for the Limousin breed, the buyers, the auctioneers, and most of all the Illingworth family.” The hammer had gone down, the crowd had clapped and cheered, Stephen had remained impassive, and Tom had beamed. Post the sale and the news of the day grew from being a pedigree sale, to major livestock news, to national mainstream news, and by dint of websites, Facebook, and blogs, international news. Within 48 hours close on 10,000 people viewed the stop press on the

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the sale on for which we are very grateful. Showing has given the herd profile, and I hope also that the quality and consistency of animals that we have brought forward regularly to sale and that have gone on and done well helped also. There is proven breeding in the cattle and a depth of pedigree.” “As a farming family, the greatest pleasure you get is looking at your cattle at home. The fact that so many people think as much of your cattle is really very humbling.” Well said, sir! Once again…..just another Limousin sale at Carlisle!!

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Limousin News

Breeders’ Sales Round-Up 450 LIMOUSIN FEMALES GROSS

OVER £1.5 MILLION AT

SEVEN SUMMER LIMOUSIN BREEDERS’ SALES!! The incredible ongoing demand for pedigree Limousin females was at full throttle through May to August with over 450 Limousin females sold at BLCS Breeders’ Sales for a gross in excess of £1.5 Million and at an average of just under £3,500 per head!

are sold at BLCS sales. New and established pedigree breeders are buying cornerstone females with a depth of breeding for their herds, and commercial producers are purchasing animals that will be top quality breeding females in their suckler herds.”

Commenting, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “The trade for females over the last ten years has been sustained and quite remarkable. Year-on-year over 1000 pedigree Limousin females

Here we take a snapshot highlight look at the Breeders’ Sales held across the country in the period. For full reports and pictures on all of these sales please visit www.limousin.co.uk.

16,800Gns COW & CALF TOPS BIRDIES DISPERSAL SALE • 175 head sell to gross £290,000 A 16,800gns cow and calf combination topped the British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS) Breeders’ Sale at Newark Livestock Market on Saturday 17th May 2014, and headed the Dispersal Sale of the Birdies Limousin Herd on behalf of William Bird, Oldgate Farm, Barkston Ash, Tadcaster. Overall the sale, featuring consignments from nine herds in all, grossed £290,000 with 175 head sold. The 2007-born French-bred cow, Clochette, by Uruguay and out of Urne, sold with her very strong April 2013-born Brutus-sired heifer calf at foot, Birdies Isabeau, to Danny Sawrij’s Swalesmoor Herd based at Kedzlie Farm, Blainsie, Lauderdale. With tremendous muscling and width, Clochette was bred by Gaec Robert, La Rebeyrolle, St Yrielx La Perche and is a half-sister to the AI sire Bahut. Clochette was sold PD’d in calf to Brutus (Usty x Hirondelle), sire of many of the calves in the sale. At 10,000gns was Scorboro Equity, bred by JCG Bloom & Son, and again consigned by Mr Bird which went under the hammer with her heifer calf Birdies Jade to Gascoines Group, Church Street, Southwell, Notts. The same purchaser also snapped up

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William Bird’s 8,000gns duo of Corridan Diamond, bred by Corridan Farms, Saxby All Saints, Lincs being sired by the Sympa son Corridan Arkle and out of the Greenwell Major daughter Corridan Uvette. Corridan Diamond was sold with her two-month-old Brutussired bull calf at foot, Birdies Jim. Heading to the same home were two other cow and calf outfits which were part of the Birdies Dispersal at 7,500gns and 5,500gns respectively. The 2010-born second calver, Bailgate Flavia, who was purchased as an in-calf heifer at the Bailgate Dispersal for 4,100gns, being by the 100,000gns Haltcliffe Vermount and out of the Vagabond-sired dam Greenwell Donatela, made 7,500gns. She went under the hammer suckling her six-week-old bull calf at foot, Birdies Jez, another by Brutus.

Clochette & Birdies Isabeau 16,800gns

The sale also saw consignments from the Pennys; Rachels; Ironstone; Scorboro; Bowtells; Threaphurst; Bosworth; and Charleston herds respectively. Auctioneer: Newark Livestock Market Ltd

Scorboro Equity & Birdies Jade 10,000gns

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15,500GNS TWEEDDALE INITA HEADS LIMOUSIN BREEDERS’ SALE AT CARLISLE

Tweeddale Inita 15,500gns

Tweedale Harika 12,000gns

• Tweeddale sell at 15,500gns and 12,000gns • Nine-month-old Trueman Calf makes 9,500gns • Thirteen animals sell at 5,000gns or more • Sale grosses £289,538 The British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS) Breeders’ Sale held at Carlisle on Saturday 31st May 2014 saw the strong trade continue for Limousin females with a 15,500gns top price paid for the maiden heifer Tweeddale Inita on behalf of Jonathan Watson, Bowsden moor, Bowsden, Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland. April 2013-born, Tweeddale Inita is an embryo calf being by Goldies Fandango and out of the Grahams Trooper daughter, Tweeddale Anita. With a Beef Value of LM+41, she sold at 15,500gns to John Elliot’s Rawburn Herd based at Roxburgh Mains, Kelso. Also from Mr Watson and part of his first ever production sale of autumn 2012 to spring 2013 heifers, the first lot in the ring, Tweeddale Harika, sold for 12,000gns. Again by Goldies Fandango, this heifer carrying a Beef Value of LM+53 and with

a muscle depth of +5.4, was purchased by Kevin Watret for his Solwayview Herd, Northfieldpark, Annan. Overall, 17 Tweeddale maiden heifers averaged £3,502. The sale saw consignments from the Tweeddale, Trueman, Netherhall, Haltcliffe, Goldies & Lodge herds respectively. Featuring primarily maiden and served heifers two animals made over five figures with thirteen in all selling at 5,000gns or more and the sale grossing £289,538. The consignment from Henry Savage & Sons Trueman Herd, Skerriff Road, Altnamackin, Newry, Co Down saw a top price of 9,500gns for the ET-bred Trueman Isabella when bought by James Alexander for his Jalex Herd based in Randalstown, Co Antrim. This August 2013-born Ampertaine Elgin daughter is the first female to be offered out of the 40th Anniversary National Limousin Show Champion Trueman Euphonium. The first in the ring from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries was Goldies Infinity who was knocked down at 8,000gns to Tecwyn Jones, Ty Newydd, Nebo, Llanrwst, Gwynedd. This August 2013-born embryo calf, sold suckling her recipient dam, is by Haltcliffe Doctor, a Rossignol son, and out of the noted breeding female Goldies Vitality.

LIMOUSIN TUG OF WAR TEAM ‘BUILT FOR POWER’ Pictured competing in the Interbreed Tug of War Charity Event held 16th August at Dungannon Rugby Club are the N Ireland Limousin Club Team of Derek Hume, Gary Hume, Ian Hume, James McComb, Brian McComb and Dale Robinson. Proving that Limousins really are ‘Built For Power’ they won Silver Overall and were second in the 50 metre tractor pull – pipped by just 0.1 of a second. More Lim beef is obviously required next year, lads!

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RAVENELLE DAUGHTER

FORTHCOMING SHOWS, SALES & EVENTS

WILODGE EYECANDY SELLS FOR 9,000GNS • 15 lots/outfits make 5,000gns or more • Wilodge consignment averages £6,663 • Sale grosses £203,350 Wilodge Eyecandy from Christine Williams made 9,000gns and led another British Limousin Cattle Society Breeders’ Sale this time held on Friday 4th July at Borderway Mart, Carlisle. The January 2009-born Eyecandy is by the Mas Du Clo son Milbrook Tanko and is out of the herd’s famous cow Ravenelle. She was sold with her heifer calf at foot Wilodge Icandy, a Wilodge Fastrac November 2013-born daughter. Purchasing the top price was Danny Sawrij, Kedzlie Farm Ltd, Blainsie, Lauderdale for the Swalesmoor pedigree herd. The Wilodge consignment, offering some top-quality and proven bloodlines from this high achieving and noted herd, saw 13 cows, served and/or with calves at foot, average a fine £6,663. Also featuring consignments from the Grahams, Whinfellpark, Eves and Barrons herds respectively the sale saw fifteen lots/outfits in all make 5,000gns or more with the sale grossing £203,350 for the lots

sold. The Whinfellpark offering topped at 8,000gns whilst the lead price from the Grahams consignment was 7,000gns. Messrs Jenkinson, Clifton Moor, Clifton, Penrith, offered the pick of their 2013-born heifers sired by the world record priced bull Dolcorsllwyn Fabio from their Whinfellpark herd. This special offering saw bidding quickly rise to 8,000gns with the pick of the heifers being secured by Boden & Davies Ltd for their Sportsmans Herd based at Mellor Hall Farms, Mellor, Stockport. Leading the consignment from R & J Graham, Airthrey Kerse Dairy Farm, Bridge Of Allan, Stirling was the French-bred stock bull Frankyben who made 7,000gns. 2010-born, this bull is by Achille and is out of Bettyben whose maternal grand sire is Panda. Frankyben was purchased by the Allerby herd of Messrs Miller, Allerby Hall, Allerby, Aspatria, Wigton. Auctioneer: Harrison & Hetherington Ltd

Thursday 18th September

Saturday 15th to Sunday 16th November

Society AGM, Leamington Spa

English Winter Fair, Stafford

Saturday 11th October

Saturday 22nd November

*Newark Autumn Limousin Day Auctioneer: Newark Livestock Market

Welshpool Breeders Sale on behalf of the Glangwden Herd Auctioneer: H&H

Friday 17th October Carlisle Breeders’ Sale of Females Auctioneer H&H

Tuesday 25th November

Saturday 18th October

Saturday 29th November

Carlisle Bull Sale Auctioneer H&H

LiveScot, Lanark (formerly Scottish Winter Fair)

Saturday 18th to Sunday 19th October

Monday 1st to Tuesday 2nd December

Countryside Live, Harrogate

Welsh Winter Fair, Builth Wells

Monday 20th to Wednesday 22nd October

Thursday 4th to Friday 5th December

Stirling Bull Sale Auctioneer United Auctions

East of England Smithfield Festival, Peterborough

Friday 24th October

Thursday 11th December

Dungannon Bull & Female Sale Auctioneer Dungannon Farmers Mart

YLBC AGM & Young Handlers’ Competition

Friday 12th December Friday 31st October Borderway Agri Expo, Carlisle

Saturday 8th November Brecon Bull Sale & Breeders’ Sale of Females Auctioneer McCartneys

Thursday 13th November Beef South West, Exeter

Saturday 15th November Stars of the Future Calf Show, Stirling

Wilodge Eyecandy 9,000gns

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Allams Winter Fair, Balmoral Showgrounds, Belfast

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Carlisle, Red Ladies & Weaned Calves Auctioneer H&H

*Not an official BLCS Sale. NB Dates correct at time of going to press

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Easy calving

GROWTH beef yield

Feed Efficient carcase consistency Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the business

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SPRINGSETT LIMOUSIN HERD

DISPERSAL SALE SEES A TOP PRICE OF 11,000GNS The Dispersal Sale of the Springsett Limousin herd of Dougie McBeath and Sarah Jane Jessop, Lower Greenyards Farm, Bannockburn, Stirling, saw a top price of 11,000gns paid for the herd’s stock bull Hafodlas Garnedd. Preceding the British Limousin Cattle Society’s May Sale, the Springsett Dispersal sale was held on the evening of Friday May 2nd at Carlisle’s Borderway Mart. Described as ‘a real meat machine’, Hafodlas Garnedd was originally purchased from the breeder AH&GW Roberts, Hafodlas, Llaty Nest, Brithdir, Dolgellau, Gwynedd. A son of the multi title winning Hafodlas Domino, the 2011 born bull is out of the Cloughhead Royal

Springsett Empress 9,000gns

Hafodlas Garnedd 11,000gns

daughter Hafodlas Violed. Paying the top price for their Furrydance pedigree herd was CR, IE & AM White, Pengwedna, Nancegollan, Helston, Cornwall. Making 9000gns, was the rising five-year-old Springsett Empress. Sired by Newhouse Aristocrat, a Ronick Shapely son, this cow is out of Springsett Treasure and from the herd’s noted Springsett Moneypenny family. Sold in-calf to Hafodlas Garnedd, Springsett Empress was purchased by CJ Roots, Kilnford Croft, Dumfries. See www.limousin. co.uk for full report.

ODDACRES BULL TOPS SKIPTON AT 5,400GNS

John & Claire Mason, Embsay, N Yorks topped the Craven Limousin Day, the annual Spring Show & Sale of pedigree bulls and females at Skipton Auction Mart on May 14th with their 5,400gns first prize intermediate bull, Oddacres Hoggarth. A September 2012-born son of the 10,500gns Homebyres Dixon and out of the home-bred Oddacres Clover, he found a new home in Pendle when joining regular Skipton buyer Mac Townsend in Laneshawbridge and will go to work on the family’s commercial cattle herd. Overall supreme champion under Judge Chris Jerman, Trefeglwys, Powys was the first prize senior bull and male champion from County Durham’s Cliff & Jackie Moffett who

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Carlospride Henry

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run their Carlospride pedigree herd at Backandsides Farm, Hummerbeck. The title winner, Carlospride Henry, a June, 2102-born son of the AI bull Wilodge Cerberus and out of Carlospride Dancer, achieved the day’s second top price of 3,700gns when selling to commercial producer Andrew Foster of Markenfield Hall, Ripon.

Oddacres Hoggarth

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5,500GNS

MARKET SHORTS

ALWEN BULL TOPS WELSHPOOL CLUB SALE  TL & CP Wynne, Hendre Glan Alwen, Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr, Corwen, Denbighshire topped the North West Midlands & North Wales Club Sale held on 15th May 2014 at Welshpool with their 5,500gns bull Alwen Heddwyn. This was the second year in a row that Trefor & Carol Wynne had taken the leading price, this time with an October

2012-born son of Alwen Edward (by Ampertaine Abracadabra) and out of the Wilodge Tonka-sired dam, Alwen Dona. He sold carrying a Beef Value of LM+42 and goes to Messrs Clayton of Newtown. The sale saw 15 bulls average £3,885 overall. Full report on Limousin website

APRIL Newton Abbot: in the store cattle ring June 2012 born Limousin cross steers sold to a top of £1335 closely followd by a group of three Limousin cross steers, April 2012 born, from W Heath, Bickington, which made £1,325. Mr Heath also topped the heifer store cattle section with his three April 2012 born Limousin cross heifers at £1,105. Louth: The top price steer per kilo was for a Limousin cross from JB Coupland & Son, Great Steeping, weighing 565kg and selling for 225.50p/kg (1,274). Darlington: the sale topping cow was a four year old Limousin from W I Suddes & Son, which sold to Cleveland Meats, Stockton for £1,266.

ROSECROFT VERSACE

TOPS EXETER SALE AT 3,500GNS

Alwen Heddwyn

THAINSTONE MAY SALE SEES

GLASSICK BULL AT 4,400GNS Tuesday 6th May 2014 saw the Annual Multi-breed Show held at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ Thainstone Centre. Top-priced pedigree Limousin was the 4,400gns May 2012-born bull Glassick Harrier consigned by Forbes Macdonald, Aspenbank, Turriff which had been purchased as a calf at foot at the Glassick Dispersal Sale in September 2012 from breeder Alistair Dunn, Glassick Farm, Braco, Dunblane. Brought out by Keith Ogg, Buchaam Farm, Glassick Harrier is by Knock Atlas and out of Glassick Chestnut and

sold to commercial farmer Kenny Morrison, Haddock Farm, Rothiemay to be put on heifers. The Overall Champion under judge Harry Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, Maud was the Limousin Champion, Emslies Hyddgen from Harry Emslie, Kinknockie, Mintlaw which sold for 3,100gns to WSL Muir, Upper Onston, Stenness. In the show and sale of commercial beef breeding cattle, Overall Champion was a Simmental-cross heifer with her Limousin-sired heifer calf at foot from C & G Gordon, Lost Farm, Strathdon which

The British Limousin Cattle Society Breeders’ Sale held on behalf of members of the South Western Limousin Breeders’ Club at Exeter on Friday 27th June 2014, saw a top price of 3,500gns for the rising ten-year-old cow Rosecroft Versace from David & Anne Wheeler, Goodiford Mill, Kentisbeare, Devon.With an excellent show record behind her including Limousin Championships at the 2008 Devon County and Bath & West Shows respectively together with being a member of the Interbreed-winning

Team of Five at the 2007 Royal Show, this powerful cow is by the French sire Lino and is out of the Irish-bred Ferry daughter Elite S-152. Sold with her October-born Grahams Unbeatable-sired heifer calf at foot, Rosecroft Irresistible, and due again in January to the same sire, she was purchased by Steve Edmunds, Saveock Manor, Chacewater, Truro. The females were in strong demand with 28 out of the 32 forward selling to represent a healthy clearance rate of 87% and to average £1,765.

realised £3,700 and sold to judge Charles Adam, Braeside, Cushnie. Reserve Champion went to a Limousin-cross heifer with a Limousin heifer calf, again from Harry Emslie, which realised £2,800.

Emslies Hyddgen Thainstone Limousin Champion 3,100gns

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BRITISH LIMOUSIN OUTLINES

PROGRESSIVE 10-YEAR BREED IMPROVEMENT PLAN Society investing heavily in breed improvement to increase performance and profitability for pedigree and commercial users of Limousin genetics, and the UK beef industry The British Limousin Cattle Society has announced its plans for investment in genetic improvement of the breed over the coming ten years. Through development of high quality genetics in new key areas of performance, the work will have the potential to deliver an additional estimated £50 million per annum in to the pockets of commercial producers using Limousin genetics. The work is identified in the BLCS Breed Improvement Plan 20142024. The purpose of its implementation is to identify the areas of change and improvement that will have most impact on the current and future profitability of commercial Limousin producers and to identify the investment that will empower pedigree breeders and the Society to achieve it.

The Plan has been conceived over a two year period of consultation. During this time, BLCS undertook some key areas of work & consultation to help identify its future breeding priorities against a backdrop of progress made to date, as well as current and future market drivers and demands. This included a ‘roadmapping’ exercise conducted by Biosciences KTN, analysis of breeder and buyer survey results, consultation with geneticists and opinion from processors, retailers and the BLCS Council of Management. Discussion was detailed, informed and frequently ‘direct’! Once distilled, the goals amongst parties and methods of achieving them had much in common and have led to a Plan that will yield significant benefits to enterprises using Limousin genetics in the years to come. The diagram outline of the 2-year consultation and roadmapping process to develop the Breed Improvement Plan:

Investment in key areas of performance in the pedigree population will drive the long term functionality and profitability of Limousin bulls sold in to the commercial sector.

ROAD MAPPING When setting about creating a plan of work, one of the difficulties is agreeing on the areas to prioritise, the order in which they should be approached and the method used to address them. Roadmapping is a technique that brings the collective views from a number of people in to an order that defines the vision, balances cost and assesses the plan’s ability to meet the desired outcome.

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Goal 10

To generate positive genetic change and improve 200 Day Milk Weight within the breed.

The Plan was adopted in the early part of 2014 and delivery of the work identified within it has already commenced in some areas. 2015 will see the culmination of the current Carcase Traits Project (see later article) and the availability of Genomic Breeding Values for seven new carcase cuts using visual image analysis (VIA) measures out the abattoir (Goal 5). Publication of myostatin (double muscling) genotypes will also commence in 2015, these supporting the existing EBV information relating to Calving Ease (Goal 2). Finally, Limousin has been included in a very recent funding proposal to develop a national infrastructure for the collection of data relating to feed efficiency (Goal 4). Defra’s decision on this is expected at the time of going to press and, if the application has been successful, work will commence immediately. For the last 18 years, the Limousin breed has dominated the commercial sector. Almost one third of beef-sired calves born in Britain in 2013 were Limousin-bred. Genetic change within the Limousin pedigree herd therefore has a significant impact on the commercial sector and the returns and efficiencies experienced by its producers. This strategic plan is in place to ensure that the genetic change within the Limousin breed in the coming years is not only desirable, but specifically targets the demands that will be placed on producers and is made as rapidly as possible. The advent of new breeding technologies – particularly those at molecular level such as GBVs - are offering greater breeding opportunity than ever before, where higher impact selection decisions can be made with even greater precision in both pedigree and commercial sectors. In the coming years there will be inevitable change in our beef market, our pricing structures and the trading environment in which we sit. The solutions to much of this will lie in breed adaptation and improvement, and breeds that broaden their foundations now are arguably those that will be best placed to serve future commercial demands. This plan represents 10 good reasons to invest in Limousin and future-proof your enterprise.

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Goal 9

To maintain current levels of genetic progress in Longevity.

Goal 8

To improve current levels of progress being made for Age at 1st Calving and Calving Interval and Gestation length. To investigate wider measures of cow production efficiency.

Goal 7

To maintain current levels of genetic progress in Docility

Goal 6

To establish the role genetics has to play in control of meat quality, identify suitable means of evaluation & set appropriate breeding targets.

Goal 5

To improve the rate of gain in growth and carcase traits, without compromise to correlated traits

Goal 4

To establish and implement breeding solutions to identify and improve feed efficiency

Goal 3

To establish and implement breeding solutions to address disease issues as they become available

Goal 2

To improve Calving Ease to a point at the end of this Strategy period (2024) where its annual rate of genetic change is zero.

Goal 1

To grow the performance recorded population to 75% of registrations by the end of this Strategy period; a result of ‘demand-pull’ from development of Goals 2 to 10.

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Summary of Breeding Goals - Limousin Breed Improvement Plan 2014-2024

The Breed Improvement Plan is made up of ten strategic breeding goals, these focusing in areas such as accelerated improvement of the breed’s easy calving capabilities, improving rates of gain in growth and carcase traits, as well as the introduction of measures to identify and further improve feed efficiency. It identifies new pathways of retrieving animal information that can be used for genetic analysis – for example, using records from data collection bodies such as BCMS, abattoirs etc - and will exploit further the development of genomic breeding values (GBVs). These are EBVs (Estimated Breeding Values) created using individual animal DNA as well on-farm performance records. This will be applied to traits already measured by conventional means as well as new traits that, as yet, have been too difficult to measure or too expensive. The benefits that GBVs can bring to breeding programmes have proven to be significant and further reference is made to this in the Carcase Traits Project article later in this Magazine.

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Limousin News

POLLED LIMOUSIN BULL

GREENSONS HOWLETT SEMEN EXPORTED TO

GERMANY

• Polled Limousin Bull Greensons Howlett exported to Germany • Semen from three Limousin bulls heads to Australia in a repeat order • Export orders through www.semenstore.co.uk The demand for Limousin genetics from international markets has continued with the export of semen from four bulls in all to orders from Germany and Australia respectively, and through www.semenstore.co.uk Included within this, an export first was achieved for the polled Limousin bull Greensons Howlett with a quantity of his semen selling to Germany. Bred by Greensons Limousins, Bottisham, Cambridge, Greensons Howlett is the first red coated, homozygous polled (100% polled calves) Limousin bull bred in the UK to have semen available and to now be exported. Complimenting his polled status the two-year-old Greensons Howlett has an impressive range of performance figures with EBVs in the top 1% for 200 and 400 Day Growth; and in the top 10% for Muscle Depth, Gestation Length, Calving Value and Beef Value. Commenting, breeder Guy

Green said: “I’m delighted with this export first. Greensons Howlett is a long, easy-fleshing bull with a great top, super temperament and sound locomotion. He also carries two copies of the F94L ‘Profit Gene’ and had a scrotal circumference of 42cm at 12 months of age. His first seven calves have been born at between 39kg and 42kg and already his first two heifer calves are on target to reach 200kg by 100 days.” The semen was purchased by Hexham-based company Eggs-Port for their client in Germany, with the export handled by Semenstore’s distribution hub at UK Sire Services in Devon.

