A strong export trade was the theme of the day at the much anticipated premier heifer sale of WH Robson & Sons, Doagh, Ballyclare, Co. Antrim. Held as a timed on-line auction over three days, 19th to 21st August, this export qualified sale celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the noted and prolific Kilbride Farm pedigree Simmental herd.
On offer was a select high-quality catalogue of yearling and in-calf heifers from the herds main and prolific cow families. In the run up to the sale the Robson family had imaginatively and extensively promoted and marketed the sale through social media with in-depth picture and video content of the animals for sale, and with details of their breeding lines. A number of potential buyers also viewed the animals on-farm. The hard work paid off with the sale, held in conjuction with Ballymena Market and the online MartEye, raising worldwide interest. The top priced heifer was purchased by an Australian buyer, with two further heifers heading to buyers in Germany. Four heifers headed to Scotland, with six going south to the Republic of Ireland, and two remaining with buyers in Northern Ireland. Fifteen heifers sold in all to average a very healthy £4886.
Kilbride Farm Eunice 314L (P) 6000gns
Leading the way at 6000gns was the August 2020 born Kilbride Farm Eunice 314L (P) who went ‘down under’ when being purchased by Jeff Knox, Crookwell, New South Wales. Out of Kilbride Farm Eunice 191F,this heifer goes back to the Milnafua Graduate daughter, Eunice 34S. Her sire, Kilbride Farm Hans PP, goes back to Kilbride Farm Fanni 9V who also bred the 12,000gns Kilbride Farm Bantry. As recently as last year, Mr Knox imported 32 embryos from the Kilbride Farm herd and from which he now has pregancies. From here, agreement has been reached that Kilbride Farm Eunice 314L (P) will be kept at Kilbride Farm where she will be flushed, and with embryos being exported to Mr. Knox thereafter.
Commenting following the sale, Billy Robson said: “We are delighted to have held this sale to mark 50 years of Kilbride Farm Simmentals. As the herd has progressed in that time, we’ve exported Simmental genetics around the world. It’s very fitting therefore to have seen such an export theme to this sale. The sale represented an opportunity for purchasers to buy animals from our best breeding lines and we very much trust they go on to do well for their new owners.” One of the longest established British Simmental herds, Kilbride Farm have been prolific sellers privately and at both the Perth and Stirling bull sales over many years.
Kilbride Farm Eunice 295K (P) 5100gns
Selling at 5100gns was Kilbride Farm Eunice 295K (P) who was one of three heifers purchased by Eoin Coogan, Co Wicklow, Republic of Ireland. August 2019 born, this heifer is by the homozygous polled bull Sneumgaard Imperator, a herd sire imported from Denmark. Again with a depth of breeding and performance, Eunice 295K (P), is out of the powerful Crugmelyn Brenin daughter Kilbride Farm Eunice 149D and with her grand dam Eunice 45T being a full sister to Kilbride Farm Titan who was a Champion at the Stirling Bull Sales.This heifer was sold in-calf to Curaheen Gunshot (P).Mr Coogan was back in action when purchasing Kilbride Farm Eunice 306K for 4400gns. Again with a connectivity in breeding, Eunice 306K is one of the few Crugmelyn Brenin heifers in the herd to ever have been offered for sale. November 2019 born, she is out of the prolific Cairnview Snazzy daughter, Kilbride Farm Eunice 103B. Making it a hat trick of purchases, the August 2019 born Kilbride Farm Jolly25K (P), also headed to the newly establishing herd of Mr Coogan in Co. Wicklow when she was purchased for 4100gns. Jolly 25K (P) is by the Crugmelyn Brenin son Kilbride Farm Gruffalo 15 (P) and is out of Kilbride Farm Jolly 17G (P). The Jolly family has produced some of the highest priced bulls from the herd and up to 22,000gns. Kilbride Farm Jolly 25K was sold in calf to Kilbride Farm Jetstream P.
Kilbride Farm Dora 97K (P) 4700gns
Two heifers sold at 4700gns. The first of these Kilbride Farm Dora 97K (P), headed to Scotland when being bought by Mike Morrice for the Boharm pedigree herd at Mains of Newton, Craigellachie, Moray. The August 2019 born Dora 97K (P), is the first heifer to be offered at sale sired by Islavale Harvest 16, the Ranfurly Confederate C24 11 son. She is out of Kilbride Farm Dora 75F (P), a daughter of the homozygous polled Ardadoney VIP (PP), and was sold in-calf to Kilbride Farm Jetstream P.
