At the Aberdeen & Northern Marts Spring Show and Sale at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Wednesday 1st March, a new Simmental centre record average was set at £6,638 for the 14 bulls sold. Nine sold at 6,000gns or more, with the sale seeing a 93% clearance rate.
The sale followed on the heels of the Stirling Sale the previous week, which also saw a new Simmental breed record average set at £7,260.
Leading the way was the 10,000gns Islavale Marshall from the Stronach family, based near Keith, topping the sale for the second year in a row. The bull is by Corskie Highlander, who has had sons sell up to 18,000gns, is out of the Ranfurly Confederate C24 11 EX94 daughter Islavale Hanya EX90.
The bull had previously been tipped as the Overall Simmental Supreme Champion by the pre-sale show judge Gordon Mackay, with good figures for both calving ease and milk, combined with a depth of breeding.
Auchorachan Lethal Weapon from D & R Durno and Sons was the first bull in the ring, getting things off to a flying start by selling at 9,000gns. Also setting a high bar was Drumsleed Maverick from regular consignors Gerald and Morag Smith, which sold for 7,200gns and is a progeny of the 11,000gns stock bull Wolfstar Gordy.
Good trade continued with Blackford Marquiss, making 6,800gns for Mr WG MacPherson and two bulls from Messrs C & M Bruce, Tillyeve Marcus and Tillyeve Meldrum, both of which sold for 6,500gns.