1000-STRONG LIMOUSIN SUCKLER HERD TO BE FEATURED AT SCOTLAND’S 2015 BEEF EVENT Peter & Murray Alexander to host the event at Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie 2015 will see Scotland’s first national Beef Event take place in Perthshire. Organised by the Scottish Beef Association, the event will take place on Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie, on May 27, 2015. Mains of Mause farm is home to Peter and Murray Alexander who run a suckler herd of 1000 Limousin cross cows in addition to a commercial flock of 2000 Blackface and Mule ewes extending over four units. Adopting the theme of ‘beef from

Limousin

the hills’, the event is being designed to demonstrate all the latest technologies for sustainable beef production. Host farmer, Peter Alexander, said the aim was to hand the organisation of the event over to the younger generation who see their future in beef production. “We will be five months into the new Common Agricultural Policy at the time of the event and Robert McNee will lead a team of enthusiastic younger farmers with new ideas to demonstrate how beef production can be made profitable and the relentless downward trend in suckler cow numbers in Scotland reversed,” said Mr Alexander. “Mains of Mause ticks all the boxes

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and is the ideal farm to demonstrate the management of a beef suckler herd in the new era of reduced support,” added the event Chairman, Robert McNee, Over Finlarg, Tealing, Dundee. “Reducing costs and maximising returns from the market will be key to the future of beef production and we will be looking to demonstrate all the latest technologies for efficient production at next year’s event.” Mains of Mause runs some 1000 Limousin cross cows along with a battery of approximately 35 Limousin bulls. In 2004 Mains of Mause hosted the International Limousin Congress with Peter Alexander also speaking at the Limousin Technical Day.

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Limousin News

LIMOUSIN SEMEN FROM

THREE BULLS

EXPORTED TO AUSTRALIA A further three Limousin bulls have fulfilled a significant order, also through Semenstore, to Tim Keys of Keystone Genetics, Springhurst, Victoria, Australia. The export comprises of the Frenchbred bulls Bolide and Bahut respectively, together with semen from the 120,000gns world-record-priced Limousin bull Dolcorsllwyn Fabio. This new deal comes on the back of previous orders from the same customer for Bahut and Dolcorsllwyn Fabio in 2012 and 2013. Commenting, Tim Keys said: “Our ongoing aim is to source the best UK-based Limousin genetics available for our Australian clients and our strong working relationship with Semenstore is an integral part in achieving this aim.”

date for a Limousin heifer. The first Fabio calves to be born in Australia are due in August, and breeders ‘Down Under’ are expecting length, width and good docility. The world-record-priced Limousin bull has been used on some top cows (primarily through ET work) and it is hoped his calves will be ‘pretty special.’ Bolide, a Neuf son, is a new bull for the Australian market, and the order comes on the back of very positive feedback from breeders both in the UK and New Zealand. Bolide represents the key traits for the Australian market of muscle, shape, powerful tops and positive docility.

According to Mr. Keys, the Uruguay-sired Bahut is performing strongly in Australian conditions and meeting the market spec: “Bahut’s first progeny, coming up to yearling stage, are powerful, thick calves with moderate frames and a lot of width’. Australia’s first Bahut heifer, bred in Tim Keys’ own Keystone herd, has been sold for AUS $12,000 (£6500 approx) representing the top price this year to

Bolide

Bahut

SEMENSTORE’S

GOLDIES COMET

SIRES WORLD RECORD HOLDER! Sire of the new world record priced Limousin, Glenrock Illusion, was Goldies Comet a consistent seller on www. semenstore.co.uk. Goldies Comet, bred by Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Dumfries, was the Reserve Supreme Champion & 23,000gns top price at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s February 2009 sale at Carlisle. October 2007 born Goldies Comet is sired by the 42,000gns Wilodge Vantastic and is out of Goldies Vitality whose dam is full sister to Goldies Terence. Vitality, a Sarkley Ragtime daughter, has produced five progeny that have sold for over £20,000 each including Comet. Outwith Illusion, Comet’s progeny to date include bulls sold up to 30,000gns. Goldies Comet is the stock bull shared by the Marasicote herd of Ian Nimmo and David Baillie’s Calla herd. Semen is available on Semenstore at £40 per straw with a semen royalty of £50.

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NEW BULLS

The online semen website, www.semenstore.co.uk, has seen a number of additions to its offering in recent weeks. Here we give you a flavour of what new bulls are available to purchase online.

Kaprico Eravelle Quick info: £7.50 per straw, £50 royalty, available worldwide

Owner James Cooper of Tomschoice Limousins describes him as a ‘proper’ Limousin with short gestation and easy calving coupled with tremendous growth. Ideal for using on heifers, Eravellle was selected for the British Limousin Cattle Society Young Bull Proving Scheme. His EBV is in the top 1% of the breed for gestation length, calving ease and 400 day weight gain. Two copies of F94L ‘Profit’ Gene.

Fairywater Haig Quick info: £15 per straw, £30 royalty, available UK Mainland Purchased for 23,000gns at the Carlisle February 2014 Limousin Sale when Reserve Junior Champion. Buyer, Andrew Procter says: “This bull has great class, is a lovely walker and has a tremendous back-end. He is ideally suited for breeding show calves as well as for pedigree use.” Drew a lot of admirers when on the Lim stand at Beef Expo in May.

Brutus

Gorrycam Hazzard

Anside Gigolo

Quick info: £25 per straw, no royalty, available EU

Brutus is the sire of many of the high priced lots at the May 2014 Birdies Dispersal Sale which was topped by the 16,800gns cow and calf outfit comprising the 2007-born French cow Clochettte who was sold together with her very strong Brutussired heifer calf at foot, Birdies Isabeau. Clochette went under the hammer back in calf again to Brutus. Brutus (Usty x Hirondelle) was originally purchased from Earl Lagautriere for £17,500 and William Bird says he will consistently breed correct, fast-growing calves with plenty of shape and muscle. Not only that, his daughters are very milky.

Son of Cloughead Umpire and out of the Sympa daughter, Gorrycam Daisy, Hazzard was Reserve Supreme Champion when bought at Carlisle for 26,000gns in May 2013. Already used on the Whinfellpark herd with progeny on the ground. 2 copies of the F94L “Profit” gene.

Real depth of bloodlines being a son of the Broadmeadows Cannon-sired Derriaghy Enfield (22,000 gns in October. 2010) and out of the Wilodge Tonka-sired Larkhill Didi. First prize winner at Carlisle as an Intermediate in May 2013, having already racked up an impressive string of show titles since the age of 8 months. Bought for 18,000gns and already used on the Whinfellpark herd with progeny on the ground.

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SEMENSTORE-SIRED PROGENY SELLING WELL IN NEW ZEALAND FOR SNAKE GULLY LIMOUSINS

The 20th Snake Gully Limousin Bull Sale was held recently in Maungakaramea, New Zealand with progeny on offer for the first time in-country from three UK Limousin bulls imported previously through Semenstore. After some fierce bidding the top price was a very pleasing NZ$8,700 (£4,441) for Snake Gully Harry, a full French bull sired by Milbrook Alistair. He was jointly purchased by Stephen & Belinda Clearwater & Colin & Jennifer Phillips from Southland for stud use. Second highest was Snake Gully Hank which sold for NZ$7,400. Again full French and sired by Bolide, Hank was purchased by Robert Buhler from North Canterbury for stud use. Snake Gully Hero by another sire from the UK, Ampertaine Commander, sold for NZ$5,700 to be used in a commercial breeding programme. Of the 17 bulls on offer, 16 sold on sale day for a very respectable average of NZ$4,230.

DUTCH GROUP PURCHASE LIMOUSINS AFTER VISIT TO

N IRELAND

interested in the calves of Ampertaine Gigolo, although they were very young they already show good growth and very good development. Gigolo really puts a stamp on his calves.” During the trip, the Dutch breeders bought six animals in total comprising of five bull calves: Ampertaine Inspector (by Cloughhead Umpire and out of a Sympa daughter); Carmorn Imp (by Carmorn Dauphin and out of a Heathmount Talon daughter); Trueman Incredible (by Dauphin and out of the Wilodge Vantastic-sired Trueman Euphonium) as well as two further bull calves from Millgate (by Rossignol and Millgate Fame respectively); plus a Millgate heifer calf (again by Rossignol).

In July, a twenty-strong group of Dutch Limousin breeders visited N Ireland on a trip organized by the company Cowporation. The group visited the Ampertaine, Carmorn, Claragh, Culnagechan, Heathmount, Larkhill, Millgate and Trueman herds respectively as well as James Alexander’s Jalex commercial herd, plus AI Services. The group was taken by the easy fleshing nature and width of the animals, in combination with their easy calving traits. Limousin breeder Alfred Janssen commented: “At several farms we saw recently born calves which had been born small but had then gone on to grow extremely well…just the way we like it! The docility of the herds was also noticeably very good. We were particularly taken with the calves of Ampertaine Elgin, Wilodge Cerberus, Carmorn Copilot, Ampertaine Foreman and Glenrock Ventura, because they click best with the Dutch type and are easy calving which is very important to us. We were especially

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MAKES ITS MARK ON GERMAN VISITORS BRITISH LIMOUSIN

• 43 German breeders attend Royal Highland Show A group of 43 German Limousin breeders left the UK mightily impressed after visiting the Royal Highland Show and touring herds in the north of England and Scotland during a six-day visit at the end of June. With the help of Semenstore and the British Limousin Cattle Society, a programme was put together encompassing farm visits, Limousin judging at the Royal Highland Show together with some tourist destinations – all set against the backdrop of the World Cup and England and Germany’s rather different paths! Tour leaders were Ute Lucanus of RSH (Cattle Breeding Association of Schleswig-Holstein) & Johannes Roettger of German Livestock company Masterrind Niedersachsen.

The herds visited were Whinfellpark, Haltcliffe, Grahams, Ronick as well as a tour of Andrew Ewing’s export facility at Dumbretton Farms. The group was impressed by the British Limousin type and the depth of quality throughout the herds and in the showring. Commenting, Johannes Roettger said: “We really enjoyed the trip and the fantastic hospitality we received. The quality of the cattle really was excellent and of a very consistent type with increased growth and muscle.”

NETHERBARR HOSTS

IRISH FARMERS The Netherbarr Herd run by the Murdoch & Hansell families hosted a group of Irish beef farmers from Co Louth, Republic of Ireland on 15th May. Made up of 25 Limousin and Blue suckler men, the Irish farmers visited TB Hansell & Co, Nether Barr, Corsock, Castle Douglas whose 15-strong pedigree Limousin herd runs alongside 100 Limousin-cross suckler cows in their closed herd. Netherbarr have built up a solid following among local commercial producers selling bulls both privately and through breeding sales at Wallets Marts, Castle Douglas where bulls have reached up to £8,600. In May this year, Netherbarr sold 5 bulls at an average of £4,040 and to a top of £7,000 for Netherbarr Geronimo (Vivaldi x Netherbarr Daisy) to G & W Halliday & Son, Crawthat, Lockerbie.

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Limousin News

HEAD OF

POLISH

MARKET SHORTS

M AY

AI COMPANY VISITS

LIMOUSIN HERDS UK

Acklington: a strong show of store cattle saw the Davidson Challenge Trophy go to a Limousin steer from C Mellor, Annstead, which made £1,260 to Paul Henderson. The reserve and the first prize Limousin heifer from the same vendor sold for £1,190 and £1,060 repectively. Portree: Heifers hit a top of238.3p for a 235kg Limousin cross from 2 Vatten, Dunvegan. A Limousin cross in calf cow from glengrasgo, portree, topped the breeding cattle at £1,000 with cast cows selling to130p for a 700kg Limousin cross from Balnacnoc, Uig. Carlisle: at a good show of breeding cattle, particularly cows and heifers with calves at foot, top price reached £2,700 three times, for a Limousin cross heifer with Limousin sired bull calf at foot from Steve Whiteford, St Johns Kirk, and again for a British Blue cross heifer with a Limousin cross heifer calf at foot and a Limmy cross heifer with a Limousin sired bull calf from Messrs Jackson, Little Eccleston Hall. Carlisle: A new fixture at Carlisle on behalf of North West Limousin Club members attracted a top bid of 3,100gns for a cow and calf outfit in the shape of Ringway Edith with her heifer calf at foot, Ringway Idee, from Peter Henshall, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. This second calver, a daughter of Tatoumh and bred from a Cloughhead Rocket mother, Ringway Urania, Edith sold with her calf at foot sired by Ringway Foggy and back in calf to Foggy. This pairing was sold to GH Walton & Sons of Hexham

Mr Andrzej Pakula, Ms Anna Michalska, Trade Officer from the British Embassy, Warsaw and farmer host Jonathan Watson

Mr Andrzej Pakula, principal of WWS-Polska Robert Pakula s.c. visited two prominent Limousin herds in North-East England in conjunction with a visit to the NBA’s Beef Expo at Hexham on 22 May. This was his first visit to Britain and the contact was instigated by the UK Trade & Industry team in the British Embassy in Warsaw. Limousins are a major breed in Poland, with a key role in crossing onto dairy cows. Mr Pakula wanted to see at first hand the breed in the UK, working on farm, and amongst the demonstration cattle at the Beef Expo. The herds visited were: James & Sarah Cooper (Tomschoice Limousins) of Dacre, near Harrogate, North Yorks; and Jonathan & Jayne Watson (Tweeddale Limousins) of Bowsden Moor, near Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland. In both herds Mr Pakula was able to see ‘curvebender’ bulls with low gestation length and birthweight EBVs, along with good growth and carcase traits.

Tiree: Cattle sold to 251p per kg for Limousin cross bullocks from Hough and 31,100 for Limousin cross heifers from Sandaig. Lochboisdale: bullocks sold to average 224p per kg and topped at 247p for Limousin cross bullocks from 458 North Lochboisdale while heifers averaged 204.6p and sold to 233p for Limousin crosses from the same home. Dingwall: A limousin from JP Clark, Kinnahaird, secured the lead price of 4,300gns at Dingwall & Highland Marts show and sale. The bull, which stood reserve champion at the pre-sale show was purchased by Inverpolly Estates, Inverpolly, Ullapool. Middleton in Teesdale: the championship went to Messrs Mitchell, Marwood with a 12 month old Limousin heifer which went on to make £1,090 to Steadman Dodd, Temple Sowerby. Cutcombe: grazing cows met a brisk trade with the best hitting 135p/kg equating to £630 per head with a top of £875 for a Limousin cow from R F Rawle, Higher Bodley.

In touring the Beef Expo he focused on the breed society exhibits, being greatly impressed by the event overall. On the Limousin stand he met BLCS CEO Iain Kerr who briefed him about the role and continued development of the breed in Britain and also explained the background and operation of Semenstore.

Welshpool: top price was for a pure bred Limousin in calf heifer making £1,490 from FD Lloyd & Son, Bedwgwilym and also from the same home were seven other in claf heifers. A Limousin first calver with a Limousin bull calf at foot made £2,550 from DP Evans.

WWS-Polska Robert Pakula s.c. is a leading and longestablished independent AI operator in Poland. Whilst tied to the American company WWS for dairy genetics, they have a free hand in sourcing beef genetics and Mr Pakula is keen to develop long-term relationships with the British beef breeding sector. The visits were organised by Henry Lewis of BLG – the British Livestock Genetics Consortium - with support from EBLEX Export Department.

Caledonian Mart: A 624kg Limousin heifer from A Hay, Perth was bought by the Judge Hugh Black, Butcher, Lanark. Reserve champion, a 690kg Limousin bullock from W Dandie & Sons, Broxburn, bought by T Johnstone & Son, Butchers, Falkirk & Dunfermline for 249p/kg. Top price per head was £1,659 for a 784kg Limousin from Westwoodlane Farm, Blairdrummond.

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QUAILS

LIMOUSIN BEEF WINS ‘GREAT TASTE’ AWARDS • Limousin sirloin steaks achieve Three Stars in food world ‘Oscars’! The world’s largest blind-tasted food awards ‘Great Taste’, has just released the stars of 2014 and Quails Fine Foods, Banbridge, N Ireland are amongst the producers celebrating as seven of their products are now able to proudly carry the Great Taste logo. Judged by over 400 of the most demanding palates belonging to food critics, chefs, cooks, farmers and a host of food writers and journalists, Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers and has been described as the ‘Oscars’ of the food world. When a product wears a Great Taste label it carries a badge of honour but, more importantly, the Great Taste logo is a signpost to a wonderful tasting product – and hundreds of judges have worked hard to discover the very best through hours and hours of blind-tasting a total of 10,000 different foods and drink. Limousin sirloin steaks from Quails Fine Foods were the only sirloin steaks in the whole of the UK and Ireland

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to achieve 3 stars in this year’s Great Taste Awards! The steaks were from a U3, 320 kilo Limousin-cross heifer from the farm of Keith Tumilty, Annaclone, Banbridge, Co Down. The carcase was traditionally matured, by dry ageing it for over one month in Quails new Himalyan salt chill. Commenting on the awards, Jim Quail, who is a Council Member of the British Limousin Cattle Society, said he was delighted with the recognition given to the quality of Limousin Beef. “I’ve always known how good the beef is with its fine grain and extra tenderness and have been promoting it in my shop for the past 35 years.” The shop slaughters Limousin heifers every week from their own farms as well as from other local farmers. Many of the farms that Jim purchases the beef from are using Limousin bulls which he has sold to them. The Quail family have been farming and traditionally butchering for over 100 years and always looking to improve the quality of the beef they produce. Whilst looking for new methods they moved away from native breeds towards Limousins in the 1970s,

as the housewife required leaner beef but still demanded the same tenderness and flavour. Last year they introduced the Himalyan salt chill which gently removes moisture from the ageing chill without salting the beef but giving it a slightly sweeter flavour. The removal of the moisture also enables the beef to be aged longer, which lets the natural enzymes present break down the muscle fibres giving a softer steak with more depth of flavour. The Judges stated the steaks were so soft that they reminded them of fillet steak and that the fat was so sublime it tasted like foie gras. Quails Fine Foods, which was founded in 1898, also won 6 more Great Taste Awards. Among these were their Limousin salt-aged fillet steaks gaining 2 stars and their Limousin cote de boeuf winning an award. Quails are also up for a Golden Fork award with their Hanger steak in the signature dish category which celebrates the best chefs who are currently cooking in the farm shops and delis around the country. The result for this award will be released at the Golden Fork dinner on the 8th September in London.

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TOP HONOURS IN BEEFLINK STEAK TASTING COMPETITION LIMOUSIN SHARES

This year’s Scottish Asda/ABP BeefLink Steak Competition staged at the Royal Highland Show, Ingliston, Edinburgh, saw the top honours shared between two competitors. In a unique twist all the prize winners in the competition were steaks from heifers, with the joint first prize winners coming from Limousin cross and British Blue

been exceptional. “The fact that both first and third place honours were shared speaks volumes for the quality of the steaks in the competition. All the winning steaks were of an incredibly high standard and exceptionally consistent.”

cross cattle.

Commenting, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “The Great Taste awards to Quails Fine Foods and this further win at the Royal Highland is testament to the superior eating quality of Limousin beef. It is quite remarkable the number of ‘blind tasting’ competitions and awards that Limousin beef has won in the UK over the last ten years or so.”

Sharing the top spot and taking away £500 cash, an Asda Extra Special hamper and a crystal rose bowl, was The Firm of Robert Dawson, Devon Farm, Kennoway, Leven, coming out joint-top under a panel of four judges comprising two members of the public, QMS Marketing Controller Suzie Carlaw and Executive Chef at Dakota Edinburgh, Marc Robertson. The Dawsons’ steak came from a 25-month-old Limousin-cross heifer which graded -U4L and weighed 340kg. The third place honours were also shared between two competitors, with Auchtydore Farms, Mintlaw, Peterhead, and MW Jack, Markinch, Glenrothes, splitting the prizes. Auchtydore Farms’ steak came from a 22-monthold Limousin-cross heifer which graded U+3 and weighed 363kg on the hook. The joint third prize winner from MW Jack also came from a Limousin-sired heifer, with this one being just 14 months old and grading E3. This steak came from a 325kg carcase. ABP’s Asda Agricultural and Sustainability Manager, Elwyn Pugh, said the quality in this year’s competition had once again

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IDENTIFYING & IMPROVING

Video Image Analysis (VIA) is a technique that uses computer software to analyse images of a carcase. It predicts individual primal cut yields and EUROP carcase fat classes and conformation grades.

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Some Interesting Findings So Far…

he data collection phase of the project will continue in to the early part of 2015 and the integration of the new GBVs in to the national Limousin evaluation is anticipated in the latter part of the same year. To date, VIA records have been collected from over 110,000 Limousin-bred animals, sufficient to whet our appetites and start looking at some early indicators of the variation in animal performance and their relative carcase values. We have found: • VIA provides accurate yield information on 44% of the total carcase weight. Significant variation within this exists; for some animals it can be as low as 33% and in others as high as 55%. Where variation exists, so too do opportunities for better breeder selection. • VIA provides significant opportunities to better differentiate between carcases. Of 20000 records of prime slaughter animals analysed, the retail value of carcases at the same weight and EUROP classification varied by over £100/carcase. VIA helps identify the more valuable carcases with greater accuracy. • Some early EBV analysis of the progeny of 30 Limousin bulls has revealed a difference in retail value of £463/calf between the sire with the best VIA EBVs and the sire with the worst. The outcomes of this project will enable producers to identify and capture some of this differentiation.

What will all this mean to Commercial Producers and Pedigree Breeders of Limousin Cattle?

This brings with it opportunities: • To generate new revenue streams as payment for carcases is re-structured to reward cattle with superior carcase traits. ABP in Perth now pay their suppliers on the basis of a VIA EUROP grid rather than the traditional MLC EUROP grid • To improve carcase conformation of slaughter animals, simply by having a wider, more accurate suite of EBVs to use when finding the most suitable genetics • To reduce costs of production through getting cattle to market quicker and/or getting a higher proportion within fat and carcase specifications • To increase the rate of genetic improvement in the herd for these and associated traits • To explore additional business opportunities for producers/processors and retailers alike • To use GBVs as an additional promotional tool when selling pedigree stock This exciting initiative is the first of its kind in the UK, and has attracted much interest from providers of overseas genetic evaluations when recently presented by SRUC at the 10th World Congress on Genetic Applied to Livestock Production. The value of accurate, unbiased carcase information feeding back in to breeding values and the addition of information from DNA places the Limousin breed in a position of strength to continue supplying improved carcases to the market place. The early results are providing evidence of the financial benefit of this and ABP’s new payment structure on trial will provide the reward for producers’ investment in producing and using high genetic merit stock.

For enquiries contact: Alison Glasgow, BLCS Telephone: 02476 696500 Email: alison@limousin.co.uk James Draper, ABP Telephone: 0121 717 2500 Email: James.Draper@abpbeef.com Dr Kirsty Moore, SRUC Telephone: 0131 535 3352 Email: kirsty.moore@sruc.ac.uk

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INTERNATIONAL LIMOUSIN GENETIC EVALUATION IN THE UK ONE STEP CLOSER Since 2007, work has been carried out by an across-country group of geneticists to find a way of amalgamating pedigree and performance records for Limousin from a group of countries in to a single genetic evaluation. Supported in its early stages with funding from the British Limousin Cattle Society, this scientific group called Interbeef has recently announced this phase of work is nearing its end. This will enable the participating countries – including the UK - to start using international Estimated Breeding Values in their own EBV calculations, which is a long-awaited, significant and exciting development of the Performance Recording service.

The Background Eight countries are involved in this project: Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The data shared for their combined evaluation has been 200 day weight in this first instance, since it is commonly recorded in all countries. The pooled records resulted in a huge data set of 2.3 million animals with performance records and 2.6 million animals with full pedigrees. Table 1 details the numbers of animal records evolving from each country. Genetic parameters were established and national and international runs tested to eventually produce Interbeef EBVs for all animals – including all UK animals – which will shortly be made available to incorporate in to our routine UK EBV evaluation.

What does this all mean? The work carried out by Interbeef has established that international evaluations of 200 day weight in the manner described will: Increase the volume of weight records for animals in the UK that are from other countries or are related to animals in other countries. Without international data, there are 51717 sires with weight records in the UK evaluation. The addition of international data increases this significantly, by 28%, to 66245. An increase in volume of records widens the pool of recorded animals from which selection decisions can be made, accelerating the rate of genetic progress that breeders can make. Improve the reliability (accuracy) of our UK EBVs. With the increase in volume of records comes improvement in the accuracy of the resulting EBVs. This is to the benefit of all users of EBVs, pedigree and commercial. Provide Interbeef rankings across countries. Country

Limousin

CZE DNK ESP FIN FRA GBR IRL SWE

Number of animals with weaning weights* 5796 40737 33259 13036 2083530 117071 19837 18201

Number of herds 80 1048 188 156 6196 730 814 285

Long-awaited in the UK, an international evaluation provides direct comparisons between animals in more than one country which is valuable for breeders contemplating exportation and/or importation of animals. Greater knowledge on likely performance will result in better breeding decisions and faster rates of genetic gain.

