CHRIS MARTINDALE ELECTED AS THE 28TH BRITISH SIMMENTAL PRESIDENT

CHRIS MARTINDALE ELECTED AS THE 28TH BRITISH SIMMENTAL PRESIDENT

Shropshire-based breeder Chris Martindale has been elected as President of the British Simmental Cattle Society (BSCS) following the Society’s Annual General Meeting held recently in Stirling at the October Bull Sales. Having served as a Council Member since 2021, he...

SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALES AT 27 AUCTION MARTS AROUND THE UK IN AUGUST!

by | Sep 25, 2023

SIMMENTALS TOP SALES AT: ABERDEEN; STIRLING; EXETER; FROME; OSWESTRY; TRURO; AYR; MELTON MOWBRAY; CARLISLE; SEDGEMOOR; PENRITH; GISBURN; HEXHAM; LANCASTER; HOLSWORTHY; MARKET DRAYTON; PRESTON; LANARK; LANCASTER; BAKEWELL; HALLWORTHY; DINGWALL; WORCESTER; LONGTOWN; DUMFRIES; DUNGANNON; AND SKIPTON


There’s more to Simmental. Beef producers are keying in on the efficiencies and value that Simmental genetics can deliver. The Simmental’s benchmark is their milk, fertility, calving ease, temperament, and abilities to rear a fast-growing calf without creep feeding. Add in that AHDB data continues to show the breed as the number one continental breed for age at slaughter, and it just collectively highlights that adding Simmental genetics gives you super maternal performance and top-class carcass traits. See here the latest sales and sections topped by Simmental cattle in August:


Aberdeen and Northern Marts on 31st August sold 75 Prime Cattle at Thainstone. Prime bullocks averaged 268.8p and sold to £2119.25 gross for a 865kg Simmental cross from Daies, Wardhouse. On the same day ANM sold 243 cast cows and bulls to average £1489.05 or 200p. Beef Feeding Cows (133) averaged £1376.79 and sold to £1710 for a 708kg Simmental cross from Nessbreck, Harray.


United Auctions, Stirling on 30th August sold 997 store cattle & young bulls. Also 118 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Also sold was 30 rearing cattle. Beef Cows and Bulls (87) – averaged 194.50p to 231.10p per kg for a SIMX from Forestmill.


In a sale of 307 store cattle at Exeter on 30th August, an excellent entry saw a flying trade from start to finish. Several good meat cattle topped at £1340 for a 24mth Simmental steer from Messrs Docton Farm Partnership of Hartland.


In a sale of prime cattle at Frome on 30th August, Simmental cattle featured at the top end of the prices with Simm UTM steers at 264.50ppkg and £1666 from DJ&VM Norman. Simmental UTM heifers from Simmental HJ Marklove, Swindon sold to 256ppkg and £1558.


In a sale of store cattle at Oswestry on 30th August the trade was led at £1680 (280p/kg) paid for a Simmental steer sold by D D & M Williams, Llanyblodwel.


Truro Livestock Market’s sale of store cattle on 30th August saw the trade for year old heifers led by a Simmental x to £845 for Messrs G S & K M Trevail of Bugle, St Austell.


At Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd’s weekly sale at Ayr on 29th August, cast bulls sold to 219.7p for a Simmental from H Gilbert, Whiteridden. Beef Cows sold to £1700 for a Simmental Cross from A Baird, Langholm.


In a sale of store cattle at Melton Mowbray on 29th August, top spot went to a Simmental bull from A Webster selling to £2200.
In a sale of prime cattle at H&H’s Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on 28th August a 703kg Simmental cross from Messrs Stamper, Rose Farm, Cockermouth sold to £2007.07 and purchased by Mr Eric Hall to feature in the top prices. On the same day Messrs Dyet, East Merkland sold the top priced Simmental Bull for £2039 to Pickstock’s.


In a sale of barren cows at Sedgemoor on 28th August, the top price was 199.5ppk for a good, stretchy and fleshed 800kg Simmental cow from NF Newman.


