Show and Sale of Rams and Females for the Zwartbles Sheep Association

Friday 27th August 2004

The inaugural sale of Zwartble rams and females at Borderway, on Friday August 27th 2004 hit a top price of 1,050gns for an MV accredited shearling ewe from Malcolm Short, of Broadway Orchard, Bourne End, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

The ewe, which took a second prize at this year's Royal Show, was bought by dairy farmer and pedigree Charollais sheep breeder David Sloan, of Rigghead, Collin, Dumfries, for his 10 year old daughter Hannah to start her own flock of Zwartbles along with two ewes already bought privately.

The unusual badger-faced Dutch breed is attracting the commercial sheep farmer, with its maternal characteristics, good conformation and tight coat, however its striking and unique black and white markings have also attracted interest from smallholders and hobby breeders – and the demand was particularly reflected in the female prices.

Making the second highest female price of the sale were two shearling ewes - one from the Troutbeck flock of Frank and Margaret Mattinson, run with their twin sons Philip and James at Troutbeck Farm, Heads Nook, near Carlisle, the other from Anglesey breeder John Rowlands.

The Troutbeck ewe sold for 700gns to R and A Tinto, of Colmslie Hill, Galashiels while the Llepan flock ewe went to A Sayer (junior), of Cresswell, Stoke on Trent.

The Mattinsons paid the highest price for a male Zwartble – 920gns for a scrapie genotype one ram lamb from Mrs Joyce Millar’s maedi visna accredited Joyfield flock at Woodhousehill Farm, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie.

Close behind at 820gns was another group one ram, this time a shearling from Susan Rowlands, of Gwarfelin, Taliesin, Machynlleth, Powys, which sold to K and M Berry, of Rectory Farm, Thornton in Craven, Skipton.

Leading prices
Rams: Lot 451, Mrs Joyce Millar, Woodhousehill Farm, Kirkpatrick Fleming, Lockerbie (lamb), 920gns, to FJ Mattinson, Troutbeck Farm, Heads Nook, Brampton, Cumbria. 416, Susan Rowlands, Gwarfelin, Taliesin, Machynlleth, Powys (shearling), 820gns to K & M Berry & Son, Rectory Farm, Thornton in Craven, Skipton, N.Yorkshire. 447, John Rowlands (lamb) 600gns to BI Armstrong, Ghyll Croft, Ainstable, Carlisle, Cumbria. (Reserve Male Champion). 450, Mrs Joyce Millar (lamb) 600gns to FJ Mattinson. 431, GA Francis, Pistyll Uchaf, Abergorlech, Carmarthen (lamb) 580gns to DP & AR Klucznik, The City, City Lane, Longsdon, Stoke on Trent, Staffs.

Females: 472, Malcolm Short, Broadway Orchard, Bourne End, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire (shearling) 1,050gns to HW Sloan, Rigghead, Collin, Dumfries. 483, FJ Mattinson, Troutbeck Farm, Heads Nook, Carlisle (shearling) 700gns to R & A Tinto & Ptrs, Colmslie Hill, Galashiels. 492, John Rowlands, Hen Feudy, Ysgubar Fawr, Llanfairwll, Ynys Mon, Anglesey (shearling) 700gns to A Sayer (Jnr), 1 Cresswell Old Lane, Cresswell, Stoke on Trent, Staffs. (Female Champion). 470, Malcolm Short (shearling), 600gns to DCS Alexander, Millside Farm, Galston, Ayrshire.. 487, Mrs JM Barker, Garris Lodge, Airton, Skipton, North Yorkshire, (shearling) 580gns to S Graham, Miller Hill, Gilsland, Carlisle, Cumbria. 471, Malcolm Short (shearling), 570gns to DF & H Scott, Brickyard Farm, Marton, Macclesfield, Cheshire. 493, John Rowlands (shearling), 520gns to A Sayer (Jnr). 479, GA Francis (shearling) 500gns to WW & JA McCurdie, Bondon Farm, Bourton Road, Birdingbury, Rugby. Warwickshire. 515, Anne Duckworth, Kirkstyle, Biggar, (lamb) 500gns to R & A Tinto & Ptrs. 522, FJ Mattinson (lamb) 500gns to E Dickinson, Three Farms, Kirkwhelpington, Newcastle upon Tyne. 523, John Rowlands (lamb) 500gns to W Girvan, 9 Brooklands, New Road, Ahoghill, Ballymena, Co.Antrim, N.I.

Averages: 5 aged rams, £298.20; 12 ewes, £269.94; 21 shearling rams, £244.00; 23 Shearling Gimmers, £485.28; 30 lamb rams £193.90; 38 ewe lambs£315.83.

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