PEDIGREE LIMOUSIN CATTLE Friday 6th July 2007

CRACKING SARKLEY SALE IS TOPPED AT 28,000gns.

Second top price 24,000gns – Five prices over 7,000gns – Total clearance sees 77 animals average £3424

An in-calf heifer at 28,000gns was the lead price in a cracking production sale of heifers from the Sarkley Limousin herd of Messrs EH Pennie & Sons, Gwern-yr-ychain, Llandyssil, Montgomery, Powys, held at Carlisle on Friday 6th July 2007.

Sarkley Arriana

The top price was paid for Sarkley Arriana, a June 2005 born heifer by the prolific Ronick Gains and out of one of the herd’s top cows, the Heros sired cow Sarkley Narriane. This animal combined style and conformation with a deep pedigree and carried a Beef Value of LM+26. Purchaser was Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm, Milton Road, Bloxham, Banbury for their growing Ironstone pedigree herd. On the day, four of the five top prices and seven animals overall were purchased by Smiths of Bloxham.

Demand for the quality yearling, maiden and in-calf heifers on offer resulted in thirteen animals selling at over 5,000gns and a total clearance of all 77 animals catalogued. The average Beef Value of the 77 heifers in the sale was LM+25.7 with 40 lots being in the top 10% of recorded Limousins. From a herd that has predominantly used AI, the sale featured progeny from 24 different sires, all of which had been selected on a combination of bloodlines, visual assessment and performance figures.

At 24,000gns was Sarkley Bellola, a February 2006 born maiden heifer by the Heros son Cloughhead Lord. Bellola is out of Sarkley Talola a daughter of Sarkley Ola who was the Royal Welsh Show Champion in 2000. This classy heifer, with a Beef Value of LM+29 was purchased by Christine Williams for the Wilodge herd at Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire.

Early in the sale, Smiths of Bloxham purchased the April 2005 born Sarkley Arragon for 10,500gns. A heifer with both muscle and shape, Arragon is by the French bull Rocky, a son of Jacot, and is out of the Ronick Luke sired Sarkley Shona. Sarkley Arragon, who featured a top 1% Beef Value of LM+42, was sold as having been sired by Sarkley Voltigeur, a full brother of Sarkley Sebastien who was sold at Carlisle in May 2003 for 23,000gns. A full sister to Arragon, Sarkley Barragon, made 8,500gns and was also snapped up for the Ironstone herd of Smiths of Bloxham. This April 2006 heifer again carried an excellent Beef Value of LM+34.

The Smith’s fourth high profile purchase was Sarkley Alice who made 8,000gns. A February 2005 born heifer, Alice is by the Rake Terence sired Cloughhead Charlie and is out of another Ronick Luke sired dam, Sarkley Sheryl. Sarkley Alice, who has a Beef Value of LM+29 was sold having been served by Sarkley Voltigeur.

Smiths of Bloxham have 140 breeding females within their Ironstone herd and are looking to gradually grow to approximately 200 head of breeding females. Owner Peter Smith noted that the cattle purchased were extremely well bred and had been selected to further build upon his herd’s existing bloodlines and to introduce new breeding lines.

Rocky sired heifers continued to prove in demand with Sarkley Beaute making 7,200gns when selling to pedigree breeders McKinney Bothers, 91 Craigadick Road, Maghera, Co. Londonderry, for their Heathmount herd. This April 2006 born heifer is out of Sarkley Jenny who is sired by Berrichon and is a daughter of the Ami sired Sarkley Farouche. This was another animal with a big Beef Value of LM+39.

Sarkley Alexa, an April 2005 daughter of the Heros sired Sarkley Pepsi, made 6,800gns when selling to the growing pedigree herd of D&M Kelly, Nether Hall, Mansergh, Cumbria. This calf, with a LM+34 Beef Value, is out of the Broadmeadows Cannon sired Sarkley Moira and was sold scanned in-calf to Glenrock Ventura.

Nether Hall went on to purchase one of the three calves that made 5,500gns. The third last lot was Sarkley Belltoya, a May 2006 born maiden heifer. By the French sire Nenuphar, Belltoya is out of the Marron sired Sarkley Toya who also bred Sarkley Advert which sold for 5,200gns at Carlisle in October 2006. The same purchasers went on to snap up the July 2005 born Sarkley Anicola for 5,200gns. This pedigree again featured a Heros/Broadmeadows Cannon cross with Anicola’s sire being Sarkley Pepsi and her dam being the Cannon sired Sarkley Nicola. Again the figures, LM+34, supported the bloodlines.

The second heifer at 5,500gns was Sarkley Amelia purchased for the Plumtree pedigree herd by Mr P Cairns & Miss H Burton, Hall Farm, Tollerton Lane, Tollerton, Notts. This July 2005 born heifer is another Ronick Gains daughter and is out of the Broadmeadows Cannon sired dam, Sarkley Polka.

Christine Williams added to her second top price purchase when buying Sarkley Ambur for 5,500gns. Again with good bloodlines, this November 2005 born heifer is by the Imperial son Navarin and is out of the Talent sired Sarkley Elevation. She was sold with a Beef Value of LM+24.

Smiths of Bloxham were back in the market when they purchased Sarkley Boriana for 5,200gns. Boriana is by Nenuphar and is out of the show winning heifer Sarkley Oriana who features both Broadmeadows Cannon and Ronick Gains in her pedigree. This maiden heifer was born in April 2006.

Another Rocky daughter, Sarkley Berrie, made 5,000gns when selling to MC&W Phillips, The Batch, Sarnesfield, Weobley, Herefordshire. With a Beef Value of LM+33, this April 2006 heifer is out of the Ronick Luke sired dam Sarkley Tabbie.

AVERAGES:
35 Served Heifers £3,477.00
42 Maiden Heifers £3,380.00
Overall £3,424.09