Harry Brown, left, winner of the Angus cross championship pictured with Mike Sheret

The winning 409kg carcase came from a 20 month old steer by the 18,000gns Galcantray Preditor and classified -U3. Mr Brown finishes around 500 cattle a year, mostly purchased as stores in Orkney and at marts in the North-east, and also runs a suckler herd of 150 cows.

Reserve was a 360kg steer from Ian Emslie, Little Barras, Laurencekirk, which classified R4L and killed out at 61.1%.

Best pure-bred Aberdeen-Angus was a steer bred at Millhills, Crieff, and consigned by finisher, Robin Braes, and his uncle, William Braes, from Burnshot, Linlithgow. The R4L carcase weighed 373kg and killed out at 56.1%.

William Braes with the Aberdeen-Angus pure bred champion

The Scotbeef competition for suckler herds using Aberdeen-Angus sires was judged on farm by John McLaren, Wester Keillour, Methven, Perth, and won by Archie McLaren, Craigie, Clackmannan. Ten prime cattle from each of the 20 herds entered for the competition were slaughtered at the Bridge of Allan plant and the results analysed by SAC.

Runner-up was William Harcus, Quanterness, St Ola, Orkney, with Wm Sanderson, Blackshiels, Midlothian, taking third place.

May I take this opportunity to thank all our host’s who very kindly welcomed club member’s on our weekend trip to Aberdeenshire.  We visited seven herds in two and a half days from 3ft above sea level to 1000ft. It really was a superb trip and thank you all once again for your wonderful hospitality.

May I wish all our hosts who will be showing at next week’s Royal Highland Show the very best of luck. Your superb cattle are a credit to yourselves and the breed.

The move to Aberdeen-Angus in a suckler herd previously based on Continental crosses has greatly eased the management load at Burghill Farms, Brechin, Angus.

The Continental cows were housed throughout winter and calved inside which was proving highly labour intensive as well as being wasteful of straw. The intensive nature of the enterprise had also resulted in a scour problem which was proving difficult to cure.

Farm manager, Bruce Christie, made the bold decision in 2000 to disperse the Continental cattle and establish a 100-cow outwintered Aberdeen-Angus herd to utilise the unploughable land on the 2000acre largely arable unit which spans both sides of the A92 Brechin by-pass.

“We decided to move to Aberdeen-Angus for a variety of reasons but mainly because of ease of calving and the consequent longevity of the cows, the suitability of the breed for outwintering and the expanding premium market for Aberdeen-Angus beef,” says Mr Christie.

“We could see that the popularity of the Aberdeen-Angus breed was increasing and we thought there might be an opportunity for selling breeding stock.”

Assisted calvings were common practice with the Continental cows but the calving jack has hardly been used since switching to Aberdeen-Angus.

“The easy calving nature of the Aberdeen-Angus is a real bonus,” says Mr Christie. “With our experience with the Continentals, the temptation is to help but if you leave the Aberdeen-Angus cow alone and come back in an hour, nine times of 10 the calf will be born and up and sucking.”

Bruce Christie with one of the herd's stock bulls

The herd was established with the purchase of all the surplus heifers for three years running from Rognvald and Barbara Sinclair’s Unigarth herd at South Unigarth, Sandwick, Orkney.

The herd is now closed to maintain a high health status – apart from the purchase of stock bulls – and is clear of BVD and leptospirosis. Johne’s disease is proving more difficult to eliminate although no clinical signs are evident, However, one or two reactors appear every year as a result of blood testing and are immediately isolated from the main herd and sold for slaughter.

The main emphasis is on the finishing of steers and heifers and the herd is managed on a strictly commercial basis. Most progeny are sold to Scotbeef Ltd for Marks and Spencer but some bulls have been retained, or sold locally, for breeding, and heifers are also sold for breeding, including a large group which went to Estonia.

“We are flexible in our approach to marketing and take advantage of sales for breeding if the price is right,” says Mr Christie. “But the returns from the beef market have been excellent with the added Aberdeen-Angus premium.”

Advantage is also being taken of the high price for cull cows to dispose of older cows and cows which fail to hold to the bull and bring in heifers sired by a series of top performing bulls which have been brought into the herd.

Leading the stock sire team is Wedderlie Ebullient B349, by Tui Eric Y003, purchased at Perth for 10,000gns, along with a home-bred son of the 25,000gns Wedderlie Netmark and Unigarth Preditor Y323. The latest acquisition is the Blelack Blackstock A227 son, Blelack Blarney G740, first in his class at Perth in February, 2009, when purchased for 5500gns.

“I pay attention to beef value and calving figures when selecting stock bulls but they have to look right and temperament is very important,” says Mr Christie. “A good stock bull is a worthwhile investment, particularly when you are retaining many of his female progeny for breeding or selling heifers for breeding.”

Good use is made of the stock bulls by calving two-thirds of the herd in spring and a third in autumn although Mr Christie is considering phasing out the autumn-calving herd to tighten up calving interval and resist the temptation of giving spring-calving cows which fail to breed a second chance by slipping them into the autumn-calving herd

“It works well at the moment as we calve at two and a half years of age so the autumn-calving herd is used to breed heifers for the spring-calving herd and vice-versa,” he explains.

