Bi-Weekly Update: 29th November 2019

HAPPY BLACK FRIDAY!

And just like that November is nearly over and were into the festive month of December. We have had a busy few weeks here at the Society with Review bookings flooding in, shows and sales happening all over the country, council meetings being held next week, February Bull Sales just around the corner and our last society Show and Sale happening at Dungannon on the 3rd of December. Have a look below at all the latest news from in and around the Society over the last 14 days!

News Roundup

The North-East Aberdeen-Angus Club held their annual Black Beauty Bonanza calf and yearling show at Thainstone on the 22nd of November, Aberdeen-Angus breeders received warm accolades from the judge for an outstanding turn-out at the 21st show. Judging on the day was Northumberland breeder, Dallas Allen, whose experience as a judge includes officiating at the all-Ireland Aberdeen-Angus calf show a month earlier, said the show of calves and yearling Aberdeen-Angus was the best he had ever judged. “There was depth in every class and the first three-or-four in each of the 13 classes would have been worthy winners,” he said. Mr Allen said the characteristics he was looking for were breed character, easy fleshing and good locomotion and he found that in all four champions. “All the cattle I put to the top have a bright future ahead of them and the potential to make a real impact on the breed,” he said.
It was a successful day for the Macpherson-Grant family of Ballindalloch Home Farms – the new main sponsors of the annual show – who won the reserve heifer calf championship with the eight month old, Ballindalloch Greta, by the home-bred Ballindalloch Earl, and went on to take the yearling heifer championship with the 20 month old, Ballindalloch Pev U539, by Deveron Lookout. “It’s great to see the Ballindalloch herd back winning top awards,” said Mrs Russell, whose great grandfather, Sir George Macpherson-Grant, founded the Ballindalloch herd in 1860 and is recognised as one of the great founders of the Aberdeen-Angus breed. The recently retired Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire, Clare Russell, took particular pleasure in presenting the championship awards to her farm manager, David Johnstone, the current chairman of the North East Aberdeen-Angus Club who organise the event, and his wife, Susan.

Aberdeenshire breeder, Neil Wattie, and his son, Mark, of Mains of Tonley, Alford, repeated their success at the Stars of the Future at Stirling the previous week to carry off the heifer calf championship with their Stars of the Future junior champion, the 10 month old, Tonley Lady Heather V591, by Blelack Evermore J231, a sire bought in Ireland as an older bull, and also stood reserve for the yearling bull championship with the 19 month old, Tonley Jezza Eric U518, by Warrenho Emperor M425. Also enjoying a double success was Stephanie Dick, Westerton, Cowie, Stirling, who took the reserve yearling heifer championship with the 20 month old, Crew Destiny U601, an ET daughter of Hallington Evo, which was following on from her reserve female championship success at Agri Expo two weeks earlier, and the bull calf championship with the 10 month old, Stephick Ezra V561, an ET son of Weeton Diamond Mine P444, a first prize winner at Stars of the Future. The Logie herd of David Stubbs, AJR Farms, Milton of Collieston, Ellon, repeated their success of last year by winning the yearling bull championship, this time with the 19 month old, Logie Endresult U812, by Isauld Prime S641.

For the second year running, an Aberdeen-Angus cross carcase from Aberdeenshire commercial beef producer, Gavin Ross, Wardhead, Strichen, carried off the championship at the Scottish National Premier Meat Exhibition at Scotbeef, Bridge of Allan. The winner was bred by Ian and Elizabeth Watt, West Cullerly, Echt, and also won the award for the carcase most suited for the Italian market.

At the Staffordshire & Birmingham Agriculture Show 2019, the Denning family topped the charts with taking home first and second prize in the any other native pedigree pure breed steer or heifer with TEMPLE JANEY ERICA U773 and TEMPLE ROSEBUD V791. They also were Reserve in the Duke of Norfolk Competition for best group of three pure bred animals, Well done to team Temple and also thank you to David & Susan Johnstone for representing the Society and selecting the Aberdeen-Angus group 3 to go forward to the Duke of Norfolk Competition.

Welsh Winter Fair 2019

Our society stand took home Reserve Breed Society Stand, big thank you to all the members who have helped bring our society stand together this year at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair 2019. Well Done Team!

Westellen Rocky U838, bred by John & Kate Tait, Westwood, Rostellan, Midleton, Co Cork has been exported to Scotland where he will stand as the junior herd sire for the Wedderlie Aberdeen-Angus herd of John & Marion Tilson and daughter, Wanda Hobbs. Rocky U838 was born in September 2018 and was just 13 month old at the time of his departure from Ireland and is the result of a Canadian/American ET mating in the form of Canadian donor cow, Prairielane 5057 Rosebud 8109 and the American AI bull, TC Freedom 104. This young bull has collected a number of major wins on the Irish show circuit for the Westellen Aberdeen-Angus herd during the summer months, most notably taking the overall junior male championship at the National Livestock Show, Tullamore in August. He also secured several red rosettes at local shows and stood reserve Munster Aberdeen-Angus bull of the Year as well as taking the reserve Aberdeen-Angus breed championship at Nenagh Show too.

The annual Christmas Classic at Thainstone took place on Tuesday the 26th of November with Overall Aberdeen-Angus Champion going to Birkenbower Jesper U516 – G & R Miller.

For full results from the Christmas Classic please go to our shows and & sales section on the website.

STIRLING FEBRUARY BULL SALES 2020:
2nd – 3rd February 2020.
CLOSING DATE: TODAY THE 29TH NOVEMBER 2019
ENTER YOUR BULLS NOW:
https://www.uagroup.co.uk/stirling-bull-sales-entry-form-1-february
Don’t leave it to the last minute and miss out!
REMINDER: One final reminder for members to give the registration department details of any bulls that are entered for the Spring Sales.
Anyone who has not yet been in touch with registrations, time is running out to get results back in time for February 2020.