What Next? Incorporation of the Interbeef EBVs for 200 day weight in to our Limousin evaluation is a significant development. No other breed evaluation in the UK is currently achieving this and producing EBVs from such a high volume of information. It will provide breeders and commercial buyers of Limousin stock with EBVs for a wider range of breeding animals and, where animals are from other countries or related to animals in other countries, at higher levels of accuracy than previously. It will also allow pedigree breeders to directly compare animals they may be importing or exporting with the animals in the destination population. Refinements to the Interbeef evaluation are currently taking place with a view to incorporation of the EBVs in to the UK evaluation this Winter (November 14/March15 evaluations). Further press announcements will be made once confirmed. Beyond 200 day weight, the Interbeef team are already extending their research to produce international evaluations for traits such as calving ease, slaughter and female fertility traits, as well as incorporating records from animals in cross-bred populations. Coupled with the imminent integration of genomic breeding values (see Carcase Traits Project Update), this is indeed an exciting time in the development of our UK Limousin evaluation and represents great opportunity for commercial producers to exploit Limousin genetics in a way that has been previously unattainable.

Males Avge weaning weight* (kg) 285 286 268 288 273 286 282 225

Females Avge weaning weight* (kg) 255 253 246 258 246 251 249 201

* Weaning weight defined as a) weights adjusted to 210 days in CZE, ESP & FRA, to 200 days in GBR, b) weights close to weaning for IRL, FIN and DNK and c) weight gain between birth and 200 days in SWE

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Limousin News

BASCO LIMOUSIN PERFORMANCE RECORDING Results from the July 2014 EBV Update The most recent Limousin EBV (Estimated Breeding Value) update was carried out on 22nd July 2014. The following tables identify the Top 10 Sires, Dams, Young Bulls & Heifers in the breed according to Beef Value and Calving Ease EBVs.

July 2014 Top 10 Sires The following table identifies the current Top 10 Limousin sires according to the following criteria: All bulls are born before 22nd July 2011 (ie older than 3 years of age at time of update) All bulls have a calf registered in 2012, 2013 and/or 2014 All bulls have the highest Beef Value recorded in the July 2014 EBV Update All bulls have Calving Ease EBVs greater than or equal to the 2014 breed average of -2.4%

- NEW Bull Name

Bred

Owned

Emslies Colossus UK520779400668 DoB: 13.9.2007 Calves: 67 Sire: Objat

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

Scorboro Aramis UK142543100214 DoB: 7.11.2005 Calves: 136 Sire: Ronick Upshot

JCG Bloom & Son Scorboro herd E. Yorks

Messrs Ellis & Gottschalk Bowtells herd Essex

0.0

Ampertaine Foreman UK 9564385/652-1 DoB: 27.8.2010 Calves: 240 Sire: Wilodge Cerberus

Messrs W J & J McKay Ampertaine herd Co Derry

Mr S Fotheringham Ballinloan herd Perth & Kinross

-2.4

Rachels Dynamite UK142189500280 DoB: 13.4.2008 Calves: 67 Sire: Scorboro Aramis

Messrs D & MLP Woolhouse Rachels herd Yorks

Greensons Faulkner UK220156200167 DoB: 18.3.2010 Calves: 51 Sire: Newhouse Cupbearer

Greensons Limousins Greensons herd Cambridge

Messrs HB & LJ Lear Turville Herd Buckinghamshire

-1.6

Kaprico Germander UK106173400067 DoB: 4.7.11 Calves: 11 Sire: Sympa

AK & C Stafford Kaprico herd Sunderland

Mr B T Goldie Goldies herd Dumfriesshire

-2.3

Turville Guiness UK280393604599 DoB: 2.5.11 Calves: 35 Sire: Cole Sudden Impact

Messrs HB & LJ Lear Turville Herd Buckinghamshire

-2.3

Ampertaine Domino UK9564385/532-7 DoB: 1.10.2008 Calves: 96 Sire: Ampertaine Abracadabra

Messrs WJ & J McKay Ampertaine herd Co Derry

-0.9

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Calv. Ease EBV (%)

-0.2

-2.0

Beef Value

LM66

LM58

LM57

LM56

LM55

LM54

Limousin

Limousin News 9

Orrisdale Demand UK 010575/101907 DoB: 16.6.2008 Calves: 9 Sire: Lowabbey Valuation

Netherhall Epic UK 103719601370 DoB: 15.2.2009 Calves: 75 Sire: 6272 Sympa

Mr & Mrs PA Kermode Orrisdale herd Isle of Man

-1.8

Mr & Mrs D Kelly Netherhall herd Cumbria

Mr & Mrs D Cornthwaite Maybe herd Dumfriesshire

-1.6

LM54

LM53

July 2014 Top 10 Dams The table below identifies the current Top 10 Limousin dams according to the following criteria: All dams have produced at least one registered calf since 22 July 2011 (ie in the three years prior to this update) All dams have the highest Beef Value recorded in the July 2014 EBV update All dams have Calving Ease EBVs greater than or equal to the 2014 breed average of -2.4%

Dam Name

Goldies Clara UK 581575/200962 DoB: 19.11.2007 Sire: Goldies Terence

Greensons Tiskie UK 220156/300056 DoB: 26.4.2002 Sire: Goldies Raver

Whinfellpark Ena UK 103847/200747 DoB: 2.3.2009 Sire: Goldies Terence

Greensons Fathom UK 220156/100166 DoB: 17.3.2010 Sire: Newhouse Cupbeare

Scorboro Elite UK 142543/400364 DoB: 23.4.2009 Sire: Scorboro Aramis

Goldies Velvet UK 581575/700575 DoB: 28.3.2004 Sire: SLVL Beef

Scorboro Equity UK142543600366 DoB: 3.5.2009 Sire: Scorboro Aramis

- NEW

Bred

Owned

Calv. Ease EBV (%)

Mr B T Goldie Goldies herd Dumfriesshire

Greensons Limousins Greensons herd Cambridge

Greensons Li mousins Greensons herd Cambridge

-0.4

Messrs Jenkinson Whinfellpark herd Cumbria

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

-1.9

Greensons Limousins Greensons herd Cambridgeshire

tGreensons Limousins Greensons herd Cambridgeshire

-1.6

JCG Bloom & Son Scorboro herd E. Yorks

-0.7

Mr B T Goldie Goldies herd Cumbria

-1.9

JCG Bloom & Son Scorboro herd E. Yorks

Gascoines Grp Ltd Gascoines herd Nottinghamshire

-1.9

Mr R A Walker Elmtree herd Cumbria

-2.0

Elmtree Flower UK 103049/500589 DoB: 29.3.2010 Sire: Goldies Apollo

Whinfellpark Blossom UK 103847/700493 DoB: 24.6.2002 Sire: Ultimatum

Messrs Jenkinson Whinfellpark herd Cumbria

-0.9

10 10

Whinfellpark Gazer UK103847400903 DoB: 13.1.2011 Sire: Grahams Dublin

Messrs Jenkinson Whinfellpark herd Cumbria

-1.1

Limousin

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LM63

-1.8

Beef Value

LM61

LM58

LM57

LM56

LM54

Limousin News

July 2014 Top 10 Young Performance Recorded Bulls The table below identifies the current Top 10 young Limousin bulls according to the following criteria: All bulls born since 22nd July 2011 (ie less than 3 years of age) All bulls are identified as ‘live’ on the Basco database and have been performance recorded All bulls have the highest Beef Value recorded in the July 2014 EBV update All bulls have Calving Ease EBVs greater than or equal to the 2014 breed average of -2.4%

Bull Name

Bred

Owned

- NEW Calv. Ease EBV (%)

Emslies Herod UK520779301213 DoB: 21.4.2012 Sire: Bailea BMW

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

Knock Illiad UK 520759700883 DoB: 11.6.2013 Sire: Goldies Florida

Mr A G Howie Knock herd Aberdeenshire

-2.2

Emslies Hboss UK 520779/601216 DoB: 23.4.2012 Sire: Bailea BMW

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

-2.2

Emslies Hunter UK 520779501201 DoB: 6.4.2012 Sire: Emslies Colossus

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

Messrs R&J Johnston Hewan herd Orkney

-0.7

Emslies Inverness UK 520779701385 DoB: 1.10.13 Sire: Emslies Colossus

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

Messrs Boyling & White Crabwell herd Chester

-0.5

Greenhaugh Indiana UK 521765/602292 DoB: 21.7.2013 Sire: Bailea BMW

K Stewart & Sons Greenhaugh herd Aberdeenshire

-1.7

Greensons Invictus UK 220156/600227 DoB: 25.4.2013 Sire: Greensons Gridiron

Greensons Limousins Greensons herd Cambridge

-1.9

Ewdenvale Harlequin UK 120412300313 DoB: 20.3.2012 Sire: Ampertaine Bravo

Mr S Wilde Ewdenvale herd Sheffield

Mr J R Hildreth Rufforth herd York

-1.0

Greenhaugh Islander UK 521765/302282 DoB: 18.7.2013 Sire: Bailea BMW

K Stewart & Sons Greenhaugh herd Aberdeenshire

-1.9

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

-1.1

10 10

Emslies Iceberg UK 520779401382 DoB: 24.9.2013 Sire: Bailea BMW

the british limousin cattle society

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-1.8

Beef Value

LM66

LM65

LM64

LM60

LM59

LM57

Limousin

Limousin News

July 2014 Top 10 Young Performance Recorded Heifers The table below identifies the current Top 10 Limousin heifers according to the following criteria: All heifers born since 22nd July 2011 (ie less than three years of age) All heifers are identified as ‘live’ on the Basco database and have been performance recorded All heifers have the highest Beef Value recorded in the July 2014 EBV update All heifers have Calving Ease EBVs greater than or equal to the 2014 breed average of -2.4%

Heifer Name

Bred

Owned

- NEW

Calv. Ease EBV (%)

Emslies Heledd UK520779101204 DoB: 10.4.2012 Sire: Emslies Colossus

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

Mr J Elliot Roxburgh herd Roxburghshire

-1.0

McLarens Helen UK54030200545 DoB: 5.2.2012 Sire: Bailea BMW

Messrs McLaren McLarens herd Angus

-2.3

Emslies Gwawr UK520779201170 DoB: 24.11.2011 Sire: Emslies Colossus

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

-1.3

Whinfellpark Halle UK 103847/301035 DoB: 26.1.2012 Sire: Wilodge Cerberus

Messrs Jenkinson Whinfellpark herd Cumbria

-1.9

Greenhaugh Imelda UK521765302331 DoB: 9.8.2013 Sire: Bailea BMW

K Stewart & Sons Greenhaugh herd Aberdeenshire

-2.1

6= 6=

Greenhaugh Indigo UK521765202330 DoB: 9.8.2013 Sire: Bailea BMW

K Stewart & Sons Greenhaugh herd Aberdeenshire

-2.3

6= 6=

Greenhaugh Julia UK521765602383 DoB: 26.6.2014 Sire: Bailea BMW

K Stewart & Sons Greenhaugh herd Aberdeenshire

-2.3

Greenhaugh Ivory UK521765502333 DoB: 15.8.2013 Sire: Bailea BMW

K Stewart & Sons Greenhaugh herd Aberdeenshire

-2.4

Emslies Giggles UK520779401165 DoB: 23.11.2011 Sire: Emslies Colossus

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

-1.1

Emslies Groovy UK 520779401172 DoB: 25.11.2011 Sire: Emslies Colossus

Mr H Emslie Emslies herd Aberdeenshire

Miss L Pidsley Uptonley herd Devon

-1.7

Limousin

the british limousin cattle society

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Beef Value

LM61

LM59

LM56

LM55

Limousin News

MICHAEL GRAY OF THE FLEETHILL LIMOUSIN HERD

The Society is deeply saddened to report on the passing in April of Michael Gray (aged 69) , Great Cellws, Llandrindod Wells, Powys. Here, William Ferguson, Strattons Farms, Kingsclere, Berkshire, pays a warm and fitting tribute. Michael Gray and his father Basil Norman Gray, founded the Fleethill herd in 1976, near Camberley on the Hampshire/ Berkshire border, with just two females. With that the legend of Fleethill was born. It was on the 23rd may 1984 that I first met Michael Gray. I arrived that day from Scotland, with the view of running the Fleethill herd, owned so proudly by the

BRIAN ALLAN

OF THE GLENTURK LIMOUSIN HERD The Society is also saddened to report on the passing of Brian Allan, Glenturk, Wigtown , Newton Stewart following a tragic accident. The following obituary first appeared in the Scottish Farmer and has been edited and presented here with their kind permission. WELL-KNOWN Wigtownshire farmer, Brian Allan, who died tragically, aged 62, was a renowned breeder of Limousin, Simmental and Galloway cattle, at Glenturk, Wigtown. Tributes to him, from all corners of the UK, Ireland and abroad, indicated the respect in which he was held both personally and professionally. He was born and brought up at Glenturk, with his younger siblings, Kate, David and Dilys. He was educated at Wigtown Primary School and Strathallan, where he developed a lifelong love of rugby and regularly followed Scotland to Dublin, Twickenham, Rome and Paris. Brian left school at 16 to work at home with cattle with his late father Willie. A highlight for him, in 1973, was travelling

Gray family. The determination, drive and enthusiasm shown by Michael that day would have inspired anyone. As a team, we quickly began to build a herd to be very proud of. On a small budget, and small acreage, the results were to say the least, truly remarkable. In 1985 Fleethill Vast became the heaviest bull weight recorded by the Limousin Society at 855kgs at 500 days. Stable mate Fleethill Valaska won Reserve Male and was runner up in the beef recorded class at the 1985 Royal Show. The following year saw the herd win the Maudelyn Trophy, for the best eight weight recorded bulls on farm. This was the first time the award was presented. 1987 saw the herd providing both champions and runners up for the award. Third place was achieved in 1988, and runners up again in 1989. 1986 saw Fleethill Ultra win Reserve Female Champion at the Royal; Herd mate Fleethill Ace winning Reserve Junior, Beef Index and the Beef Recorded class. Also that year Fleethill Adara and Amazon were winners and runners up at the south England Beef Recorded class. To finish the year off, Fleethill Aristocrat was Reserve Senior and Reserve Supreme Champion at the Carlisle sale in October 1986. Between Spring 1985 and Autumn 1989 Banbury Show and Sales, the herd were Champion twice and runner up once.

In 1990 Michael and family moved to Wales. Quickly the herd made their presence felt at local and national events. Back in 2000 Shire Pentagon was purchased by Michael for a modest 5,500gns. He proved a shrewd investment. Siring Fleethill Talisman, top sire in Stephen Irvine’s noted Anside herd. Then came Fleethill Sal, a cow to “grace anyone’s herd”. Sal went on to top the Red Ladies Sale and win Overall Champion in 2004, after being Female Champion and Reserve Supreme at the Royal Welsh that same year. Sadly in later years Michael’s health was not too good. However he still ran the herd to a very high standard. The herd was still a force to be reckoned with. Although perhaps a little disappointed not to be asked to judge a major Limousin event himself, he was “chuffed to bits” when son Joe judged Brecon in February 2014. It is very pleasing to hear that Joe is going to carry the herd on; following his father and grandfather will not be easy, but he will do very well I am sure. The Breed has lost a truly great breeder in Michael, great results, great herd and even greater man. RIP Michael. Michael is survived by his wife Sally, son Joe, daughter Sam and his three grandchildren.

with a plane load of Galloway cattle to Kenya in an old twin prop’ plane!. He spent six months in Kenya in all and also spent time working on a cattle ranch in Calgary, Canada. In 1975, Brian met Lynn and they married in 1979, spending the next 13 years at Muirfad, Palnure, Newton Stewart, before moving to Glenturk in 1992, with their children Carolynn and Graham. With his father, Willie, Brian had massive success with Galloway and Simmental cattle, exporting Glenturk females to Australia, USA and Germany, but in 1989 Willie dissolved the partnership of WS Allan and Sons and Brian branched out on his own with Glenturk pedigree cattle, introducing Limousin to the pedigree mix. He imported a number of females from Southern Ireland and had great success in the show ring, with Knockout and Madelena. Unfortunately, the family lost everything in a contiguous cull in April, 2001. This did not deter Brian and with the help of his son, Graham, they restocked the empty fields of Glenturk with Simmental, Limousin and commercial cattle. His greatest achievement with Simmentals was when he had champion at Perth Bull Sales with Glenturk Nomad, and with Limousins, when he paraded the junior champion and reserve supreme at Carlisle with Glenturk Ultrasolid, which recorded a personal best price of 21,000gns. Brian judged all of the major shows in the UK and Ireland, including the interbreed championship at what was to be the final Royal Show. He also judged the

Simmental World Congress gathering at the Royal Norfolk Show, where he shared a joke with Prince Harry. In 2005 he judged the Limousin classes at the Perth bull sales putting forward Woodhouse Union as his Champion. Another of his great passions was rally driving and along with his great friend, David Reid, competed for more than 32 years, mostly with Brian behind the wheel and David navigating – achieving many top 10 finishes and class wins. A family man at heart, he spent years transporting his daughter Carolynn and her pony/horse of the moment, in the Glenturk cattle float, to Pony Club rallies/ shows all over Scotland, Northern England and Ireland. He was proud of Graham’s successes on the football and rugby fields and followed him avidly from the sidelines and was a very proud papa of Carolynn’s children, Jack (7) and Megan (4) and of course his little miracle baby, Graham’s daughter, Olivia, born in January, 2014. In 2007, following a mountain bike accident, Graham returned from five months in hospital in a wheelchair. But Brian was determined that Graham would continue to contribute greatly to the farming enterprise and converted machinery, built ramps etc and they shared plans for restructuring over the next few years. Brian is survived by his wife of 34 years, Lynn (nee McCall) daughter, Carolynn (now McIlwraith) and son, Graham, sonin-law Paul, daughter-in-law Fiona and his beloved grandchildren, Jack, Megan and baby Olivia.

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Limousin News

LIMOUSIN: EASY CALVING EVERY TIME! The Limousin breed is world-renowned for its combination of growth, muscling and easy calving characteristics. This is what makes it unique amongst other breeds and is undoubtedly a principal reason that the large majority of calves sold and finished in the UK today are Limousin-bred. However, as with all breeds and species, variation amongst individual animals within the breed exists and commercial buyers can do much to ensure that the Limousin bulls they buy are suitable for their system, cow type and market.

First of all, let’s consider availability. Analysis of the total 6081 pedigree bull calves registered in 2012 (ie those that are around 2 years old now) shows us that 60% have Calving Ease EBVs above breed average. EBVs are Estimated Breeding Values and use performance and pedigree information to predict the genetic merit of animals for a range of production traits. So there are plenty animals in the population from which to choose. Taking that a step further, of the 60% that have Calving Ease EBVs above breed average, a further 10% have Maternal Calving Ease EBVs above breed average. The Maternal Calving Ease EBV indicates a bull’s genetic merit to produce daughters that will calve easily and there is often concern that if the bull himself is easy calving, then his daughters are less likely to be. Even within this small section of animals, it is pleasing to see that this need not be the case and EBVs identify animals superior for both characteristics.

So how can these animals be found? EBV information is available from a wide number of sources. If buying bulls on farm, performance recording breeders can supply the information to you. If buying at a society sale, the information is always published in the sale catalogue and on cards in the animals’ pens. But doing a quick bit of homework before you get to the point of sale, wherever that may be, will give time to think about the traits you need to focus on and the animals that are likely to deliver what you need. The Basco Limousin database holds all pedigree and performance records for the breed and this can be viewed and interrogated by anyone. Go to www.basco. org and click on ‘Quick Search’ to find figures for an animal you know by number or by name,

Limousin

Easy calving muscling

Length

It’s the business

Limousin

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& WIDTH

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click on ‘Breeder Search’ to see all animals owned and/ or bred by a Limousin Society member or click on ‘EBV Search’ to set your own EBV requirements and produce a list of animals that meet them. With such wide availability across a breed that is typically an easy calving breed, there really is every reason why your new Limousin bulls should be easy calving every time. Calving is recognised as one of the main drivers within the recently announced Breed Improvement Plan (see earlier article). Over the coming years, as we exploit all the new technologies that will improve growth, carcase and feed efficiency within the breed, breeders and the Society are watchful and committed in protecting and always improving the uniqueness of easy calving Limousins.

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YLBC Young Limousin Breeders Club (YLBC) Co-ordinator Annabelle Wint rounds up a busy period for the YLBC and looks ahead to future events

Annabelle Wint Annabelle@limousin.co.uk T: 07909 - 254565 Check out the YLBC Facebook page or www.limousin.co.uk for reports and future events. YOUNG LIMOUSIN BREEDERS http://www.facebook.com/groups/311318061854/?fref=ts

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Thursday 11th December 2014 YLBC AGM & Young Handlers’ Competition, Carlisle

t’s been a pretty exciting start to my role as YLBC Co-ordinator with events at Beef Expo, the Royal Three Counties and the Antrim Show as well as closer to home in the NW Midlands. I have met a lot of new people and everyone has been incredibly friendly and helpful with Young Limousin breeders having done brilliantly well. So a big well done to all those taking part! I would also like to thank the Limousin Society, YLBC Chairman Willie McElroy and YLBC President Kay Adam, for making me so welcome and helping me to get started in my new role. You’ll find below reports and pictures from all of the above events. I had a great trip over to Northern Ireland for the Anglo-Irish Stockjudging, and this event going from strength to strength, will be hosted in 2015 on the UK Mainland - so keep your eye out for dates in due course. With the aim to develop the Young Limousin Breeders Club even more so - I need your help. If you have any ideas or thoughts on events that you would like to be held in your area, please contact me. I would very much like to establish a YLBC representative within each region of the UK to help with communication and organisation, and to increase profile. If this could be discussed through the regional clubs or if you were willing to help with this personally then please do get in touch. The next event on the YLBC National calendar is the popular Young Handlers’ Competition to be held at Carlisle on the eve of the Red Ladies & Weaned Calf Sale in December. See below for details. With my feet now firmly under the table and plenty of discussions with the Young Breeders and the Society taking place on an ongoing basis, look out for an exciting forward programme of activities for the YLBC to be announced for 2015! Best wishes, Annabelle T: 07909-254565

Current YLBC Officials Chairman Vice Chairman Secretary Assistant Secretary Sponsorship & Promo President

Limousin

Willie McElroy, Northern Ireland Kirree Kermode, Isle of Man Tom Illingworth, Lockerbie Stephanie Dick, Stirling Richard Priestley, Cumbria Kay Adam

07845-098398 07624-435560 07784-323988 01786-812422 01697-748175 01307-840234

Millie Hendy Individual Winner with judge Richard Bartle

MILLIE HENDY WINS 2014 YOUNG LIMOUSIN BREEDERS STOCKJUDGING AT ROYAL THREE COUNTIES South West takes Junior Team title Scotland wins Senior Teams

illie Hendy (17), Woodlands Farm, Watery Lane, Doynton, Bristol took both the junior and overall titles at the Young Limousin Breeders’ Club (YLBC) National Stockjudging held on Saturday 14th June 2014 at the Royal Three Counties Show, Malvern. Scoring incredibly high marks on both the placings and reasons, Millie also took the junior team title along with team mate Jess Maynard, Caseberry Farm, Copydown Lane, Bradninch, Devon. There was a great turnout of young breeders with teams from Northern Ireland, Scotland, North West, South West, North West Midlands & N Wales regions. Richard Bartle of the Dinmore Herd was the master judge and said he was very impressed by all the competitors, adding that the reasons from Millie were excellent. The senior team title was won by Scotland’s two representatives: Stephanie Dick, Westerton of Cowie, Stirling and Thomas Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. Twenty-two members enjoyed a lovely sunny afternoon stockjudging

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YLBC TEAM PLACES THIRD AT 2014 YOUNG SHOW STARS CHALLENGE

T Senior Winning Team Stephanie Dick and Thomas Illingworth with judge Richard Bartle

some excellent heifers and bulls kindly provided by the Whiskey, Tredon, Torycoed, Ironstone, Coachouse, Taygreen, Bassingbourn and Killerton Herds. Reasons were given on the bull class, followed by prizegiving and BBQ. The YLBC would like to thank Richard Bartle Master Judge for all his time, together with generous sponsors The Farm Wardrobe, The Halter Man, Genus and the British Limousin Cattle Society.

