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May 24, 2013 Balmoral Show 2013

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May 20, 2013 Beef Export pre-event 22 May

Do you still think that you have to compromise on easy calving to produce cattle with exceptional growth rates? Visitors to Beef Expo pre-event farm tours on 22 May will find that the Oakchurch Charolais herd is testament that you can have it all; with pedigree heifers sufficiently grown at two years old to calve to bulls within the top 5% for calving ease estimated breeding value (EBV).

Herd owner Jeremy Price says that careful selection of genetics within his 15 cow herd for length, milkiness, natural fleshing qualities and conformation combined with Breedplan data is the winning formula at Oakchurch Farm, Staunton-on-Wye, Hereford, a 250 acre unit, the majority of which supports a soft fruit enterprise and the remaining grass carrying the pedigree Charolais alongside a 20 cow Aberdeen Angus herd.

“Our objective was to develop a profitable Charolais pedigree herd which focuses on maximising its performance potential as well as producing high genetic merit bulls for the commercial sector,” he explains. “Our policy is to keep productive females – ones that will produce one calf a year with no assistance at an average two years old – and keeping stock bulls within the top percentiles for calving ease and growth rates.”

Jeremy continues: “Targeting calving at a younger age the heifers get in calf quicker, meaning a faster turnover of calves and an extra year of profit.” At 15 months the heifers are sufficiently grown to introduce to the bull for three weeks which resulted in 72% holding to first service, and after putting him back in again several months later – calving has to tie in with quieter periods on the Price family’s soft fruit farm – 100% of the heifers will have calved before they are 32 months old. “If our heifers aren’t in calf by 23 months then they don’t get a second chance as we can’t have females eating grass that aren’t giving us an end product to sell.”

When Jeremy re-introduced Charolais to the farm in 2004, heifers went on to calve at 30 to 36 months and bull sales were steady. However the introduction of herd sire Blelack Digger TI +87, SRI +79, had a huge impact as one of the highest pointed British Charolais bulls in the herdbook with an exceptional calving ease EBV of +20.4 at 81% accuracy, within the top 1% for the breed. Purchased in 2006 at 14 months old, Jeremy explained: “Digger is a nice lined, smooth muscled bull and is the sire of half of the herd’s females.

“He leaves lively calves on the ground with a shorter gestation length, requiring no assistance at calving and they have an exceptional daily liveweight gain. Digger calves were mostly under 40kg at birth, however we still saw an average 70kg rise in 400 day weight in bulls averaging 778kg in his first crop of calves, and his heifers were all large enough at 600kg at 15 months for me to run them with Goldies Eddy with confidence. In fact, to fit in with the rest I calved one at 21 months with no problems.”

Goldies Eddy TI +62, SRI +65 is the herd’s current stock sire. “He’s a fantastic bull to look at with plenty of muscle, nice lines, and with a calving ease figure of +12.7, within the breed’s top 5%, we haven’t had to touch any of the heifers at calving. The calves have a lower birth weight of 34kg to 39kg and a shorter gestation length of 278 days on average, and are lively enough to rival our native bred calves in getting up to suckle.

“Breeding Charolais cattle is very much a side-line to our soft fruit business, so maintaining low labour and time requirements is priceless,” he says. “The heifers are very milky – Digger has a 200 day milk EBV of +12, within the breed’s top 5%, and at a couple of months old the Charolais calves are showing excellent growth and conformation.”

Jeremy explained: “The heifers weighed between 300kg and 400kg at weaning at six to nine months and by 18 months old they averaged 700kg. We don’t skimp on feed, all calves receive creep but after weaning we keep the heifers fairly lean on grass and silage up until they calve. Making best use of genetics is all well and good, but a productive herd doesn’t stop just there and we are well aware that cow management is just as important as using data.

“We aim to produce stock bulls for sale at the farm gate at 10 months old and I don’t believe in pushing them young, they receive a concentrate mix with straw after weaning until they leave for pastures new. Digger-sired bulls are in demand; the herd is accredited for BVD and Johne’s, free of leptospirosis and we are vaccinating for IBR, giving buyers added confidence in bulls that are grown to 600kg by the time they leave.”

The Oakchurch herd was recognised this year for making the greatest genetic progress in the United Kingdom during the last 12 months with the Harman Charolais Genetic Improvement Award, proving the herd strategy is paying dividends.

“My aspirations for the future are to keep the herd at 15 to 20 productive Charolais cows and continue to maintain ease of calving whilst not sacrificing on the exceptional daily liveweight gains and conformation that we expect from the breed.”

 

 

May 20, 2013 Welshpool Charolais bulls peak at 6,200gns

A small entry of Charolais bulls at the final official BCCS spring sale sold to a top of 6,200gns.