On 28th August, Penrith & District Farmers’ Mart LLP held their fortnightly Sale of 173 Store Cattle & Feeding Bulls. The trade for store bulls was led by a Simmental at £1275 from Bowness Farm.


In a sale of breeding cattle at Gisburn on 26th August there was no let-up in trade. Bulls sold to a high of £3100 for a pedigree Simmental from JH Wood, Dutton.


On 25th August at Thainstone, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 447 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves. Bullocks (225) averaged 289.5p and sold to £1800 gross for a 646kg Simmental from Rockyden, Meikle Wartle.


In a sale of 392 store cattle and stirks at Exeter on 25th August cattle beginning to come out in bigger numbers now with those choosing to sell taking advantage of the present high prices well rewarded. Store steers rose to £1700 given for an imposing trio of Simmentals (28m) from Fooks Brothers of Bridport whilst younger (20m) Simmentals ran to £1590 for Keith White and Family in from Sandford, also much later born Simmental bullocks (13m) from K and L Slade, Widecombe in the Moor drew £1340 for a pair. A sale of calves on the same day saw a bunch of weaned Simmental bulls from William Hosegood of Zeal Monachorum sell well to a top price of £405 x3 with others to £380 x2. Heifer calves including weaned Simmentals also from William Hosegood led the section at £390.


Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly sale of 269 catalogued cattle from across the North of England on 25th August. In the cattle 11-16 months, Simmental x steers from Longlea topped this section at £1650, with others from the same home at £1440, £1380 & £1320.


At Lancaster Auction Mart on 25th August, the monthly sale of stirks saw 100 forward. Steers sold to a top price of £940 and including Simmental x from R&J Parkinson, Preesall.


Aberdeen & Northern Marts on 24th August at Thainstone saw a total of 52 Cast Cows, Bulls and Prime Cattle forward from Orkney consignors with leading prices seeing beef cows sold to £2,170 gross for a 984kg Simmental from N M & A Kemp, Moa, Stenness.


On Wednesday 23rd August, Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly sale of bulls and weaned cattle at Carlisle. Simmental topped the bulls at £1310 and from Messrs Goldie, Newbie Mains.


In a sale of 322 calves at Holsworthy on 23rd August, weaned heifer calves were led by Simmentals to £450 for RWH Dilling, Highampton. In a sale of 145 stores on the same day, top price was £1335 for a good long meat non FA Simmental heifer from MR BJ Yelland of Holsworthy, who sold others at £1300 and £1255.


At Market Drayton’s sale of 175 store cattle on 23rd August, the heifer trade was led by a Simmental at £1,580.00 from Edwards Farming Ltd.


Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 115 Prime and Cast Cattle at their sale in Ayr on 22nd August. Cows topped at £1860 for a Simmental from Rushaw.


In a sale of rearing calves and weanlings at Brockholes Arms Auction Mart on 21st August, Garstang, the trade peaked at £570 for a 3 month old suckler bred Simmental bull calf from Ron Loftus.


On Monday 21st August at Lanark, Lawrie and Symington Ltd had forward 118 cattle comprising of 50 bullocks and heifers, 68 cast cows. Young Bulls per head sold to £1786, and 265ppkg for Sims from East Merkland.


In a sale at Bakewell on 21st August the trade for OTMs was led at £1715.70 for a Sim from R Wood, Middleton; £1627.08 for a Sim from WP Carson & Son, Grange Mill; and £1512.90 for a Sim from R Wood, Middleton.


On 18th August, Aberdeen and Northern Marts at Thainstone sold 105 Head of Adult Breeding Cattle. Leading prrices from the reduction sale of Innes Farms, Cairnhill saw Simm breeding to the fore and with prices Including: Heifer with Heifer Autumn Calf: Sim – £3,250; Heifer with Bull Autumn Calf: Sim – £3,100, £3,050, £2,900, £2,750, £2,550; SimX – £2,450; Cow with Bull Autumn Calf: Sim – £3,050 (X2), £2,900, £2,800; SimX – £2,900, £2,850 (X2) Cow with Heifer Autumn Calf: Sim – £3,250, £3,150, £3,050; SimX – £3,000, £2,850 (X2); Heifer with Heifer Spring Calf: Sim – £2,900, £2,850 Heifer with Bull Spring Calf: Sim – £2,900 (X2), £2,850 Cow with Bull Spring Calf: SimX – £2,850, £2,800, £2,700 Cow with Heifer Spring Calf: SimX – £2,750, £2,700. Other Leading prices out with reduction, £2,550 for a Simmental Heifer with a Limousin Cross heifer Calf from Upper Sauchen, Ordhead.