Cows are wintered on a low-cost ration of baled silage and straw while growing cattle receive the same with Propcorn-treated barley and wheat dark grains as a protein source.

Steers are finished at 18-20 months to produce at 310kg – 330kg deadweight and heifers at 20-2 months to produce a 290-310kg carcase.

“The ease of management and low cost feeding regime, coupled with a premium of at least 10p/kg for the finished cattle, makes for a profitable beef enterprise which fits in well with the other enterprises on the farm,” says Mr Christie.

* The North East Scotland and Central Scotland Aberdeen-Angus Clubs are staging an open day at Burghill Farms on Saturday, May 29.

Rawburn Duchess Prairielane sold for £12,000

Out of one of the best young females at Rawburn, her dam is a product of the extensive embryo program carried out at Rawburn and stems back to the high performance lines of the Prairielane herd in Manitoba, Canada.

Duchess Prairielance is in the top 1% for all growth traits and Terminal Index (41).

Rawburn Ebony with Lord Ross calf at foot

Selling for £10,000 was the five year old cow Rawburn Ebony D288 and her calf sired by Rawburn Lord Ross C216. Ebony is an embryo daughter of the top performance US sire Hoff Limited Edition. Her dam Hoff Ebony is an embryo donor cow that Rawburn own in North America.

The cattle have since moved to Richard and Carol Rettie’s to be managed on behalf of Mr Reilly.

Delighted with his purchases, Mr Reilly said: “It is apparent that most of the top performance and high selling cattle in the UK are products of the cross between the line bred, Prairielane and Hoff genetics of North America and the high performance Rawburn sires.

“I am extremely confident that, with the purchase of Rawburn Duchess Prairielane and Rawburn Ebony, we will be able to replicate this combination and start the foundation of our new herd.”

“It’s not just the show ring where championships can be won and lost….you have to put the time and effort in at home as well” – that’s what Johnny Elliot will be drilling in to participants attending this year’s YDP workshop in the Borders area.

Not only will Johnny be hosting the day along with his father John and mother Joan Elliot, but he will also be in charge of training the young members.

“My opening statement may sound harsh, but I learnt from a young age -15 years of age from Willie McLaren Snr in fact – that it’s not all about the show ring, there is plenty of work that needs to go in to breeding the right animal, feeding it correctly, training it and then of course the preparation and clipping ready for show or sale,” explains Johnny, who is a partner in the Rawburn herd of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cattle at Roxburgh Mains in the Scottish Borders.

No doubt the participants will be learning far more than ring craft from Johnny. He and his father are responsible for breeding some true legends of the breed and have sold bulls and females that have gone on to reap huge awards for their purchasers.

The Rawburn herd currently consists of 150 pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cows and 30 Angus cross recipient females which are used in conjunction with an extensive embryo transfer programme. The 800-acre farm is also home to 150 pedigree Suffolk and Texel sheep as well as 400 commercial ewes.

Trainer Johnny Elliot with one of last year's Borders participants

Although showing doesn’t necessarily form a major part of the Rawburn success story, Johnny admits he and his father share immense pride in seeing Rawburn genetics go on and do well for other breeders. “It’s an even better achievement when you see the likes of the national show male and female champions which had Rawburn breeding in them, or when a breeder sells a string of bulls sired by one of our bulls in Stirling for fantastic prices,” he adds.

Looking towards the YDP workshop, which is due to take place at Rawburn on the 4^th July, Johnny says he is particularly looking forward to how last year’s intermediate candidates perform as seniors. “We’ve been successful in previous years with the YPD winner coming out of our area, so it will be great to see how they have come on.

“The enthusiasm of the participants and their parents never ceases to amaze me, the programme continues to grow each year and it’s a credit to all those involved.” Not only does Johnny get involved as a trainer at the workshops, he’s also been involved on Council level helping to drive the programme forward and increase the numbers of participants forward each year.

However, he does feel the programme has much more to offer and as it grows it will form a major part of the training schedule for the younger generation. “Having had experience of similar schemes in Canada, I’ve seen firsthand how important such training schemes are in protecting the quality young members we have coming through the society, after all, it’s the next generation that will continue to drive our Society forward.

“I’d love to see the programme be in a position to not only teach participants all the tricks of the trade when it comes to showing and selling stock, but take it back to grass roots and help educate them about marketing quality stock and ultimately British beef.”

Get to know Johnny in a minute……

Q What’s your favourite food and drink?

A I have a huge thing for chocolate cake….you can’t beat a good glass of red wine, ideally Pinotage

Q What is the one thing that should be in everybody’s show box?

A couple of cans of Sullivans Formula 1 Adhesive

Q How do you like your steak cooked?

A Medium rare

Q What do you do to relax?

A Spend time with close friends – usually over a couple of drinks!

Q What’s your biggest achievement?