Sale leader was the first prize winner Moelfre Galliano TI +47, SRI +37 from Kevin Thomas, Capel Iwan, Newcastle Emlyn. A 19 month old by Gretnahouse Vigorous and out of a dam going back to the same sire, he sold to DL Price, Llanidloes.

Next at 4,500gns was the 19 month old Gower Gallant, TI +37, SRI +36, a Teiglum Edgar son and out of a dam going back to Dingle Hofmeister. Bred and exhibited by Richard and Alison Tucker, Horton, Gower he was knocked down sold to JJ Owens, Presteigne.

Wyn and Diane Rees, Llangurig, Llanidloes offered the next lot at 4,200gns to CR Thomas, Knighton. Hendy Hefin TI +31, SRI +23 was a 16 month old by Killadeas Contact and out of a dam by Tullygarley Rollerball.

A bid of 4,000gns secured the 17 month old champion bull,Esgob Gladiator TI + 30, SRI +28 for M Jones, Llanrwst. Bred and exhibited by Gareth Jones, Cwmtirmyach, Bala, he was an Anside Excalibur son and out of a dam going back to Grove lines.

Ann Orr-Ewing,Purton, Swindon offered Foxacre Henri TI +36, SRI +39 a 15 month old Moynton Caspar son at 3,300gns to WE Williams, Pwllheli.

Averages: 14 bulls £3,465

Auctioneers: Welshpool Livestock Sales

 

 

 

 

May 14, 2013 New Charolais centre breed record of 31,000gns at Carlisle

93 bulls sold to £5,116 average 

A new British Charolais centre record of 31,000gns was set at Carlisle at the society’s annual spring show and sale on Saturday 11 May, where a strong commercial demand took the average for 93 bulls sold to £5,116.21. 

Leading the way at 31,000gns was the reserve junior, reserve overall male and reserve supreme champion Whitecliffe Highlight TI +77, SRI +73, a Blelack Digger son from M and J Hayhurst, Malton, North Yorkshire. Within the top 1% of the breed for terminal sire index and self-replacing index estimated breeding values (EBVs) and the catalogue’s highest pointed bull, this 14 month old was knocked down sold to W Kingaby, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire. Messrs Hayhurst, whose previous highest price at the annual sale was 6,000gns, went on to take 8,000gns from G G Williams, Llanidloes, Powys, for the 17 month old Whitecliffe Glorious TI +64, SRI +61, another Digger son, and 7,000gns for a third Digger son, the 17 month old Whitecliffe Goldenboy TI +68, SRI +66, sold to R L Riddle and Son, Hexham, Northumberland. 

A shared call of 14,000gns secured Westcarse Houdini TI +50, SRI +46 for purchasers R A Milne, Elgin, Morayshire, and Mornity Farms, Blairgowrie, Perthshire. Bred by J H Christie and Son, Stirling, Stirlingshire, Houdini was a 15 month old by the 11,000gns Mortimers Echo. 

Allanfauld Gambler TI +40, SRI +35 went for a two way bid of 11,000gns from M Massie, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, and N Barclay, Insch, Aberdeenshire. The 17 month old intermediate male champion from A Macgregor, Kilsyth, Glasgow, was by the £20,000 Elgin Davinci. 

Through the ring at 10,500gns was Corrie Goldmedal TI +50, SRI +40, bred by D Macgregor, Kilsyth, Glasgow. Purchased by J Herdman, Alnwick, Northumberland, Goldmedal was an 18 month old son of Elgin Davinci. 

The 18 month old Burradon Galaxy TI +44, SRI +45, sold for 10,000gns. By Gwenog Banjo and bred by Messrs Curry, Morpeth, Northumberland, this one went home with W R Baillie, Deerness, Orkney. The breeders invested some of their takings in the 7,000gns Brampton Helium TI +47, SRI +49, a 13 month old Newhouse Diablo son from G W Turner, Ripon, North Yorkshire. 

Bids of 9,000gns were made thrice. The 17 month old Blelack Digger-sired Gretnahouse Grant TI +66, SRI +62, from A G Houston, Gretna Green, Dumfries-shire, sold for 9,000gns to P M and S M Donger, Towcester, Northamptonshire. The same breeder took a bid of 8,000gns from C M Reid, Eddleston, Peebles, for Gretnahouse Gunshot ET TI +73, SRI +67, an 18 month old son of the 11,000gns Balthayock Adonis and out of Balmyle Paradise. After taking the senior male championship, Gretnahouse Grim TI +32, SRI +27, a 22 month old Thrunton Camelot son and out of a homebred Doonally New-sired dam realised 5,000gns for Mr Houston, selling to G T Wordie, Huntly, Aberdeenshire. 