Kilbride Farm Eunice 305K 4700gns
Another selling to Scotland, and again at 4700gns, was the October 2019 born Kilbride Farm Eunice 305K who was one of two purchases by Kate & Alan McNee, Over Finlarg Farm, Tealing, Dundee to join their Finlarg herd. A further heifer by Kilbride Farm Gruffalo 15 (P), Eunice 305K is out of Kilbride Farm Eunice 245I (P), a Sneumgaard Imperator PP heifer going back to Seaview Prince Charming and Dovefield Gallant. Also heading to Over Finlarg at 3900gns was the youngest heifer in the catalogue, the August 2020 Kilbride Farm Eunice 315L (P). Again full of breeding, Eunice 315L (P) is by Curaheen Gunshot (P), and is out of Kilbride Farm Eunice 274J (P). Speaking after the sale Hazel McNee, who had viewed the cattle on farm prior to the sale, said: “These heifers offer a different type of breeding to what we presently have in the herd. The depth of breeding in the Kilbride Farm herd is well known and we have always admired the Kilbride Farm bulls forward at Stirling sales. The sale offered a good opportunity to buy into proven bloodlines and we are very pleased with the heifers bought.”
Kilbride Farm Eunicie 291K 4500gns
The very first lot in the catalogue, Kilbride Farm Eunice 291K made 4500gns when selling to the Killultagh herd of Connor Wilkinson, Killultagh Road, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland. Getting the sale off to a strong start, this April 2019 heifer, a full sister to Kilbride Farm Gruffalo, is a Crugmelyn Brenin daughter out of Kilbride Farm Eunice 92A (P). Eunice 291K’s granddam was noted as being ‘a tremendous breeding polled Milnafua Graduate cow on whom a lot of the herd’s polled breeding was based.’ Kilbride Farm Eunice 291K was also sold in calf to Kilbride Farm Jetstream P.
Kilbride Farm Iris 25L (P) 4000gns
The final animal hitting the 4000gns mark was the March 2020 born Kilbride Farm Iris 25L (P). Another daughter of the homozygous polled Sneumgaard Imperator, Iris 25L (P) is out of Kilbride Farm Iris 17F who placed third Best Cow in the the 2020 European Simmental Virtual Show.
Kilbride Farm Laura 37L (P) 3900gns
Continuing the export theme, two animals made 3900gns and both sold to Simmental breeders from Germany. The first of these was Kilbride Farm Laura 37L (P), an Islavale Harvest 16 daughter, and out of Kilbride Farm Laura 20H (PP), an Imperator daughter. This heifer heads back to one of the breed’s homelands, Germany, and Mario Walther, Erlinbacher Stadtweg 52, Frankfurt. No stranger to British Simmental, Mr Walther bought a female from the Omorga herd of John Moore, Co Tyrone in 2020. Also at 3900gns was Kilbride Farm Laura 39L (P) who was purchased by Thomas Eydner, Frohburg, Germany. April 2020 born, Laura 39L (P) is by Kilbride Farm Gruffalo 15 (P), and is out of Kilbride Farm Laura 22H (P). Mr Eydner who had contacted the Robsons prior to the sale to express an interest, has previously bought semen from the Kilbride Farm herd.
Kilbride Farm Laura 39L (P)
Average:
15 Heifers £4866
Auctioneers:
Ballymena Livestock Mart and in conjunction with MartEye
MARKET BRIEFS SEES SIMMENTALS LEADING COMMERCIAL SALES AT ABERDEEN; SEDGEMOOR; FROME; DINGWALL; SHREWSBURY; STIRLING; MARKET DRAYTON; AYR; GISBURN; WORCESTER; HUNTLY; ST. BOSWELLS; CARLISLE; ANGLESEY; SELBY; HEXHAM; LANCASTER; TRURO; LOCKERBIE; AND RUGBY
A bumper coverage of Simmental Market Briefs this week, as we play a little catch up, kicks off with a look back at Gisburn Market and their sale of Prime Cattle on Thursday 29th July. Leading a strong trade for bulls was Mr & Mrs Fitton, Moss Hall Farm, Lostock, Bolton with a fifteen-month-old pedigree bull (pictured). Put to the sale due to a hurt shoulder he weighed 756kgs with a dlwg of 1.56kilos per day. Selling at 266ppkg he made a market high gross of £2019.
Aberdeen & Northern Marts sale of 824 store cattle on 20th August saw heifers between 401-450kg topped by Simms from Nigley, Evie at £1,160 and 272.3p. On the 19th August, the same market held a sale of cast cows and bulls. Beef Feeding Cows averaged £1,067.14 and sold to £1,190 gross including a 772kg Simmental from East Kincraigie, Lumphanan. Boning Cows averaged £748.68 (+£140.91) and sold to £945 gross (twice), and firstly for a 642kg Simmental from 8 Skaill, Forss. Bulls averaged £1,177 (+£102) and sold to £1,550 gross for a 1,150kg Simmental from Law Farm, Insch.
