Stirling Salers peak at 8000 guineas

THE trend for unrivalled, easy calving Salers bulls with strong growth rates continued to flourish at Stirling Bull Sales, where six out of the seven bulls forward peaked at 8000gns, giving an average of £5,163, up £613 on 2021 with a clearance rate of 86 per cent.

The judge was Andrew Waugh, Kilnstown Salers. He and his family farm 1,000 acres at Kilnstown and neighbouring farm, The Park, in Bewcastle, Cumbria, and a further 100 acres at Irthing House at Gilsland, Northumberland. They run around 30 pedigree Galloway cows, 40 Salers X Galloways cows, and 40 Lim X Salers x Galloways cows.

Limousin bulls are used over the crossbred cows and Salers bulls cross over some of the Galloways and most of the heifers are kept for breeding.

Topping the trade for the day was the Overall Champion Strathallan Petrous from D Murray Lyle, Dunblane, who was brought out by Robbie McNeill. Strathallan Petrous was a May 2020 born Seamore Kawasaki son, who also sired the Strathallan bred February 2020 Stirling Bull Sales Champion. He was purchased by

J & A McColl, Braco, Dunblane.

Claiming the Reserve Overall Champion title was Gerald and Morag Smith, from Drumsleed, with Drumsleed Puma Blk, the youngest bull in the Salers section, born on October 2, 2020, and sired by Whitebog Convener. Drumsleed Puma Blk was purchased by the Scottish government bull stud for 3000gns.

The second highest price for a Salers bull was 6800gns for David Watson’s Darnford Producer, a Seawell Kitemark son born in June 2020 and out of Darnford May. He went home to Glenkiln Farms, Dumfries.

Rigel Pedigree realised 4200gns for Rigel Pacifique Poll, out of Cleuchhead Gentle 1241 and sired by Rigel Mycroft Poll. Pacifique Poll was purchased by J & A McColl, Dunblane. From the same home Rigel Prospero Blk Poll was purchased for 4000gns by M A Bell, Dumbarton. This homozygous polled bull, born in March 2020, was sired by Rigel Drambuie Poll out of Rigel Ophelia Poll.

Gill and Malcolm Pye, of Rednock Estate, sold the Drumaglea Kes sired son Rednock Puccini for 3500gns to T Coghill, Muce, Orkney.