2014 YLBC Stockjudging Competition Results

Individual Overall 1st South West 2nd South West 3rd Northern Ireland

Millie Hendy Lin Pidsley Kim Steele-Nicholson.

Senior Teams 1st Scotland 2nd Northern Ireland 3rd North West Midlands

Stephanie Dick and Thomas Illingworth Phelim Savage and Kim Steele-Nicholson Harriet Wilson and Jess Simms

Junior Teams 1st South West 2nd Scotland 3rd Northern Ireland

Millie Hendy and Jess Maynard James Graham and Andrew Adam Ruth Hamill and Andrew Hamill

Junior Winning Team Jess Maynard and Millie Hendy with judge Richard Bartle

he Young Show Stars Challenge this year was held at Beef Expo 2014 on Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd May 2014 at Hexham Mart, Northumberland. Congratulations to the Limousin team of Stephanie Dick, Sophie Harvey and John Graham for coming third overall, with only 12 points of a difference between them and first place won by the Charolais team. Teams of three (aged 14-23) from all the major beef breeds came together to demonstrate washing, clipping, grooming and final presentation of two cattle, along with a stockjudging class and a public interview promoting the breed and the beef industry. Competitors vied for the prize of a trip to Canada to compete in the National Junior 4H Beef Cattle competition and a Diamond V XP starter pack. With great prizes on offer, all teams worked hard - determined to become the champions. The Young Limousin Breeders Club entered a team consisting of Stephanie Dick, Sophie Harvey and John Graham with two heifers kindly provided by both Stephanie and Sophie. It was a busy two days for the team - from the moment they arrived they were being judged with points being awarded for: cattle preparation and presentation, stall presentation and promotion, stockjudging and reasons, parading, ring etiquette and public interview. Although

Beef Expo Limousin Team

the team had worked hard, they were able to enjoy themselves as well with a BBQ being held for all young show stars in the evening. The competition is now in its third year and the standard had risen considerably again this year. Next year the competition aims to be bigger again so keep an eye out for details and get involved! Thanks to our sponsors Catherine MacGregor & The Halter Man Jonathan Hall.

YOUNG SHOW STARS CHALLENGE 2015

STOP PRESS Looking ahead to next year, the Young Show Stars Challenge 2015 is to be held in its own right as a standalone event with beef, sheep and dairy teams competing. Watch this space!

John Graham, Stephanie Dick, Annabelle Wint YLBC Co Ordinator and Sophie Harvey

MILLIE

SENT E R P E R SINS LIMOU N ADIA AT CAN ION AGRIBIT

Due to her outstanding performance at the YLBC National Stockjudging, Millie Hendy will be representing the Limousin Breed at the Canadian Agribition in November this year. Full report to follow.

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YLBC TRAINING DAY AT RONICK HERD Report by John Graham

O GILES SCOOPS ‘BEST SELFIE’ WIN AT ROYAL WELSH

he judges were unanimous in putting up 7- month-old Giles Lunn, and his dad Chris, from Reap Farm, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield as the winners of the ‘Selfie’ competition at the Royal Welsh Show. We loved the pic of this truly Young Limousin breeder proudly wearing his bespoke Limmy tee-shirt down the cattle lines! Chris and Giles, who were on a day out at the show, run the Coalgate pedigree herd and have a forward ambition to show some of their own cattle in the not too distant future.

n Sunday the 6th July the Young Limousin Breeders Club held a Training Day at Westerton of Cowie Farm, Stirling by kind permission of the Dick Family. Great fun was had by everyone with Stephanie putting a twist on the day by including some outdoor, water-based games which allowed the young breeders to socialise away from the involvement of cattle. The day kicked off with an interesting, in-depth talk on figures and the use of EBVs by Alison Glasgow, Technical Manager of the British Limousin Cattle Society. With the everchanging development of EBVs, it was great to have someone break down the numbers and really explain how the system works, the advantages of using figures and how it benefits not only Limousin breeders but also our commercial customers. The next event of the day was a stockjudging in which all the young breeders took part in with the majority giving reasons at the end of the classes. The three classes, ably judged by John MacGregor, Allanfauld, really tested the competitors’ skills with reasons given on a class of two-year-old heifers as well as a class of young bulls. The final class of the day, being the novelty

RONICK OPEN DAY, Left to right Stephanie Dick, Willie McElroy, Alison Dick, James Graham, Cheryl Dick & Lynsey McKay

class was one which involved four different breeds including an Aberdeen Angus, British Blue, Commercial and Limousin which I’m sure everyone would agree was no easy task. Showing everyone how it was done was Orla Duncan who not only won the Junior section but was overall winner on the day. Leading the way in the Intermediate section was James Graham, and the Seniors Kirsty Morton. Stephanie then took the members on a tour of some of the Ronick Cattle, showing off their successful show team as well. Following on, Cheryl Dick led a workshop in which she taught many of the young breeders the art of halter making , a difficult task but doing an excellent job,

with many members walking away with a halter made by their own hands. But I’m sure Cheryl will agree, some of the older ones may require a few more lessons yet… Bringing the day to a close was a few hours of fun and games which was enjoyed by all the members, allowing them to socialise and interact with each other over a game of slippery football. Thanks again must go to the Dick Family of Ronald, Cheryl, Stephanie, Alison and David for hosting such a great event and putting on a lovely spread of food. Also thanks to John Macgregor, Alison Glasgow and the strong workforce of Stewart Bett and Lynsey McKay.

YOUNG HANDLERS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2014 Tom Illingworth & Richard Saunders, BLCS

TOM AWARDED CRYSTAL PRIZE AT HIGHLAND

LBC member Tom Illingworth received the British Limousin Cattle Society crystal prize for Glenrock Illusion, the Junior Limousin Champion at the 2014 Royal Highland Show.

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he ultimate way to finish the year! The Young Handlers Competition held last year for the first time will again take place this year at Borderway Mart, Carlisle on Thursday 11th December 2014 on the evening prior to the Red Ladies Sale and commencing at approximately 6pm. With an anticipated prize fund of £1,000, the competition is likely to follow a similar format to last year. It is open to all interested young breeders aged 10-28 with competitors under the age of 16 accompanied by a parent or guardian. Entrants will be divided into age groups. Calves, which are to be born on after 1st January 2014, can either be brought along or we will try to find you a calf from those entered into the Weaned Calf Sale the following day. Entry is free for all paid-up members of the YLBC. Open to all within the age group, there is a £5 entry fee if you are not a paid-up member of YLBC.

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Classes will be judged based on the young handler’s ability in the preparation and showing of the animal in the show ring. Competitors will be assessed on the following areas: • Pre-show preparation • Grooming of animal • Knowledge of equipment and product used • Final presentation of animal • Final presentation of the Young Handler • Knowledge of animal • Control of animal • Eye contact with Judge • Response/Alertness to Judge’s requests • Positioning of animal Final details and entry forms will be available later this autumn through the Limousin website and Young Limousin Breeders Facebook page.

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L i m o u s i n Yo u n g B r e e d e r s

YLBC STOCKJUDGING AT TWEMLOWS OPEN DAY

big thank you to Will & Jackie Forrester for hosting a great Open day at their Twemlows Herd on Sunday 10th August. Well done to Matthew Clark who came first in the young breeders stock judging with William Nicholls coming second.

GREAT YORKSHIRE YOUNG HANDLERS

KIM WINS ANGLO-IRISH STOCKJUDGING

Republic Of Ireland Team win Team award

aving qualified for this event by winning their own national championships, Young Limousin Breeders from the UK Mainland, Northern Ireland & Republic of Ireland came together at Antrim Show on Saturday 26th July to compete in the Anglo-Irish Stockjudging event. Winner of the overall individual award was Kim Steele-Nicholson from Northern Ireland with Stephanie Dick representing the UK Mainland a very close second. Third came Melvin Masterson from the Republic of Ireland. The young breeders were judged on both their stock judging and stock handling skills. Judge Alison Connolly judged the handling section whilst Michael Gunn, Ian Nimmo and Jim Quail judged the youngsters on their stock judging skills when placing a class of heifers and bulls, and providing reasons for the bull class. The winning team was the Republic of Ireland with Melvin Masterson, Orla Curtin, Eamon O’Donovan and Shanon Kinahan; second the UK Mainland consisting of Stephanie Dick, Thomas Illingworth and Millie Hendy; third was Northern Ireland’s Phelim Savage, Ruth Hamill, Kim Steele-Nicholson and James McComb. It was an extremely close competition with only a couple of marks in between the places, as all competitors were of a really high standard. Judge Michael Gunn commented: “Today has been excellent with the young breeders providing such great knowledge when presenting their reasons. All elements of the competition have been of a very high standard and I have been incredibly impressed with all the competitors.” In attendance was Young Limousin Breeders Club Co-ordinator, Annabelle Wint, who added: “On behalf of all the young breeders, I would like to thank the judges Alison Connolly, Michael Gunn, Ian Nimmo and Jim Quail for all their time and help and also the Northern Ireland Limousin Club Chairman Henry Savage and Secretary Heather Hume for putting on a brilliant event and making everyone so welcome.”

oung Limousin breeders Matthew Clark, John Graham & Andrew Nimmo all won their age group sections in the Beef Young Stock Handlers Competition L-R Matthew Clark, John Graham & Andrew Nimmo held at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show. Matthew of Hangram Lane Farm, Ringinglow, Sheffield came first in the 12-14 age bracket; Andrew Nimmo, Bogside Farm Newmains, Wishaw won the class for handlers aged 15-16; whilst John Graham, Mains of Burnbank Farm, Blairdrummond, Stirling took the award for the 19-20 year-olds. Andrew then went on to be crowned Reserve Champion Beef Young Stock Handler.

BRITISH CATTLE BREEDERS CLUB POSTER COMPETITION

oung Limousin Breeders are encouraged to enter the BCBC poster competition which this year will be held under the theme of ‘Driving Genetic Improvement’. With total prizemoney on offer of £350, the winning posters will feature at the British Cattle Breeders Conference 20-21st January 2015 and the prize includes attendance at the conference itself. You can find further information and an entry form at www.cattlebreeders.org.uk. Closing date is Friday 19th December.

ROYAL HIGHLAND SUCCESS FOR YOUNG BREEDERS

oung Limousin Breeders Stephanie Dick (Stephick Herd), John Graham and James Graham (Burnbank Herd) recently competed in the Royal Highland Young Farmers Stockjudging. Best Team and Winners of the Glasgow Herald Trophy was the Clyde & Central A team of: Karyn McArthur, Suzie Dunn, Stephanie Dick, James Graham, David McKerrow & John Graham. In the prestigious Stockman of the Year Competition John Graham was overall runnerup. In the Sheep Section, John was also one of the three joint winners of the Yuill Walker Trophy with 284 points. Stephanie qualified in the top six in the Beef Section to make it through to the Stockman of the Year finals for the fourth consecutive year, finishing up 4th individual overall out of all the beef, sheep and dairy finalists throughout Scotland.

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Three -in-aRow INTERBREED CHAMPIONSHIPS AT ROYAL ULSTER FOR ‘AMAZING’ MILBROOK GINGERSPICE! • Milbrook Gingerspice Individual Interbreed Champion of Champions • Commercial Limousin Heifer Reserve Individual Interbreed & Junior Interbreed Champion of Champions • Limousins win Interbreed Group of Three • Beef Bull Interbreed Performance Winner • Reserve Interbreed Pairs for Limousin Duo • Overall & Reserve Junior Interbreed Champion of Champions • Commercial Champion & Reserve

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he Royal Ulster Show held at Belfast 14-16 May 2014 saw the Limousin Champion, Milbrook Gingerspice, take an unprecedented third straight Interbreed Championship under judge Harry Emslie, Kinknockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead. On the opening day of judging, this January 2011born Limousin heifer brought out by William Smith, Oldcastle, Co Meath, Southern Ireland had been crowned Overall Limousin Champion, also for the third year running, by the 2014 judge Bruce Goldie of the noted Goldies herd, Townfoot, Mouswald Dumfries. There was an added ‘Royal’ touch to kick off the day with HRH Princess Ann visiting the Limousin ring to have a few words with both the judge and the exhibitors. In a remarkable statistic, Milbrook Gingerspice remains unbeaten in her three year show career. Following on from last year’s Royal Ulster Show, she was shown only once more when she won the National Show in Tullamore. William Smith brought her to the Royal Ulster 2014 in tip-top form but also because of the potential of what turned out to be a historic achievement. “It is humbling as a stockman to work with such a beast. The joy I get from it is the pride in the breeding of her and also in how she turns out in the show ring on the day. She’s just something special, a oncein-a-lifetime beast. To be Champion of such a show as a one, two, and now three-year-

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old is extra special and the highlight of my show career,” said William Smith who was accompanied on this historic occasion by his two children, Karen and Oliver, and his brother Mark. Milbrook Gingerspice was described by judge Bruce Goldie as “an outstanding female with size, length and character doing a great job with her calf at foot.” She is of course by the prolific 42,000gns sire, Wilodge Vantastic, and is out of Milbrook Baby. Her January-born bull calf shown at foot is by Brookmill Fearless, a Sympa son. On the third and final day’s interbreed judging under Billy Robson, Maghera, Milbrook Gingerspice teamed up with her stablemate Milbrook Celine plus the Limousin Male & Reserve Overall Champion, Lynderg Hero, from Jim Quail, Banbridge to win the Interbreed Group of Three. In the Interbreed Pairs, Milbrook Gingerspice and Lynderg Hero also took the Overall Reserve award. It was a terrific year opening ‘major’ show once again for the Limousin breed. Standing Overall Reserve in the Individual Interbreed Championship was the Commercial Champion, Mojo, a threequarter-bred Limousin heifer sired by a Wilodge Tonka son and out of a Limousin cow. She was shown by Jack & Stephen Smith, Newtonstewart, who had

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Limousin Shows previously won the N Ireland Young Limousin Breeders’ Calf Spectacular held at Ballymena in January. As well as having picked up the Overall Commercial title plus the Individual Interbreed Reserve, Mojo was also put up as Junior Interbreed Champion of Champions. Staying with the Junior Interbreed judging and Limousins were again to the fore taking the Reserve Junior Champion of Champions crown with Jalex Itsallgood brought out by James Alexander, Randalstown. Having come through from the youngest Limousin bull class to take the Limousin Junior Male, Overall Junior and Reserve Male titles on the way, the May 2013-born Jalex Itsallgood is by Swarland Eddie and out of Tyrone Dulani. Judge Bruce Goldie described him as “a bull with lots of muscle, early maturing, very correct and with a great future ahead of him.” On the Wednesday, two really outstanding animals had gone head-to-head for the Overall Limousin Championship, these being the Female Champion Milbrook Gingerspice along with the Male Champion Lynderg Hero. It was a terrific line-up with Gingerspice just getting the nod from judge Bruce Goldie over Lynderg Hero from Jim Quail, Banbridge, who stood Overall Reserve before going on to be part of the winning Interbreed Group of Three and Reserve Interbreed Pairs. Breeder Jim Quail said: “Lynderg Hero is a combination of what I’ve liked in Limousins over 35 years with regards to shape and style and the bull is a tremendous mover. He’s a cocktail of the best bloodlines I’ve had over the years going back to the great old cow Tiara. The bull has width of loin and width in the end going right up through into the shoulder. He’s a breeder’s bull but has all the traits that commercial men aspire to. Without a doubt he’s the best bull I’ve bred.” Lynderg Hero, continuing his tremendous show career from 2013, is entirely homebred being by Lynderg Eisenhower, a Guards Boomer son, and out of Lynderg Diana, a Haltcliffe Underwriter daughter. He is being retained for use as a stock bull in the Lynderg Herd and at the time of the show already had the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston in his sights. On the Thursday, Culnagechan Istanbull, an Ampertaine Commander son and out of Goldies Topclass, bred and shown by Derek Hume, Randalstown won the Interbreed award for Performance-recorded bulls which highlights bulls that best combine the traditional values of conformation with the scientific values of performance data. He had earlier won the second junior Limousin bull class and had gone on to stand Reserve Junior Bull Champion behind Jalex Itsallgood. Derek Hume commented that this bull was full of breeding being out of Goldies Topclass, a Lascard daughter, who was purchased for 4,800gns. Semen might be taken off this bull before he is aimed at the Carlisle October Bull Sale.

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There was a one-two in the commercial cattle section with Mojo from Jack & Stephen Smith standing top of the pile before going on to stand Reserve Individual Interbreed. Reserve Commercial Champion was the 10-month-old Limousin crossbred heifer, Khaleesi, scaling 400kg, sired by Swarland Eddie, and shown by Gareth & Dermot Small. Recapping the Limousin judging from the first day (Wednesday) which saw 47 pedigree Limousins forward, Albert Finney won the first female class for heifers born on or after April

1st 2013 with Chinauley Isabel, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter. According to the judge, Chinauley Isabel â&#x20AC;&#x153;moved well, and has power and conformationâ&#x20AC;?. Mr Finney started breeding in 2010 and has three cows and three calved heifers, this being his second time at Balmoral. He was well rewarded when picking up the Limousin Group of Three with Chinauley Isabel, Indie & Indiana, all embryo calves from the same flush sired by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Limo Dot who was bought from Greenmount College. Isabel & Indie also stood

Limousin & Interbreed Champion Milbrook Gingerspice

Junior Limousin Champion Jalex Itsallgood

Interbreed Reserve Champion - Junior Champion - Commercial Champion Mojo

Reserve Overall & Male Champion Lynderg Hero

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Champion from William Smith, Milbrook Gingerspice, with the same exhibitor doubling up to take the next class for cows born or before 31.12.10 with Milbrook Celine, by Greensons Gigolo.

Reserve Limousin Pair to William Smith’s Milbrook Gingerspice & Celine. In the second junior female class, for heifers born 01.01.13 to 31.03.13, taking the red ticket were Messrs Small & Alexander with Ronick Ivory, a daughter of Rathconville Eugene who took the day’s first championship as Junior Heifer Champion. Standing Reserve was Dale Robinson’s Robineed Indie (by Carmorn Vantastic) who had stood second to the Ronick Ivory in the same class.

Winning the next class for heifers in-calf and maiden born 01.07.12 to 31.12.12 was Trueman Honey, another sired by Wilodge Vantastic, from Henry Savage & Sons. Heading the class for in-calf heifers born on or between 01.10.11 and 30.06.12 were DG Green & Sons with Derriaghy Hermione, an Ampertaine Commander daughter. Moving on to the cow or heifer in-calf or with calf at foot born 01.01.11-30.09.11, the winner was last year’s Supreme & Interbreed

With Milbrook Gingersopice then crowned Female Champion, the Reserve Female award went to Trueman Honey brought out by Henry Savage & Sons, Cullyhanna. The August 2012born Trueman Honey is by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Hollybank Oprah, making her a full sister to Trueman Euphonium, the 2011 National Limousin Show winner. Heading into the male section, the first class for bulls born on or after 01.04.13 was won by Jalex Itsallgood, a Swarland Eddie son from James Alexander. In the second junior bull class born 01.01.13 – 31.03.13, the red ticket winner was Culnagechan Istanbull, an Ampertaine Commander son bred and shown by Derek Hume. Junior Bull Champion was Jalex Itsallgood with Culnagechan Istanbull in Reserve spot. Overall Junior Champion was also Jalex Itsallgood with Ronick Ivory standing Reserve. Winning the class for bulls born 01.07.12c to 31.12-12 was David Mairs with Teaseldam Hawk, a Golan Valentino son. Next up for a red rosette was last year’s Junior Male Champion, Lynderg Hero, from Jim Quail in the class born 01.07.11-30.06.12. In the final bull class of the day, taking the senior award for bulls born before 01.07.11 winner was another winner from last year, Derek Hume’s Iveagh Gilkes.

Culnagechan Istanbull Trueman Honey

Ronick Ivory

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’ I O H S L O B ‘ T S R U H ROCK

ME E R P U D S N N I A L S U H IMO HIG L L E A H Y T O S TO 14 R E 0 2 C N E A H D TT A P I H S ION P M A H C

The summer ‘Royal’ majors moved on to Scotland in June and the Royal Highland Show. Played out in front of packed crowds and amidst glorious sunshine, it was a day to remember for Bucki nghamshire-based breeder Doug Mash, Torrington Farm, Grove Lane, Chesham who scooped the Supreme Championship at the 2014 Royal Highland, on Thursday 19th June, with his outstanding eight-year-old cow Brockhurst Bolshoi. Shown with her Brockhurst Centurion-sired bull calf at foot, Brockhurst Imacelebrity, Brockhurst Bolshoi is full of breeding being by the 55,000gns sire Grahams Samson and out of the herd’s famous cow Ronick McAinsi, herself a multiple winner of ‘Royal’ titles. This 2014 win was a third Overall Supreme at the Royal Highland for Doug Mash with one of those wins most notably being with Brockhurst Batik, some five years ago, who is a full embryo sister to this year’s Champion. A previous Supreme Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show, Brockhurst Bolshoi had already won this year’s Royal Bath & West Limousin Supreme Championship en route to the Highland. Commenting on his Champion, the judge Ian Callion of the Lodge Herd, Bolfornought Farm, Stirling said: “This is an outstanding animal that is very stylish, correct, very good on her legs, has tremendous quarters, and is his doing her calf well. In addition, she has great femininity and is a true-to-type Limousin, not extreme in size and full of quality.” Naturally, breeder and exhibitor Doug Mash was delighted with the Championship win: “It means a lot to win with a homebred animal,

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Brockhurst Bolshoi - Overall Limousin Champion

the sister to a previous Champion here, and at what is one of the truly premier shows in the United Kingdom with such a great heritage and history behind it,” he said. The judge met with what ringside opinion described as perhaps one of the strongest shows of Limousin cattle, both in numbers (over 80 forward) and quality, seen at the Royal Highland for some years. Relishing the task at hand he kicked off with his first class which comprised of thirteen maiden heifers that set the tone! At the end of four hours of judging, Ian Callion was full of praise for the cattle that had been before him: “The quality on show has been first class with a tremendous depth throughout. Through the classes the cattle were of the type I like having shape, being naturally muscled, clean, and having style together with breed character. The Limousin breed is in very good order and I would congratulate all of the exhibitors for the quality

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of the animals on show.” In what was a memorable day all round, Doug Mash picked up a number of titles along the way with his Brockhurst team ably shown by Dougie McBeath. As well as the Female Championship and Overall Supreme, he also picked up two further class winners, the Group of Three, and the Junior Male Championship to boot with Brockhurst Hardnut, a son of Bolshoi. A little further icing on the cake saw Bolshoi also win the Scottish Farmer Centenary Challenge Trophy for the Best Animal Bred by Exhibitor in the Beef Cattle Section. A truly eclectic mix of pedigrees from all around the United Kingdom saw the Overall Reserve Supreme and the Male Championship go to Northern Ireland and Lynderg Hero from Jim Quail, Tullyear, Banbridge, Co. Down. This powerful and stylish January 2012-born bull is entirely homebred being by Lynderg

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Limousin Shows Ardglasson Highlander Res Male Champion

Lynderg Hero Male Champion & Reserve Supreme

Eisenhower, a Guards Boomer son, and out of Lynderg Diana, a Haltcliffe Underwriter daughter. He has been retained for use as a stock bull in the Lynderg Herd, with over a dozen ‘very pleasing’ calves already on the ground. A forward plan is to have semen collected on centre. It was a second ‘Royal’ Reserve Supreme in a row for Lynderg with the bull having picked up the same position at the 2014 Royal Ulster Show held in May. In the herd’s previous visit to the Royal Highland, the Male Championship was also secured with the French-bred Ludo. Mr. Quail described 2014 as being more satisfying given that Hero was homebred and representative of ‘a cocktail of the best breeding in the herd’. Again the judge, Ian Callion, was full of praise for his Reserve Champion and commented: “This bull has both shape and quality, and size for his age. He has a lot of future in front of him and I feel is an ideal bull that will breed females and bulls for pedigree and commercial breeders. As well as good locomotion, he combines style and presence with a masculine ruggedness.” Taking the Reserve Male Championship this year was the Irish-bred Ardglasson Highlander from Stirling’s Dougie McBeath and Sarah-Jane Jessop, Lower Greenyards Farm, Bannockburn. This bull, also January 2012-born, is by Fieldson Alfy and out of Ardglasson Daisy. A real head-to-head had seen Highlander follow the Male Champion, Lynderg Hero, through from its class. In 2013, Ardglasson Highlander picked up the Scottish Limousin Grand Prix Championship at the Black Isle Show and had again been Reserve Male Champion at the Royal Highland. Doug Mash’s Junior Male Champion came in the form of the October 2012born Brockhurst Hardnut. Appropriately for the day, Hardnut is out of the show’s Supreme Champion, Brockhurst Bolshoi, and is by the noted Wilodge Vantastic. From a high quality show of young bulls, it was another Northern Irish bull, this time Jalex Itsallgood from James Alexander, Randalstown, Co. Antrim that picked up the Reserve Junior Male title. By Swarland Eddie and out of Tyrone Dulani, this May 2013-born bull had placed first in a fantastic class of seventeen young bulls that had sent a buzz around the ringside. Jalex Itsallgood had come to the show with the Junior Male Championship at the 2014 Royal Ulster Show already on his show record.