The second 9,000gns call came from Messrs Roberts and Jones, Welshpool, Powys, for the class winner Balmyle Harlequin TI +54, SRI +43. Sired by the 9,500gns Maerdy Egret and out of a homebred dam sired by the 28,000gns Brampton Nacodar, this 14 month old was bred by W P Bruce, Meigle, Perthshire. 

Also realising 9,000gns was the junior, overall male and supreme champion Glencoe Hagrid sired by the 15,000gns Newhouse Diablo. This 13 month old came from V McDonald, Newry, County Down, and was knocked down sold to the pre-sale judge Graeme Massie, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, who also invested 7,000gns in Caylers Hustler TI +49, SRI +36. This 14 month old by Thrunton Dominator and out of a homebred dam was bred by Caylers Charolais, Royston, Hertfordshire, who took the same money for Caylers Harbro TI +47, SRI +35, a 14 month old also by Dominator and sold to R Jones, Caernarfon, Gwynedd. 

Secured for 8,000gns was Elgin Glenfarclas TI +35, SRI +39, from R A Milne and Sons, Elgin, Morayshire. The 16 month old by the 30,000gns Balymle Bollinger was purchased by J Wardlaw and Son, Balerno, Mid Lothian. Messrs Milne took a further 6,500gns for the first prize winning 18 month old Elgin Grandprix TI +42, SRI +45, again by Bollinger and sold to  Auchencheyne Ltd, Thornhill, Dumfries-shire. 

The 20 month old reserve senior male champion Vexour Garriden TI + 65, SRI +68 sold for 7,000gns to A and C Watson, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire. By Dingle Hofmeister, Garriden was bred by J Boomars, Waldingham, Surrey.  

A bid of 6,000gns sold the reserve intermediate male champion Tullygarley General TI + 36, SRI +26, to E I Lewis and Sons, Machynlleth, Powys. Exhibited by G J Crawford, Maghera, County Londonderry, this was a 17 month old sired by Major. 

Goldies Echo TI +66, SRI +57, realised 6,000gns selling to R and D M Roberts, Abergele, Clwyd. The first prize winner from H Goldie, Dumfries, Dumfries-shire, was by Blelack Edition. The same breeder took 5,200gns for the 17 month old Goldies Gordon TI +54, SRI +50, by the 8,000gns Blelack Blackberet and out of a Goldies Unbeatable-sired homebred dam, to go home with J and W Menzies, Thornhill, Dumfries-shire. 

Knocked down sold at 5,800gns was Thrunton Gondolier TI +55, SRI +48, a first prize winner from J H C Campbell and Sons, Alnwick, Northumberland. By Balmyle Dickler and out of a Burradon Talisman-sired homebred dam, this 19 month old went home with G T and S Coghill, Birsay, Orkney. Messrs Campbell took a further bid of 5,000gns from W S L Muir, Stromness, Orkney, for Thrunton Garth TI +55, SRI +54, a Thrunton Doubletop-sired 20 month old. 

Realising a bid of 5,800gns was Marwood Gilbert TI +55, SRI +36, by Cottage Devon and out of a Doonally New-sired homebred dam. He was purchased by P M Rhodes, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, Yorkshire, Gilbert was bred and exhibited by R A and J Blyth, Hartlepool, Northumberland. 

Calls of 5,500gns were made twice. Ugie Goldblend TI +53, SRI +44, was secured at 5,500gns by J and C O Dunn, Ayr, Ayrshire. Bred by J T Wilson, Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Goldblend was by the 12,500gns Goldies Banker. 

Sold for 5,500gns to J Drinkall, Chorley, Lancashire, was Royaldowns Governor TI + 41, SRI +43, bred by M McKeown, Downpatrick, County Down. Governor was a son of the 9,000gns Goldies Carnival and out of Drumfin Damsel. 

The 17 month old Woodpark Goldbar sold for 5,000gns to D L and K M Porteous, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire. Bred by W Short, Omagh, County Tyrone, Goldbar was by the 19,000gns Corrie Alan. 

At the same price was Hallbankgate Hogan from I T and S E Bell, Brampton, Cumbria. Sired by Rotoary Ferguson ET, Hogan was secured by A M and P Bowman and Son, Penrith, Cumbria.                                                

FEMALE SECTION 

Female trade was led at 6,500gns by Holstead Faberge, TI +43, SRI +45, the reserve female champion from F, J, E and C Andrews, Huddersfield, Yorkshire. Purchased by J Hunter, Wigton, Cumbria, Faberge, a three year old heifer by Dingle Hofmeister and out of a Burradon Talisman-sired dam, was AI’d to Blelack Digger and a former first prize winner at the Great Yorkshire Show. 

Hamish Goldie took 4,300gns for Goldies Flute TI +57, SRI + 55, a two year old heifer by Goldies Uppermost. This one was in calf to Blelack Edition and was bought by O and J Pilkington, Buxton, Derbyshire. 