BOOK YOUR REVIEW ADVERTS NOW!
DEADLINE – TODAY FRIDAY 29TH NOVEMBER 2019.
This week is your last chance to book your adverts in the January 2020 Aberdeen-Angus Review. You can access the booking form online at:
https://www.aberdeen-angus.co.uk/review-advertising/

If anyone can’t access the online booking form then please get in contact with Natalie Cormack our Review Advertising Manager on 07712 623669 or email [email protected] or contact Amy in Pedigree House on 01738 448349 or email [email protected]

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 & Features
Shows & Sales News

News and Notices from the CEO

• Firstly, I would like to ask myself where that two weeks went!
• As eluded to in my last report I attended the Premier meat exhibition at Scotbeef Bridge of Allan, what a great show and congratulations to the organisers and as reported Aberdeen Angus was superbly represented with the silverware.
• Great to catch up with much of the industry and to observe and discuss the absence of fat in many of the categories which in discussion could be down to the drop-in weights that have been recently imposed by the processors and cattle having less finish
• Our early maturing breed is ideally suited to meeting the grade and weight with a finish and we need to capitalise on this in our marketing next year.
• A welcome period of time has been spent in the office over the last fortnight keeping up with incoming business dealings and also preparation for the forthcoming committee days and council on the 4th and 5th of December.
• My personal performance review which was postponed from last month also takes place on Tuesday the 3rd so some preparation is required to make that as effective and productive as possible.
• A visit to UA to discuss the February Bull sales and organise the format book rooms and the catering arrangements for Februarys AGM and presentation evening which will be in the same format as last year’s successful evening reception. Thanks to Laura for her valued input and experience in setting this up.
• Number are limited again so please book your tickets early for the presentation evening for what last year was a great success and more inclusive for everyone involved.
• A very interesting meeting with two geneticists was held in Edinburgh and it was really informative and took us forward in our understanding. Many thanks to Angela McGregor , Dallas Allan and Andrew Hodge for attending and being some extra ears to take in the information.
• The Royal show pavilion has been demolished and there is a small matter of some damaged Tarmac during the process that needs to be repaired I am in conversation regarding responsibility for reinstating that.
• I have received the BCMS registrations report through to the end of December and it has revealed that Aberdeen Angus had 52607 passports in the period and the market leader was at 53330 as close as we have ever been to the number one on Aberdeen Angus.
• Taking in the crosses as well our share of the total now stands at 20.75% of registrations against the market leader of 24.45%, we will be assessing this and many other factors in Breed promotion plans for 2020 to keep the momentum going.
• Angela Cumming in accounts has been a busy lady since the close off of the year end financially and a race against time starts to have the accounts audited and drafted for Council to approve in the December meeting, well done Angela.
• Part of this is reviewing last years numbers and building a budget for next year which has been done again hopefully for ratification or adjustment at Council.
• I am still awaiting the results of the investment in time resources and professional help on the Breeding programme to qualify us to carry on with the Irish registration process and trading with Europe as either a member or a non-member of the EU. I am expecting this on the 9th of December.
• The huge project known as the Review publication is getting there with many of the inputs now gathered to be formatted and proofread prior to hitting the printers to be sent out to you all in January. My thanks to all who contributed also to our advertisers.
• There are still outstanding adverts from members so if you could and I am sure that you will put some time aside to provide the content for this year. My thanks go to Natalie Cormack for her input this year in assisting me to gather the content.
• Great to see all the members from the NE Scotland club at the annual Black Beauty Bonanza at Thainstone what a great show and congratulations to the Committee Chairman David Johnstone club secretary Claire Johnstone & Janelle Anderson and all the rest of the team who put on a great event.
• Next week sees the Council and Committee meetings which will take out the week for normal business.
• Our very own Miss and Mrs Christmas have started the season with some Christmas cheer in pedigree house! Fill the halls with Boughs of Holly!!

News and Notices from Angela Cumming in Accounts 

• INTERNET PAYMENTS
  When making payment through the internet banking, please ensure that you quote your MEMBERSHIP NUMBER and SURNAME as a refence. 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.

News and Notices from the Registrations Department

• This is usually our quieter time of the year leading up to Christmas but we still find ourselves as busy as ever with ongoing DNA queries and upcoming sales. DNA tests have been carried out on all 2019 male calves that have a tissue sample on file. If you haven’t already submitted your samples to Identigen this is an ideal time to catch up with missing tags etc with the cattle coming inside now for the colder weather. We will send out lists of missing samples to breeders at the start of December.
• If you have received a DNA query letter from us regarding an incorrect sire it is vital that you respond otherwise these registrations will not be completed.
• We have also been busy today decorating Pedigree House for Christmas to make the office festive in time for next week’s Council meetings.

News and Notices from the Pedigree Cattle Services Department

•  Why should you performance record with Breedplan. Why should seedstock producers performance record their animals with BREEDPLAN? In answering this question, we firstly need to discuss some general concepts regarding genetics. Click here to find out more about why you should join Breedplan.
• 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 bench marks against breed average, which is a very worthwhile thing to be part of.

Shows, Sales and Events

•  29th – 30th November – Winter Stock Festival – East of England Showground
• 3rd December – Dungannon Show & Sale – Dungannon Farmers Mart
• 13th December – Northern Ireland Winter Fair – Eikon Exhibition Centre

Merchandise

With the chilly mornings and colder nights, wrap up warm with one of our Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society wool scarves for £25.00. Keeping you warm and cosy as we now enter the colder weather months.
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 here.

From all at the Society, have a great weekend