Large Entry for New Format Borderway Continental Stores Event
2011-03-14

One of the largest consignments for Harrison & Hetherington’s annual special show and sale of continental store cattle in Carlisle on Saturday March 26th comes from Herries Farms, Glencaple, Dumfries.

Herries Farms manager Thomas Threlkeld, left, and cattleman Colin Cairns with steers most of which will be selected for the Carlisle continental store cattle sale.

Thomas Threlkeld, manager of the 1,000 acres farmed in hand on the Caerlaverock Estate owned by Lady Mary Mumford, has sold the majority of the suckled calves from the farm’s 300 cow herd of mainly cross and threequarter bred Limousins through the March and September annual fixtures at Carlisle for a number of years.

The cows are run with seven pedigree Limousin bulls and two pedigree British Blues with the majority of replacements for the principally spring-calving herd home-bred.

Thomas with a line-up of heifers

Under the eye of stockman of 15 years Colin Cairns, great attention is paid to the health status of the cattle. With the exception of minerals and a 16 per cent protein concentrate, all the feed is home-grown, including cereals and straw grown on 300 acres.

Herries Farms will be entering around 120 cattle and Thomas will be hoping to match last March sale prices when 48 heifers averaged £800, a quarter of which were sold for breeding, and 52 steers averaged £906.

“I think it is important to support your local market. This sale will set a price precedent and it attracts buyers from all over the UK. Last year more than half of my heifers were bought by a producer from the south coast of England,” said Thomas, originally from Cliburn, near Penrith, who has been Herries Farms manager for 23 years.

The Borderway sale, which has attracted an entry of 1,800 cattle, is for the first time this year preceded by an evening show of haltered and unhaltered cattle on Friday March 25th. The steer judge is Louise Todd, of Manor Farm, Wragby, Lincolnshire. Heifer judge is Hugh Dunlop, Hole House Farm, Ayrshire.

Solid Demand for Dungannon Charolais Peaking at 5,200gns
British Blondes National Herd Competition 2010
Wilodge Enrico Sells in £30,000 Private Deal