SIMMENTAL BULL CORSKIE NUTMEG SOLD IN PRIVATE DEAL FOR £32,000 TO THE DENIZES HERD

• £32,000 is the second highest price paid for a Simmental bull in the UK

Corskie Nutmeg, the January 2022 born Simmental bull from WJ & J Green, Corskie, Garmouth, Fochabers has been sold privately for £32,000 to the Denizes herd of MA Barlow & Sons, Ulnes, Nr Leyland, Lancashire.

At this year’s Royal Highland Show in June, Corskie Nutmeg put himself firmly in the shop window when winning the Simmental Junior Male Championship; Reserve Overall Male; and Reserve Overall Junior; and before going on to win Reserve Overall in the Beefbreeder Interbreed. Immediately catching the ring side eye of John Barlow, an approach to the Green family was made and after a few days discussion and consideration the deal was done. Beyond heading home to Corskie and passing all the usual tests, the bull was picked up in mid-August and has now joined the 80-cow pedigree Denizes Simmental herd in Lancashire.”

The £32,000gns price is the second highest paid for a Simmental bull in the UK and sitting only sitting behind the 45,000gns the Greens themselves paid for Bel Dhu Capercaillie at Stirling back in February 2013. With a breeding connectivity, Capercaillie is the sire of Corksie Nutmeg’s dam, Corskie Jasmine EX92.

Commenting on the purchase John Barlow said, “We didn’t go to the Highland with a view to looking for a bull but Corskie Nutmeg just had that x-factor and we couldn’t miss the opportunity. Dad (Michael) and I moved quickly for him because he has everything we look for in a Simmental stock bull and with his quality we knew there had to be a lot of interest in him! Nutmeg’s got length, power, muscle, and with a real sweetness and style. He comes from a foremost herd with proven cow families, has a real depth on both sides of his pedigree, and has top performance indexes. We have Denizes Hamish, Saltire Impressive, and Coose Gambler as stock bulls and all bringing something different to the herd. Nutmeg adds to that and we’re excited about the prospect of him clicking with these other lines.”

Of the £32,000 sale price, John Barlow went on to say, “This is a purchase to take that next step for the future of the Denizes herd. If he breeds to his own quality then he’ll prove to be a real value investment.”

Corskie Nutmeg is sired by the herd’s stock bull Kilbride Farm Haka who the Greens purchased for 10,000gns at Stirling in 2018. The herd enjoyed a ‘stellar’ 2023 Royal Highland Show that saw them win six classes and a host of Championship titles. Three of the class winners were sired by Kilbride Farm Haka including the January 2021 born heifer Corksie Mimic who was the day’s Reserve Supreme Overall Champion. Nutmeg is out of the aforementioned Corskie Jasmine, who herself was a first prize winner at this year’s Highland and Reserve Interbreed at the Black Isle Show, and whose classification of EX92 is the highest ranking a third-calving female can attain.

Speaking of the private sale Laura Green said, “In going to the Highland we had no thought of selling Nutmeg and the plan was very much to use him within the herd and on females that we felt he would really click with. John approached us at the show and there was also significant subsequent interest from a number of breeders. This led to a fair bit of family discussion and the decision was made to sell him. Nutmeg’s always been one of my favourites and is a total sweetheart with a terrific temperament and all the attributes both terminally and maternally. We’re really delighted that he’s going to a renowned herd like Denizes. Everyone at Corskie wishes Michael and John all the best with him and very much look forward to seeing his progeny in due course.”

For the noted 180-cow Corskie herd the £32,000 was their top sale price received to date and eclipsing the 25,000gns mark attained for Corskie Gingersnap in 2016. The Corskie herd has eight bulls entered at the upcoming October Stirling Sale and four of which are Kilbride Farm Haka sons.