Hexham & Northern Marts held its weekly catalogued sale of 112 Store Cattle on 18th August. R Harrison & Son, Peddar Hill, Longtown sold a marvellous run of 25 Angus x Simmental x steers, hailing out of dairy mothers, going on to average £1510.
Lancaster Auction Mart’s sale of calves, OTM and store cattle on 18th August saw OTM heifers sell to 239.5p/kg and £1379 for a Simmental x from BW&LM Kirkby, Wennington.


At Hallworthy’s sale of store cattle on 17th August, a tremendous entry of 355 quality Cattle sold to a top twice at £1555. First to hit the £1555 was ID & SS Backway of St Eval, with their Simmental x Steers which were a credit, blocky well fleshed Steers which looked a picture, their next trio ran in at £1500, with their next two bunches to £1460 and £1440, all around the 18 months.
At Thainstone on 17th August, Aberdeen & Northern Marts saw a total of 24 Cast Cows and Bulls and forward from Orkney consignors with leading prices seeing beef cows sold to £1,790 gross for a 898kg Simmental from J W S Wishart, Knockhall, South Ronaldsay.


At Truro’s sale of store cattle on 16th August, a very good entry saw 110 going under the hammer. An excellent run of cattle from Messrs I D & S S Backway of St Eval topped both the steer and heifer sections with their best pair of 17 month old Simmental steers realising £1500 away to Mr A C Chudleigh of Lawhitton and their best pair of 16 month old Simmental heifers away at £1325 to Messrs W A Rapson & Sons of Milton Abbot.


Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, on 16th August sold 104 store cattle, 50 adult head of breeding cattle and 44 OTM cattle. Heifers (59) averaged 258.6p per kg and sold to 324.8p per kg for a pair of 505g Simmental crosses from Torran Farm, Delny and £1,640 gross for a pair of 552kg Simmental crosses also from Torran Farm, Delny. Cow with calf at foot (37) sold to £2,100 gross for a Simmental cross cow and calf from Morvich Farm. Cow in calf (4) sold to £1,450 gross for a Simmental cross from Morvich Farm, Rogart.


At Holsworthy’s sale of 220 store cattle on 16th August, best meat types saw a strong trade to a top of £1370 for a 21mth Simmental from Messrs EG Bluett & Son of North Tamerton who sold other Simmental steers to £1300. Finished cattle saw a top of 196p for a good meat non FA Simmental steer from Mr WM Bridgman of Jacobstow.


In a sale of 206 store cattle on 16th August at Market Drayton, the trade was topped by a 629kg Simmental steer at £1,760.00 from D. & A. Warrington.


At United Auctions, Stirling on 16th August, Beef Cows and Bulls (123) – averaged 179.48p to 244.80p per kg for a SIMX from Burnhouse.


At Dingwall & Highland Marts sale of prime cattle on 15th August, Prime Bullocks averaged 261.1p per kg and sold to £1,837.55 gross for a 715kg Simmental cross from Druid Temple Farm, Inverness. Prime Heifers averaged 255.0p per kg and sold to £1,612.00 gross for a 650kg Simmental Cross from Balnageith, Forres.


On Monday 14th August 2023 at Lanark, Lawrie and Symington Ltd had forward 135 cattle comprising of 44 bullocks and heifers, 70 cast cows and 21 calves and stirks. Beef cows sold to £1810 per head for Simms from Messrs Tennant, Oldhill Farm.