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Jalex Itsallgood - Junior Male Champion

Back in the females and it was an outstanding Royal Highland Limousin debut for Messrs Campbell, Strawfrank Farm, Carstairs Junction, Lanark who placed as Reserve Female Champion to the Overall Supreme with their March 2011-born Strawfrank Gina. Gina had placed first in Class 271 for Females in milk with calf at foot born after 1st January 2011. From the establishing Strawfrank herd, now comprising of 25 females, Strawfrank Gina is actually the first pedigree Limousin calf to be registered by the Campbells. This first-calved heifer, by Ampertaine Bravo and out of Marlepark Celia, was shown with her Vagabond-sired heifer calf at foot, Strawfrank Jena. Strawfrank Gina also picked up the award for the highest placed animal bred by an exhibitor who is a member of the Scottish Limousin Club. The case for it being a Ladies Day was strengthened when Glenrock Illusion from Stephen Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie picked up the Junior Female Championship before moving on to win the Overall Junior title, a first for the herd. This stylish January 2013-born heifer is by the prolific Goldies Comet and is out of the herd’s noted cow Glenrock Spangle who was also the mother of Glenrock Fantastic, the 2013 Reserve Champion at the Highland Show. At the May Bull Sale in Carlisle, the herd had sold Glenrock Ideal, the same way bred as Illusion, for 12,000gns. The prolific Glenrock Spangle has now had some 32 calves sold from her for a collective figure of well over six figures. On the Saturday, Glenrock Illusion, who was described by Stephen Illingworth as ‘a once in a lifetime heifer and perhaps the best I’ve ever bred’, placed Reserve Overall in the Junior Interbreed judged by Bob Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, Forfar. Placing Reserve Junior Female and Overall Junior Reserve was Emslies Ieryl from Aileen Ritchie, Tamara, Burnside, Whitecairns, Aberdeen. This April 2013-born heifer had come out of the first class of the day and up against a class of thirteen heifers born on or after 1st April 2013. Emslies Ieryl is by Procters Cavalier and is out of Emslies Eryl. Bred by Harry Emslie, this heifer was purchased at the Emslies Production Sale held in January this year at Carlisle for 15,000gns. Emslies Ieryl came to the Highland on the back of winning the Supreme Championship at the Angus Show. On the Sunday, the fourth and final day of the show, Brockhurst Bolshoi and Lynderg Hero teamed up to take the second Reserve position in the Interbreed Pairs.

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Brockhurst Hardnut - Res Jun Champion Male

Strawfrank Gina - Reserve Female Champion

Glenrock Illusion - Junior Female and Overall Junior Champion

Emslies Ieryl - Res Junior female and res Junior overall

Maybe This Time Res Commercial Champion from James Nisbet

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The easy to use on-line pedigree web facility l A proven successful partnership between Breeder organisations and Technologists from SAC and SIGNET l Successfully established to benefit Beef and Sheep pedigree, performance recording and breed improvement programmes over the last 5 years l A single focal point for information, dissemination and breed improvement across the industry

â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Limousin herd book at your fingertipsâ&#x20AC;?

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BROCKHURST BOLSHOI ADDS ANOTHER

‘2014 MAJOR’ AND WINS LIMOUSIN CHAMPIONSHIP & SUPREME INDIVIDUAL INTERBREED AT GREAT YORKSHIRE SHOW

• Brockhurst Bolshoi wins Individual Interbreed • Limousin wins Interbreed Team of Four • Brockhurst Bolshoi & Brockhurst Elvis win Blythewood Interbreed Pairs • Limousin sired steer wins Commercial Beef Championship

t was a Championship-double for Brockhurst Bolshoi from Doug Mash, Torrington Farm, Grove Lane, Chesham, Bucks who secured both the Limousin Championship and the Supreme Individual Interbreed on the first day of judging on Tuesday 8th July at the 2014 Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate. The win followed hard on the heels of the 2014 Royal Highland Show where this eight-year-old cow had also taken the Limousin Championship Shown with her Brockhurst Centurion-sired bull calf at foot, Brockhurst Imacelebrity, Brockhurst Bolshoi is of course by the 55,000gns Grahams Samson and out of the herd’s highly acclaimed cow Ronick McAinsi. No stranger to the winner’s circle at Harrogate, Brockhurst Bolshoi had previously lifted the Limousin Championship at the Great Yorkshire in 2011. The Limousin judge for the day Andrew Ewing, who runs the noted Fairywater pedigree herd at Dumbretton Farms, Annan, Dumfries, was presented with a strong entry of 70 cattle forward with plenty of depth and quality throughout.

Brockhurst Bolshoi – Limousin & Interbreed Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show 2014

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With the Limousin Championship safely tucked away Brockhurst Bolshoi, shown by stockman

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Dougie McBeath, then went head to head with the Champions from the other beef breeds and was awarded the Overall Supreme Individual Interbreed title by the afternoon’s judge Danny Wylie, Tamworth, Staffordshire. The Limousin judge Andrew Ewing had earlier declared Brockhurst Bolshoi as a ‘very worthy Champion’ and said: “This is a tremendous cow and a great example of the Limousin breed. She’s got style and femininity, has great presence, and is very correct with super mobility. Also, she’s doing the business in rearing her calf with an abundance of milk”. A delighted Doug Mash said that he would take time now to consider Brockhurst Bolshoi’s show future but that he was ‘thrilled’ with his day and to win the Championshipdouble. As well as the Highland title, Bolshoi has also secured the Limousin Championship at the Royal Bath & West in 2014 and is a previous multi-title winner at shows including the Royal, and Royal Welsh respectively. Speaking at the close of the Interbreed Doug Mash said: “Bolshoi has been a great pleasure to breed, own and show. To win at the Great Yorkshire Show, perhaps England’s foremost show, and against such strong all-round competition is fantastic. Cows are

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the flagship of any herd and to win as an eight-year-old with calf at foot, and back in calf, is very pleasing”. Brockhurst Bolshoi is six months in-calf to the herd’s stock bull Hafodlas Domino who was himself Highland Show Limousin Champion in 2012. It was rosettes all the way for Doug Mash who also won the Male Championship with the five-year-old bull Brockhurst Elvis, a son of the day’s Champion Brockhurst Bolshoi! Again full of breeding, Brockhurst Elvis is sired by the multi Royal Show title winning bull Samy. Brockhurst genetics were also evident in Overall Reserve & Female Reserve Champion Millington Highlight from local breeders Millington Limousins Ltd, The Grange, Millington, York. Another y the prolific Wilodge Vantastic, Millington Highlight is out of Brockhurst Option, a daughter of Ronick McAinsi. January 2012 born, Highlight who emerged from a strong class of ten heifers, is a full sister to Millington Hawk who was previously a part of the 2013 winning Blytheswood Pairs Interbreed at the Great Yorkshire. In her first show outing, Millington Highlight had won the Lincolnshire Show Interbreed title earlier this year. Regular exhibitors at the Great Yorkshire Show, the 100-cow Millington herd had previously won the Supreme Limousin Championship in 2008 with Millington Tangerine. On the second day of judging, Wednesday 9th July, the Limousin breed was at it again when it secured the Interbreed Senior Team of Four title from judge David Thomlinson, Carlisle, Cumbria. A balanced team of power and style, the four comprised of Brockhurst Elvis, Brockhurst Bolshoi, Millington Highlight, and Ronick Honey. The 20,000gns Ronick Honey, from the Gordon Brook Trust, Upper Huntlywood Farm, Earlston, Berwickshire, had previously placed second in her class to Millington Highlight. In the afternoon mother and son, Bolshoi and Elvis, teamed up to

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Limousin Shows

Interbreed Champion Team of Four

round off a memorable two days by winning the prestigious Blythewood Interbreed Pairs title. Continuing a cracking show season with the Junior Overall & Junior Female Championship titles was Glenrock Illusion from Stephen Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. Again this was another double with the heifer having picked up the same titles at June’s Royal Highland Show. This stylish January 2013-born heifer is by the prolific Goldies Comet, a Wilodge Vantastic son, and is out of the herd’s matriarch cow Glenrock Spangle who was also the mother of Glenrock Fantastic, the 2013 Reserve Champion at the Highland Show. Following Glenrock Illusion with the Reserve Junior Female Championship was Sevengun Ivina from first-time Limousin exhibitor Tony Booth, Hardwick Hall Farm, Aston, Sheffield. This heifer had placed first in a split class which comprised of 22 heifers in all born between 1st January and 30th June 2013. Born in April 2013, she is by the 32,000gns Millgate Fame and is out of Bankdale Davina a female purchased at the noted Bankdale Dispersal Sale. Ian Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, Lanark continued his fine run of form at the Great Yorkshire when he picked up the Junior Male Championship for the third year in

a row and this time with Maraiscote Idol. All three Junior Male Champions shown by Ian Nimmo have been sired by the 23,000gns herd stock sire Goldies Comet (the sire of the Junior Champion). For good measure Maraiscote Idol, a full brother to the herd’s 2013 Royal Highland Male Champion, also picked up the Reserve Overall Male, & Reserve Overall Junior Champion titles. Maraiscote Idol, who will be aimed at the autumn bull sales, is out of the Normande Urquhart daughter, Maraiscote Bop.

Millington Highlight – Res Female and Res Champion Overall

The Reserve Junior Male title went to Gunnerfleet Hicks from another first time exhibitor, Garrowby Estate Farms, Bugthorpe, York. Bred by Ian Handley, Ingleton, Lancs, Gunnerfleet Hicks is by the 32,000gns Dolcorsllwyn Brynmor, a Nenuphar son, and is out of the French dam Ellora. Matthew Keel, along with his sister Clare, Griffin Farm, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, took the Overall Supreme Championship in the keenly contested Commercial Beef Championship with their Limousin sired steer Coco on day two of the judging at Harrogate. Given the nod by judge Gail Ellis, Cornwall, this 506kg Limousin cross steer is by the Glenrock Ventura son, Garrowby Gizmo, and is out of a Limousin cross dam. The Champion steer was purchased at Leyburn from Garrowby Estate Farms.

Glenrock Illusion – Female and Overall Junior Champion

Maraiscote Idol – Res Male & Junior Male Champion

Overall Champion Commercial from M/s Keel Brockhurst Elvis & Brockhurst Bolshoi – Champion continental pairs

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Limousin Shows

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Limousin Shows

t n a m a i D DINMORE’S

SPARKLES & WINS SUPREME INTERBREED AT 2014 ROYAL WELSH SHOW

• Diamant wins Limousin Championship & Individual Interbreed • Brockhurst Bolshoi Reserve Supreme Limousin • Limousins win Team of Five Interbreed • Diamant & Bolshoi Reserve Supreme Fitzhugh Pairs • Frogmore Helen Reserve Junior Heifer Interbreed • Limousins win Females of the Future Pairs Interbreed • Nealford Impeccabull wins Elite Junior Bull Interbreed • Limousin Championship One-Two in Commercials

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Diamant Overall Champion & Interbreed Champion

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Limousin Shows

he six-year-old stock bull Diamant, from Paul Dawes, Kipperknowle Farm, Dinmore, Hereford, sparkled in the sun on the opening day at the 2014 Royal Welsh Show when winning the Limousin Supreme Championship before moving on to win the Show’s Supreme Individual Interbreed title. In what is the closing Royal ‘major’ of the summer show season, the Limousin breed thrilled the crowds by putting on a show of over eighty cattle described as perhaps the best both in terms of depth and quality seen anywhere in the UK in 2014. The Limousin entry, which featured cattle from all four home countries, saw the breed feature in all of the major interbreed titles and win the Supreme Individual, and the prestigious Team of Five. Further titles included the Elite Junior Bull Interbreed, Fitzhugh Pairs Reserve, Reserve Junior Heifer Interbreed, and a championship one-two in the eagerly-contested Commercial Beef section. For Paul Dawes and his Dinmore team, brought out by stockman Richard Bartle, the win ensured that the herd had taken the Supreme Championship or Reserve in four out of the

five last Royal Welsh Shows. The 2008-born senior stock bull, Diamant, was purchased privately from the noted breeder Gaec Camus, Martinet, France. Full of breeding, Diamant is by Berliozb, a grandson of Levrier, whilst his mother is Version by the noted Pacha 08. Diamant had stood first in his class at the French National Show at St Gaudens in 2013 and was Reserve Champion Male at the Paris Show in 2013. Bought privately on the strength of his progeny, Paul Dawes said that Diamant ‘will bring scale, correctness, muscularity and growth’ through his breeding to the Dinmore herd which has 60 pedigree cows in addition to its embryo work. Commenting directly after winning the late afternoon Individual Interbreed Mr. Dawes said: “This title is something that you work hard towards. It is a great honour and marks a fantastic summer following winning the Burke Trophy at the Royal Three Counties. The standard within the Limousin section alone was just so high and the Royal Welsh is, in my eyes, the top show in the country for Limousin cattle.” Diamant is being used as a stock bull within the herd and semen is already available from him for worldwide use. The man with the enviable task of judging the Limousin classes was Peter Kirton of

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the noted Ashledge herd, Severn Lodge Farm, Kinlet, Bewdley, Worcs who is also the present Chairman of the British Limousin Cattle Society. Mr Kirton opened the day with a class of seven senior bulls and it was from that opening class, and after some four hours of intensive judging later, that the Champion Diamant emerged. Commenting, Peter Kirton said: “He’s just a terrific bull that came out of an exceptional class. A breeder’s bull he has got everything you would want, lift, length, frame and locomotion. He’ll also breed the power and faster growth rates that are so much required by the commercial beef producer.” Of the show of Limousins, the judge was quick to join in the praise and continued: “I’ve been coming to the Royal Welsh Show for many years and I think this is the best show of Limousins I can remember. They had quality in abundance, style, shape, power, class and correctness throughout the junior and senior classes. It was a great honour to judge such quality and at such a prestigious show.” Taking the Reserve Overall Supreme, and rounding off a magnificent 2014 summer season, was the eight-year-old Brockhurst

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Limousin Shows Brockhurst Hardnut - Res Male Champion

Dyfri Idris - Junior Male Champion Interbreed Team of Five Champions

Bolshoi from Doug Mash, Torrington Farm, Grove Lane, Chesham, Bucks. Bolshoi arrived at the Royal Welsh hot on the heels of having won the 2014 Supreme Championship at both the Royal Highland and the Great Yorkshire Shows, as well as the Royal Bath & West and a multitude of Interbreed titles. Shown with her Brockhurst Centurion-sired bull calf at foot, Brockhurst Imacelebrity, Brockhurst Bolshoi is by the 55,000gns Grahams Samson and is out of the herd’s foremost cow Ronick McAinsi. The judge, Peter Kirton, commented: “What a terrific cow this is and for her age. She has so much style, is very correct, and is doing her calf ever so well.” Bowing out gracefully whilst at the top, Doug Mash said that the intent post the Royal Welsh had always been for Brockhurst Bolshoi to retire from the show ring. Mr Elgan Jones, Coedmore Hall Cellan, Lampeter, Ceredigion brought the curtain down on day one when presiding as judge over the Supreme Individual Interbreed Championship. A terrific day for Paul Dawes and the Limousin breed was confirmed when Diamant was tapped up as the day’s Champion. Interbreeds were also the theme of day two with Limousins again firmly to the fore. Perhaps the biggest spectator spectacle at the show is the Nat West Team of Five Interbreed

held in the natural amphitheatre of the main ring. The judge on this occasion was the wellknown farmer and broadcaster Mr Dai Jones MBE, Berthlwyd, Llanilar, Aberystwyth. The Limousin team, full of power and quality, duly took this Blue Riband Championship award in fine style. The winning team comprised of Diamant, Brockhurst Bolshoi, Evidence from Doug Mash, Dinmore Glorious from Paul Dawes, and Nealford Honey from JH Neale & Son, Wilkie Down, Boyton, Launceston, Cornwall. In a fantastic head-to-head with Brockhurst Bolshoi, Dinmore Glorious had placed Reserve Overall Female in the Limousin Championships. This November 2011-born homebred in-calf heifer is another by Wilodge Vantastic and is out of Aghadowey Alix, a Broadmeadows Cannon daughter. In-calf to Crownhead Busby, Dinmore Glorious is a full-sister to the 2010 Royal Welsh Champion and member of the winning Fitzhugh Interbreed Pairs, Dinmore Elle. Earlier this year, Dinmore Glorious had won the Limousin Grand Prix held at the Royal Three Counties where she also teamed up with Diamant to win the Burke Trophy. The fourth member of the team was the French-bred Evidence, from Doug Mash, who had stood third in her class to Brockhurst

Brockhurst Bolshoi - Female Champion and Reserve Overall

Dinmore Glorious - Res Female Champion

Bolshoi and Dinmore Elegance. Completing the winning team was Nealford Honey from JH Neale & Sons, Wilkie Down, Boyton, Launceston, Cornwall. In arguably the highlight class of the day for depth and quality, Nealford Honey had taken the second prize behind Dinmore Glorious in the in-calf or maiden heifer class born 1/8/11 to 30/6/12. With a strong show record, Honey was fresh from a breed championship win at the Devon County, reserve at the Royal Cornwall as well as Interbreed Champion at Liskeard. January 2012- born, she is by Ironstone Duncan, a bull bought privately from Smiths of Bloxham and is out of the 12-year-old Nealford Tracy, a Ronick Matador daughter, who is still breeding in the herd. Back in the Limousin Championships, another fine show for Doug Mash saw his October 2012-born young bull Brockhurst Hardnut take the Reserve Male Championship behind the Supreme Champion Diamant. In a continuity of breeding, this Wilodge Vantastic son is himself out of Brockhurst Bolshoi. Earlier in the season, Hardnut had taken the Junior Male Championship at the Royal Highland Show. Taking the Junior Male Championship was Dyfri Idris from DG & MJ Edwards, Home Farm, Cilycwm, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire. A January 2013-born bull with width and shape, Dyfri Idris is by the 50,000gns Wilodge

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Limousin Shows Frogmore Helen - Res Jnr Interbreed Heifer

Following on from their outstanding 2013 show season, the team of Mr & Mrs M Alford, Foxhill Farm Blackborough, Cullompton, Devon were back in the prizes when winning the Junior Limousin Female title with Foxhillfarm Izzy. Izzy is by Wilodge Vantastic and is out of Bankdale Alice, and is a full sister to last year’s Royal Welsh Champion and multi award-winning heifer Foxhillfarm Gracie. Foxhillfarm Izzy is herself racking up the titles having won the Junior Female award at the 2014 Royal Three Counties and being part of the winning Duke of Norfolk team at the 2013 Royal Smithfield.

Nealford Impeccabull - Elite Beef Breeder Champion

The Reserve Junior Female was Keadyview I, the first prize heifer from the day’s last class shown by Steven & Katrina O’Kane, Tollerton Rd, Huby, Yorks having been bred by Steven’s father Barney. June 2013-born, this heifer is sired by Glenrock Ventura and is out of Carmorn Babe who had previously bred a junior champion at the Royal Ulster Show. The O’Kanes run the newly established Hampshire herd comprising of two breeding females. On her previous show outings, Keadyview I had placed 2nd at the Great Yorks as well as 1st at Driffield and Sutton & Huby shows.

Too Cool to Fool - Champion Commercial - Sire - Limousin

Making a highly successful debut at the Royal Welsh was the Frogmore herd of Chris White, Frogmore Farmhouse, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire. Frogmore Helen, only the second heifer of the herd’s own breeding, picked up a first prize ticket in the heifer class for animals born between 1st July and 31st December 2012. She then went forward to the Junior Heifer Interbreed Championship on the second day where she picked up the Reserve Interbreed award. Another by Wilodge Cerberus, Frogmore Helen is out of Ironstone Frangelica, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter.

Ebony - Baby Beef Champion - sire - Limousin

On the fourth and final day of judging, Brockhurst Howzat from Doug Mash and Foxhillfarm Ivy from Michael & Melanie Alford teamed up to win the Females of the Future

Pairs Interbreed Championship under judge Mrs Rachel Wylie, Isalyn, Main Street, Banbury. Brockhurst Howzat is by Wilodge Vantastic and is another calf out of Brockhurst Bolshoi. Foxhillfarm Ivy is a full sister to Foxhillfarm Izzy (who she stood second in the class to) being by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Bankdale Alice. This final Interbreed meant that Limousin entries had placed either as Champion or Reserve in seven out of eight of the Interbreeds held in the week. A real testament to the depth of quality on show. In the commercial cattle section there was a championship one-two for Limousin-sired stock. Under judge Dickie Wright, Bedlands Gate Far, Bowers Hill, Somerset, Overall Champion and Heifer Champion was Too Cool To Fool from Colin & Lisa Brooke, Tapperdine Farm, Alfrick, Worcs with a 496kg May 2013born heifer bred by J Gilbert. This one was shown by Matthew Jones and had previously won its class at Newark and also won at Shropshire and West Midlands. Reserve Overall Champion and Reserve Heifer was Miss Halfpenny brought out by TC Edwards, Pencraig Fawr, Betws Gwerfyl Goch, Corwen. Bred by Bryan Griffiths, she is by Sarkley Dignity and was Reserve Heifer Champion at the NBA’s Beef Expo. Reserve Steer was Charlotte Alford, Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Devon with Strip Poker. This Limousin-cross 588kg bullock, by a Haltcliffe bull, was bred by the Whiteford Family and was purchased at Carlisle. There was also a double win in the Baby Beef with M & G Sivill, Glanrafon Farm, Waen, St Asaph taking Overall with a ten-month-old Limousin-sired heifer called Ebony bred by WP Hughes & Son, Llanddeusant, Caergybi, Anglesey and purchased at the Ruthin spring sale. Reserve was the Limousin crossbred steer, San Miguel, from Mrs SM Rowlands, Dolwen Farm, Llanidloes which was bred by TW Price & WM Morgan.

Cerberus and is out of Dyfri Elle a daughter of the noted Nectar. Placing second in the same class was Nealford Impeccabull from JH Neale & Sons. March 2013-born, this young bull is by Wilodge Fastrac and is out of the Grahams Poncho daughter Nealford Charlotte. On day two of the show, this bull with a Beef Value of LM+34 won the RWAS Elite Junior Bull Interbreed for performance-recorded bulls. Paul Dawes rounded off his day very nicely when picking up the Reserve Junior Male title in the Limousin Championships with the May 2013-born Dinmore Immense. A first prize winner in Class 446, this bull is by Mas Du Clo and is out of the Vantastic daughter Dinmore Caprice. Immense had previously taken the Male Championship and Overall Reserve Supreme at the Royal Three Counties.