In the sale of calves and stirks at Sedgemoor on 21st August, a larger entry than expected saw a continuation of the strong trade. Top price to £1070 x3 (14m) for Pure Simmental steers from R & J Cook.
Through the sale of weaned calves at Frome on 18th August, a very buoyant particularly for the Continental x calves saw good consignments from Mark Peters of Sussex which saw 3mo Simmental steers at £528 and heifers to £420.
At Dingwall on 18th August, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., sold 186 store cattle and 104 adult head of breeding cattle. Bullocks (105) averaged 230.7p and sold to £1,400 gross for a 720kg Simmental cross from 33 Auchintoul, Altass. Cow with male calf at foot (40) sold to £2,750 gross for a Simmental cross cow with a Charolais cross calf at foot from Gorthleck Mains, Inverness. Cow with heifer calf at foot (33) sold to £2,500 gross for a Simmental cross cow with a Charolais cross calf at foot from Gorthleck Mains, Inverness. Cow with twin heifer calves at foot sold to £2,800 gross for a Simmental cross cow with Charolais cross calves at foot.
In a sale of weanling bulls at Shrewsbury Livestock Market on 17th August, the top price and top average went to Simmental X bulls from WG Bebbington & Son which topped at £850 and averaged £814. TB restricted cattle were also a flyer with 16 month old Simmental steers topping the market at £1220 or 244ppk.
At United Auction’s sale of 824 store cattle at Stirling on 18th August, out of spec cattle averaged 184.47p to 203.50p per kg for a SimX from Boghall, and to £1270 for a SimX also from Boghall.In a sale of 524 rearing calves on 18th August at Market Drayton, a superb show of quality gave buyers plenty to choose from A strong trade saw Simmentals top the market at £450 for an entry from C.J. Tams, Stafford.
At Craig Wilson’s Prime Cattle sale at Ayr on 17th August, 49 Beef Cows peaked at £1480 for a Simmental off Girvan Mains.
At Sedgemoor on 16th August, the UTM & OTM sale saw heifers sold to a top of £1449 for a Simmental (680kg) from THJ Denbee.In the sale of store cattle at Gisburn on 14th August, clean cattle saw a super homebred Simmental from David Moorhouse lead the way when selling for £1395 to regular buyer Andrew Atkinson.
On Saturday 14th August suckler bred bulls from DJ & M Edwards topped the feeding bulls section at Worcester Market with £1,020 for a Simmental X (10 months).
At Aberdeen & Northern Marts sale of cast cows and bulls on 12th August, Beef Feeding Cows averaged £1,083.68 and sold to £1,245 for a 668kg Simmental Cross from Colligarth, Sanday. Dunn Farm, Watten sold a SimX at £1,230. On the same day at a sale of prime cattle the heifer trade was led by Honeybank with Sim x at £1,421.20. At a further sale held for Orkney consignors, the beef cow trade was led at 215.9p per kg for a 514kg Simmental from P & F Ross, Lenahowe, Sandwick. Prime Cattle sold to £1,393.75 gross for a 625kg Simmental and 235p per kg for a 560kg Simmental from Maesquoy Farms, Harray.
At Huntly, on Thursday 12th August, UA held a store & OTM cattle sale. Some top quality bred cattle were forward meeting a keen demand for both yearlings and forward types. In the heifers, the top gross was £1250 for a pair of 562kg SimX’s from Delfur Farms, Rothes. OTMS averaged 142.6p selling to a top of 191.2p per kg for a 570kg Sim from Delfur Farms, Rothes. The top gross in this section was £1260 for a 785kg Sim from Whitehills, Grange.
At H&H’s sale of store cattle at St Boswells on 12th August, the heifers per kilo were led by Simmentals from Coxydene at 240.5p.
At Stirling on 11th August, held a sale of store cattle, breeding cattle, cast cows and bulls, and rearing cattle. Beef Cows and Bulls (187) averaged 149.79p to 211.70p per kg for a SimX from Tulloch Farms. In the rearing cattle, the sale was topped at £665 for a SimX bull from M/s Hair, Kilbride. Another strong show of beef stirks was met with a sturdy trade throughout with the leading price being Lochside (SimX) £600.
At Carlisle on 11th August, a very good show of 505 store cattle forward at Borderways saw an absolute flyer of a trade where well fleshed cattle were the easiest to sell on the day. The Crichton family of Rottington Hall, Whitehaven featured in the top end prices with Simmental crosses at £1510. In the weaned cattle Simmental bulls reached heights of £1185 and £1110 from McColm and Brewis, Awhirk Farm.
