The catalogue for the sale of pedigree Herefords at Borderway Market, Carlisle on Friday 2 October is now available.
This official sale is gaining traction, with 10 bulls and six females entered from vendors from the north and further afield.
Due to the Covid-19 uncertainty the British Cattle Breeders’ Club has decided to go virtual for its 2021 conference.
This one day e-conference, on Tuesday 26 January, is an exciting change of direction and will open the British Cattle Breeders’ Conference (BCBC) up to a greater national and international audience.
BCBC is renowned for delivering the leading conference for both the beef and dairy sectors, which provides a forum for knowledge exchange between farmers, scientists and industry in a relaxed and friendly way.
The 2021 e-conference theme is ‘our breeding goals – learn from the past to focus on the future’. The continuation of genetic improvements has potential to have the biggest impact on livestock production, all livestock breeders need a breeding plan or goal going forward to see their businesses thrive especially as UK trade deals open up. Our beef and dairy farmers need to ensure the continuation of high standards whilst being able to compete with these opening markets.
Clive Brown, conference chairman says: “I am excited about being the first BCBC chairman to preside over a virtual conference. After the initial disappointment arising from having to forego a physical conference for 2021, it was replaced with the realisation that a virtual conference provides a huge opportunity to access speakers and a wider audience from around the world, allowing us to inspire even more cattle breeders.
“Covid-19 has shown us how interlinked our lives are, the challenges and opportunities we face in the UK are those that our international farming family also face, being able to hear each other’s stories, learn from scientists and industry from around the world is a fantastic opportunity for us all to learn from each other and ensure we have a place in the global livestock market.”
The full programme and registration details will be available early autumn.
To register your interest in the e-conference please contact BCBC secretary, Heidi Bradbury – heidi.bradbury@cattlebreeders.org.uk or visit the www.cattlebreeders.org.uk website and sign up to the newsletter to keep up to date with BCBC news.
Herefords in the UK have seen a resurgence in recent times, Laura Bowyer, marketing manager at the Hereford Cattle Society told the World Hereford Conference’s international delegates.
In 2020, there are over 1,000 active breeders across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland which has increased by nearly 60 per cent over the last 10 years, she said.
“Over 9,000 pedigree calves are now registered each year, which is up nearly 50 per cent compared to 10 years ago. Looking at the equally important commercial numbers, over 185,000 Hereford sired progeny are now registered each year in the UK, including those on cross-bred suckler and dairy systems. This is an almost 90 per cent increase over the last decade.”
Not only does this show the Hereford Cattle Society is going in the right direction and the breed is gaining more and more momentum, but it also shows how commercially relevant and popular Herefords have become once again in the UK.
The number of branded Hereford Beef carcases which went through the system in 2019, saw an increase of over 350 per cent, compared to 10 years ago, added Laura.
Since the last World Hereford Conference in Montevideo, Uruguay in 2016, the Hereford breed has witnessed a string of price records in the UK.
“In autumn 2017, a record average price at a Society sale was set for heifers of just over £3,600.
“Spring 2018 saw a record average price at Hereford market for bulls of over £4,300, with a joint top of £8,200,” she said.
At the dispersal sale of Phil and Alison Allman’s Greenyards herd in January 2020, five year old cow Greenyards 1 Truelove M314 sold for a female centre record at Hereford market of £10,700.
The Designer Genes sale is a privately-run pedigree Hereford sale at Shrewsbury Auction Centre and in December 2018 a new public sale price record for a poll bull of £13,650 was set.
The society is also working towards more robust genetic analyses, in the form of genomics, and follows its move from microsatellite to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) testing. The benefits of SNP testing include sire discovery without the requirement of the dam, future genomic evaluations and early decisions on animal’s destinies, traceability and food integrity, Laura explained.
The success of any future move to producing genomically enhanced EBVs will be dependent on the quality and quantity of the performance recorded data.
“We are encouraging breeders to embrace Breedplan, a free service to our members, and help the society move forward with this technology.
Hereford Beef has been in vogue over the past 18 months picking up a number of national awards, which is very encouraging and perfectly reflects its quality, she said.
“However, much work is still to be done in promoting Hereford Beef to the public, this is essential in order to provide existing and potential stockists of Hereford Beef with the confidence that consumers recognise our brand. Quality has never been an issue for Hereford beef but its recognition as a premium product has.
Laura said: “At the end of 2019, the society’s council appointed the services of a reputable London-based food PR and marketing agency, to work to raise the profile of Hereford beef, via both traditional print and online methods.
“We have an animal that is both prolific and efficient at turning forage into a high-quality source of protein, along with the associated health benefits of eating beef higher in omega 3 than that produced from a grain-based diet. As a natural grazing animal, the Hereford can also play an important role in sequestrating carbon by utilising a mainly grass-based diet, as this would help to build soil fertility, capture carbon dioxide and encourage wildlife.”
Storm Ciara did not stop trade at NIHBA’s premier show and sale at Dungannon Livestock Mart where prices peaked at 4,500gns for a Solpoll-bred bull.
Leading the money and the show was Solpoll 1 Rambo from John and William McMordie, Ballygowan, Co Down, generating the top price on the day before it was tapped out by judge Williams Smith, Co Meath. At 22 months old, this bull is a son of Moeskaer Upgrade and out of a Panmure 1 Henry sired dam and has the same breeding as December 2019’s champion and top price bull from the Solpoll stud. Backed by exceptional figures, after spirited bidding from suckler and dairy farmers in the sale ring, it was knocked down to Nigel Patterson for his Mullantine pedigree herd, Portadown at 4,500gns.
Solpoll 1 Rambo from John and William McMordie, Ballygowan, Co Down
Taking the day’s second top price of 3,000gns was Solpoll 1 Real Thing, again from John and William McMordie.
A 23 month old son of NBG 69T The Wonderer 36R 3W, it also stood male champion at last year’s Balmoral Show and was knocked down to Lurgan-based suckler farmers, Felix, John and Jack McStavick.
Travelling across the water, JR Whitlow, Abbots Morton, Worcester purchased the day’s next highest priced bull, Drumatee Rocket for 2,500gns, to join the HighHouse herd. This 22 month old male was sired by Cill Cormaic Nevada winner of the best stock bull in the NIHBA herds competition for the last two years for John Conlon.
First prize winner in the last bull class was Brookfield 1 Superstar from Roy and Pat McClenaghan, Holywood, Co Down. This 18 month old Normanton 1 Laertes son had several figures in the top 5 per cent of the breed and sold for 2,300gns to David Hamilton, Rathfriland.
Selling at the same price was the youngest bull in the sale, 16 month old Thornbank 1 Superman. A son of previous sale winner and top price bull, Thornbank 1 Mightyman from Hunter Stewart, it sold to join MH Farms, Comber.
Joining Superman at its new home was the first prize winning female from Adrian and Sandra Irvine. This 17 month old maiden heifer Fingerpost AR Grace, was sired by the Irish-bred Allowdale Rambo which sold for 2,100gns.