FIRST CLASS OF THE 2021 ‘VIRTUAL’ BRITISH SIMMENTAL SHOW OPENS THIS WEEK!

by British Simmental | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 News, 2021

Back by highly popular demand, the 2021 ‘Virtual’ British Simmental Show gets underway this week! One of the highlights of the 2020 year for members, and for the ever-growing audience watching online around the world, last years ‘virtual’ show saw an incredible 745 pedigree British Simmental animals enter entered over ten classes by 161 breeders from all four corners of the UK. This ‘good fun’ competition proved to be a social media hit being the largest event of its type in the year, and proving to be a fantastic showcase of the breed highlighting some terrific British Simmental cattle and bloodlines.

So very much back by popular demand, here we go again and with the same simple principles as last year with just one or two tweaks. A picture-based competition, and with a video class introduced this year, the main aim continues to be the promotion of the wonderful Simmental breed, with pictures of quality cattle showcasing all the great attributes Simmentals have to offer. The first class is as follows:

Class 1: Autumn born bull calf, born between 1st July 2020 and 31st December 2020. Calf name and date of birth to be stated.

This first class will be formally opened this Friday, 25th June, and run for one week. The next class will then be opened, and so on, for the remaining weeks. Entries will be required in by Thursday Midnight for the respective classes. Thereafter the respective classes will be judged over the weekend with all photographs entered dripped out from the Monday on Facebook and with the ‘big reveal’ of results later in the same week. All entries are required to be emailed to kate@britishsimmental.co.uk or information@britishsimmental.co.uk

If you had a go in 2020 then please do so again. If you watched in from the outside last year then now’s your chance to have a crack in 2021! Your support is what will again make this event. We again very much hope that this competition can be a talking point and a bit of fun for everyone to take part in. Most important of all is the anticipation of the flood of wonderful pictures across social media promoting the British Simmental breed. British Simmental: The Breed That You Can Bank On #No1ContintentalBreedforAgeAtSlaughter Look out for updates on Facebook from here and if you have any queries to this competition then please phone 02476 696513 or email information@britishsimmental.co.uk

To see the full rules and schedule of dates and timings for this competition then please click to the Society’s website: https://britishsimmental.co.uk/virtualsimmentalshow

BALGRAY HILL SIMMENTAL FEMALES WITH CALVES AT FOOT SELL TO £2550

by British Simmental | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 News, 2021

The first part of the dispersal sale of DR Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill, Lockerbie, held today, Tuesday 22nd June, at Harrison & Hetherington’s Lockerbie Mart saw Simmental cows and heifers with calves at foot sell to a top of £2550 with further lots at £2500 (x2), £2400, £2350, £2250 and with a number over the £2000 mark. The sale, with 120 Limousin and Simmental heifers and stock cows with Limousin & Blue calves at foot forward, saw every lot sell to average just under £2050.

The top Simmental price of £2550 (pictured) was paid for a May 2018 born female sold with an April born Lim bull calf at foot, with the outfit being knocked down to J&I Pattinson, Bonshawside, Kirtle Bridge, Lockerbie. J M Goldie, Newbie Mains, Annan paid £2500 for a rising five year old Simmental cow with her May born Limousin heifer calf at foot. Also at £2500 was an April 2018 born Simmental sired female sold with her April born Limousin heifer calf at foot to J&I Longlands, Tone Hall Farm, Bartley, Hexham.

Great to see a good demand for some first class Simmental outfits, and look out for further announcements on the second part of the sale of the Balgray Hill commercial herd in due course.

THIS WEEK’S MARKET BRIEFS SEES SIMMENTAL CATTLE DOING THE BUSINESS

by British Simmental | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 News, 2021

AT CAITHNESS, ABERDEEN, HUNTLY, DINGWALL, LOCKERBIE, PENRITH, DUMFRIES, DUNGANNON, HEXHAM, LANCASTER, MARKET DRAYTON, EXETER, AND HALLWORTHY. We kick off this week with the sale of prime cattle on 21st June at Exeter, which saw well finished prime cattle from David Slade of Chagford lead the gross trade with his 630kg Simmental heifer rising to 221ppk and £1389.  Further quality Simmental bred heifers from Andrew and George Palk of Paignton ran to 211, 209 and 207ppk with one at 574kg realising £1173.

BALGRAY HILL SIMMENTAL FEMALES WITH CALVES AT FOOT SELL TO £2550

The first part of the dispersal sale of DR Cornthwaite, Balgray Hill, Lockerbie, held today, Tuesday 22nd June, at Harrison & Hetherington’s Lockerbie Mart saw Simmental cows and heifers with calves at foot sell to a top of £2550 with further lots at £2500 (x2), £2400, £2350, £2250 and with a number over the £2000 mark. The sale, with 120 Limousin and Simmental heifers and stock cows with Limousin & Blue calves at foot forward, saw every lot sell to average just under £2050. The top Simmental price of £2550 was paid for a May 2018 born female sold with an April born Lim bull calf at foot, with the outfit being knocked down to J&I Pattinson, Bonshawside, Kirtle Bridge, Lockerbie. J M Goldie, Newbie Mains, Annan paid £2500 for a rising five year old Simmental cow with her May born Limousin heifer calf at foot. Also at £2500 was an April 2018 born Simmental sired female sold with her April born Limousin heifer calf at foot to J&I Longlands, Tone Hall Farm, Bartley, Hexham.