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Limousin Shows

DINMORE LIMOUSIN DUO

WIN BURKE TROPHY AT ROYAL THREE COUNTIES

• Burke Trophy Winners Dinmore Glorious & Diamant • Dinmore Glorious takes Individual Interbreed & Limousin Grand Prix titles

n what was a terrific achievement, two animals from the same exhibitor teamed up to win the Blue Riband Burke Trophy for the Limousin breed on the second day of the Royal Three Counties Show held at Great Malvern 13-15 June 2014. The Burke Trophy, formerly a highlight at the Royal Show between 1951 and 2009, has since moved around the country and this year was contested against the backdrop of the beautiful Malvern Hills. It is presented to the best pair of beef animals – one male and one female – chosen out of all the breed classes at the event. Describing the win as a ‘huge honour’ was owner Paul Dawes, Kipperknowle Farm, Dinmore, Hereford whose pairing of the in-calf heifer Dinmore Glorious together with the French-bred bull, Diamant, took the accolade from the assembled 13 breeds in front of judge Mrs Kay Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, Forfar. The November 2011-born homebred in-calf heifer Dinmore Glorious, sired by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Aghadowey Alix , teamed up with the 2008-born senior stock bull, Diamant, purchased privately from breeder Gaec Camus, Martinet, France being by Berliozb and out of Version (by Pacha 08),

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and who goes back to the noted bull Levrier. Diamant had stood first in his class at the French National Show at St Gaudens in 2013 and was Reserve Champion Male at the Paris Show in 2013. Dinmore Glorious, who was presented in-calf to Crownhead Busby, is full sister to the 2010 Royal Welsh Champion and member of the winning Fitzhugh Interbreed Pairs, Dinmore Elle. Elle is also mother of the 18,000gns Dinmore Goldcrest. The duo of Dinmore Glorious and Daimant, who were brought out by Mary Cormack and Richard Bartle respectively, were described by the judge Kay Adam as ‘an outstanding pair and a tremendous credit to the stockmen.’

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The Burke Trophy pairing had been selected on the first day of the Three Counties Show from the hotly-contested Limousin Grand Prix by judge Mr James Hazard of the Mereside Herd Skillington, Grantham. Held here for the second consecutive year and supported with an additional £1,000 prize fund by the British Limousin Cattle Society, Limousin Grand Prix events are aimed both at supporting agricultural shows as well as showcasing the attributes of the breed. A further Grand Prix took place at the Perth Show in Scotland in August. Described by the Judge as ‘a show of very good overall quality, particularly in the female section’, a total catalogued entry of 58 animals from 18 exhibitors competed in the 9 classes - four for males and five for females

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Limousin Shows - and, of course, for Championship honours. Friday 13 June proved a lucky one for Paul Dawes with one-two championship honours. Grand Prix winner was Dinmore Glorious, who was described by James Hazard as “simply an awesome heifer with power, volume and width, with a lovely head” whilst standing Reserve from the same home was the Junior Male and Overall Male Champion, Dinmore Immense. Sired by Mas du Clo and out of Dinmore Caprice, this 12-month-old bull was described by the judge as a “lovely young bull, full of breed character with width throughout.” Reserve Male was Brockhurst Hardnut from Doug Mash, Torrington Farm, Chesham, Bucks, an embryo calf by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Brockhurst Bolshoi who herself stood Reserve Female Champion here. Being a previous Supreme Champion at the Great Yorkshire, the 2006-born cow Brockhurst Bolshoi is by Grahams Samson and is out of Ronick McAinsi and was shown with her October-born bull calf, Brockhurst Imacelebrity (by Brockhurst Centurion), at foot. Taking the Junior Female award was Foxhillfarm Izzy from Mike & Melanie Alford, Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Devon being an embryo calf by Wilodge Vantastic and out of Bankdale Alice. She was also Reserve Junior Overall behind Dinmore Immense. Reserve Junior Female was Dinmore Idetta (Wilodge Vantastic x Carmorn Danika). Continuing a superb run for Dinmore, Reserve Junior Male came in the shape of Dinmore Intelligence being by the French-bred Ionesco and out of Dinmore Elegance who had been a member of the winning Interbreed Pairs at the 2013 Three Counties Show.

Burke Trophy Note: The Crawford Brothers, Rathkeeland, Maguiresbridge, Co Fermanagh saw their Limousin pairing of Vigot and Victorieus team up at the 2008 Royal Show to win the coveted Burke Trophy. At what was to be the penultimate Royal Show, Limousins made modern-day history by the winning Burke Trophy for the fourth consecutive year under Judge - and former Scotland Rugby International - John Jeffrey, Kersknowe, Kelso, Roxburghshire. Both Victorieus and Vigot were bred by Lagrafeuil-Puech of Le Maubert, Meilhards, France. This was believed to be the first time that two animals from one single exhibitor as well as from one single breeder had taken Burke Trophy honours.

GLENROCK ILLUSION WINS

SCOTTISH LIMOUSIN

GRAND PRIX

he classy maiden heifer Glenrock Illusion from Stephen Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie rounded off a terrific show season when winning the Supreme Overall Championship at the Scottish Limousin Grand Prix held at Perth Show on Saturday 2nd August. January 2013-born, Glenrock Illusion is by the prolific Goldies Comet and is out of the herd’s noted cow Glenrock Spangle who was also the mother of Glenrock Fantastic, the 2013 Reserve Champion at the Highland Show. In front of judge for the day Eric Norman of the noted Norman Herd, Little Orton, Carlisle, Glenrock Illusion took the Junior title and the Female Championship before being awarded the Overall Supreme. Through the summer Glenrock Illusion has picked up the Junior Supreme titles at both the Royal Highland and the Great Yorkshire Shows as well as the Reserve Junior Interbreed at the Highland. A much admired heifer Glenrock Illusion was offered at a sale of the Glenrock herd on 22nd August at Carlisle’s Borderway Mart, where she realised 125,000gns Making a stout defence of his Grand Prix title, won at the 2013 Black Isle Show, was the day’s Overall Reserve Supreme and Male Champion, Ardglasson Highlander from Stirling’s Dougie McBeath and Sarah-Jane Jessop, Lower Greenyards Farm, Bannockburn. This bull, also January 2012-born, is by Fieldson Alfy and out of Ardglasson Daisy. Highlander had previously placed as Reserve Male Champion at both the 2014 and 2013 Highland Shows. Taking the Reserve Female Championship to the Overall Supreme was the five-year-

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old French-bred cow Evidence from WJ & M Mash Ltd, Torrington Farm, Grove Lane, Chesham, Buckinghamshire. Bred by Gaec Robin-Vannier, Evidence is by Beethoven and out of the Levrier sired Ursula. Evidence came to Perth on the back of being a part of the winning Interbreed Team of Five at the Royal Welsh Show. Harry Emslie, Kinknockie, Peterhead, Aberdeen won the Reserve Male Championship with his senior bull Dinmore Goldcrest. An embryo calf, the May 2011-born Goldcrest is by the prolific Ronick Hawk and out of the Wilodge Vantastic daughter, Dinmore Elle, the 2010 Royal Welsh Show Champion. Dinmore Goldcrest was purchased for 18,000gns at the Limousin Society’s October 2012 Sale at Carlisle. Standing as Reserve Junior Female to the day’s Champion was Lodge Jolise from Ian and Wendy Callion, Bolfornought Farm, Stirling. This March 2014 calf, which had previously stood Champion at Doune and Dunblane Show, is by the noted Ronick Gains and is out of the Jacot daughter Balise. Ian Nimmo Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, capped another good show season when winning the Junior Male title with the June 2013 born Maraiscote Imperial. A first prize winner at this year’s Highland Show Maraiscote Imperial is by the same sire as the day’s Champion, the herd’s stock sire Goldies Comet, and is out of the Normande Urquhart daughter Maraiscote Cookie. Placing Reserve Junior Male was Windsole Ivan from Willie Lawson, Rahalloch, Windsole, Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross. April 2013 born Windsole Ivan is by the Jacot son Rocky and is out of the Greensons Gigolo daughter Windsole Utopia.

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Limousin Shows

Reserve Champion Culnagechan Ibrox

Overall Champion Lynderg Hero

Judge Ian Nimmo

LYNDERG HERO CLINCHES

SUPREME

AT NORTHERN IRELAND LIMOUSIN â&#x20AC;˘ Lynderg Hero wins Interbreed Championship â&#x20AC;˘ Limousin-sired animal wins Commercial Championship

he British Limousin Cattle Society and the Northern Ireland Limousin Cattle Club held the inaugural NI Limousin Championship at Antrim Agricultural Show at Shanes Castle Estate, Antrim on Saturday the 26th July. The event, which had a strong entry of 65 animals, saw Judge Ian Nimmo, who runs the noted Maraiscote herd at Newmains, Wishaw, Lanark, preside over fourteen classes for both pedigree and commercial Limousin cattle. Taking the Overall Supreme Champion to win the Clyde Perpetual Challenge Cup was the noted show-winning bull Lynderg Hero bred and exhibited by J Quail, Northwood, Tullyear, Banbridge, Co Down. This January 2012-born bull had already been crowned Supreme Reserve at both the Royal Ulster and Royal Highland shows through the summer. After taking the Senior and then the Overall Championship, Lynderg Hero moved on to be crowned Interbreed Champion in front of the

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Millgate Invest

judge Billy Glazebrook, Lanarkshire. Lynderg Hero is by Lynderg Eisenhower, a Guards Boomer son, and is out of the dam Lynderg Diana, a Haltcliffe Underwriter daughter. Following in Reserve Overall Supreme position was Culnagechan Ibrox from D Hume, Randalstown, Co. Antrim. This was the first

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time that Culnagechan Ibrox had hit the show scene and he proved his worth by taking the Reserve Senior Championship and also the Pedigree Beef Stakes title. This January 2013born bull is sired by Carmorn Copilot and is out of Culnagechan Espana, an Ampertaine Abracadabra daughter with Nenuphar bloodlines.

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Limousin Shows

Melbreak Jewel

Galway Girl

Culnagechan Istanbul

TITLE

Carmorn Icebreaker

CHAMPIONSHIP Winner of the Calf Championship, sponsored by MSD UK Ltd, was Carmorn Icebreaker bred and exhibited by F McAuley & Sons, Toomebridge. This October 2013-born bull is sired by Carmorn Cantona and is out of Carmorn Emer. In Reserve Calf spot was Melbreak Jewel bred by J & A Callion, Dromore, Co Tyrone. This January 2014born heifer won her class and is sired by Dolcorsllywn Brynmor and is out of Melbreak Geneva. The Junior Championship, sponsored by Bank of Ireland, was won by Ballyrobin Ivy bred by Miss J Gilliland, Ballyrobin Road, Antrim. This very stylish September 2013-born heifer is sired by Haltcliffe Doctor and is out of Ballyrobin Eshante, a Wilodge Vantastic daughter with Broadmeadows Cannon bloodlines. Following up as Junior Reserve Champion was Millgate Invest bred by M Loughran, Cookstown. Born in August 2013, this bull calf is sired by Swarland Eddie and is out of the dam Millgate Emma, who is full sister to the 18,000gns Millgate Caesar, Supreme Champion at Carlisle in February 2009. The Intermediate Championship, sponsored by Thompson Feeds Ltd, went to Robineed

Indie bred by D & D Robinson, Irvinestown. This March 2013 heifer is sired by Procters Cavalier and is out of Procters Viola, a daughter of Greenwell Ronick who earlier in the year had stood Junior Reserve Female Champion at Balmoral. Taking the Reserve Intermediate title was Culnagechan Istanbul bred by D Hume, Randalstown. This February 2013-born bull is sired by Ampertaine Commander and is out of the dam Goldies Topclass. In May Istanbul had stood as Junior Reserve Bull Champion at Balmoral Show.

Robineed Indie

Other class winners in the senior section, sponsored by Nugent Engineering Ltd, Greenmount Stores Ltd, Ai Services and J A McClelland & Sons, were Carnew Heidi, bred by J & J Aiken and owned by MJ & WJ Lyons, Londonderry and Goldies Heiress owned by L Bradley, Knockloughrim who took the Senior Female award. Ballyrobin Ivy

The Overall Commercial Champion at the show, sponsored by the NI Commercial Cattle Club, went to the Limousin sired Galway Girl owned by G Corrie & J Neill, Newtownards. This April 2013-born heifer is sired by Milbrook MUB and this title follows her success as a class winner at the recent Royal Highland

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Show. Overall Commercial Reserve Champion went to Kilkeelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s G Small for his heifer Mya. This August 2013-born heifer is sired by Hightown Daleshi and was also a class winner at the Royal Highland Show earlier on this summer.

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Limousin Feature

Hackney Email

LIMOUSIN EASE OF MANAGEMENT AND HARDINESS

l l i B e h Fits t Feature on Stephen Graham, Miller Hill, Carlisle, Cumbria

tephen Graham’s hill farm is heavily stocked and he only has one full-time member of staff to help him. He has chosen the Limousin as the dominant breed for his commercial herd, due to its ease of management and ability to survive under harsh conditions; the farm is in a high rainfall area, with the land at 700800 feet above sea-level. The Graham Family includes Stephen’s wife, Tracey, who runs an outside catering business, and their two daughters, eleven-year old Rachael and Amy, aged eight. His father, Martin, and mother, Sheila, are also involved in the business, which supports a flock of 1,000 breeding ewes, as well as the cattle. Cattle breeding is in Stephen’s blood, as his grandfather, Joe Graham, was a noted producer of Blue-Greys and is still remembered today for the quality of his herd.

Limousin-based suckler herd and finishing unit

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The family farm has been expanded in recent years, with the purchase of a second holding

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next door and two new tenancy agreements signed for farms close by, taking the total acreage to around 1,000. The suckler herd is made up of 140 cows, which are mainly three-quarter Limousin with some British Blue bloodlines. These are put to one of the three Limousin stock bulls on the farm, with the best females selected as replacements. In addition, Stephen buys in around 150-200 suckled calves from a variety of sources each year. There is no fixed marketing policy; cattle are sold at various times of the year, with some going as stores, to ease cash flow. Finished animals are sold on a deadweight basis and the majority go to Woodheads in Lancashire for Morrisons supermarket, although local butchers also take some. Stephen transports his cattle direct to the abattoir in batches of ten, in the belief that it causes less stress for his livestock and keeps the system simple. Last year saw more than 100 finished steers averaging £1,723 and achieving E, U+ and Ugrades, at deadweights ranging from 400-440kgs, while the heifers reached 350-360kgs. Around a

Limousin Feature dozen animals are sold to fatstock show competitors and this makes a valuable contribution towards boosting annual average prices. Stephen usually sets the money aside and puts it towards his next bull purchase.

Limousins: naturaly hardy, easy calving and good converters “The Limousin can cope with our level of rainfall better than other breeds and I think that’s because it comes from the high hills of France, where it has to be hardy in order to survive,” he comments. “The cows are usually easy to calve and the youngstock are good converters of feed. My cows milk reasonably well and this trait is something I want to maintain; it is always a consideration when I am selecting any animal to breed from. “I am also trying to produce cattle which are consistent in size, as this minimises bullying and reduces disease levels, because a calm animal’s immune system functions better than one which is under pressure.” Prior to the farm expansion, Stephen regularly bought sheep and cattle to sell to other producers, but lack of time means he now only makes purchases to order. When it comes to buying his own stock, his budget for bulls is 4,000-6,000gns. The current team includes the Cloughead Titanic son, Liscon Braveheart, which was purchased at Carlisle in the summer of 2008 and has thrown some consistently good calves. Some have reached show standard and the best one achieved a price of £3,500, with another at £2,500. The black Limousin, Knock Black Falcon is also part of the herd, having been spotted at a Carlisle Sale in May 2012. “I wanted a black Limousin to put to non-Limousin bred females because I was looking to improve ease of calving. Until I found Knock Black Falcon, I hadn’t seen a black bull I particularly fancied, but he seemed to fit the bill. I paid 4,500gns for him, in the hope of improving my live calf figure. “I only ever give new bulls half a dozen cows, to check the type of calf they are throwing and I will not keep any animal whose calves aren’t up to scratch, no matter how much he has cost. Knock Black Falcon’s progeny have been born relatively small and I have not had to calve any of

his cows, so I am pleased with his performance. I will be using him more extensively in the future.

Live calves that are born easily and grow on “I am no different from other commercial breeders; I want a bull that will give me a calf which is small at birth, but grows to a decent size when it’s older,” he comments. “If you only need one bull, then you can spend more, but I require at least three, as my herd is closed and I aim for a tight calving pattern. “At one stage, I felt the calves I was breeding were too fine and pretty and they weren’t reaching weight targets; after all it is weight that counts. I have made an effort to move towards a longer animal, with a good shape. A bull must not be too heavy in the shoulder and I like a small head. I think that the secret is to pick one that will complement your type of cows and your land; its qualities have to be a good match and that is where the real skill lies.” A more recent acquisition is the Objat son, Hackney Email, bought jointly with neighbouring cattle breeder Harry Gass of Nunscleugh. This arrangement came about quite by accident,

explains Stephen. “We were standing together in the Carlisle sale ring and while we had both decided on the bulls we liked best, we both felt they would exceed our budgets. I was very impressed with Hackney Email and Harry agreed that he was a good-looking bull. “I’ve never shared a bull before, but it is working out well. It has allowed both of us to run a bull that we would not have been able to afford otherwise. Email has a good back end and a lot of style. He also has length, combined with low birth weights. It’s too early to say whether we’ve made the right decision, but we have high hopes for him.” Calving starts in mid-April and is usually over by mid-June, with a smaller group calving in the autumn. Stephen has a deliberate policy of calving some outdoors and some inside, so that if a group of calves start scouring, for example, the disease does not affect the entire batch. During the winter, the cows are fed clamp silage, straw and minerals in the cubicle housing, while the youngstock are kept on straw and receive a standard rearing pellet, with sugar beet also forming part of the ration.

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“Straw is very expensive in this region and I have experimented with all sorts of alternatives, but I always come back to it,” says Stephen. “It really is the best option and the straw muck is good for the land. Paper waste worked well where it was ploughed in, but it looked unsightly when it was spread on top of the land. “I thought tree bark bedding might be the answer at first, but in warm weather the cattle’s feet heated up, so I abandoned that idea. I also tried sawdust, but spreading tended to encourage weeds, particularly docks and nettles.” Growing cattle are weighed monthly and given multi-vitamins at the same time, as Stephen feels that it helps to prevent cases of pneumonia. One current project is to replace one of the cattle buildings, to improve ventilation and allow more light to enter. The couple’s two daughters like being out on the farm and show a keen interest in the cattle and the sheep. They achieved sixth place out of 12 entries in a young cattle handlers’ competition last year and have already picked out a couple of show prospects for the coming season. It is a hobby that Stephen is keen to encourage.

Pedigree Lim breeders hitting the mark commercially “If my daughters continue to show enthusiasm, then I wouldn’t rule out starting up a small pedigree herd at some stage,” he says. “But for the time being, I feel the pedigree breeders are hitting the right note for us commercial producers. I have no regrets about putting my faith in the Limousin, it is doing a good job on this farm.”

Pelvic Scoring Stephen sets such great store by ease of calving that he had pelvic measurements taken from a number of his home-bred heifers. The results have been surprising. “My theory was that the more tightly-muscled heifers would have a narrow pelvic score, but I discovered that it’s not possible to tell just by looking at them. “The vet advised me to finish anything with a score of 145cms square or lower and I followed his advice and withdrew 13 females from the breeding programme. It was a difficult decision to make and I hope it will pay off in the future.”

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Limousin Feature

‘MARKETABLE’ LIMOUSIN KEY TO FINISHING ENTERPRISE

Feature on Upper Coton Farms, Guilsborough, Northamptonshire

Their other son David (23), who is working and studying accountancy in Bristol, comes back some weekends to help out with clipping and other duties. Nearly every animal purchased is Limousin-cross, mostly threequarters or seven-eights, with some pure Lims in the mix as well as the odd Charolais or Blue-cross.

Limousin is the true butcher’s beast, small boned with good conformation

pper Coton Farms, situated on the edge of the Northamptonshire village of Guilsborough, finishes some 900head of Limousin-cross stock each year with the marketability of the Limousin breed at the core of this finishing unit. Run by Mike & Jane Wills together with their son Charlie (25) and part-time farm worker Paul Wilford, the aim is to firmly add value since all animals are bought in as stores from a variety of markets up and down the country including Brecon, Knighton, Bishops Castle, Carlisle, Cockermouth and Lockerbie.

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“I do all the buying myself and look at conformation first and foremost and try to go back as much as possible to the same breeders whose animals have gone on and done well for us,” says Mike “such as JA Wood, Kinnerton Farm, Ratlinghope, Shropshire who sell at Bishops Castle.” 80% are steers with the rest heifers which are generally harder to find as they tend to retained as breeding replacements. “You can’t beat the Lim – it’s the true butcher’s beast. They grow well, are small boned with good conformation.” The farm comprises 600 acres in all of which 500 are owned and 100 rented, and has been in

Jane’s family for three generations. Mike is originally from Liskeard in Cornwall and settled in the area in the mid-1980s. The land has an ironstone base and is pretty free draining. 100 acres are put down to maize with the rest split roughly between barley, wheat and oilseed rape. The rape is sold as a cash crop and there’s virtually no grassland. Overall, the family combines around 1000 acres, which includes some contracting for neighbouring farms. Maize has only be grown the last two years and was put in more by chance than design, admits Mike, being sown during that very wet year when half the winter oilseed rape crop failed. The family get contractors in to do the maize which helps keep the fixed costs of additional machinery down. Says Mike, “Stores are boughtin aged 8-12 months and we try to produce as much of the feed as we can here on the farm, buying in brewers grains, pot ale syrup, minerals, sugar beet nuts and oilseed rape meal which are mixed with home-grown maize silage, straw, barley and wheat.”

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Both the ration and gain are costed and performance-wise the Limousin is very costeffective Mike adds that he is a strong advocate of ‘Born, Bred and Fed British’ to back British farming and produce excellent quality meat for the table. Nutrition is overseen in-house and the feed is mixed on-site with a Keenan feeder which is fed twice a day. Son Charlie studied Nutrition at Harper Adams and is responsible for the dietary side. “We feed a growing and also a finishing ration. The growing is 11.6% ME (metabolic energy) and 20% starch with the finisher 12.2% ME and 35% starch, both with 15% crude protein. A consistent ration helps rumen function, digestion and most importantly means good food conversion efficiency to deliver the best results. I’m not saying that we ignore the cost of the feed exactly but the important thing is the overall gain that the Limousin gives us. Both the ration and gain are costed and performance-wise the Limousin is very cost-effective,” says Charlie.

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Newark 16th July 2014 : 28 steers average 209.69ppkg or £1,300 Mike was selling deadweight (through ABP) for a while but is back selling liveweight (at Newark) where he often finds his stock near the top of the market. Despite beef prices being down of late, at Newark on 16th July he sold Limousin steers to 223.5p (twice) to gross £1,278.42 (572kg) and £1247.13 (558kg) respectively with 28 steers in all averaging 209.69p or £1,300 compared to the market average on the day of 193.04p. The heaviest steer at 705kg sold to £1,491.08 and Upper Coton Farms had a very creditable 12 animals in the top 20 overall pence per kilo prices.

bound to the whims of past store trade, the growth and yield of the Limousin together with meat-tobone ratio, tremendous tops and consistent fat cover ticks all the boxes for buyers.

Quiet temperament Animal health and welfare is also a key component on the farm. Bought-in stock is allowed to settle down and after about a fortnight is vaccinated with Rispoval 4. Says Mike: “We straw up the pens every other day, never having to clip the bellies, and always walk through the stock twice a day. We handle the stock enough but not too much, preferring to combine jobs like weighing or

clipping and worming in winter (with Closamectin) at the same time through the squeeze crush to make life as efficient and easy as possible for man and beast. As

for temperament, we hardly ever come across a wild one and all our animals are very quiet.”

Marketable Limousin “Limousin batches give us a consistent return. We get a few Es and Rs but most are U grades,” comments Mike, “and this is what the trade in general and our regular customers in particular are after when they buy our stock. The Limousin is very marketable; it’s small boned and all meat.” Adds Newark Auctioneer, Paul Gentry: “Upper Coton Farms buy what the market wants in terms of very nice, well-bred types and they feed their cattle very well. They are finished to perfection, are full of meat, not too big and very well presented.” In what are not easy times economically for finishers who are

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Limousin advantage in per kilo gain Keeping up the Newark Market connection, Doug and Rachel Gascoine, who trade as Gascoine Group Ltd, which runs Newark Livestock Market, also own Rudda Farm near Scarborough in North Yorkshire and the Wills Family finishes batches of pure commercial bulls on a B&B basis on their behalf. Bulls from the most recent batches have done up to 2.49kg per day with an average of 1.8kg for 34 head (see table below Fig 2). The advantage the Limousin brings with it is a better return in terms of per kilo gain set against feed costs.

