Breeders battle for best ewes
A Shropshire farmer took the glory as Beltex sheep buyers from as far away as Cornwall and Scotland made a bee-line for Worcester Livestock Market
but, while commercial lamb producers competed for an impressive turnout of shearling rams, pedigree breeders created a big trade for females with prices reaching 1500gns and 1250gns.
"The Beltex now has a firm following of commercial producers keen to put shape and muscle into their prime lambs. But as well as offering a good selection of rams the sale put pedigree flockmasters in the mood to invest in good females, many with imported genetics," said McCartneys' auctioneer Clive Roads.
Now established as the premier Midlands event for the Beltex Sheep Society, the show and sale included consignments from some of the UK's leading flocks as well as the dispersal of the well known Parkland flock owned by the late Brian Hitchman from Warwickshire.
But it was a impressive two-shear ewe from the 90-strong flock run by Whatmore Court Farms, Ludlow, that set the trade alight. Showing all the attributes of the extreme shape and muscling the breed is renowned for, the ewe also demonstrated excellent limbs and mobility.
The ewe was in the hands of Whatmore Court farm manager Sarah Morris and was sired by an imported Belgian-bred ram that has made a big impact.
The 1500gns bid was the flock's highest price to date. The ewe took the supreme championship and now joins the Luggsmill flock of leading pedigree breeder David Bishop at Malvern whose breeding features several generations in her pedigree.
There was plenty of proven breeding behind the sale's highest priced ram from Market Drayton breeder Dermot Costelloe. Shearling tup Bailey Brook Jim is by the 13,000gns Airyolland Galahad and out of a Tullygarley ewe whose twin brother sold for 5500gns.
