Airedale Herd Dominates Annual CCM Skipton Aberdeen-Angus Female Sale:

The Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society’s third annual autumn sale-only of pedigree females at Skipton Auction Mart was held on Wednesday 11th November 2020 which was dominated by the local Airedale herd of South Craven father and son breeders, David and Josh Isherwood, of Lane Bridge Farm, Kildwick.

Their annual herd reduction sale was responsible for all but two of the total turnout of 39 head, the majority of which found new homes and claimed the two leading prices of 4,200gns and 4,000gns.

The 4,200gns top call fell to their February 2017 born – Airedale Miss Essence T501, by the Carrington Park Time On B7 (AI) (IMP) son, Weeton Lord Horatio, out of Lockerley Legolas G850 sired cow Rawburn Miss Essence J051 (ET). Five months in-calf to Shadwell Evolution T503, she travelled north of the border to Dumfries to join the Abbey herd of Messers Burgess, who took home three in total.

4,200gns Airedale Miss Essence T501

Messers Burgess had travelled down with near neighbour Donald Graham, who runs the Carruthers Angus herd at Corrie, Lockerbie, who didn’t make the return journey empty handed when also adding three from the Airedale offering. Another well-known Scottish breeder, Mark Wattie, who runs the Tonley herd near Alford in Aberdeenshire, was also among the purchasers.

Back at the top end, making 4,000gns was Airedale Kylie R406, a five-year-old daughter of Rawburn Ernst M552, also of Lockerley Legolas G850, out of the Blelack Duke J262 (ET) daughter, Oak Moor Kylie M157. She sold with her third calf at foot, an August 2020 born Airedale Lord Sinden T542 son, the outfit joined RA Nicholson in Brandesburton in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

4000gns Airedale Kylie R406 & calf at foot, Airedale Kingston W696

The Isherwood’s sold other lots at 3,600gns, 3,200gns and 3,000gns, with their 37-strong consignment – just three returned home – achieving an overall selling average of £2,100 per head. Seventeen in-calf heifers themselves averaged £2,563, while nine cow and calf outfits, two with twin calves, averaged £2,158.

David Isherwood explained: “As we have done in the past, the cows offered for sale gave prospective buyers the opportunity to acquire some of our best genetics – healthy cows of good breeding and great temperament.”

The Isherwood’s, who farm 117 acres of meadow and pasture land alongside the River Aire, established their award-winning Airedale herd in 2013 to give added prestige and stature to the combined farming and butchery operation – son Josh heads up Isherwood’s Butchers in Silsden, founded in 1987 and now the town’s last remaining traditional family-run butcher. Aberdeen-Angus meat from the herd continues to be in big demand at the Kirkgate shop.

Dr William and Mrs Margaret Taylor, who run the Crook Hill Aberdeen-Angus herd in Stocksfield, Northumberland, made 2,200gns with their single entry, Crook Hill Miss Bishampton U019, a June 2018, daughter of Ardrossan Admiral A2 (AI) (IMP) and out of Liley Miss Bishampton L007 who is by Nightingale Poundman C183 (ET). Scanned in-calf to Rawburn Makka Pakka R076, she remained in North Yorkshire where she joined the Yearsley herd of husband and wife, Adrian and Penny Johnson, from Brandsby, who were responsible for the 2,600gns top price performer at last year’s Skipton breed highlight.

The new ‘normal’ was very much the case at the Aberdeen-Angus fixture, with a socially distanced group of buyers in the sale ring and a large amount of bidders and interested parties tuned in on the internet, which produced bids and several sales.

Averages showed an extremely healthy across-the-board increase on the year, with cows and calves levelling at £3,255 (2019 £1,512), in-calf cows £2,562 (2019 £2,021) and heifers £2,310 (2019 £1,176).

Prices –

Lot 51 – CROOK HILL MISS BISHAMPTON U019 – 2200gns

Lot 59 – AIREDALE KIRSI S443 – 2200gns

Lot 61 – AIREDALE KYLIE R406 – 4000gns

Lot 63 – AIREDALE EVITA P333 – 3000gns

Lot 64 – AIREDALE EVANO W697 – 3000gns

Lot 65 – AIREDALE LADY SANDRA P335 – 2900gns

Lot 67 – AIREDALE KINANNIE P331 – 3600gns

Lot 72 – AIREDALE KATE P327 – 2800gns

Lot 74 – AIREDALE GERTIE T517 – 1900gns

Lot 75 – AIREDALE KITTIE T518 – 1800gns

Lot 76 – AIREDALE PRAIRIE T514 – 2100gns

Lot 77 – AIREDALE ELIZA S424 – 1400gns

Lot 78 – AIREDALE MINUET BELLE S426 – 1900gns

Lot 79 – AIREDALE MISS ESSENCE T501 – 4200gns

Lot 80 – AIREDALE EARLY BIRD S460 – 2300gns

Lot 81 – AIREDALE PRINCESS CAROLINE S427 – 2200gns

Lot 82 – AIREDALE KATE S452 (ET) – 2900gns

Lot 83 – AIREDALE KITT S435 (ET) – 1900gns

Lot 84 – AIREDALE LADY SANDRA S456 – 2200gns

Lot 85 – AIREDALE MISS ESSENCE S421 – 2500gns

Lot 86 – AIREDALE ELLIE S422 – 2600gns

Lot 87 – AIREDALE ELIZA T502 – 3200gns

Lot 88 – AIREDALE KITT S442 – 2200gns

Lot 89 – AIREDALE ROSEBUD T521 (ET) – 3200gns

Lot 90 – WEETON MISS ESSENCE R456 – 3000gns

Photography – Adrian Legge Photography.