After 26 years in operation, the Moncur Herd of Aberdeen-Angus went under the hammer at the October 2018 Stirling Bull Sales at Stirling Agricultural Centre and saw a top price of 22,000gns reached on the day. People were out in their numbers for this herd dispersal, which has become renowned for its aim to breed animals full of breed character, good conformation and not too large in frame.
Topping the dispersal for the Taylor family of Moncur was their 17-month-old in-calf heifer Moncur Laura T314, an ET daughter of Blelack Duke and out of Haughton Laura, having been run with Moncur Preditor S296 from 31st July 2018. Laura went to the Fraser family of the Idvies herd of Aberdeen-Angus based in Forfar at the day’s joint top price for the Aberdeen-Angus breed of 22,000gns.
July 2017-born maiden heifer Moncur Esther T320 was the next best at the Moncur dispersal, selling for 6,000gns to NA & JDE Cogan of Killanuckey Farm in Castle Martyr in Ireland. Esther is an AI daughter out of Kincardine Castle Esther and sired by Blelack Duke and was sold with three straws from Retties Lazy Rascal R308.
Then followed two lots from the dispersal that sold for 5,000gns, first of those being the five-year-old cow Moncur Jill Erica N211 with her heifer calf by Hallington Prince at foot. Jill Erica is by Eastfield Foreman and out of Jill Erica L166, and ran with Hallington Prince P454 from 25th June 2018 to 23rd July 2018 then with Logie Lord Bruce R611 from 23rd July 2018. This pair were sold to AW Neish of Rodmead Farm in Wiltshire. At the same price was the three-year-old cow Moncur Edwina R258, by Eastfield Foreman out of Moncur Edwina L160, with her heifer calf by Hallington Prince. Edwina and her calf went to A Mylius & Partners of the St Fort Home Estate at Newport on Tay.
Two lots also sold for the price of 4,500gns, with the first at that price being Moncur Jill Erica P247 with her female calf by Hallington Prince. Jill Erica is by Eastfield Foreman and out of Moncur Jill Erica M199 and the pair were sold to the McDonalds of Pheasants Nest Farm in Bucks. At the same price was stock bull Moncur Preditor S296 by Rawburn Edge and out of Moncur Pauline, selling to the Tillyfour Farms Partnership at Inverurie in Aberdeenshire.
Russell Taylor made the following comments:
“We were delighted with the outcome of our dispersal sale. Considering the very large numbers of Aberdeen-Angus females sold from other breeders at the sale and in the last few weeks, there is an obvious high demand for the Aberdeen-Angus breed which is very encouraging for existing and new breeders.
We wish all our sale customers the very best with their purchases and we thank our past customers for their long term business. We will miss them all not only for their business but the great friendship we have experienced over the last 26 years.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Richard and Carol Rettie and their team for the very professional way they presented our cattle for sale. We would also like to wish Eoin all the best during his travels and his future career.”
After a great few decades in operation in which they contributed greatly to the Aberdeen-Angus breed, with Russell Taylor sitting on Council for seven years and standing as breed president in 2013/2014, all at the Society would like to wish the Taylor family and all those at Moncur the very best in their future endeavours.