On Monday 9th August 2021, Caledonian Marts Ltd at Stirling had forward 414 Store Cattle at their fortnightly sale. Heifers averaged 218ppkg selling to 254ppkg for a pen of Simmentals from Inshanks, Stranraer.
At H&H’s Prime Cattle sale held on 9th August at Carlisle, heifers were a flyer of a trade with a days top of £1761.18 achieved by Messrs Goldie, Newbie Mains, Annan with a Simmental purchased by Eric Hall.
Calves and Stirks met a firm trade with a keen demand for continental types at Gaerwen Livestock Market, Anglesey on 9th August. Female stirks topped at £450 for Simmentals from B Griffiths, Garth Fawr.
At the store cattle sale held at Selby market on 7th August, all classes were in demand. Top price store beast on the day was the pick of a great pen of Simmental bulls from WJ Hollingsworth, Midhope Hall Farm, Sheffield selling at £1405. Further bulls from the Hollingsworths sold for £1335,£1305,£1300.
At Thainstone on 6th August, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 1,150 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves. Bullocks (502) sold to £1,600 gross for a 738kg Simmental cross from Wallfield, Lochhills. Heifers (437) averaged 239.8p and sold to 328.7p per kg and £1,880 gross for a 572kg Simmental Cross from Gladhill, Garmouth. In the young and weaned calves a great show of cattle forward met a brisk demand especially forward condition cattle with an outstanding red and white Simmental Cross heifer, scaling 572kg from Messrs Smith, Gladhill, Garmouth topping the sale at £1,880.
Hexham & Northern Marts at their weekly store sale on 6th August saw cattle at 11-16 months led by Simmental x steers at £1030 from Hedley West.
In the sale of calves and stirks on 6th August at NWA’s Lancaster Auction Mart, Simmental bull calves sold to a top of £3335 for a Simmental X from JR Newsham & Son.
In a sale of Beef Cows at Truro Livestock Market on 4th August, Simmental x’s led the way to 164p (740kg) for Messrs R M & S J Jones of Breage, Helston.On 4th August at United Auctions Stirling market’s store sale, out of spec cattle averaged 225.55p to 233.90p per kg for a SimX from Wellees, and to £1310 for a Sim from Wellees.
If you have any snippets of Simmentals performing well at markets around the UK then please forward them to information@britishsimmental.co.uk We’d be very happy to include them in future Simmental Market Briefs.
A mighty well done goes to Gary and Angela Christie of the Rockytop herd, Glass, Huntly who have scooped the honours in Class 7 of the 2021 Virtual Simmental Show with Rockytop Luca. May 2020 born, Rockytop Luca is entirely homebred being sired by Rockytop I’m Yer Man and out of Rockytop Champagne’s Irma. For good measure three Rockytop bulls featured in the top eight placings!
A big thank you goes to our judge, Graham Allan of the noted Glenturk herd, Wigtown, Newton Stewart who has picked his top placings from another strong class, and this time featuring 65 young bulls. Look out for further comments from Graham in the judges video which will be posted shortly. Thanks to all breeders for your entries and support, it is hugely appreciated. The reach of this online competition is truly remarkable and worldwide. The 2021 Virtual Show is proving to once again be a big social media hit and a fantastic showcase and promotion of British Simmental. It is only possible with your continued support and pictures of your quality cattle. Thank you!
The eagerly anticipated results for Class 7 are as follows:
Congratulations to Tom Hill, from Scotland Hill Simmentals, Wadworth, Doncaster, whose young bull Scotland Hill Merlin, has taken the top spot in another strong Class in the ongoing 2021 ‘Virtual’ Simmental Show. Scotland Hill Merlin came out top in Class 5, Spring born bull calf, born in 2021 and from an entry of 87 calves in all from herds around the UK. May 2021 born, Scotland Hill Merlin is by Clonagh King Eyes, and is out of Scotland Hill Francesca Georgeanna. Well done also to the Northamptonshire based Mixbury Hall herd who placed second, third, and fourth! A big thank you is extended to Dafydd Jones, of the Banwy herd, Welshpool, Powys for so ably and kindly judging this class. Look out for Dafydd’s video comments which will be posted soon on Facebook.
Thank you again for all your entries so far which continue to create an outstanding Simmental showcase, and congratulations to all who have placed, the results are below.
