A DISAPPOINTING trade for pedigree Limousin bulls saw averages fall almost £1,000 on the year – despite a top price of 38,000gns and a further 19 bulls attracting five-figure prices.

But a bull from a Carmarthenshire farm proved to be a little bit special as sale leader Cowin Tequin fetched 38,000gns.

While there was a good, solid demand for pedigree and commercial bulls which sell at 20,000gns or more, there was a distinct shortage of buyers which many put down to the poor wet spring and some stressful lambings and calvings.

However, anything with a touch of class as always made big money, with the sale leader Cowin Tequin selling jointly to pedigree breeders Robert and Hazel McNee of the Westhall herd, based at Tealing, Dundee and the Adam family, who own the Newhouse herd based at Newhouse of Glamis, Forfar.

“You don’t get many bulls like him coming to the market and he’s got the depth, width and fleshing ability we were looking for,” said Mr McNee, adding that both herds run 80 pedigree Limousin females.

Taking their eye was a second prize senior bull from Welsh breeders Dyfan and Carol James and son Rheon.

Producing a personal best for this 75-cow herd from Cynwyl Elfed was an AI son of the 19,000gns Ampertaine Jeronimo, a bull that has previously bred sons to 35,000gns, out of a Dinmore Jonesy cow that goes back to Requin.

Tequin, which is bred from the best cow family in the herd, also boasts a double copy of the F94L easy calving gene and growth traits in the top 1% of the breed.

The breeder of the sire, James McKay, Northern Ireland, also had a great day selling four bulls to average £14,175, with his three dearest all by home-bred Ampertaine sires.

 

Also in the money at 20,000gns was Sarkley Tyndall, a 17-month-old first prize winner from Glyn Pennie and sons Chris and Nigel’s 150-cow herd from Montgomery, Powys.

Their bull is an AI son of Foxhillfarm Ourbest which bred last year’s 52,000gns sale leader and out of the Ampertaine Commander-sired Sarkley Leanne which is bred from the same cow as the 180,000gns record priced Graiggoch Rambo. Tyndall sold carrying a double copy of the F94L myostatin gene.

Top female was Frogmore Ursula, a 16-month-old heifer bred by Chris White, purchased by Mary Cormack, to join the Rougemont herd, Chepstow, Monmouthshire.

Ursula is by Loosebeare Master and out of the Ampertaine Magnum-sired Frogmore Ruby.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Averages: 80 bulls, £8213.63 (-£965.34 for the same number); 19 heifers, £3547.89.