Blelack Heifer Tops St Boswells Best of Blacks at 15,000gns
2010-09-29

Aberdeen-Angus heifers met a strong demand for some of the top blood-lines in the breed at the annual Best of the Blacks sale at St Boswells on Saturday (September 25).

Leading trade at the Best of Blacks sale in the Borders was the 15,000gns Blelack lady Heather J169
from Messrs N F Massie and Sons.

But a mixed offering of cows and calves were more difficult to sell and a number were withdrawn unsold while others realised little more than commercial value.

The sale was organised by the Border Aberdeen-Angus Club and conducted by local auctioneers, John Swan Ltd.

Guest consignors, N F Massie and Sons, Blelack, Dinnet, Aberdeenshire, claimed the top price of the sale when they sold their 2010 show heifer to join a new herd recently founded by former leading Holstein breeder, John Loftus of R J and D Loftus, Preese Hall, Weeton, Preston, Lancs. The dispersal of Mr Loftus’ Weeton Holstein herd last April saw 600 lots average £4000.

His purchase, Blelack Lady Heather J169, by Netherallan Peter Pershore E052, a bull recently sold to the Shadwell herd in Norfolk for a high five-figure price after three seasons at Blelack, was described by Graeme Massie as the best heifer ever sold from the herd.

She was first in her class at the Royal Highland Show in June and breed champion at Fettercairn, Turriff and Tarland shows on her only show outings. Her full brother, Blelack Lord Hildago H972, was supreme champion at Stirling in February when sold for 25,000gns and she was sold in calf to Blelack Kanasta Lad G191.

The exceptional Lady Heather line at Blelack has produced supreme champions at both the Royal and Great Yorkshire shows. The heifer boasts a terminal sire index of +35 and a self replacing index of +44.

The Massie’s also sold their Royal Highland Show reserve supreme and junior champion, Blelack Blackbird H073, a two year old daughter of Nightingale Defiance E264 and out of the Galcantray Edward Z081-sired, Blelack Blackbird D031, at 8000gns to Charolais breeder, Jan Boomaars, Woldingham, Surrey, who is establishing an Aberdeen-Angus herd alongside his 200-cow Vexour Charolais herd. This heifer was sold in calf to Peter Pershore.

Mr Boomaars’ other purchases included a daughter of the top performance bull, Rawburn Lord Ross C216, the two year old heifer, Rawburn Toyah H848, at 5000gns and another two year old, Rawburn Duchess Norfolk H796, by the former Danish junior champion, Fruelands Atlas, at 4800gns. Both were consigned by breeder, John Elliot, Kelso, Roxburghshire.

Both were sold in calf to Rawburn El Torro H774 who recorded a terminal sire index of +50 and a self replacing index of +67. His maternal brother recorded the highest terminal index in the UK and was sold earlier this year for £20,000 to the Eastfield herd.

The second top price of the sale of 13,800gns also went to Rawburn for another daughter of Lord Ross, Rawburn Julie Erica F526, a four year old cow which Mr Elliot forecasts will go on to be one of the breed greats. She was the heaviest heifer in the 2006 crop at Rawburn and is in the top 1% of the breed for terminal index and growth traits.

She was sold with a six month old heifer calf at foot by the £32,000 Idvies stock bull, Rawburn Rommel E423, and sold in calf to Rawburn El Torro H774. Buyer was Mike Frazer for his Eden Vale herd at Ballyclare, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Mr Frazer also paid 7000gns for the two year old, Castlegate Ruby H019, by Drumcrow Proud Peacock C175, female champion at Northumberland Show, from fish-and-chip shop owner, Stuart Addison, Castelgate, Berwick-on-Tweed, and 6000gns for the two year-old Rawburn Lord Hyster C254 daughter, Rawburn Duchess Kent H862, from Mr Elliot.

Another promising daughter of the Danish sire from Rawburn, the two year old Rawburn Ella H809, realised the third highest price of 7500gns to J C Lister Farms Ltd, Ellenthorpe Lodge, Boroughbridge, North Yorks.

Grade 1 embryos from two American cows offered by Bova-Gen Ltd, owned by John Elliot, Jun, sold for 800gns and 650gns and six straws of semen from the renowned Rawburn sire, Rawburn Transformer, made 270gns each to Neil Wattie, Mains of Tonley, Alford, Aberdeenshire.

Averages:
8 cows and calves £3425.62, 23 heifers £3948.91 (Auctioneers: John Swan Ltd).

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