Jan Boomars took a bid of 3,000gns for the 17 month old female champion Vexour Glenna TI + 46, SRI +54, by Blelack Crusader. She was secured by H P and L S Whittaker, Cornhill on Tweed, Northumberland. 

Top price in the Hallgarth herd reduction sale, owned by R L Hall, Malton, North Yorkshire, went to the three year old heifer Hallgarth Elsie TI +37, SRI +39, for a call of 3,050gns from A J and J A Powell, Knighton Powys. Elsie, by Balthayock Ulex and out of Goldies Uniglow, was sold in calf to Rumsden Udimore with her nine month old heifer calf Hallgarth Halo, sired by Bassett Bamboo, at foot. 

Averages: 29 senior bulls, £4,743.10; 34 intermediate bulls, £4,887.13; 30 junior bulls, £5,736.50; 93 bulls overall, £5,116.21; 11 cows and heifers served and/or suckling, £2,744.32; 9 served and maiden heifers, £1,621.67. Hallgarth reduction sale: 5 cows and heifers served and/or suckling, £2,667; 4 served and maiden heifers, £1,824.37; 1 young bull, £1,470. 

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

 

May 7, 2013 Charolais trade tops 6,500gns thrice in Stirling

British Charolais lead breed averages at £4,285 for 21 bulls sold at multi-breed fixture

British Charolais trade peaked at 6,500gns three times at the society’s official show and sale at Stirling on Monday 6 May, where spirited bidding gave the breed the leading average of £4,285 for 21 bulls sold, representing 68% clearance.

» Read the rest of this article…

April 25, 2013 Holsworthy Charolais peak at 4,300gns

Charolais bulls sold to a top of 4,300gns in Holsworthy on Thursday 24 April at the South West Charolais Association`s annual spring sale.

Sale leader at 4,300gns was the champion, Martland Grazer TI +27, SRI +23, a 21 month old by the 55,000gns Sportsman Columbo and out of a homebred dam. Bred and exhibited by J and C Wylde, Woolavington, Bridgwater he was knocked down sold to PL Heard, Okehampton.

Earlier in the day, Mr Heard had offered his Meldon George TI +33, SRI +31, a rising two year old by Broadbury Diesel to Messrs Needham and Son, Bucklands Newton who also went to 2,300gns for Wyvern Goodun TI +54, SRI +45, a two year old Blelack Digger son from DM Barker, Heathfield Taunton.The day’s second highest call at 3,600gns was the 14 month old Blelack Digger son, Beanhill Harry TI +70, SRI +74 from RJ and BE Kimber, Christian Malford, Chippenham to MS Andrews, Winsford, Minehead.

A bid of 3,200gns secured Downtown Grady TI +33, SRI +26 for A J & D M Finnemore, Camelford. A 20 month old by Balbithan Condor, he was bred and exhibited by Brian Lavis, Bridestowe, Okehampton.

Two, two year old heifers by the 10,000gns Perth champion, Chunal Dougie from Mr and Mrs Andrew White, Worth Matravers led the female section and both were secured by H Dunstan and Sons, Mabe, Penryn. Balbithan Godmanston TI +38, SRI +46 made 3,400gns, while Balbithan Galaxy TI +20 SRI +32 attracted a 3,000gns bid.

Averages: 8 bulls £3,189; 6 females £2,138.

Auctioneers: Kivells

 

 

April 23, 2013 Charolais Champion tops Ballymena at 4,400gns

Charolais trade topped at 4,400gns at the Northern Ireland Charolais Club’s show and sale at Ballymena Livestock Mart on Friday 19 April.

The top price of 4,400gns went to the day’s supreme champion Crosskeys Gomesy from C and K Marshall, Ballymena, County Antrim. This 19 month old by Bassett Judge and out of a homebred dam was purchased by C Maxwell, Downpatrick, County Down.

Knocked down sold at 4,300gns was first prize winner Moorlough Hugh by the 55,000gns Thrunton Voldemort and out of a homebred dam sired by Oldstone Egbert. Bred by J McBride, Strabane, County Tyrone, the 14 month old Hugh was secured by J Smyth, Randalstown, County Antrim.

A call of 3,900gns was made for Adams General, a 17 month old by the Doonally New sired Melvin Gal and out of Kilnock Varanasi. Bred by E Reid, Omagh, County Tyrone, General was consigned by K C Veitch, Lisbellaw, County Fermanagh and bought by T McCaster, Larne, County Antrim.

Burnside Honky ET sold for 3,000gns to D McCollum, Ballymena, County Antrim. Bred by B McAllister and Son, Ballymena, County Antrim, this 14 month old was by the 16,000gns Clyth Diplomat and out of a homebred dam.