A At just 25 years old I was the youngest person ever to have judged the Calgary Stampede interbreed championship – that was a real honour.

Q What’s your biggest ambition?

A To breed the next great Aberdeen-Angus herd sire in the UK!

For more information on attending this workshop or any others please contact Gayle Bersey on 07792 777889 or Email gayle@bersey.fslife.co.uk

The event is being organised by the North East and Central Scotland Aberdeen-Angus clubs and will feature a farm tour, stockjudging, practical demonstrations, educational exhibits, seminars, cookery demonstration and trade stands. It will be open to the public from 11.00am to 4.00pm.

“We are greatly indebted to Lord Dalhousie and his farm manager, Bruce Christie, for kindly agreeing to host this event at Westside,” said Neil Wattie, Jun, chairman of the North East Aberdeen-Angus Club.

“It will give farmers the opportunity of viewing one of the leading commercial Aberdeen-Angus herds in the country and will highlight the easy-keep advantages of the Aberdeen-Angus breed and the expanding market for Aberdeen-Angus cattle, fuelled by the strong demand and premium prices for Certified Aberdeen-Angus beef.”

All proceeds from the event, after expenses, will be donated to charities nominated by Lord Dalhousie. The main beneficiary will be the Mental Health Foundation but donations will also be made to local charities, including the Royal Highland Education Trust – Angus Countryside Initiative, Dalhousie Day Care Centre and Brechin Cathedral.

Burghill Farms is a largely arable farming enterprise on the Dalhousie Estate extending to 2000 acres with a suckler herd of 100 Aberdeen-Angus cows – 70% of which are pure-bred – with all progeny finished on the farm. Around 20 heifers are retained for breeding each year and the remainder finished or sold for breeding with all steers finished on the farm and sold to Scotbeef Ltd for Marks and Spencer.

The Angus herd was founded in 2000 when the switch was made from Continental breeds with the purchase of bulling heifers over three years from the Unigarth herd of Rognvald Sinclair at South Unigarth, Sandwick, Orkney. A closed herd policy is now operated and only stock bulls are bought in.

Details of sponsorship opportunities and trade stand information available from Eddie Gillanders, Secretary, North East Aberdeen-Angus Breeders, 11 Sunnyside Gardens, Drumoak, Banchory, Aberdeenshire. AB31 5EZ. Tel/Fax: 01330 811616. Mob: 07801 186303. E-mail: eddie.gillanders@btopenworld.com

At 4100gns Alan Lawson has just sold Hallington Keystone H169 (lot 123), by Netherton Figo C244 to Liam Muir, Orkney.

The first from Robbie Galloway’s Cardona herd, Cardona Edwin H555 (lot 130) has just knocked down at 6500gns. By Eastfield Fusilier D373 out of a Tegsnose Karboy daughter he sells to Willie Brown for his Drumdow herd in Girvan, Ayrshire.

Lockerley Primrose E498 sold for 14,000gns

Next at 11,000gns and joining the sale leader was Elliot Primrose G763, a Rawburn Lord C216 Ross daughter out of the sale leader. She sold PD’d in calf to Elliot Trump H825. Mr Brooke then paid 10,000gns for Elliot Rowanna G765, another daughter of Lord Ross, this time out of the Riverbend Powerline daughter Elliot Rosebud E009 who was 2005 National Calf Show champion.

At 9000gns, Mr Brooke took home Elliot Rosebud E009 (lot 18), a Riverbend Powerline daughter out of Willabar Rosebud. rosebud was the overall champion at the 2005 Scottish National Calf Show.

Elliot Rosebud E009 sold for 9000gns to Mr Brooke

Champion Blelack Lord Hildalgo H972 from Neil Massie and Sons

Taking reserve was a more than chuffed Neil Wattie at the lead of Tonley Alonso H560, the junior champion. This one is by Mosston Muir Edgar E107 and is out of Tonley Annie W18, a daughter of Samurai.

Junior and reserve overall champion Tonley Alonso H560 from Neil Wattie

Overall it’s been a good show of Aberdeen-Angus bulls and many favourable comments have come to my attention regarding Albert’s judging with many saying he should be congratulated for doing a fantastic thorough job in good time. Time will of course tell if the right ones have taken the tickets, but overall we should be set for a good day’s trade tomorrow with plenty of buyers in attendance and a strong demand for good quality commercial bulls.

“This is a tremendous entry from 29 herds from Shetland to Angus and includes 60 bull calves which will give commercial beef producers an ideal opportunity to view the latest Aberdeen-Angus genetics,” said Neil Wattie, Mains of Tonley, Alford, chairman of the North East Aberdeen-Angus Club.

Judging starts at 9.30am and this year’s judge is Doug Robertson, owner of the renowned Coldstream herd in Alberta, Canada.

The junior showmanship competition on Friday evening has attracted an entry of more than 20 youngsters although entries can be made on the night. Competitors should report to the club caravan at 6.00pm to be allocated calves for showing. Judging will commence at 6.30pm.

Main sponsor of the show is Sellars Agriculture of Oldmeldrum.