Corskie Heaven from Mr WJ&J Green, Corskie, Garmouth, Fochabers has been placed first in the ‘huge’ Cow class of the 2021 ‘Virtual’ Simmental Show. In what has been the biggest class to date in the two years of the ‘Virtual’ show, the five-year-old Corskie Heaven, a Dirnanean Bradley daughter, prevailed from a class of 197 Simmental cows from breeders all over the UK. It was very much a ‘Green Day’ in the results with Garmouth Clover’s Honeysuckle, a Bel Dhu Capercaillie daughter, from Laura Green, Corskie Farm, Garmouth placing second, with Corskie Flume placing third. Remarkably, five Corskie prefixed cows placed in the top twenty in the class.
Having the not inconsiderable job of judging this huge class was Thomas Hill, Daw Lane, Wadworth, Doncaster. Thank you Tom for a job well done and please look out for Tom’s video comments that will be posted soon on Facebook.
The places in the Cow class are:
1st Corskie Heaven
2nd Garmouth Clover’s Honeysuckle
3rd Corskie Flume
4th Vale Royal Heavenly Girlie
5th Newbiemains Iris
6th Kilbride Farm Eunice 195F
7th Vale Royal Annie
8th Starline Lorette 51st
9th Killiworgie Exotic Rose
10th Bosahan Heather Blossom
11th Newbiemains Jewel
12th Kilbride Farm Dora 75F
13th Tillyeve Diana
14th Kilbride Farm Eunice 213G
15th Mixbury Hall Holly
16th Corskie Hollywood P
17th Corskie Hopefull
18th Islavale Gucci
19th Corskie Jemstone
20th Ashfurly Weikel’s Kate
So a mighty well done to the Green family and their Corskie and Garmouth herds for a tremendous performance. A massive thank you is extended to everyone who participated in this class. To get an entry of 197 cows has been exceptional and way beyond expectations. What a promotion for the breed to show the depth in quality of Simmental females in the British herdbook!
The British Simmental Cattle Society is delighted to announce the gift of a newly commissioned trophy, ‘The Hugo Arnold Trophy’, which will be awarded to the Overall Champion in the Weaned Calf section of the new Simmental ‘Next Generation’ Show and Sale to be held at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, in December this year. In addition to the new trophy, named in memory of Hugo Arnold of the highly noted Hockenhull Simmental herd, the Cheshire based Arnold family have also put forward a sponsorship arrangement that will see a level of prize money put forward to the sale over the next five years.
Announcing the gift of The Hugo Arnold Trophy and the sponsorship agreement, BSCS President Stewart Stronach said: “Upon being approached by James Arnold, the Society is of course absolutely delighted to accept this hugely generous offer. Hugo Arnold is a legendary figure in the history of British Simmental and I’m sure all members will agree that it is very fitting and appropriate to have his name at the forefront of this new sale. On behalf of the Society I’d like to sincerely thank the Arnold family for their kindness and support.”
Hugo Arnold, who sadly passed away last year, served a distinguished term as the Society’s President in 1995-1996. His Hockenhull pedigree prefix resonates with Simmental and pedigree breeders not just in the UK but around the world. Synonymous with quality, breeding, and stockmanship, Hockenhull animals have been prolific at both sales and shows to the very highest level, and Hockenhull bloodlines have been the bedrock of many herds and with a continuing influence throughout the Simmental herdbook.
Commenting on the offer made to the Society, Mr Arnold’s son James said: “My father loved the Simmental breed and they played a huge part in his life. One of his often quoted sayings was that ‘Simmental cattle needed to be bred because they make money and not because they look good being shown’! The commercial perspective of this new sale, and particularly the emphasis and marketing of the young stock, we are sure would have sat very well with him. As such the Arnold family are delighted to be associated with this progressive fixture and to help support the breed and the membership.”
First announced in April this year, the Simmental ‘Next Generation’ Sale will be for all classes of pedigree Simmental females, and with a further section for pedigree Simmental Weaned Calves born in the 2021 year. Held on one day, the fixture will see a show for the females, followed by the weaned calves with classes for bulls and heifers, and with the sale itself held thereafter.
Speaking at the time of the launch, Stewart Stronach said: “It is the aim that this fixture can quickly establish itself to be a showcase sale for the Simmental breed that provides the quality, performance and genetics for ‘next generation’ cornerstone cattle in herds across the UK. The introduction of a weaned calf section for registered calves born in the year of the sale is an exciting inclusion and a new way for breeders to market calves with breeding, style and potential. We hope that this sale will have something for everyone and will offer choice and opportunities for new and established pedigree breeders, and also for commercial producers.”
The Simmental ‘Next Generation’ Sale will be held on Friday 3rd December at Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart, Carlisle. Entries opened on Monday 14th June and can be made by visiting the Simmental section within the H&H website at:
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