Fierce bidding generates new record average for Simmental breed

The Banhill Farm Masterpiece from Alan Wilson, Rathfriland, Co Down led the sale at 28,000gns.

With commercial breeders again going head-to-head with pedigree breeders for the quality bulls on offer, the sale continued the surge in demand for Simmentals with this being the fourth Stirling fixture, and fifth Society Sale, in a row where a new record mark has been set, said the British Simmental Cattle Society.

Leading the sale at 28,000gns, and setting a new record top price for a Simmental bull from Northern Ireland, was the stylish Banhill Farm Masterpiece from Alan Wilson, Rathfriland, Co Down.

In the pre-sale show, in front of the judge Colin Fordyce who runs the Blair herd at Islabank Farm, Meigle, Blairgowrie, and is also herd manager at Strathisla Farms, this June born bull won the Intermediate section before going on to lift the Overall Supreme title.

Commenting on his champion, Colin Fordyce said: “This is a typical and modern Simmental bull with a lot of class. He had tremendous length with plenty of shape but is not extreme. Really good across the plates, he had good legs, walked well, and really showed himself. A quality bull and a worthy champion from within a strong show of Simmentals.”

The purchaser was Noel Kilpatrick, who runs the Ballymoney pedigree herd at Banbridge, Co Down. He commented: “This is the best Simmental bull that I have seen since I purchased Saltire Impressive back in 2018. I couldn’t find a fault on him. He is a great walker with a good back end, plenty of length and a lovely head, just very pleasing on the eye.

“People might ask, why is a man with 26 breeding females spending this kind of money on a bull, and I say that it’s because I want the best quality bull to enhance my herd! The aim from here is that Masterpiece will go straight to stud, while I wait to bring him home.

“The bull has been purchased in partnership with Bartley Finnegan of Elite Pedigree Genetics and we will be making his semen available throughout the UK as soon as possible. A further aim is to produce sexed semen to target the dairy industry which is important in the trade in Northern Ireland.”

Bannhill Farm Masterpiece is sired by the 12,000gns AI bull Kilbride Farm Bantry and is the fifth calf bred out of his dam Ballinalare Farm Evita, a full sister to the noted Ballinalare Farm Galaxy she is by the 21,000gns Auchorachan Wizard.

Reserve Junior Champion Hiltonstown Matrix sold at 20,000gns.

Successful day for NI breeders

It was a terrific day for Northern Irish breeders with the top two prices both coming from the province and further five figure bulls from NI herds selling throughout the sale.

Selling at 20,000gns was the much-admired Reserve Junior Champion Hiltonstown Matrix from Richard and Rhys Rodgers, Portglenone, County Antrim.

Full of style and breeding, Hiltonstown Matrix had good performance figures, being in the top 5% of the breed for 400 and 600 day growth, and having a +7 figure for Maternal (Milk).

Purchasing this bull was Ross King for the family’s noted Wolfstar pedigree herd at Ormiston, East Lothian, who themselves had enjoyed a hugely successful sale when selling four quality bulls to gross over £43,000. Wolfstar run 180 cows, 60 of which make up the pedigree herd, and the 20,000gns price is the highest they have paid for a Simmental bull to date.

Commenting, Ross King said: “We’ve been looking for a bull for a wee while and are delighted to get Hiltonstown Matrix. He’s a young bull with plenty of length, tremendous fleshing qualities, and just full of flash and style. His pedigree adds new lines to our herd, he carries very balanced performance figures, and we think he’ll complement our type of cows. It’s a significant price but a bull of this quality is an investment in the future of the herd and to take that next step forward.”

Rhys Rodgers said he was extremely pleased with the sale, with both of his bulls making top prices.

Hiltonstown Magnificent sold for 9,000gns to A Bell & Co, Towie Farm, Fraserburgh.

High demand for Simmentals

Later in the day the July 2021 born calf Hiltonstown Magnificent, a Dermotstown Delboy son, made 9,000gns when selling to A Bell & Co, Towie Farm, Fraserburgh.

The sale reflected the high demand for Simmental lines, with a new record average for the February fixture and a high clearance rate of 88%.

Speaking after the sale Iain Kerr the general manager of the British Simmental Cattle Society said: “It’s been a tremendous sale and well done to the breeders for bringing forward a great show of bulls full of choice and quality for commercial producers, and with breeders’ bulls as well. Bulls with length and width, good tops, square over the plates with a depth of muscle down the thigh, and with good locomotion, were readily sought and easily sold.”

“There’s a bounce in demand for the Simmental breed driven by commercial producers. We were delighted with positive feedback and approval from buyers in the Society’s recent breed survey, and this is also being backed up the strong run of bull and female sales that we’ve seen.

“The milk and maternal qualities of the breed are well established and add to the Simmentals ability to produce fast growing calves with tremendous weaning weights, and with superior age to slaughter. It’s a low input, high output breed and that efficiency and performance is giving value and profit to producers.”

The sale saw twenty bulls in all sell over the 9,000gns mark and with bulls finding their way to buyers from all four home countries. Orkney has been a strong market for Simmental bulls and featured again with nine heading to the island.

Read the full sale results here: https://bit.ly/3knCr7y