At Penrith Farmers Mart sale of store and OTM cattle on 21st June, a run of aged, fed Simmental X cows from Messrs Pearson, Manor Farm, averaged £1236.79 (168p/kg), topping at £1304, purchased by Mr Owain Llyr.  The store cattle trade topped at £1455 for a twenty-three-month-old Simmental bullock from Mr R Hasell McCosh, Dalemain, selling to Mr D Barker. Heifers from the same home achieved £1415, selling to Mr D Whaite.

Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly catalogued sale of 204 Store Cattle & Suckled Calves on 18th June.  The leading price for cattle 23 – 30 months was for Simmental x steers – £1140 Hedley West.

On Thursday 17th June, Aberdeen & Northern Marts sold 130 cows and bulls to average £1,142.96 and 156p per kg. Beef finished cows (53) averaged £1,295.66 and sold to £1,650 for a 958kg Simmental cross from Mill of Fowlis, Muir of Fowlis.

At Hallworthy on 17th June, 200 stores again saw plenty of confidence in the rising trade. A cracking run of cattle were headed by Mr & Mrs Rogers of Sydenham Damerel with a deep bodied Simmental x Steer with plenty of power to £1300. In the younger cattle, week after week the quality is high and with the trade to follow. Jim Buckland of St Buryan topped out at £1085 for 3 Steers at 12 months, their pure Simmental Steers with power and shape were a super sight.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 16th June, a strong trade for all classes of stock saw heifers sold to a height of £1300 (twice) and including a Simmental from J Casey at 645kg (202.00).

At Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd small sale of prime cattle on 15th June, heifers averaged 233.0p  and sold to £1,534.00 gross for a 650kg Simmental cross also from Balnageith, Forres selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.  At a further sale of prime cattle in the same market on 22nd June, bullocks averaged 239.1p (+24.7p) and sold to £1,557.60 gross for a 660kg Simmental cross from Easter Urray Farm, Muir of Ord and again selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.

C & D Auction Marts Ltd held their fortnightly sale of store and breeding cattle in Dumfries on Monday 14th June 2021. In the breeding bulls a Simmental from Springfield topped at £2500.

On the 14th June at Market Drayton’s sale of over age clean cattle, steers sold to 190p (£1,136.20) for a Simmental from P. Studley & Sons, Burton.

Still on 14th June and Hallworthy’s TB restricted sale  of 140 store cattle saw probably the best standard of cattle through this year. An outstanding run of 80 Cattle from A R Hooper & Son of Boscastle saw a top of £1375 for a Simmental x Steer with depth and fleshing as with all his Cattle, next a pair of Simmental x Steers to £1355, and a very smart Simmental x Steer to £1300.

United Auctions on Saturday 12th June 2021 at Huntly, held a displenishing sale of 207 predominantly Simmental breeding cattle on behalf of Cushnie Farms, Craigievar.  The sale saw a top of £2800 for a SimX with a bull calf at foot and to £2700 for a SimX wih a heifer calf at foot.  Other Sim prices included Hfrs with Blk Calves £2600 x2 & £2500 x 3; Hfr with Hfr Calves £2600 & £2500 x2; Cows & Blk Calves £2500,£2450 & £2400. Cows & Hfr Calves £2500 & £2300. Sim Bull £2100. (Cushie Farms cattle pictured).

At the sale of Calves & Stirks, Store, and OTM cattle held at NWA’s Lancaster Mart on Friday 11th June,  cracking day in the calf ring saw an entry of 108 forward. A Simmental steer from J R Newsham & Son, Conder Green topped the trade selling to £530.

At the sale of prime cattle in Thainstone on 10th June, prime heifers averaged 228.2p and sold to £1,584.10 gross for a 730kg Simmental Cross from Hillocks, Whiterashes. 30 to 48 Month bullocks averaged 193.3p and sold to 202p per kg and £1,474.60 gross for a 730kg Simmental Cross from Faichfolds. On the same day at a sale of cast cows and bulls, boning cows averaged £635.80 (+£47.05) and sold to £755 for a 650kg Simmental Cross from Wester Durris, Banchory.

Also at Thainstone on 11th June, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 591 store cattle, young bulls and young and weaned calves. Heifers (303) averaged 233.6p and sold to £1,440 gross for a 682kg Simmental cross from Auchtertyre Farms (31 months).

In a sale of store and OTM cattle on 10th June at Huntly, the OTMs sold to average 163.2p per kg, and selling to a top of 181.9p per kg for a 720kg SimX from Cairncoullie, Glenkindie.  The top gross was the £1600 paid for a 935kg Sim from Corskie, Garmouth.