Case Study 2. Breed

Age (months)

DOF

Weight (kg)

DLWG

LIM

132

644

1.68

LIM

132

676

1.72

LIM

132

676

1.86

LIM

132

654

1.89

LIM

132

660

1.89

LIM

132

656

1.93

LIM

132

672

1.96

Another batch of 20 steers and 5 heifers is ready to go to Newark in the coming weeks (early August). See table below (Fig 1). They average 15 months of age, have spent on average 238 days on farm (DOF) with a mean weight of 640kg and a daily liveweight gain (DLWG) during total time on farm of 1.33kg. Among them are commercially-produced Limousins and Lim-crosses from pedigree herds such as Gwernfach, Glencross, Rhiwllech, Pencwm, Duncrahill, Honister and Cawfields.

Case Study 1.

LIM

132

626

1.96

Breed

Sex

Age (M)

DOF

Weight

DLWG

LIM

132

706

Lim

285

650.0

1.13

LIMX

132

696

2.04

Lim

251

588.0

1.17

LIM

132

742

2.49

Lim

251

600.0

1.19

LIM

139

576

1.34

Lim-x

251

628.0

1.24

LIM

139

560

1.47

Lim-x

251

628.0

1.24

LIM

139

660

1.69

Lim-x

251

652.0

1.39

LIM

139

676

1.84

Lim-x

124

634.0

1.27

LIM

139

630

1.91

Lim-x

124

594.0

1.43

LIM

139

662

1.94

Lim-x

124

598.0

1.59

LIM

139

664

2.06

Lim

124

642.0

1.68

LIM

139

646

2.22

Lim-x

124

676.0

1.80

LIM

153

532

0.68

Lim-x

270

626.0

1.25

LIM

153

640

1.33

Lim-x

280

658.0

1.31

LIM

153

598

1.45

Lim-x

280

720.0

1.41

LIM

153

642

1.46

Lim-x

280

696.0

1.43

LIM

153

622

1.54

Lim-x

280

677.0

1.43

LIM

153

612

1.71

Ba-x

280

736.0

1.44

LIM

153

674

1.77

Lim-x

280

720.0

1.44

LIM

153

628

1.79

Lim-x

280

704.0

1.47

LIMX

153

668

1.87

Lim-x

270

730.0

1.57

LIM

153

658

1.87

Lim-x

260

562.0

0.87

LIM

153

600

1.88

Brb-x

251

526.0

1.05

LIM

153

622

1.88

Lim-x

259

582.0

1.14

LIM

153

648

1.9

Lim-x

259

560.0

1.18

SAX

153

708

2.13

Lim-x

259

620.0

1.20

LIM

153

670

2.15

238

640.3

1.33

AVERAGE

143

647.2

1.8

AVERAGE

Figure 1. Twenty five finished animals ready for market early August

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Figure 2. Last three batches of bulls sold by Gascoine Group

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LIMOUSINS

CARLISLE 2014

THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SELLING LIMOUSIN CATTLE

BORDERWAY - CARLISLE - UK Noted official sales held in

February, May, June, October & December

Mereside Godolphin, 40,000gns

Auctioneers

Borderway Mart Rosehill Carlisle CA1 2RS Telephone: 01228 406230 Fax: 01228 406231 www.harrisonandhetherington.co.uk also contact our Pedigree Sales & Marketing Team 01228 406230

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Limousin Feature Feature on Messrs W Dandie & Sons, Learielaw Farm, Broxburn, West Lothian

GOOD GROWTH RATES AND GRADES AT THE HEART OF LIMOUSIN COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISE

n emphasis on growth rates and good grades is the key to success for the Dandie Family, who farm at Learielaw, Broxburn, near Edinburgh; and they find Limousin-cross calves fit the bill for their butcher customers. They finish 350 to 400 home-bred and bought-in cattle every year and consistency of the finished product is critical as the main customers are two local butchers who take around 300 head per year. Learielaw is farmed by the partnership of Walter Dandie & Sons, which was established in 1945, and now consists of Walter, his brother Robert and his cousin David. Walterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife Margaret is responsible for the book work and his two sons, David and William also work on the farm. The family bought Learielaw, which runs along both sides of the picturesque Union Canal, about 40 years ago and since then they have taken on land around the area on a contract farming basis. They now farm around 2000 acres, 1700 of which is arable and sown in winter and spring barley, winter wheat

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Limousin Feature Emslies Hendreron 15,000gns Stirling October 2013.

and oilseed rape. The remainder is a mixture of permanent and temporary grass, with about 90 acres cut for silage. Walter is responsible for the finishing cattle enterprise which consisted mostly of bought-in suckled calves, however William was keen to expand the breeding enterprise and in 2008, when they made the decision to give up growing potatoes, they started to expand the suckler herd. They now have 100 Limousincross suckler cows and plan to increase to around 120, so they have enough heifer replacements for their own use and hopefully some surplus to sell with calves at foot. They also started up a small pedigree herd of their own under the Learielaw prefix, and now have three cows. The cows all calve in a strict ten-week period starting in the first week of February. This year a camera was set up in the shed and William said they had the best calving ever while taking some of the pressure off the family. Brother David also helps at this time of year. William explained, “We have to keep the calving period tight so we are free to get on with the spring arable work; we are fairly ruthless about culling anything that does not hold to the bull.”

to finding a replacement. Four bulls are used on the herd, three Limousins and a British Blue so that when the cows get up to three-quarter or seven-eighths Limousin, they regain some hybrid vigour by crossing back with the Blue. At Carlisle in 2010 the Dandies spent the most they had ever spent on a bull when they paid 12,000gns for Marlepark Director. They were delighted with his calves but he sadly broke his back last year, so they have kept a son of his out of one of their pure-

bred cows and are hoping that Learielaw Hector leaves the same stamp on his calves. William said, “When we were drawing calves, we could easily tell which were by Director because of the top on them.” Bulls are selected for growth rates and shape, and, while they believe figures play a part in finetuning their selection, both Walter and William like to see the bulls in the flesh first. Last Autumn, Emslies Hendreron caught their eye at Stirling, but they had to go to 15,000gns to

secure him. They did not want to make the same mistake as they did with Director, so they immediately took semen off him and they are now looking forward to his first calves being born in February. The third bull is Fodderletter Gatuso bought at Carlisle in 2012 for 10,000gns. Heifers are synchronised and AI’d, this year to the Emslies bull, so they calve early to give them the best chance to hold early to the bull the next time round and this has worked well for the Dandies. Cows and calves come in at the end of October, when they are also weaned and the cows are fed a diet of straw and minerals until calving. The calves are creep fed on a Galloway MacLeod blend from August before coming in and going on to a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) consisting of silage, homegrown barley and wheat dark grains. The forward calves are kept inside and finished at 16 to 17 months, while some of the smaller ones and the heifer calves have a second summer at grass before being finished the following winter. Walter said, “We do not finish anything off grass because it is important to get a consistent finish on them when we are supplying a batch every week to the same customers.” The family have been supplying Fell and Sharp, Butchers, at

Good Limousin cull cow prices He added that the sting was taken out of culling by the good prices received for quality Limousin-cross cows. Scaling around 700 to 800kg, they come to between £1100 and £1400, which goes a long way

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Limousin Feature they always have some left over which have no problem finding homes, sometimes even with the same butchers, who end up buying them through the ring. Walter is also in charge of buying suckled calves to supplement the home-bred stock and he makes sure he always buys at the prime spring and autumn sales at Stirling, Lanark, Carlisle and Hexham, often from the same well-known producers such as John Robertson of Logierait and Wilson Peters of Monzie.

Hi-spec Limousin calves

Whitburn since 1968 and this company plus Thomas Johnston, Butchers, at Airdrie take 300 cattle between them each year from Learielaw. Christmas is an especially busy time with Johnstons taking 30 to 40 head per week on the run up to the holidays. Each week a batch is killed at Shotts Abattoir where they consistently grade U3 and U4, although the butchers prefer them to be 3 and not too fat. They kill out at between 65 and 70% giving deadweights of between 400 and 450kg.

He said, “Nearly all the calves are Limousin-cross and I may have to pay a bit more for them but they match the specification of our own calves.” William added, “Having a mixture of home-bred and boughtin spreads the risk - sometimes we make more from our own cattle and sometimes from purchased.” Walter pointed out that the price is back a bit just now but the finished cattle are still coming to £1500 to £1650 per head. It helps that he agrees a price with the butchers beforehand which takes some of the weekly market fluctuations out of the equation. However Walter said, “I think cattle at £4.20 or £4.30 per kilo were too expensive for

Limousin kills out well with very little waste Walter said, “One of the big advantages of the Limousin breed is that it kills out so well and the butchers like it because there is so little waste.” Surplus cattle are sold through the ring at Caledonian Marts, Stirling. Walter pointed out that, in order to keep the butchers supplied with a consistent product,

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the housewife, but at less than £4 there is not enough margin for the finishers. It is a hard balancing act.” With a large arable enterprise as well as the cattle business, the old adage of “Down corn, up horn” works both ways for them. William said, “The two enterprises dovetail nicely together, as we can add value to grain by feeding cattle, we bed all our cattle on wheat straw and sell quite a bit of surplus barley straw and of course we get the dung back to help the crops.” His aim going forward is to increase the sucklers and have a surplus of heifers which he plans to bull and sell with calves at foot. He would also dearly love to breed a bull good enough to sell at either Stirling or Carlisle but admits he is quite ruthless when it come to cutting his bull calves and does not keep anything that he would not consider using himself. Hector was destined for Stirling before he stepped in to replace Director, but there is a youngster showing a bit of promise now, so he may make his debut in the sale ring in the not too distant future. In the meantime William enjoys showing the occasional prime calf. He is on the committee of the Scottish National Fat Stock Club and has shown with some success at the Winter Fair in recent years.

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Carlisle

Aultside Hulk - Intermediate Champion and Res Overall – 55,000gns

MAY 2014

55,000GNS AULTSIDE HULK SETS EXPORT RECORD AT MAY LIMOUSIN SALE AT CARLISLE

arry Patterson from Upper Forgie, Aultmore, Keith had a day to remember when selling his December 2012born bull, Aultside Hulk, for 55,000gns and leading the trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s 2014 May Sale held on Saturday 3rd May at Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart, Carlisle. Making it all the more special, this was Garry’s first time with a Limousin bull entered at Carlisle and only the second Limousin bull he has ever offered at a Society sale. Setting a few records along the way, Aultside Hulk sold to the Republic of Ireland and became the highest priced British Limousin bull to have been exported from the United Kingdom. The 55,000gns price also equals the record, set by Grahams Samson back in 2003, for a Scottish Limousin bred bull sold at auction. In the pre-sale show held on the Friday, Aultside Hulk had won the Intermediate Championship before going on to be placed as Reserve Overall Supreme Champion by the

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judge Martin Irvine of the noted Anside herd, Braehead Farm, Drummuir, Banffshire. Come sale time Aultside Hulk quickly went up through the bidding gears to reach 55,000gns before being knocked down to the Ardlea herd of Dan Tynan, Beechhill Farm, Doon, Mountraith, Co Laois, Eire. The Ardlea herd is the largest pedigree Limousin herd in Eire comprising of some 110 cows with the farm also having 50 recipients and 100 commercial cows. Doing the bidding was farm manager Kevin Bohan who is also the current President of the Irish Limousin Cattle Society. Commenting on his purchase Mr Bohan said: “The bull is really classy, he’s got style, length, width, four good legs and walked very well. We liked his pedigree, with some new bloodlines for the herd, and were looking for a bull that would be easy calving and easy fleshing.” Upon arriving in Eire the bull will be put to cows but the plan is also to have semen collected from him.

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Aultside Hulk, an embryo calf, is by the 50,000gns sire Wilodge Cerberus and is out of Spittalton Flush a champion Limousin female purchased at a BLCS sale at Stirling for 2000gns. He was shown at the Stars of the Future Show also held at Stirling in 2013 where he placed Reserve Overall Senior Champion. Remarkably the Aultside herd only presently comprises of three pedigree cows which are farmed, with Garry’s father, along with 180 commercial cows. The herd’s first bull at sale made 7,000gns at Stirling in February this year. Speaking after the sale Garry Patterson said: “The 55,000gns price is way beyond my wildest expectation in coming to Carlisle. It’s unbelievable really and especially to do so with the high standard of bulls put forward by the breeders at the sale.” With beef producers continuing to work within a challenging industry the increased number of bulls sold on the year and the increased averages were points quickly picked up the

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Limousin Sales

• 114 bulls average £6290, up by £397 • 14 more bulls sold on the year • Clearance rate of 74% • 17 bulls make 10,000gns and more • Aultside Hulk sells for the joint top Scottish Limousin record price • 55,000gns sets a record price for a British Limousin export • Bull sale grosses £717,101 • Junior bulls average £7422 BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr who said: Irishlad is out of the 35,000gns Bankdale England all the way up to Stirling’s Stars of “Beef farmers are looking for added value, Elizabeth which was purchased by the Alfords the Future. Commenting, the judge Martin market relevant cattle that are efficient in in July 2011 at the Bankdale Dispersal Sale of Irvine said: “The Champion bull had power costs of production and above all leave profit. Gordon Wilson. January 2013 born and with and scale. He was so correct, had good feet The double-barrelled Limousin breed is a top excellent performance figures, Foxhillfarm and legs and was such a good mover. He’s terminal sire producing first quality calves and Irishlad was purchased jointly by the Goldies full of breed character and was a very worthy high quality breeding female replacements. herd of BT Goldie, Townfoot Farm, Mouswald, Champion.” The purchasers, Michael Massie The breed is scoring heavily in producing Dumfries, along with the Tweeddale herd of and Walter Cruikshank said that they bought cattle with the carcases, conformation, and Jonathan Watson, Bowsden Moor, Bowsden, the Champion bull, for their respective forty weights required by the market place, but with Berwick upon Tweed. cow herds, due to his ‘power and style’. less costs in terms of inputs. Putting less in and getting more out is profit for farmers.” The Junior Male Champion and Overall The full brother to Foxhillfarm Impecabull The sale saw 114 bulls sell in all, up by Supreme Champion from the Alfords was was Foxhillfarm Inthegold who himself made 14% on the previous year. 12,500gns. January 8th 2013 Averages were also up by born this bull again combined £397 to £6290 for the bulls the combination of pedigree sold. Three bulls made over and performance figures being 25,000gns with seventeen in sold with excellent figures for all selling at five figures and 200 & 400 day growth along over. After a cautious start with a Beef Value of LM+42. to the sale, the Intermediate Purchasing the bull was and Junior sections sold ML Wilson, Balluskie Farm, tremendously well with 34 Kildonan, Barrhill, Girvan, junior bulls averaging £7422. Ayrshire. Completing the Garry Patterson, breeder of Aultside Hulk The sale had a very healthy quartet, and again with the gross of £717,101. combination of bloodlines Another remarkable bull sale debut at Carlisle Foxhillfarm Impecabull who made 14,000gns through the sale team, was the January 2013 saw a team of four bulls, all embryo calves, when selling, again jointly, to the Elrick herd born Foxhillfarm Incredibull. The same way from the Foxhillfarm herd of Michael & of Michael Massie, Mains of Elrick, Ellon, bred as the second top price, Incredibull is Melanie Alford, Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Aberdeenshire, along with the Clury herd of another embryo calf by Guards Boomer and Cullompton, Devon, make a gross of Walter Cruikshank, Clury Farm, Dulnain Bridge, out of Bankdale Elizabeth. Purchaser of this 75,500gns with prices of 38,000gns, 14,000, Grantown-on-Spey. Impecabull is a son of bull was the Breconside pedigree herd based 12, 500gns and 11,000gns respectively, and the 42,000gns Wilodge Vantastic and is out at Breconside Farm, Moffat, Dumfriesshire. the Overall Supreme Championship for good of the 15,000gns Bankdale Alice. He is a full measure. Leading the way from this mightily brother to the 38,000gns Bankdale Exfactor It has been an amazing couple of years for the impressive team was the day’s second top and the 35,000gns Bankdale Elizabeth. Again Alford family since establishing the Foxhillfarm price of 38,000gns paid for the Reserve Junior January 2013 born Foxhillfarm Impecabull herd in 2011 with purchases at the Bankdale Male Champion, Foxhillfarm Irishlad. By the arrived at Carlisle with a host of show titles Dispersal Sale. The sale at Carlisle follows 22,000gns Guards Boomer, a Rocky son, behind him from events in the South West of hard on the heels of 2013 which saw the

“The 55,000gns price is way beyond my wildest expectation in coming to Carlisle. It’s unbelievable…”

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Limousin Sales

Foxhillfarm Irish Lad – Res Junior Champion – 38000gns

L-R Iain Kerr, BLCS; Tom Stevenson, Natural Stock Care; Garry Patterson; Judge Martin Irvine

“The breed is scoring heavily in producing cattle with the carcases, conformation, and weights required by the market place, but with less costs in terms of inputs…” Iain Kerr, BLCS CEO herd’s heifer Foxhillfarm Gracie win a multitude of show and interbreed titles at the summer ‘major’ shows. Presently based in Devon the Alfords have recently purchased a property in Carrutherstown, Scotland where they are looking to base their Limousin enterprise. Achieving another top price and a Championship rosette at Carlisle was James McKay, Maghera, Co Derry who made 28,000gns when selling his much admired Reserve Intermediate Champion Ampertaine Hotshot. A first prize winner in the Intermediate section, this September 2012 born calf is one of the first bulls sold sired by the 32,000gns Ampertaine Elgin and is the first Elgin son sold by the herd out of a Sympa sired cow, Ampertaine Angelina. Purchasing the bull was Procters Farm, Woodhouse Lane, Slaidburn, Nr Clitheroe for the Procters herd which comprises of 70 cows along with 30 recipients. Commenting, farm manager Gary Swindlehurst said: “this brings new bloodlines to the herd. The bull is out of a good, herd, a strong cow family and he has great width, a tremendous line, and had good calving figures.” The Ampertaine herd grossed 46,200gns for four bulls sold by three different sires. As well as the 28,000gns the herd achieved prices of 7500gns, 6500gns, and 4,200gns. John Elliot, Roxburgh Mains, Kelso made 18,000gns when selling his second prize winner Roxburgh Hoodoo. Full of breeding, this December 2012 born calf is another by the prolific Wilodge Vantastic and is the first bull sold bred from the 30,000gns Haltcliffe Emerald purchased as a pick of the heifer crop from Haltcliffe herd during

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the sale held at the 2011 National Open Day. Purchasing this bull was Peter Alexander, Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie, Perth for his commercial enterprise of some 1,000 Limousin cross cows. Mr Alexander also purchased Ampertaine Hornby for 6500gns. Ronald & David Dick, Mains of Throsk, Stirling sold their young February 2013 born bull, Ronick Inspire, for 13,500gns. Ronick Inspire is by the herd’s stock bull the 17,000gns Rathconville Eugene, a Rocky son, and is out of the Ronick Luke sired Ronick Ucinda. Rathconville Eugene is also the sire of Ronick Honey who the Dicks sold for 20,000gns at Red Ladies in 2013, the highest priced Limousin female sold in the year. Purchasing Ronick Inspire was the pedigree Coachhouse herd of Messrs Heald & Co, Home Farm, Retford, Nottinghamshire. A bull with tremendous width and shape was Haltcliffe Hitec which made 13,000gns when selling for Messrs Ridley, Haltcliffe, Hesket New Market, Cumbria. Haltcliffe Hitec is one of few calves in the BLCS herdbook sired by Volcano the noted show calf producer from Richardsons of Ghyll House. December 2012 born, this first prize bull is out of the Haltcliffe Vermount sired Haltcliffe Elle. Buying this bull was L&E Fowlie, Guise, Alford, Aberdeenshire. On the day the Haltcliffe herd sold five bulls to gross 38,200gns with further bulls selling for 10,000gns, 6000gns, 5200gns, and 4000gns respectively. Selling at 10,000gns was Haltcliffe Ivan who was purchased for the Emslies herd by Harry Emslie, Kinockie, Mintlaw, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. Got by Ai, Haltcliffe Ivan is

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Ampertaine Hotshot – Res Intermediate Champion – 28,000gns

Roxburgh Hoodoo – 18,000gns

Foxhillfarm Impecabull – Overall Champion – 14,000gns

Ronick Inspire, 13,500gns

Glenrock Ideal – 12,000gns

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Limousin Sales

Wilodge HRH – 12,000gns

Foxhillfarm Incredibull – 11,000gns

Garyvaughan Hidget – 11,000gns

Paramor Icebreaker – 11,000gns

Loosebeare Handsome – 10,000gns

Allanfauld Invicible – 10,000gns

by the herd’s noted Sympa and is out of the French foundation female Romance which was described as ‘one of the best cows I’ve seen’ by Harry Emslie. Haltcliffe I van had stood as a third prize winner to the Overall Champion. Christine Williams, Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire made 12,000gns when selling the stylish first prize winner Wilodge HRH to Cornwall and the Trefrawl pedigree herd of PR&MA Hooper, Trefrawl Farm, Lanreath, Looe, Cornwall. November 2012 born and a first prize winner from class nine, Wilodge HRH is a three quarter brother to the prolific Wilodge Vantastic. He is sired by Hartlaw Excaliber, the 2011 National Show Male Champion, and is out of the herd’s note cow Ravanelle. Wilodge HRH was sold with a Beef Value of LM+41. Also at the 12,000gns mark was Stephen Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie with Glenrock Ideal. Another first prize winner, from class fourteen, Glenrock Icon was sired by the 23,000gns Goldies Comet and is another son out of the herd’s prolific Glenrock Spangle. A full brother to Glenrock Illusion who won the Junior Championship at the 2013 Stars of the Future Show, Glenrock Ideal was purchased by commercial producers GH Walton & Sons, Greyside Farm, Newbrough, Hexham. Garyvaughan Hidget, bred and sold by CV & EM Lewis & Sons, Buttington, Welshpool, Powys made 11,000gns when being purchased by Wm Reed & Sons, West Biggins Farm, Frosterley, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham. November 2012 born Hidget is by the herd’s 35,000gns stock bull Plumtree Deus and is out of the Haltcliffe Bruce sired Garyvaughan Fidget. Also at 11,000gns was Fieldson Isaac from Michael Fieldson, Poplar Farm, Corringham, Lincolnshire. A bull with a big beef value of LM+51, this January 2013 calf is by Wilodge Tonka and is out of Fieldson Cinderella, a Goldies Uppercrust daughter. Another five figure bull to go commercially, Fieldson Isaac a second prize bull, was purchased by J&W Wilson, Kirkmabreck Farm, Creetown, Newton Stewart. Another Plumtree Deus son to hit the money was Paramor Icebreaker from G&E Conway, Omagh, Co, Tyrone who also made 11,000gns. A second prize bull in the junior section, Icebreaker was got by AI and is out of the Haltcliffe Underwriter daughter Craigatoke Adele. This bull was purchased by JW Dent & Sons who run the Naby herd at Naby View Farm, Lartington, Barnard Castle, County Durham. From the second class of the day in the senior section the first prize winner Loosebeare Handsome from EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon made 10,000gns. July 2012 born, Handsome is by the Sympa son Aghadolgan Emperor and is out of the homebred Loosebeare Blossom. This bull, who won the best calf award in the South West region’s herd competition, was purchased for the 100 cow Brontemoor pedigree herd of

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JM & SM Priestley, Cracrop Farm, Brampton, Cumbria. Bought for his sheer power and correctness, the bull’s sire, Aghadolgan Emperor is out of the Brontemoor herd’s own breeding in the shape of Brontemoor Bobbydazzler. The Quicks later sold another Aghadolgan Emperor son, Loosebeare Handle, for 6500gns to RW & K Telford, West Hot Bank, Hexham, Northumberland. Late in the catalogue and the seventeenth bull to make five figures, A MacGregor, Allanfauld, Kilsyth, Glasgow made 10,000gns when selling Allanfauld Invincible to WF&H Logan, Maxwelston Farm, Girvan, Ayrshire. This very correct young bull, January 2013 born, is an AI calf by Wilodge Fastrac and is out of Allanfauld Elizabeth, one of the herd’s top cows. Invincible is from the same family as Allanfauld Romeo who sold for 15,000gns. Other Leading Prices Lot 159 – Goldies Highlander, 9000gns to MA and JM Youdan, Poplar House, Barnby Dun, Doncaster Lot 198 – Tweeddale Hansel, 9000gns to P Cooper and Son, Govals, Kincaldrum, Forfar Lot 114 – Norman Harvest, 8500gns to WP Hughes and Sons, Fferam Uchaf, Llanddeusant, Holyhead Lot 180 – Gunnerfleet Harold, 8000gns to RR Hughes, Fron Isaf, Gaerwen Lot 163 – Ampertaine Hydro, 7500gns to F and MP Allinson and Son, West Briscoe, Baldersdale, Barnard Castle Lot 309 – Gunnerfleet Informer, 7500gns to RW and K Telford, Branton East Side, Powburn, Alnwick Lot 161 – Goldies Highlight, 7000gns to DA Laing, Honeyburn, Hawick Lot 144 – Loosebeare Handle, 6500gns to RW and K Telford, Branton East Side, Powburn, Alnwick Lot 184 – Longhirst Hero, FI and ME Little, Helm Croft, Barrows Green, Kendal Lot 186 – Ampertaine Hornby, 6500gns to P Alexander, Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie Lot 102 – Newtown Freeman, 6000gns to TP Atkinson, Meadowview, Newland, Ulverston Lot 111 (Senior Champion) – Culnagechan Handsome, 6000gns to EJ MacArthur, Newton of Budgate, Cawdor, Nairn Lot 297 – Haltcliffe Israel, 6000gns to WE and EC Horn, Limetree Grove, Sebergham, Carlisle Averages: 40 Senior Bulls 40 Intermediate Bulls 34 Junior Bulls 114 Bulls