Averages: 10 bulls, £3,213.00.

Auctioneers: Ballymena Livestock Mart

 

April 19, 2013 Welshpool Charolais bulls peak at 7,200gns

Charolais bulls met a solid commercial trade selling to a top of 7,200gns in Welshpool on Thursday 18 April at the breed society’s official spring sale.

Sale topper at 7,200gns was Gower Goldenboy TI +36, SRI +29, an 18 month old first prize winning bull bred and exhibited by Richard and Alison Tucker who were enjoying their best ever day in Welshpool in 18 years of trading at the centre. Goldenboy was one of the first strings of bulls by their new herd sire, Teiglum Edgar and out of Gower Comedy, one of the family`s best damlines within their 30 cow herd based at Horton, Gower. The buyer was TT Jones, Llanbrynmair.

Next at 6,500gns was the day’s last catalogued entry, Trefaldwyn Hugoboss a 14 month old within the breed’s top 1% with a TI +72 and SRI +62. Bred by Arwel Owen, Foel, Welshpool and secured by MG Roberts, Croesor, Penrhyndeadraeth, he was sired by Blelack Digger and out of a homebred dam going back to Doonally New. Earlier in the day, Hugoboss had been placed first in his class.

Following closely at 6,400gns was Dorcas Galileo TI +44, SRI +41 who minutes before had been awarded the supreme championship by judge, Ian Campbell, Thrunton. “Galileo was an all-round good bull; he had length, clean lines and was very well fleshed,” he said. Bred by the Morris family, he was offered by Wyne and Diane Rees, Llangurig, Llanidloes who were enjoying the limelight for the first time in 18 years of exhibiting at the centre. A 20 month old, he was sired by Dorcas Duke, a Goldies Ambassador son, out of a homebred dam and he went home with M Griffiths, Botwnog, Pwllhelli.

A 5,000gns bid secured Montgomery Grantham TI +56, SRI +53 for M Rees, Tywyn. Bred and exhibited by Gareth Roberts, Llangadfan, Welshpool, Grantham was an 18 month old Blelack Digger son and out of a homebred dam by Tullygarley Attaboy.

The highest of six entries from Flintshire vet, Esmor Evans, Mold made 4,900gns to E Rodrick, Sennybridge, Brecon. Maerdy Grandmarnier TI +42, SRI +46 was a 17 month old Val d’or-Ra son and out of a homebred dam.

Two entries from the same vendor shared a 4,000gns bid. First to go was Maerdy Giant TI +50, SRI +45, a 19 month old Simpsons Gregg son and out of a homebred dam. The buyer was JAM Jones, Llandrindod Wells. Minutes later, the 18 month old Maerdy Gulch TI +45, SRI +42 was secured for 4,000gns by JL Nixon and Sons, Llandrindon. A Maerdy Ulm son, he was out of a homebred dam by Maerdy Naser.Three lots were bid to 4,800gns each. First in the ring was the 17 month old Solo Gigolo TI +36, SRI +31, a Newroddige Bonanza son and out of a Maerdy Impeccable sired dam from Cecil and Robert Currell, East Harptree to K and L Jones, Narberth.

Roger Everall, Shrawardine, Shrewsbury offered the next entry at 4,800gns to Messrs Hughes, Llanerchymedd, Anglesey. Shraden Granite TI +37, SRI +22 was a rising two year old by the Burradon Talisman sired Shraden Calypso and out of a homebred dam. Mr Everall’s Shraden Greycloud TI +29, SRI +21, another same age Calypso son and out of an Escott sired homebred dam made 4,000gns to SL Evans, Penmaen, Gower.

The third 4,800gns call was made by JLC Williams, Portmadoc for the reserve champion, Beanhill Henry TI +59, SRI +57 bred and exhibited by RJ and BE Kimber, Chippenham. Henry was a 15 month old Blelack Digger son and out of a homebred dam by Talisman.

Plasbela Gladiator TI +57, SRI +57, a 17 month old from T and G Roberts, Llanfair, Abergele was knocked down sold for 4,500gns to Messrs Williams and Son, Kington. A Dingle Hofmeister son, he was out of an Inverlochy Resolve sired homebred dam. Another Hofmeister son from the same breeders, this time the 14 month old, Plasbela Hoff TI +50, SRI +48 made 4,400gns to HW Lloyd, Abergele.

Two more entries sold at 4,400gns each. First to go was Charbron Genial TI +35, SRI +34 from Barons Cross Charolais Stud, Aymestrey, Leominster to CR Griffiths, Bettws, Ammanford. Genial was a rising two year old by the 25,000gns Perth champion Goldies Unbeatable and out of a homebred dam by Caylers Supreme.

