Tup sale madness - Dalmally tup sale 2013

For a number of years now Shep has had a wish to head to Dalmally tup sale, it's up there somewhere in Scotland, a long way away no doubt, not as far as Lairg it is fair to say but it always seems to crop up at a time when farmers are desperate for work to be done and Shep's ability of saying "no" is not a strong point, such a short word but one which doesn't fit into my vocabulary very easily.

Last year I was going, come hail or high water nothing would stop me, I was going - end of story! Until that is the 'phone call arrived, desperate farmer desperately seeking assistance and no where to fit him in other than the couple of days I had allowed myself to sneak off into Scotland, my resolve broke, I gave in and spent the time fighting with sheep instead of doing what I had hoped to be doing.

Now a friend took note of this and vowed she would ensure I got to attend this year. She succeeded. Even though I came up with excuses of pressures of work etc., none of it washed and dragged away I was. There is much to be said for friends. Life is too short, we need to live for today, don't put off for tomorrow. A difficult line to follow when you never wish to let people down who need your assistance but I guess sometimes we need to be selfish and do things we would like to do. Dalmally was one of those instances. I am very grateful to my friend for her persistence and for organising the B&B and for doing the driving, I am so pleased I got up there to the tup sale.

So why Dalmally?

 

There were actually a specific run of tups I wished to see, off a farm called Dalchirla. I had heard much about these sheep, many by homebred sires, often known to fetch what I could only describe as ridiculous prices

 

On the day this particular farm had 34 Shearling tups entered and 5 tup lambs. The shearlings were pretty much like peas in a pod, the handful here were later in the draw, it was too difficult to photograph the tups in the first few pens for the number of people looking at them.

There were some more than useful tups on show on the day from a number of farms, Shep was quietly impressed with what she was seeing that's for sure.

 

The ring was a strange shape, it was actually an oblong, seating was limited also. On first getting a seat in the ring I found myself in a position where you could rarely see the sheep, they were entering the ring to my right and trying to exit in the same place, very few came into the centre of the ring to be viewed with the result that the next time I hunted for somewhere to sit I took up this position in the hope I may see more and not just hear the auctioneer.

As for the photographs? They all seem to have a strange hue about them. Once again I had forgotten my camera and commandeered my friends which for some reason took the photos with a pinky/purply cast to them - apologies!

Anyhow, back to the tup sale.

There were tups of all ages present for sale on the day, Shearlings, aged tups and tup lambs. The catalogue stated that tup lambs would be sold in number two ring, Shep struggled to find number two ring and finally wandered away down the pens until she could move no further for people. Number two ring had actually been converted from the penning areas, it wasn't a ring as I was accustomed to, but at least I found it. The next problem was finding somewhere to view the proceedings.

I got my eye on a photographer I know who was perched up behind the auctioneer, I gave him a tug on the trouser leg and asked if I could climb up beside him and balance on the pen rails just behind him, he raised his arms to take photographs and I snook shots from below his armpits, just as well he didn't suffer from B. O. !

 

I had expected the shearlings might have been making 'silly' money, I actually hadn't realised until I got to Dalmally that Dalchirla sold lambs. It was the lambs which drew the attention of the buyers. Blimey! It was well worth seeing and hearing it has to be said.

 

This chap realised £90,000 . He is a lamb, born this spring, approxiamtely 6 months old. His twin was next into the ring and made £60,000. That is £150,000 off one ewe.

 

The auctioneer had no problems getting folks to bid, that's for sure! It was almost a disappointment when another lamb in the pen only made £24,000!

 It was for this that I had always wanted to head up to Dalmally, to see for myself, take in the buzz. There was a round of applause when the sale of the lamb concluded, a new lamb record for the centre, a price which matched the centre record for a shearling, which had also been sold off Dalchirla a few years previous. Probably a new record for a pair of twins reared off one ewe............ All very impressive. There is much to be said for a farmer to be able to sell 34 shearlings which averaged over £2,000 each and five lambs which averaged over £35,000 each. A farmer who is consistently at the top, think of Dalmally and you think of Dalchirla.

 

Before we left the mart to head home I shot off to the lamb pen, only these three remained, the one standing is the chap who made the most.