£4526.80 £7091.60 £7422.50 £6290.36

Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington

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Limousin Sales

8,000GNS GRAHAMS HIGHGOLD HEADS ‘STRONG’ STIRLING LIMOUSIN SALE

Stirling MAY 2014 • 46 bulls sold, up by 13 on the year • Bulls average £4247, up by £519

Grahams Highgold – 8000gns

• 87% clearance rate • 16 bulls at 5000gns and over • Bull Sale grosses £195,362 • Windsole heifer makes 5000gns

strong trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s May 2014 Stirling Sale, held within United Auction’s Multibreed sale on Monday 5th May, was led at 8,000gns by Grahams Highgold. An AI son of the French-bred Tigris and out of Ulala, dam of the 9,000gns Grahams Chelsea and 7,000gns Grahams Edith, this September 2012-born bull was consigned by Mr & Mrs R & J Graham, Airthrey Kerse, Bridge of Allan, Stirling. Carrying polled genetics and with a Beef Value of LM+44, the second prizewinning Grahams Highgold was purchased by noted commercial producer Peter Alexander, Mains of Mause, Blairgowrie. Also heading to Mains of Mause was the 5,000gns Harestone Hermes from Neil Barclay, South Road, Insch. This red ticket winner is an embryo calf by Mas Du Clo and out of Drummin Peach, a Moustic daughter and previous All Ireland Champion, and carried a Beef Value of LM+33. The two purchases at Stirling added to the 18,000gns and 6,500gns purchases at the Carlisle sale on Saturday May 3rd for this 1,000 cow commercial enterprise. A good show of bulls met with a strong demand from commercial producers as the Limousin bulls led the trade both in numbers sold and averages. 46 bulls sold, 13 up on the year, to average £4247, an increase of over £500 on the 2013 trade. Sixteen bulls in all sold at 5000gns and over with an 87% clearance rate and a bull sale gross of £195,362. Commenting, United Auctions auctioneer John Roberts said: “This is the best show of Limousin bulls we have seen at a May Sale at Stirling. There was a ready demand

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from commercial producers for bulls that had size, shape and figures”. Goldies Hustler – 7800gns

The Stirling sale followed hard on the heels of the Society’s May Sale at Carlisle two days previously that had seen averages and numbers sold up with 114 bulls averaging £6290. Picking up on the demand for the breed, BLCS Chief Executive Iain Kerr said: “In the last two weeks we have seen over 250 Limousin bulls sell at four Society Sales around the UK with averages and numbers sold up on the year. The Limousin breed is producing cattle with the carcases, conformation, consistency and weights required by the market place, but with less costs in terms of inputs. Putting less in and getting more out is profit and good economics for farmers.” The judge Andrew Gammie, who runs the 20 cow Westpit herd at Drumforber, Laurencekirk, had tapped up Goldies Hustler from Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald, Dumfries as the pre-sale Champion. October 2012-born, Hustler sold for the second top price of the day of 7,800gns to Mountquhanie Farms, Cupar, Fife. By the 22,000gns Hartlaw Excaliber, he is out of the Goldies Terence daughter Goldies Divaqueen and carried a Beef Value of LM+57 the highest in the catalogue. The sale continued a good run of prices for the herd with Hartlaw Excaliber sired sons, with three at the Carlisle sale having sold for 9000gns, 7000gns, and 5000gns respectively. The Wilodge Tonka sired Hartlaw Excaliber was the National Show Limousin Male Champion in 2011. Commenting on his Champion bull the

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Anside Hornet – 6000gns

Dyke Hurricane – 6,000gns

judge Andrew Gammie said: “This is a very powerful bull, good on his legs, well balanced and with a very good end.” Local breeder Andrew Burnett, Upper Spittalton, Blair Drummond, Stirling made a top price of 6800gns when selling Spittalton Harbro to TW Oliver who runs the Cawfield herd at Cawfields Farm, Haltwhistle, Northumberland.

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Limousin Sales Dominator daughter is out of Windsole Utopia, by Greensons Gigolo and is maternal sister to Windsole Caroline who was Junior Champion and Reserve Female Champion at the 2008 Royal Highland Show. The offering from Andrew Burnett’s Spittalton Herd, Blair Drummond, Stirling peaked at 2,600gns twice. The first to make this was Spittalton Hello, by Lodge Equal and out of the Hargill Blaze-sired Spittalton Eugene. She was sold in-calf to Maraiscote Gigolo to Christopher Dick. Andrew Waugh from Kilnstown Farms paid the same money to secure the April 2013-born Spittalton Ingot. By Ampertaine Commander, she is out of Spittalton Flourish, again by Hargill Blaze.

“Goldies Hustler… a very powerful bull, good on his legs, well balanced and with a very good end.” Andrew Gammie, pre-sale show judge, commenting on his Champion Bull June 2012 born, Spittalton Harbro is by Hargill Blaze and is out of the Middledale Shergar daughter Spittalton Bertha. The Spittalton herd also sold bulls in the sale at 3500gns, 3800gns, and 4000gns respectively. The first bull in the ring, Fedneyhouse Harley from TJ Adams, Banbridge, Co Down, N. Ireland, made 6000gns. April 2012 born this bull is by the 22,000gns Guards Boomer whose progeny have sold up to 38,000gns. He is out of the French cow Napolie a Faignant daughter. Fedneyhouse Harley was bought by Lochty Farm Ltd, Arncroach, Anstruther. Four lots later Ian Nimmo, Bogside Farm, Newmains, Wishaw also made 6000gns when selling Maraiscote Hugo to R&J Greenlaw, Balgairn Farm, Dinnet, Aberdeenshire. Another son of the herd’s noted stock bull Virginia Andy, the May 2012 born Hugo is out of the Normande Urquhart daughter Maraiscote Calypso. Maraiscote also had the day’s Reserve Champion Maraiscote Hawkeye, another Virginia Andy son, who sold for 4000gns to T Howden, Stanley Farm, Perth. Following his judging stint at Carlisle, Martin Irvine, Braehead Farm, Drummuir, Banff, was back in selling action at Stirling when making 6000gns for Anside Hornet. A heifer’s calf, the August 2012 born Hornet is by the 22,000gns Broadmeadows Cannon son Derriaghy Enfield and is out of Anside Elma. Purchasing this bull was JA Wallace & Sons, High Glentriplock, Whauphill, Newton Stewart. In all the Anside herd sold five bulls on the day to gross just under 22,000gns. Donald MacGregor, Dyke Farm, Milton of Campsie, Glasgow sold Dyke Hurricane also at the 6,000gns mark. By Cloughhead Delboy, a Genial grandson, he is out of Dyke Cava, an Ardbrack Taketime daughter, dam of the

10,000gns Dyke Galaxy. He sold with a Beef Value of LM+36 to Messrs Fisher, Logiealmond, Perth. The herd went on to sell Dyke Hotrod, a Wilodge Cerberus son and out of the dam Dyke Flame for 4,800gns. With a Beef Value of LM+45, Hotrod was knocked down to RSPB, Isle of Islay. The same buyers snapped up the first prize winner in the last class, Tweeddale Haggis, at 5,800gns. Consigned by Jonathan Watson, Bowsden Moor, Berwick-UponTweed, this Newhouse Cyclone son is out of Tweeddale Diva, a Hafodlas Bedwyr daughter, and carried a Beef Value of LM+45. Two bulls in all secured final bids of 5,500gns. Lauder Hobnob from John & Craig Connell, Wanton Walls, Lauder was snapped up by the Scottish Government Bull Stud, Knocknagael Farm, Inverness. By Homebyres Eagle, this September 2012 bull is out of Greenwell Favourite, a Vagabond daughter. Also at 5,500gns and heading to the same buyers was Glenrock Hector brought out by Stephen Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. Having stood second in his class to the presale champion, this October 2012-born bull is by Carmorn Copilot and is out of the Bremore Artist daughter, Glenrock Dior.

Lauder Hobnob – 5,500gns

Strawfrank Hugo – 5,400gns

Windsole Henrietta – 5,000gns

Realising 5,400gns was the second prizewinning bull Strawfrank Hugo from Allan Campbell, Strawfrank Farm, Carstairs Junction, Lanark. By Tehix, he is out of the Casimir daughter Greenwell Finesse and was bought by Messrs Moleigh. Maraiscote Hawkeye – 4000gns

A small offering of seventeen heifers was topped at 5,000gns by the April 2012-born heifer, Windsole Henrietta, from William Lawson, Rahalloch, Windsole, Auchterarder. The purchaser was David Orr, Crossgates, Fife for his Keirsbeath Herd. This Millington

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Averages: 46 Bulls (+13)

£4,247 (+£519)

Auctioneer: United Auctions

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Limousin Sales

MILLGATE HEMAN TOPS BALLYMENA SALE AT 5,200GNS

Ballymena MAY 2014 • 43 Bulls average £2,872.85, averages up by £94 on the year • 13 Females average £1,833.46 • Sale grosses £138,543.74 • Overall Sale Clearance Rate 95% (43/45 bulls and 13/14 females) • Export Sale to Scotland Millgate Heman Intermediate Champion – 5,200gns

he British Limousin Cattle Society’s Show & Sale held on Monday 5th May 2014 at Ballymena Livestock Mart saw another solid trade for Limousin stock with 43 bulls finding new homes at a clearance rate of 96% to an average of £2,872. Averages were up on the year by £94. Females were also in demand at a clearance rate of 93% selling at an average of £1,833 up by £316 on the corresponding sale in 2013. There was a buzz of Spring at both the show and sale rings which were packed with spectators and potential buyers. Top price on the day of 5,200gns went to Millgate Heman bred by M Loughran, Cookstown. This November 2012-born bull had been picked by Judge Paul Rainey, Kilrea as his Intermediate Champion at the pre-sale show and is sired by the 32,000gns Millgate Fame and out of Ballyline Barbra. The bull, which has a Beef Value of LM+40 now heads to the home of J McCloskey, Draperstown to work with his commercial herd. Second top price of 5,000gns went to Keenaught Hector bred by Niall Quinn, Kilrea. This June 2012 bull had been placed as Overall Reserve Supreme Champion, Reserve Male Champion and Reserve Senior Champion. He is sired by Carmorn Copilot and is out of the dam Carntogher Delilah. With a Beef Value of LM+24 he was purchased by another commercial breeder A Baxter, Ballyclare. The Overall Supreme Champion, Male Champion and Senior Champion, Culnagechan

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Hasselhoff, from Derek Hume, Randalstown, Co Antrim realised 4,800gns. This July 2012born bull, also sired by Carmorn Copilot, is out of the homebred dam Culnagechan Empress. Holding a Beef Value of LM+34, he now heads to Carrickmcstay Farm’s commercial and pedigree enterprise at Warrenpoint. The fourth top price of 4,300gns went to the Junior Reserve Champion bull Envier Icefall bred by Mr M McKeefry, Garvagh. This February 2013-born bull is sired by Ampertaine Bermuda and out of the homebred dam Eniver Fantastic and holds a Beef Value of LM+23. He was bought by M Smith, Kells. Next was Scotchtown Heston bred by L Allison, Limavady realising a price of 3,500gns. This December 2012-born bull, sired by Wilodge Cerberus and out of Scotchtown Divine, now heads to pedigree breeder R Workman, Larne. Top female price of the day of 3,100gns went to Female Champion Annadale Hippy bred by C Murray, Cullyhanna. This stylish and feminine August 2012-born heifer is sired by Ampertaine Commander being out of the homebred dam Annadale Eyecandy, a Ronick Iceman daughter. Annadale Hippy was bought by pedigree breeder J Cranny, Newry. Second top priced female at 2,600gns was Saulbrea Faith (by Ronick Argos) sold with her February 2014 heifer calf at foot sired by Saulbrae Gringo. Consigned by T Neale, Downpatrick this outfit was snapped up by R Matthewson, Newtownstewart.

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Keenaught Hector Overall Reserve Champion – 5,000gns

Cunagechan Hasselhoff Supreme Champion – 4800gns

The third leading price of 2,000gns went to two heifers owned by J & E Wilson, Banbridge with both of them heading to pedigree breeder G Rodgers, Dromara . Both heifers are sired by Banville Blast with Lisnisk Hatty a March 2012 heifer bred out of the dam Edenkennedy Aimee and Lisnisk Hetty , a class winner, born April 2014, out of the dam Lisnisk Aniseed.

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Limousin Sales

Brecon MAY 2014 • 14 bulls make 4,000gns or more • 37 bulls average £3,654 • 74% clearance rate

Teifi Hector – 5,500gns

Glangwden Hull – 5,100gns

TEIFI HECTOR LEADS BRECON LIMOUSIN TRADE AT 5,500GNS T eifi Hector, the first bull to be sold at auction, from Mr D Thomas, Dolgwm Uchaf, Llanbydder, Carmarthenshire, made 5,500gns and led the trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s May Sale held at Brecon Market on Saturday 10th May 2014.

This stylish September 2012-born bull had earlier picked up the pre-sale show Reserve Senior Championship from the judge Ken Jones of the noted Garnedd herd, Bryn Ddraenen, Padog, Betws-Y-Coed, Conwy. By the prolific AI sire Wilodge Tonka and out of the cow Winnington Veronique, Teifi Hector was purchased by WI & J Adams, Tir Canol Farm, Cwmtwrch, Swansea. The top price on the day constituted an excellent opening sale for the recently established Teifi pedigree herd. The sale saw a good turnout of commercial buyers purchasing 37 bulls in all, out of fifty forward, to a solid average of £3,654. Commenting immediately after the sale, McCartneys auctioneer Chris Jones, who sold the bulls, said: “It’s been a good sale with commercial buyers looking for bulls to breed calves with potential. Bulls that were correct with good conformation sold well and met

vendors’ expectations. It was clear that buyers were on a budget and a good average and clearance has been achieved with no big top end prices.”

Mr & Mrs CL & FE Jerman, Glangwden, Trefeglwys, Caersws, Powys made 5,100gns when selling the May 2012-born Glangwden Hull to DL Owens & Sons, Cusop Farm, Brecon, Powys. Bred for shape, this first prize bull from the second class is by the Objat son Powerhouse Emblem and is out of the Haltcliffe Ullswater daughter Glangwden Dewdrop. The Overall Supreme Champion, Powerhouse Hollywood, from Mr & Mrs C Phillips, The Batch, Sarnesfield, Weobley, Herefordshire sold for 5,000gns. The first prize winner in the first class of the day, this March 2012-born bull, who weighed in at 1,070 kg, is entirely homebred being by Powerhouse Elite and out of the Ulm-sired Powerhouse Emerald. The Champion bull was the first to be sold at auction by the Objat son Powerhouse Elite, a bull ‘doing the business’ both in pedigree and commercial circles. It was a first time Overall Champion at a BLCS sale for the Phillips and from their thirty cow pedigree

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herd. Commenting on his Champion, the judge Ken Jones said: “The Champion bull is tremendously powerful, very correct, and is good on his legs. He’s a ‘real’ Limousin bull with plenty of hard, natural muscle.” Purchasing the Champion bull were Messrs Price & Price, Cwm Earl, Sarn, Newtown, Powys. Hot on the heels of their impressive sale debut at Carlisle, Michael & Melanie Alford, Foxhill Farm, Blackborough, Cullompton, Devon, secured a 5,000gns price when selling their first prize winner from the last class, Foxhillfarm Igor. Foxhillfarm Igor, March 2013born and carrying a Beef Value of LM+42, is another embryo calf by the 42,000gns Wilodge Vantastic and out of the 15,000gns Bankdale Alice. This bull is the same way bred as the herd’s Supreme Champion at Carlisle seven days previously. Purchaser of this bull was E Davies, Manor Farm, Stanton Long, Much Wenlock, Shropshire. One lot previously, the Alfords had sold the identically bred Foxhillfarm Ivan (LM+44) for 4,200gns to S & DJ Williams, Cefnllech, Pantydwr, Rhayader, Powys. Securing a final bid of 4,600gns when going under the hammer to Mr J Price, Tycook

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Limousin Sales

Reddragon Habana – 4,500gns

Wilodge Homerun – 4,350gns

Supreme Champion Powerhouse Hollywood – 5,000gns

Farm, Pontypool, Gwent was Loosebeare Hunky, a second prizewinner from Messrs EW Quick & Sons, Loosebeare Manor, Zeal Monachorum, Crediton, Devon. Born in August 2012, Loosebeare Hunky (LM+38) is by the 17,000gns Sympa son, Aghadolgan Emperor, and is out of the eleven-year-old cow Loosebeare Upoppy. Messrs Quick sold two further bulls at 4,100gns and 4,000gns respectively. The Reserve Junior Champion, Reddragon Habana from TE Price & HE Griffiths, Pencraig Farm, Trelech, Carmarthen took a final bid of 4,500gs when knocked down to Davies Bros, Llanfechan, Garth, Builth Wells. Reddragon Habana is by the Vagabond-sired Greenwell Fantastic and is out of the Sable daughter Mynach Elderflower and had won the Best Young Bull award in the South Wales & MidWest Limousin Club Herd Competition in 2013.

Miss C Williams, Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, Shrops sold Wilodge Homerun for 4,350gns to EL & SM Rees, Box Farm, Newnham on Severn, Glocs. By another Sympa son, the AI sire Ampertaine Bravo, and out of the 9,000gns Wilodge Cerberus daughter, Whinfellpark Fanzine, this heifer’s calf sported a Beef Value of LM+50 putting him squarely in the top1% of recorded Limousins. Dinmore Haak was next best when realising 4,300gns to TV Jones & Co, Bailey Maerdy Farm, Whitney on Wye, Herefordshire. A November 2012-born embryo calf by Carmorn Copilot and out of the 2007 Royal Show Interbreed Champion Newstart Upsydaisy, Dinmore Haak was sold with a Beef Value of LM+33 by Paul Dawes, Kipperknowle Farm, Dinmore Manor, Hereford.

Reserve Overall Champion Garyvaughan Hupid – 4,200gns

The Junior Champion and Reserve Overall, Garyvaughan Hupid, from CV & EM Lewis & Sons, Buttington Hall, Buttington, Welshpool was purchased for 4,200gns by G & A Orrells, Maesderwen, Abermule, Newtown. November 2012-born, he is by the prolific sire, Plumtree Deus, whose first 27 sons have averaged 8,500gns, and is out of the homebred Garyvaughan Cupid. In the females, the trade was led by the 2,750gns Female Champion Mynach Helana from ED Griffiths & Co, Cilgryman Fawr, Cwmfelin Mynach, Whitland. By Greenwell Enrique, a son of the £18,900 French-bred Balbo, and out of the Sable-sired dam Mynach Delana, this two-year-old maiden heifer was purchased by RW & CS Richards, Abbey Farm Craswell, Hereford who had earlier bought the similarly bred Mynach Hessa for 2,000gns. The Reserve Female Champion, again from Messrs Griffiths, this time by Sable, reached 2,400gns when heading to BT Jenkins, Pantrodyn, Brongest Road, Newcastle Emlyn.

Averages: 37 Bulls 14 Heifers 1 Cow & Calf Auctioneer: McCartneys

Foxhillfarm Igor – 5,000gns

Limousin

the british limousin cattle society

www.limousin.co.uk

£3,653.72 £1,770.00 £1,732.50

Limousin Sales

10,500GNS ROCKFIRTH HALIFAX ‘LIFTS THE BAR’ AT LIMOUSIN SUMMER SALE

Carlisle JUNE 2014 • Top price for first-time exhibitor Thomas Threlkeld • Eight bulls sell to 4,000gns and more • 22 bulls average £3,930, two more bulls sold on the year • Hudscales top the females at 3,200gns Rockfirth Halifax – 10,500gns

ockfirth Halifax from Thomas Threlkeld, Bow House Farm, Glencaple, Dumfries, made 10,500gns and led the trade at the British Limousin Cattle Society’s end of season Summer Sale held at Borderway Mart, Carlisle on Friday 13th June 2014. Marking a fine debut, this was the first bull at a Society sale presented by Mr Threlkeld who has four cows in his pedigree Rockfirth herd. Rockfirth Halifax is by the Objat son Cloughhead Eddie and is out of the Vagabond daughter Greenwell Crystal. Speaking after the sale, a delighted Mr Threlkeld said that Greenwell Crystal was one of three cows that he had purchased at the noted Greenwell Dispersal Sale in 2010. In breeding Rockfirth Halifax, Cloughhead Eddie had been used primarily for the Objat breeding with Mr Threlkeld thinking that this would be a good match with the breeding of the dam. The 10,500gns top-priced bull was purchased by commercial producers J Halliday & Son, Pearsbyhall Farms, Tundergarth, Lockerbie.

Son, Kirkton of Crawford, Abington, Biggar Lanarkshire. This bull, December 2012 born, was by the herd’s stock bull Bremore Artist, a Nenuphar son and is out of the Cloughhead Lord daughter, Glenrock Campari. Millington Holland made 4,500gns when selling to W Halliday & Sons Capelfoot, Tundergarth, Lockerbie. Bringing a different bloodline on the sire side, this June 2012 bull is by the French bred sire Ecran. He is out of the Millington Vascular daughter Millington Daisy.

Fieldson Indigo – 5,000gns

Three bulls made 4,000gns. The first of these was Dolcorsllwyn Hellraiser from Glyn Vaughan, Dolcorsllwyn, Machynlleth, Powys. Again bringing a new bloodline, Hellraiser is one of the first bulls to be sold by the French bred Anecdote, an Ondit son. Out of the Wilodge Vantastic daughter Dolcorsllwyn Emue, this September 2012 born bull was purchased by J McConachie & Son who run the Lethendry pedigree herd at Lethendry Farm, Cromdale, Grantown on Spey, Morayshire. Glenrock Hanibull – 4,900gns

In all, this end of season Summer Sale saw 22 bulls sell out of 32 forward to average £3,930. Eight bulls in the sale made 4,000gns or more. Two more bulls were sold than at the corresponding 2013 sale. The second top price was the 5,000gns paid for Fieldson Indigo from JW & M C Fieldson, Poplar Farm, Corringham, Gainsborough. This January 2013 born bull is a Gunnerfleet Plunas son and is out of Fieldson Upbeat. Indigo was purchased by D J & M J Hoggarth from Old Hall, Ultha, Broughton in Furness. At 4,900gns was Glenrock Hanibull from Mr S D Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie which was sold to T W Hamilton &

Also at 4,000gns was another from the Fieldson herd this time the November 2012 born Fieldson Houdini. This bull is by another Wilodge Vantastic son, Ironstone Colonel, and is out of the homebred Fieldson Tequila. Purchasing Fieldson Houdini was WJF Ramsay, Mid Muntloch Farm, Drummore, Stranraer. The third bull to make 4,000gns was Eagleside Hoffmeister from Thomas Illingworth, Howgillside, Eaglesfield, Lockerbie. December 2012 born, Hoffmeister is another calf by the Irish-bred Bremore Artist and is out of an Irish dam, Brookmill Carrib, a Limo Tanat daughter. This bull also went locally when selling to DJ & M Moffat, Beechfield, Old Graitney, Gretna.

the british limousin cattle society

Millington Holland – 4,500gns

Averages: 22 Bulls

www.limousin.co.uk

£3,930.00

Limousin

Limousin Sales

Limousin

the british limousin cattle society