At Hallworthy’s TB restricted market on 14th August, a decent entry of 70 well fleshed TB Cattle through the ring saw the Heard Bros of St Issey steal the show with a 28 month Simmental x Steer, a big framed Steer with plenty of flesh away at £1495.
In a sale of feeding bulls at Worcester on 12th August, an eight month old Simmental x from AV Verity topped the trade at 239ppkg.


In a sale of cull cows at Frome on 11th August, a Simmental from RE Dury & Son, Compton Martin led the way at £1344.
At Thainstone on 10th August, Aberdeen & Northern Marts saw a total of 30 Cast Cows and Bulls forward from Orkney consignors with leading prices seeing beef cows sold to £1,870 gross for a 842kg Simmental and to 229.8p per kg for a 796kg Simmental from Firm of Paterson, Veltigar, Tankerness.


On 10th August at Hallworthy, an entry of 90 store cattle saw a faster trade with young cattle looking very well sold. £1410 was top for a big Sim x Steer in from CC & SM Larsen of Blisland.


C&D Auction Marts held their weekly sale at Longtown on Thursday 10th August 2023. In the show of mainly feeding cows forward, the sale peaked at 166p for a Simmental from AG & ME Bateman, Langholm, Campbeltown, which also topped the price per head at £1,045.


On 9th August at United Auctions, Stirling, and a sale of store cattle & young bulls, young bulls averaged 227.10p to 237.10p for a SIMX from Binzian.


In a sale of 169 store cattle at Market Drayton on 9th August, the heifer trade was led by a 532kg Simmental at £1,290.00 from F.H. Davies.


In H&H’s primestock sale at Borderway Mart, Carlilse on 7th August, Simmental crosses sold to £1834.57 for 766kg from Messrs Reid, Bengall, Lockerbie and another to £1825.58 both purchased by Mr Eric Hall, and to feature in the top end of prices.
C & D Auction Marts held their fortnightly sale of 220 store cattle in Dumfries on Monday 7th August 2023. Simmentals topped both the bullocks and the heifers. Simm Bullocks topped at £1445 from J B Paterson & Co, Hartbush and to 296.6p/kg. The same home had others at £1390. Heifers topped at £1300 for Simms sold by B M Ramsay, High Auchneel and with others at £1240.
In a sale of young bulls at Bakewell on 7th August, the leading gross price was £1795.68 for a 696kg Sim from NC Gregory, Blackwell.


Aberdeen & Northern Marts on 4th August at Thainstone saw 77 Store Cattle forward from Orkney Consignors. Bullocks (71) Sold to a top of 319.5p per kg for a 482kg Simmental from S W Paterson & Co, Nessbreck, Harray.


On 3rd August and a sale of cast cows and bulls at Aberdeen and Northern Marts, Thainstone, Beef Feeding Cows (45) averaged £1187.44 and sold to £1570 for a 784kg Simmental Cross from Broomhill, Bridge of Muchalls.


At Hallworthy’s sale of 260 store cattle on 3rd August, heifers were led by R Heywood of Woolsery who saw their Simmental x suckler heifers at 24 months to £1370 for a strong and very well set pair of Heifers, with a second pen a trio with depth and fleshing to £1340.


On 2nd August, Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly sale of bulls and weaned cattle at Carlisle. Topping the bulls and the day’s sale at £1410 were two outstanding Simmentals bulls from Messrs Goldsbrough, Moffat.
Dungannon Farmers Mart’s weekly sale on 2nd August saw steers sell to a height of £1780 for a 705kg Sim (253.00), presented by A Walsh.


Skipton Auction Mart held their fortnightly sale of young feeding bulls, store bullocks & heifers, breeding cattle, and with 368 head of cattle forward. The sale of feeding cows saw Simmentals from RD Elliott take the top prices at £1680, £1620, & £1580.
C&D Auction Marts Ltd held their fortnightly sale of store cattle on 1st August at Longtown. The sale topped at £1,150 for Simmental bullocks shown by H Ramsey Ltd, Millisle, Newton Stewart.


Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 166 Calves and Stirks at their weekly sale on 1st August at Ayr. Bullock stirks topped at £1130 for a Simmental Cross Bullock from Glenlea.