Next at 4,400gns was Gwenog Gonzeles TI +32, SRI +29, a 22 month old by Thrunton Classic and out of a Derryharney Outstanding sired homebred dam from father and son team, John and Peter Howells, Llanybyder to AW Williams, LLannefydd, Denbigh.

Gwastod Generator, a two year old Elgin Columbo son sold and out of a Charbron bred dam from BL Williams, Abermeurig, Lampeter made 4,200gns to PW Humphreys, Capel Bangor, Aberystwyth.

The 16 month old Thrunton Dominator son, Caylers Guardsman TI +38, SRI +25 from David and Louise Barker, Nuthampstead, Royston commanded a 4,000gns bid from T Gowling, Market Harborough.

Alwyn Rees, Pennal, Machynlleth offered his 20 month old Pennal Genetic TI +36, SRI +29 by Texan and out of a Killadeas Jack sired homebred dam at 4,000gns to FG Goodall, Llandovery.

Female section

Heading J and L Pegg’s dispersal at 5,200gns was Waterfall Ellierose, a four year old Coolnaslee Universe daughter and out of a homebred dam by Doonally New. She was sold in calf to Balthayock Adonis to Ann Orr-Ewing, Purton Swindon.

Next at 3,100gns was Harviestoun Dionne, a four year old Ravenworth Unwin daughter offered with her March born heifer, Waterfall Ionne by Adonis. She sold to AJ Powell, Knighton. A bid of 3,000gns secured Waterfall Blaise for DJ Thornely, Swadlingcote, Derby. A seven year old Doonally New daughter, she was knocked down sold in calf to Adonis.

A draft from Griff Morris, Llanstephen, Cramarthen was led at 3,500gns for Cargriff Colette, a five year old by Cargriff Valient and out of a homebred dam by Seawell Offshore. Sold in calf to Chunal Dougie, she was purchased by AJ Powell who also bid 2,900gns for a cow and calf pair from RL Hall, Malton. Bassett Bryony was a seven year old by Thrunton Troubadour sold in calf to Rumsden Udimore, while her nine month old heifer calf, Hallgarth Heuchera was by Bassett Bamboo.

Other leading lots from Cargriff included Cargriff Hotpot, a 10 month heifer by Swalesmoor Bayonet making 2,900gns to VAS Corbett, Knighton.

Averages: 56 bulls £3,638.44; 3 cows £3,500.00; 4 cows with calves at foot £3,150. 7 heifers £1,408.50

April 4, 2013 Charolais crosses averaging £200 a head more than other Continental crosses

Cumbrian beef producer, Mark Bowman is focused on maximising output per suckler cow and has found that he has been able to boost annual income by over £200 a head by simply swapping terminal sires for Charolais.

Mark Bowman of Crinkledyke with his Charolais sired progeny

 “Our main objective for our cattle enterprise is to rear calves with a big carcase because there’s no disputing – weight pays, and then finish the entire crop as efficiently as possible,” Mark explains.

“We use a mix of markets – both live and dead. At present all cattle are sold liveweight through the ring at Penrith mart with buyers providing feedback on carcase data – it’s a useful exercise and helps to identify where we can make further improvements to selecting more carefully our genetics as well as management. A Charolais cross heifer made 270p per kg liveweight (£1,650) at the mart’s Easter prime show.

 “We’ve tried and tested three crops of Charolais sired calves and they’ve certainly lived up to our expectations. Take the bulls, they’re finishing on average eight weeks earlier and killing out 30kg heavier than our other continental crosses, while our biggest surprise has been the heifers, in particular their quality – they’re long, clean and have good conformation and they’re reaching an average 400kg in 20 months.” The entire crop of bulls and heifers are fed an identical diet at the same rate. See table 1.

 Table 1: Cringledyke finished cattle average performance

	Charolais cross		Continental cross
	Bulls	Heifers	Bulls	Heifers
Days to slaughter	450	600	510	600
Weight (kg)	440	400	410	370

Source: Cringledyke

Those performance benefits delivered by the Charolais cross bulls are leaving Mr Bowman an additional income of more than £300 a head over the continental crosses, when taking in the current 380p per kg average market price (R4L) and 350p per day costs. In addition, the Charolais cross heifers are delivering an extra £100.

Mark Bowman farms Cringledyke, Kirkoswald, a 500 acre hill unit including 100 acres of cereals and 30 acres of roots, and carrying 115 suckler cows and followers plus 1,150 ewes. All progeny are taken through to finishing. The unit is farmed in a family partnership – Mark and his wife, Julie and parents, Maurice and Pat.  

Finishing homebred bulls and heifers on home grown grain has been key to Mark’s strategy for the last 20 years, and it’s one that he continues to tweak while keeping the system as simple as possible.

