2017 Conference Sale report
24th May 2017
2017 Ayrshire Cattle Society Conference sale
Each year at our Society conference, it has become tradition to hold a semen and embryo sale of interesting and popular genetics. Cattle Services Ayr Ltd, offer for sale a selection of semen packages for sale and Ayrshire breeders are asked to offer embryo packages of interest.
This year’s sale was held following a drinks reception hosted by Cattle Services Ayr Ltd and dinner on the second evening of the conference at the Western House Hotel in Ayr. Auctioneer was John Barclay with Society Breed manager Duncan Hunter promoting each package.
First up for sale were the semen packages which averaged £50 per straw. Top price was £60 per straw for the package of 10 doses of Morwick Sand Ranger purchased by Mungo Bryson, Ayrshire. Mark Nicholls from Devon paid the second top price of £58 per dose for a mixed package of two sires being Forever Schoon MM Cornelius and Ben Ferme Amigo.
An exciting package of embryos with a bonus of a guarantee of a heifer calf created lots of interest and furious bidding from around the room. The offer from the Lawrie Family at Sandyford Farm was for the successful bidder to take five embryos from any cow with the Brieryside Prefix from either Sandyford or Myremill Farm and mated to a sire of choice. The final bid was for £5800 for the package of five embryos (£1,160 per embryo) from a syndicate of Colin Mair (Townhead), George Templeton (Knowe), John Watson (High Mark) and Arthur Lawrie (Cuthill Towers). The second top priced package was purchased by Gilmour Lawrie , Sandyford Farm for 5 embryos out of Carnell Snowdrop 258 EX92 3E sired by Hilltown Oblique (sexed) or West Mossgiel Modern Reality consigned by the Templeton Family at Pocknave for £520 per embryo.
Sale averages
37 Straws Semen – Average £50 per dose
20 Embryos – Average £545 per embryo
