Over the past two weeks we have seen the UK experience a mini heatwave as temperatures soared to 26 degrees in some parts of the UK. The last 14 days also seen one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time with Tiger Woods winning The Masters and receiving the green jacket for the first time since 2005!
Sporting aside, it has been very busy here at the Society, take a look at what’s been happening in and around the Society over the last fortnight!
News Roundup
The Aberdeen-Angus breed provided the overall sale topper at the multi-breed bull sales at Kilkenny, outselling all other major beef breeds, including all of the continental breeds from a total combined entry of well over 200 beef pedigree bulls. The sale leader came from Frank & Margaret McKiernan, Drumcrow, Corlismore, Co Cavan who sold their December 2017 born bull, Drumcrow Pilbara for €3800.
The Gigginstown House annual production sale of pedigree Aberdeen-Angus bulls and heifers saw the average bull price improved from €2350 in 2018 to €2650 this year at a 92% clearance rate. The heifers fared even better with a 100% clearance in the sales ring, selling to an average price of just under €2600 (down from €2800 last year), with a good and sustained demand for females of all ages. The sale topper, across bulls and heifers, was the December 2017 born Gigginstown Lord Incaid T724.
Dungannon Show and Sale received strong demand for pedigree Aberdeen-Angus bulls with a top price of 4,500gns, and a complete clearance. 10 lots changed hands to average £3,370 per head – an increase of £523 on last year’s sale. Claiming the male championship and the day’s top bid of 4,500gns was the January 2018 Cloghogmill Eric U546 brought out by the father and son team of Adrian and Graeme Parke from Strabane.
The annual production sale for the Lisduff Aberdeen-Angus herd saw 39 Aberdeen-Angus bulls catalogued for sale. Overall, the yearling 2018 born bulls failed to attract any significant interest in the sales ring which led to a disappointing 45% clearance overall with bulls selling to an average price of €2650.For the third year in succession, a red Aberdeen-Angus topped the Lisduff offering of bulls, this time in the form of the 17 month old, Lisduff Red Mist T572 who sold for €3500.
The Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society is very pleased that after a tremendous working partnership over the last 5 years with Sainsbury’s and the Castle of Mey Trust, we have brought the history and heritage of the long relationship that Sainsbury’s has with the Angus breed, back to their stores through the Kinermony herd – for more information then check out the full news post on the website!
On Sunday 5th May, there will be a Multibreed Youth Event taking place which is open to all from the Aberdeen-Angus, Charolais and Limousin Cattle Societies. Head to our news section of our website for more information!
We look forward to sharing with you all our brand new mobile responsive website which should be available for you all to see very soon – keep an eye out this weekend!
Keep an eye out on our social channels over the coming weeks as we look forward to sharing our latest competition where there will be some great prizes up for grabs – we hope you can all get involved!
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: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news/
Show and Sales news: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/news/show-and-sales/
News and notices from the CEO
• Thanks to all the members for turning out to attend the SWAAC AGM that saw the retirement of Lisa Davy as club Secretary after a number of years and the election of Becca as secretary going forward. A good Q&A session with a number of points being raised in a positive manner to take the breed and the society forward.
• Visit to Hardies mill is always a treat and a taste of their wares revealed a lot about the science and research that has gone in to getting them into the higher echelons of the quality beef market. Thank you, Alison and Robin, for a most enlightening chat.
• Visit to Wedderlie for a welcome lunch and catch up with the Marion John and Wanda and the opportunity to field the views on Maternal Index project and the new set up for the YDP to mention just a couple of the topics that we covered.
• Visit to AK Stoddart last week for an interesting discussion on the view of Aberdeen-Angus from a food service perspective which has revealed some interesting discussions on the way forward in that field.
• Meeting with IdentiGen to review progress with the DNA testing that they do with us and their investigations one or two anomalies and discussions on the ideas for bringing the Certified Beef scheme up to date and refining some of the ways the Society can embrace the technology to protect our market.
• A meeting with Denvir Marketing about all things from a marketing front including the setting of the next publication dates and the final updates to the new website launch!
• Negotiations still continue with the Germa authorities to gain their approval as the competent authority this has been on the table for three years and is hopefully now coming to a close.
• We would love to hear your feedback on the new website! We now have more control over the site which means that we can make changes and adjust and create new content easily, so please do let us know any feedback or recommendations!
• With the short week and the Easter break the first week soon went! We all in the office hope that you have all managed to a little time off with family and friends.
• CEO took some time out to re-charge the batteries and catch up on some personal business and family needs and will be back in harness on Monday 26th May.
• Preparation for the two beef events Beef Expo at Kendal and the SBA beef event in Oldmeldrum is well underway and need to be finalised next week. Thanks go to the Penwac Club and the North East Scotland Club for their contributions to both events.
• Stirling spring Bull sale is fast approaching and a joint YDP event for the Sunday evening is being pulled together to add some further attraction to the younger people at Stirling on the Sunday evening.
• Good entries of Bulls for Carlisle spring sale with 90 entered and as we know this will ease back a bit from that as we move closer but we have seen a great demand for Aberdeen-Angus beef and therefore the demand for Bulls will be maintained.
• Further major work and developments on the revisit to the CAAB scheme which is the most important job on the CEO’s desk at this point, working on creating the time to deliver the benefits that this would bring to the Breed, The Society and above all the membership.
• Look forward to bringing you more news and views in the next update with a very full fortnight ahead of us all in the office.
Notes and actions from Laura Stewart
• I have been doing the final preparation for the five events that the Society will have a presence at during May, to ensure that all requirements have been organised.
• Within Pedigree House the new mail room is taking shape this week with the joinery refit having been completed. Work will continue next week to put the servers and equipment back in place and utilise the new improved storage for accessories and stationery.
News and Notices from the Pedigree Cattle Services Team
• Please try to weigh/scan your yearling bulls and heifers (400 day weight) before turnout
• Reminder that the sales catalogues for Stirling and Carlisle are available to view online – http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i4.dll?1=3E37202F&2=3228&3=56&5=2B3C2B3C3A
News and Notices from Angela Cumming in the Finance Department
• If you would like a copy of the Herd Book Volume 143 and have not yet sent back your form, please do so by return (before the 30th April 2019 at the very latest). You can either post or email this to me. Email – angela@aberdeen-angus.co.uk
• Link to form here.
News and Notices from the Registrations Department
• The Registration Department are very busy – we are processing registrations as fast as we can. This is our busiest time with calves hitting the ground across the country.
• We are also working in partnership with Identigen to DNA test all the male calves that are registered this year. This is working well and we are testing the calves as soon as the tissue samples are received. The first results are coming through now – you can check the online database to see when your results are logged against each animal. We are noticing that a lot of members are also opting to test their female calves. The cost for doing this is only £18 – well worth the cost to get the DNA profile and the MYOSTATIN status.
• We are still finding that members are flushing cows for embryo work without checking with us that they have been DNA tested. It has always been a requirement that donor dams must be DNA tested so please give us a ring and just check. If it hasn’t been done you may find that we won’t be able to register the subsequent calves so it really pays to check!
Shows, Sales and Events
Key upcoming events are shown below:
• 5th – 6th May 2019 – Stirling Spring Show and Sale
• 11th May 2019 – North East Scotland YDP Workshop
• 15th – 18th May 2019 – Balmoral Show
Merchandise
Keep all your items in one place whilst on the go with one of our handy and transportable Jute bags for only £5.
You can purchase by phoning the office directly. Speak to Yvonne 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: http://aberdeen-angus.co.uk/assets/2018/Merchandise-poster-2018-web.pdf
From all at the Society, have a great weekend!