Introducing Charolais as the herd’s terminal sire was a relatively recent decision.  “We were seeking to breed and rear an animal with a big frame on which to grow muscle – we want to exploit size and weight and we decided to invest in Charolais five years ago having watched how the breed had evolved since it was originally introduced to the county more than 40 years ago. It has developed more muscle, has a favourable temperament, and we believed there was the potential to exploit hybrid vigour using him over our continental cross dairy suckler cows. 

“Over 80% of the herd is scheduled to calve in spring and the remainder autumn in order to spread the workload and cash flow,” he says. “We carefully select milky cows, ones that will provide sufficient milk for their calves through to September when we introduce creep, a mix based on home grown barley.” 

Weaned calves are housed in November, bulls averaging 350kg and heifers 270kg. The bulls are introduced to the finishing diet, a 14% CP barley mix. The Charolais crosses are finishing at 15 months and an average 440kgs, killing out at 58% and within the U 3,4L specification, while the heifers are overwintered on silage plus 2kg a head of barley based home mix, grazed the following summer and then rehoused and finished at an average 19 months; they kill out similar to the bulls and all grade -U or better.  

He adds: “We are proud of our beef enterprise which is producing a high quality and fully traceable product, as efficiently as possible. Making just one change by introducing Charolais to the herd has certainly helped to improve our efficiencies and we’re continually fine tuning. In fact we’re working away here not just for ourselves, but we would also like to make sure the opportunities are available for our two young sons, Arthur and Jack to eventually secure a farming future.”

March 26, 2013 The 2009, 2010, 2011 Calf Crops (Beef Focus article)

Farmers Weekly/Harper Adams Beef Focus farmer Simon Frost has just hit one of his lifetimes targets for his suckler herd with a daily carcase gain (dcg) of his bull calves of 1.00kg from birth to slaughter. The 2011 crop of calves recorded a carcase weight of 462kg at just 440 days (14.4 months) old. This daily carcase gain calculation removes 24kg from the carcase weight to account for the calf birth carcase weight. With a kill out of 59.8% (gut full) this equates to a live slaughter weight of 773kg and a daily live weight gain of 1.66kg from birth – phenomenal performance.

The herd is independently monitored by Simon Marsh, Senior Lecturer and Beef Cattle Specialist at Harper Adams University who comments that this is the best dcg I’ve ever seen. The dcg on many of the herds I monitor and suckled bull performance that I analyse typically ranges from 0.70 to 0.80kg. So how does Simon Frost achieve this tremendous performance? By total focus on what we call the ‘Golden Triangle’ of genetics, nutrition and health.

The suckler herd at Hopping Farm is based on small to medium sized milky Limousin x Holstein-Friesian cows which are put to top 1% terminal index Charolais bulls which have been specifically selected to have positive Calving Ease Direct EBVs with very high 400 day Growth and Eye Muscle Area EBVs. These types of bulls are termed as ‘curve-benders’ which can be found within the Charolais as well as all other terminal sire breeds.

Simon Frost sells his calves at weaning to John and Alan Dore at Glapwell near Chesterfield and they ‘really know how to manage and finish quality high genetic merit cattle’ feeding a 16% CP home mix and good quality big bale silage.

The 2009, 2010 and 2011 calf crops

Steady progress has been made over the years with the finishing bulls. The 2009 bulls recorded a carcase weight of 438kg at 447 days old equating to a dcg of 0.94kg. The 2010 bulls recorded a carcase weight of 427kg at 415 days old equating to a dcg of 0.97kg and then finally the target of 1.00kg dcg was hit with the 2011 calf crop.

Table 1. Simon Frosts suckled bull calf finishing results compared to the EBLEX target.

	EBLEX	S Frost Bulls
	Targets	2010	2011
Slaughter age (months)	14.0	13.6	14.4
Slaughter wt (kg)	590	714	773
DLWG birth – slaughter (kg)	1.28	1.62	1.66
Kill out %	59.0	59.9	59.9
Carcase weight (kg)	348	427	462
DCG from birth (kg)	0.77	0.97	1.00
% E & U grades	N/A	96	96
Concentrates (kg/bull)	1,500	1,384	1,662
Silage (kg DM/bull)	N/A	412	681
FCR (kg feed DM/kg gain)	5.3:1	4.7:1	4.9:1

The 2011 calves carcase weight of 462kg may by some commentators be considered to be too heavy for a lot of retail outlets. With the rising demand for beef these heavy weight carcases are now seldom penalised, and, if it is penalised it may only be a 10p/kg deduction for any weight over 450kg. The ‘shoe is now on the other foot’ with world demand for beef increasing. Some 44% of the bulls recorded a fat class of 4L so the comment I would add is that they could easily be finished at lighter weights and still have decent fat cover.