 

I'm pleased my friend ensured I got up to Dalmally, I take my hat off to a man who is consistently at the top of the tree but I can't help but question these silly prices. The lamb was bought by a consortium of farmers, they share the price between them, they are seeking to breed what they deem the perfect blackfaced sheep, they want the bloodlines and genetics of this particular specimen but what do the headlines tell the housewife on the street? Sheep trade has dropped quite dramatically this back end, fat and store lambs are well back on the trade of last year.

Those rearing sheep on a commercial basis are finding their incomes are less than last year, the weather has been down rightly atrocious this year and at a cost. A cost to the housewife and the farmer. Food will be dearer, both on the supermarket shelves and the feed sheds on the farms. How can the sheep sector justify the headlines in the press which boast record prices for tups? What does the normal person on the street think of it all? How can we expect any sympathy for the difficulties which face our livestock sectors, our sheep farmers who all so often seem to be battling against the odds?

These huge figures for breeding sheep go around in the same circles, those buying this lamb will hopefully see a return by selling sheep in the future at silly prices themselves, basically it gives a false impression of our sheep farming in general but unfortunately it is an impression which makes headlines, headlines which confuse the general public and leave them with little sympathy for the plight of farmers. 

 

Gannin's on.........

Blimey! We're up to the 13th October already........... What on earth do I do with my time?

Life has been hectic on the Shep front. Not all hard graft it is fair to say, this is being written upon my return from a 36 hour busmans holiday. A tup sale none the less, one which I wanted to attend last year and failed and one which a friend at the time vowed she would make sure I got to attend this year. My excuses of being too busy, couldn't fit it in didn't wash with her with the result being we set off yesterday - Friday 12th Oct and headed north, into Scotland and kept driving north until we reached an area close to Oban on the north west.

A night in a very comfortable B&B with a canny crack with a Canadian and German  couple over breakfast (neither of whom knew what a tup was or could comprehend why we would be so excited to be attending a tup sale) then saw us heading to the auction mart at Dalmally, a very interesting day ensued, some good sheep were viewed with us leaving at about 4pm, before the sale was finished, to head south again. Shep may have been on a skive but a necessity to set away to work tomorrow morning (Sunday) at 7.30am meant it was necessary to get home and get sorted.

On Thursday past Shep had headed north again, to a tup sale none the less. Lanark this time and once again to view blackfaced sheep. I had worked on the Wednesday though - honest! and the 14 days previous.

So, it is the sale season. Shep attended Lockerbie South Country Cheviot tup sale on the 1st October and enjoyed tagging along and passing comment on a number of sheep.  4th October was the Hexham Ewe Sale day, once again in attendance, although 'working' but enjoyable all the same, trade wasn't as strong as some would have liked but sheep got sold all the same. 11th Oct was Lanark tup sale and then Dalmally today. Tomorrow (Monday 15th) is Hexham tup sale - phew!

In between gadding about to sales there have been sheep to dress and sort, sheep to gather and keel and dose, the tailing season has also commenced, time to remove wool off tails in preparation for the tups going out - it would seem to be never ending!

There have been plumbers in at my new abode, I now have pleasantries such as hot water, a loo which flushes and bath taps that water comes out of - life is full of surprises!! Unfortunately it would seem that a plumbers remit does not include tidying up after themselves with the result there is much housework to attend to. (someday....)

Life is hectic on many fronts. There are photos from Dalmally and when time allows I'll get them posted, for the time being I'm heading for bed, time is ticking on, I have had an embarrassing 'sleeping in' episode this past week and don't need another. Sheep suffering from fluke infestation require my assistance tomorrow so bed it is for now, this is just a very quick update of the 'gannins on'.

Sale preperations

Shep has spent an hour today being nosey, out of my area and I tracked down a farm I had an interest in and managed to pluck up the courage to go and introduce myself, only to find the shepherd busying himself dressing draft ewes, it is fair to say the temptation to jump in the pen with him and give him a hand was pretty strong, but I resisted, after all, I was meant to be having a day off! At least I got a good look at the type of sheep off the place with a 'private' viewing of the draft ewes, the tups I was hoping to have a gander at seemed not to be on show and hints didn't work but then the man had a lot of work to get through and I know for myself there can be nowt worse than being held up.

It's that time of year, sheep sales are upon us big time and sheep need dressing and turning out to the best of our abilities in the hope they will look their best on the day and catch the buyers eyes.

