And just like that, it’s October and Autumn is here! It’s been another busy few weeks here at Pedigree House with the upcoming October Bull Sales being held at Stirling, the YDP Final and much more. Today we kicked off with the first October Bull Sale at Carlisle where we updated the website and Facebook with the live results from the show & sale. There will be a full report too look out for next week. Take a look at what’s been happening in and around the Society over the last 14 days.

News Roundup

The online entry is now open for November’s Stars of the Future Calf Show. Taking place at United Auctions in Stirling, this is always a highly anticipated event and we hope to see a strong entry from the Aberdeen-Angus breed. If anyone would like more information about the event, we encourage you to get in touch with Carol Rettie on: [email protected]. The closing date for entries is 18^th October.

The North East of Scotland Club will be hosting the annual show of Aberdeen-Angus calves and yearlings on Friday 22nd November at Thainstone Agricultural Centre, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. The event is one of the largest shows of Aberdeen-Angus calves and yearlings in the country and we anticipate an entry of 100 head from many herds. For more information contact Janelle Anderson, Black Beauty Bonanza Event Co-Ordinator: Email: [email protected].

The Munster Aberdeen-Angus herds competition was held at Eustace & Deirdre Burke’s farm this year, the competition celebrated its 10th anniversary with the competition taking in one of its highest ever entries including five brand new first-time entrants. The herds competition is always a central part of the club’s yearly activities. This year’s herd competition was judged by Robin Lamb of the well-known Richhill Aberdeen-Angus herd. To view the full results and pictures from the herd competition then check out the latest news & features on our website!

The Society has recently developed our Society Sales Checklist so that it includes all relevant information needed. All members should use this guide when entering cattle into any Official Society Sale, ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to maximise your opportunities in the sale rings. To view the new Society Sales Checklist and to access the health declaration form then click here.

Angus Group are having their 8th Aberdeen-Angus yard sale Auction in Germany, being held on Saturday the 26th of October 2019. ANGUS Group was founded in 2010 by Bernhard Delle and Samuel Widmer. Both have many years of experience in cattle breeding and international meat marketing. Together with an experienced team of farmers, breeders and butcher masters, the ANGUS Group offers the know-how for a closed production chain of premium ANGUS beef at all levels.

Click here to view what will be on offer at Stirling October Bull sales which is being held on the 20th of October – 21st October 2019.

The Worcester sale topped at a combined price of 2,800 gns for Rull Frances R206 by Netherton Big Edition H460 (ET) with her bull calf at foot Rull Fri U236 by Wall Royal Leo L837. To view the full results from the sale then head over to our sale section of our website.

The highly anticipated YDP Final took place last weekend where a summer of hard work and great fun came to a culmination at the Lough Allen Hotel and Equestrian Centre in Drumshanbo in Ireland. The talent on display was excellent as always as the youngsters competed in ringcraft, stockjudging, clipping and dressing, with the seniors and intermediates taking part in interviews and presentations. You can take a look at the full results from the event in the news section of our website. We would like to thank Tina and the team of regional YDP co-ordinators for making this happen and to all of the amazing participants of the YDP workshops throughout the year!

Reminder for all members that we have a stock for sale section on our website. If you would like something to be posted on this page, please get in touch with the Society office directly via [email protected]. Please note that for bulls advertised for sale, a minimum price of £2,000 applies in line with Official Society sales requirements. We only publish adverts for pedigree Aberdeen-Angus stock. 

To keep up with all other news from the Society as well as all the latest updates from shows, sales and other events, just head over to the appropriate sections on our website.

News and Features

Shows & Sales News

News and Notices from the CEO

• We have moved very quickly on from the show season to the sale season – where has the year gone!
• The preparation for the sales is well underway, Worcester Sale being in this week’s reporting and Carlisle Sale which is on the day of writing.
• We have embarked on an evaluation of paid for social media to advertise the sales we can evaluate how many people have seen the posts and can assess its value going forward. This is to try and counter the rising costs of print advertising.
• The preparation for the next round of shows also continues with the calf shows and Winter National fast approaching, all details are on the web site.
• The new phone system seems to be settling in nicely with call handling in Pedigree House, we have had only positive feedback from the membership to date.
• Had a great trip over to Ireland with YDP coordinator Steph Dick to keep me company there and back, where we had plenty of time in the car to discuss all things cattle!
• The set-up in conjunction with all the Irish Aberdeen-Angus association in the Lough Allen hotel and Spa for the YDP finals weekend, well done and thanks to all for providing the labour and the infrastructure in the attached Horse arena.
• Saturday saw the finalist assemble and what a great demonstration of what the YDP is all about with the competitors demonstrating the skills that they have learned.
• Well done to the team of YDP coordinators for a hard days work and credit to you all for keeping the whole thing moving. One or two hiccups along the way but for a new team a great experience for future events and finals.
• Only sorry was that the Worcester sale clashed with the YDP Final and on discussion with McCartney’s there was no alternative, that meant I could not make both, thanks to John James for attending and providing the report.
• To all judges, parents and helpers and all that contributed to the weekend event (too many to mention individually), a huge thank you to you for your time and efforts.
• A week off in Portugal as I write this sees me back in harness again on the 9^th October, straight into review planning meeting and a catch up with all thing’s society.
• A trip down to Norfolk for Amy Johnstone and I to meet the Norfolk Show Committee as well as Duncan and Tracy Jeary to plan out next year’s summer national show that coincides with the World Commonwealth meeting.
• A visit to Pickstocks open day with President Paul Jeenes to mention just a couple of important upcoming events.