At Quoybrae, Caithness, on 7th June, Aberdeen and Northern Marts held a sale of store cattle, and breeding cattle. Heifers averaged 234.5p per kg to 283.3p for 233kg Simmental crosses from Myrelandhorn (Miller). Breeding cattle sold to £2,300 for a Simmental cross heifer with Limousin cross hfr calf from Cairnside, 36 Oldhall, Watten.

SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES

by British Simmental | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 News, 2021

AT SEDGEMOOR, RUGBY, MARKET DRAYTON, FROME, PRESTON, STIRLING, DINGWALL, & ABERDEEN. In our second market briefs report in the week, Simmental cattle continue to perform well up and down the length of the UK’s commercial markets. We kick off this week at Aberdeen and Northern Marts sale of 360 store cattle, young bulls and young and weaned calves held on 25th June. Bullocks between 301-350kg were led by a Sim from Cairntack Farm at £890, and bulls between 501- 550kg were topped by a Sim from Stratheast, Holm at £1,140, and 220.1p.  On the same day, at a sale of adult breeding cattle, heifers with bull calves averaged £2,088.46 and sold to £2,450 for a Simmental cross from Concraig, Caskieben. Heifers with heifer calves at foot averaged £1,870.53 and sold to £2,350 for a Simmental cross from Mains of Drumdollo, Drumblade and for a Simmental cross from Backmuir, Keith. In calf cows averaged £1,201.75 and sold to £1,380 for a Simmental cross from Auchtertyre Farms. Bulls sold to 2,350gns for a Simmental from Pittenkerrie.

On the previous day, 24th June, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 171 cows and bulls to average £1,147.31 and Simmentals again featured strongly.  Beef Feeding Cows averaged £1,001.37 (+£4.81) and sold to £1,215 for a 772kg Simmental from Ardhuncart, Kildrummy. Boning Cows averaged £739.58 (+£78.22) and sold to £915 for a 658kg Simmental from Howan, Dounby. Bulls averaged £1,360.77 (-£75.90) and sold to £1,630 for a 1,120 kg Simmental from Peasiehill, Arbirlot.

SIMMENTAL SETS RECORD FIGURE AT FROME (Pictured)

At Frome Livestock Market on 23rd June, ‘a lovely thick Simmental heifer’ from RE Dury & Son reached 220.50p/kg and topped the gross heifer trade at £1424.  On the same day cows met another rock and roll trade, seeing best end cows become considerably dearer. Top of the day saw a new market record set at a huge £1730 or 189.50p/kg for a Simmental from KJ & R Hickery.

The sale of cull cows, heifers, and bulls at Brockholes Arms Auction Mart, Preston on 23rd June saw the top price per head going to Kevin Wildman with his Simx cows to gross £1,414, and 158 ppkg.

At Stirling on 23rd June, United Auctions sold 248 store cattle, 118 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Bullocks averaged 240.95p to 266.50p per kg for a 394kg SimX from Coxydene.

Moving to Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd and their sale of prime cattle on 22nd June, prime bullocks averaged 239.1p (+24.7p) and sold to £1,557.60 gross for a 660kg Simmental cross from Easter Urray Farm, Muir of Ord selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.

Simmentals featured in many of the top prices at Sedgemoor Auction centre on 21st June.  A run of smart suckler bred Simmental steers from BA Sweet, Congresbury, met calls of 224.5 (2x) 222.5, 219.5, 218.5, and 216.5ppk. Further good suckler bred Simmentals sold at 217.5ppk from MD & GJ Curtis, Crediton, with a 726kg Simmental at £1,579.05 from MD & GJ Curtis. Simmental heifers (671kg) £1,452.72, and (650kg) £1,413.75 sold from HJ & HB Case Ltd.

On 21st June at Rugby Farmers Mart, weight paid when EJ Taylor & Son topped the price per head at £1650 and also the pence per kilo at 229ppk with his 720kg Simm steer that sold to Muchmeats Ltd.  In the bulls, a Simm from MC&MI Herbert topped at £1554.

At Market Drayton on 21st June and a sale of 135 barren cows, cull bulls and over age clean cattle, sucklers sold at a blistering trade and to a top of £1745.82 for an entry from Paul Tippets, Shifnal. At a sale of 212 calves and weanlings, also at Market Drayton on 17th June, 5 x Simmental bulls averaged a market leading £246 and to t a top of £280.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING SALE 1ST JULY: Please check out the sale of 60 Simmental cows with calves (20 pedigree registered) on behalf of Philip Paul & Sally Hawkins, (Blaenwen Herd), Blaenweneirch, Cwmfelin Boeth, Whitland. The sale will take place this coming Thursday, 1st July, at JJ Morris’s Whitland Mart, commencing at 10.30am. Stock bull pictured with this post.

SIMMENTALS ARE WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR DOCILE, RELAXED MANNER

by British Simmental | Jul 5, 2021 | 2021 News, 2021

Simmentals are well known for their docile, relaxed manner and what better example than this picture taken at David Cornthwaite’s Balgray Hill Farm, Lockerbie, in the run up to the first part of his commercial herd dispersal sale successfully held last week. Here’s mum just chilling out, shooting the breeze, and spending some quality down time with ‘junior’!