Simon has hosted several groups of visiting farmers this last year and some commented on visually assessing the finishing bulls that there were ‘too many R grades’. You will note from table 1 that only 4% graded R, the rest grading E’s and U’s. I suspect these comments were made by finishers with what Simon Frost would describe with ‘inny-outy’ cattle that are relatively weak on the loin and shoulders in relation to the back-end. It should be remembered that conformation classification is based on assessing a carcase in three areas, the shoulders, loin and back-end. If a beast has a decent back-end appropriate for a U+ however if the loin and shoulders are weaker and graded -U then the carcase will get an overall classification of –U. Hence disappointment by some producers with carcase grading results when visually they only look at the back-ends of cattle!

The reason for the heavier carcase weights for this last batch of calves is simply attributed to them being ‘slower to get going’ according to Alan Dore. One thing they do not do with the bull calves on arrival after weaning is push too much home mix at them. It is all about minimising stress with the calves when they are weaned by housing them in well ventilated, well bedded straw yards with double the recommended space allowance. Top quality silage is fed ad lib and home mix is gradually built up and by 4 weeks they are on 4kg, 6kg at 6 weeks and 8kg at 8 week. The bulls start on good quality dry 11.5ME big bale grass silage but by January it is replaced with mature fibrous 2^nd cut with 9.8ME which complements the high cereal feeding rate. When asked about the economics of intensive finishing Alan Dore remarks “you have to feed to the potential”. The merits of intensive cereal finishing is a question frequently asked of Simon Marsh and he is reluctant to suggest diluting down the energy density of ration of high performance stock. The main option to consider is replacing some cereal with very high quality forage. Dramatically reducing cereal feed rate will reduce dcg, delay slaughter and generally increase overall finishing costs. The bulls eat on average 6.96kg of home-mix plus 2.85kg silage DM from weaning to slaughter so you can calculate with your feed prices what it costs to put on 1kg of carcase weight per day and judge for yourself if intensive finishing is economic!

Achieving 1.00kg dcg from birth to slaughter has been a long term target for Simon Frost. The next target is 1.02kg. The question I would ask is ‘how high can we go’? Having got the health and nutrition ‘spot on’ Simon attributes the improvement in dcg from 0.94 to 1.00kg over the last 3 years to simply ‘better bulls with higher indexes’. Simon has recently added to his bull stud with the purchase of Maerdy Grubby at Stirling in February. Grubby, a son of Blelack Digger who is by the renowned Balthayock Adonis, has a Calving Ease Direct of +11.8 (breed average = -0.9), a 400 day weight of +68kg (breed average = +42kg) and Eye Muscle Area of +7.8sq cm (breed average = +3.0). Grubby has a top 1% Terminal Index of +82 and is a true ‘curve bender’. He will throw progeny that are very easily calved with excellent growth and since the Eye Muscle Area EBV is one of the highest within the breed will produce E and U+ grade carcasses and help Simon continue with the genetic improvement in his herd.

Heifers finishing results

The heifers being a much early maturing breed type are finished on significantly lower levels of home mix. This averages just 3.0kg per head per day of the same good quality 16% CP home-mix based on barley, oats, hi-pro soya, linseed, molasses and minerals. This year a yeast culture was fed.

Table 2. Simon Frosts 2011 born suckled heifer calf finishing results.

	S Frost Heifers
Slaughter age (months)	14.8 (450 days)
Slaughter wt (kg)	550
DLWG birth – slaughter (kg)	1.14
Kill out %	56.0
Carcase weight (kg)	308
DCG from birth (kg)	0.64
Conformation class	4% E, 60% U, 34% R, 2% O+
Fat class	38% @ 3, 58% @ 4L, 4% @ 4H
Concentrates (kg/head)	789 + 1,038kg DM silage
FCR (kg feed DM/kg gain)	6.5:1

The UK average heifer carcase weight in 2011 was 310kg @ 690 days old. Simon’s heifers finished 7.8 months younger than the UK average at similar carcase weights. It is of note that 96% were finished at fat class 3 and 4L with only 4% finished at fat class 4H, with 64% at E and U grades.

It is also worthy to note that the difference in carcase weight between the bulls and heifers was a massive 154kg. At a carcase value of £3.70/kg this is worth £570 in favour of the bulls. Based on feed costs of £215/t for home-mix and £100t/DM for good quality silage, the bulls would have feed costs of £425 per head compared to the heifers £274 i.e. £151 more for the bulls This still leaves a net margin over feed in favour of the bulls of £419! Serious consideration therefore needs to be given to the development and use of sexed male semen AI, especially in synchronisation programmes. Unfortunately it is not recommended to currently use sexed semen, which is predominantly sexed for heifers, in synchronisation programs.       

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