News and Notices from Angela Cumming in the Finance Department

• Statements were posted out at the start of October. If you have any outstanding invoices, prompt payment would be very much appreciated as our financial year end is on the 31^st October 2019. You can pay by cheque, internet banking or credit card.

INTERNET PAYMENTS

• When making payment through the internet banking, please ensure that you quote your MEMBERSHIP NUMBER and SURNAME as a reference.  This ensures that your payment is allocated to the correct account.

RECEIVING SOCIETY INVOICES BY EMAIL

• In order to try and save on postage costs we would like to send our invoices by email.  If you have not already done so, can you please provide us with your details, please click here.

News and Notices from the Registrations Department

• We have been busy this week posting out the latest edition of The Cud newsletter.  When it arrives please pay special attention to the new process for late registrations which is outlined on the inside front page.  From the start of our new financial year on 1^st November any fee for late registrations will be applied automatically at the time of registration. If you have any pending, please get them to us as soon as you can to beat the deadline!
• We have also included a request to breeders to check the DNA status of their current stock bulls. We are especially looking for any working bulls who only have a Microsatellite DNA profile. It would speed up the transition to SNPS DNA testing if we could get these bulls profiled again on the new SNPS platform. It is unfortunate that the two systems are not compatible. Getting this generation of bulls reprofiled will allow us to Sire Verify the 2019 calves that are being tested at the moment. Please get in touch if you think your bull might need retested.

News and Notices from the Pedigree Cattle Services Department

• Last Bi-Weekly update we gave you the link to a short video on birth weight EBV’S and how birth weights should be correctly recorded, this week we are giving you a short video on Understanding Calving Ease EBVs. You can view the video here.

If anyone has any questions regarding Calving Ease EBV’s please contact the office on – 01738 622478.

• If anyone wants to start on the performance recording please contact Barbara, Helena or Amy in the Breedplan office. This makes data available that you can use to develop your enterprise and breeding programme. It helps monitor your herd and individual animals’ performance and benchmarks against breed average, which is a very worthwhile thing to be part of.

News and Notices from the YDP

• We had a fantastic turnout of 37 young people qualify for the 2019 YDP who took part in an amazing weekend at the Moorlands Equestrian Centre in Drumshanbo, hosted by the Lough Allen Hotel and Niall McManus and family. The venue was perfect and thank you to all the Angus breeders in the area who supplied the lovely quiet cattle for the event. Niall Lynch our Ireland Regional Co-ordinator pulled together an amazing day supported by the Irish Members and friends. Our overall Senior member who will be awarded the £1500 travel bursary is Bryan o Halloran. Full details of results are on the website. All the participants had a great day, and thanks also go to all our judges on the day who had a tremendous task of scoring all the competitors as the standard was extremely high. Thanks also to our workshop leaders for offering their expertise in AI/Bovine reproduction and Halter Making. The Final in 2020 will be held in Stirling, Scotland.
• Our next venture to look forward to is the Senior conference to be held at the end of February, where the focus will be on preparation for the World Form 2021.

Shows, Sales and Events

• 20^th – 21^st October – Stirling Bull Sales
• 1^st November – Winter National Show – Agri Epo, Carlisle
• 2^nd November – Northern Ireland Calf Show
• 6^TH November – Skipton Female Sale

Merchandise

We have a new range of clothing coming out and the CEO has been modelling the shirts at recent events, with a branded gilet and jacket also set to be available. We will be introducing these in due course, with an introductory offer just in time for Christmas.

Get ahead of the bad weather as Winter approaches by grabbing one of our Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society wool scarves for £25.00. Keeping you warm and proudly sporting the Society colours, help fly the flag whilst you’re out and about.

You can purchase by emailing Yvonne at: [email protected], who can deal with and dispatch your orders for all our merchandise. You can pay over the phone by card or simply add it to your next invoice. Full range of merchandise available to view online at: https://www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Merchandise-poster-2018-web.pdf.

From all at the Society, have a great weekend!