The following are photos taken last year, a glance at dressing Blackfaced gimmers, unfortunately I didn't have the sense to do the before and after shots to show the difference once they had been tidied up, although it is fair to say a good sheep takes little dressing, it's the poorer end which need more attention to make them look better.

 

Most sheep can be helped by tidying their bellies up, Blackies are of course heavier woolled sheep, carrying long wool and this gimmer had been clipped in June so her fleece had had plenty of chance to grow. Levelling a belly off helps give the sheep height and length.

 

Wool tidied up around the neckline helps accentuate the face and in some cases give the sheep more neck. There are many different styles of dressing sheep, some even use the electric clippers on them, hand shears are still the most preferred method of dressing on hill sheep, little really needs to come off and as a hairdresser will probably tell you it is easier to snip with a pair of scissors than use electric clippers because once it is removed it can't be put back again. Dressing with hand shears takes patience and practice, care is needed not to leave shear marks in the wool, a well dressed sheep oughtn't to look like it has had the shears over it.

 

Buckets? What has that got to do with dressing sheep? Well, we all like to look nice and clean when out in public and the same goes for the sheep. Okay! I don't suppose they really care but the truth is if you wash and rinse their faces it is amazing how much grime comes of the hair on their heads with the result being they look bright and shiny. Many sheep have already been bloom dipped as well, this is intended to put some colour into their fleeces but it can also dull the hair on the head and legs.

 

As this photo shows, the legs on these gimmers did get a wash, enough to darken and brighten the black and whiteness of their colours, make them stand out more, be eye catching.

 

Paint? Whatever next? It's tradition you see........... honest! Gimmers and ewe lambs as tradition goes get a red paint mark on the back of their necks, the draft ewes find they get a strip of paint painted around their horns. Now any old paint wont do, seriously! it has to be gloss paint, it also has to be red - honest! Some have tried using aerosol cans or keel on the back of the heads but this smudges and spreads, gloss paint is the answer.

 

There she is, getting the wool on the back of her head painted, her face has already been washed, her crown is looking shiny white, her wool has an almost biscuity colour about it due to the fact she was bloom dipped and now she is getting her paint put on, just like a woman tarting herself up ready for a night out!

 

Waiting patiently for the makeover, these gimmers are dressed, bellies levelled, legs washed, wool bloomed, they're just waiting for a quick facial followed by a bit of red and then off they'll go back to their field to relax ready for their big day

 

when they go through the ring, catch the buyers eyes and hopefully make a lot of money for the farmer, before moving to pastures new

Carlisle Galloway Sale. 4th Nov 2011

Shep was on wander about once again. Carlisle Auction Mart run by Harrison and Hetherington over in Cumbria was the venue. A 'hot' date, organised months ago by a farmer I work for in Cumbria.

The said farmer was selling some of his Galloway heifers. I have worked for the gentleman ever since going self employed many years ago, I knew of him through his connection with Galloways and it is this which drew us together so to speak.

Having had a penchant for the black hairy beast ever since my first full time job upon leaving school I still find I have a huge soft spot for the creature. Once prolific on our hills she has seen a decline but is hanging on in there, there are still those who find her attributes the most suitable for their farming practices and there are twice yearly annual sales for the breed held at Carlisle and Castle Douglas, just as there were in my youth.

 

The Galloway is a hardy beast, hairy with it. A beautiful animal with her anvil shaped head, proud ears and mossy browny black coat. She has a reputation of being wild but those that know them will tell you they are indeed no wilder than any other breed. Like the hill sheep they are to be treat with respect and their strong motherly instinct is probably what gives cause for some to imagine they are a wild creature to handle. Like hill sheep I believe them to be genuine and tough.

 

It has to be said that this particular herd doesn't exactly survive out on hill ground and this is ultimately going to be the downfall for this particular mans life long passion. As age creeps on and son takes the helm different farming practices are coming to hand. Ground which will carry Limousin cross cattle will find itself doing just that and the humble Galloway will find herself history on this particular farm, as has happened on so many others in my working lifetime.

The said farmer requested my company at the sale at Carlisle. A consignment of about a dozen heifers to sell and he wished to share it with someone who like himself had a soft spot for the breed. There are still a handful of cattle on his farm which are nursing galloway calves and an even smaller handful in calf to the galloway and then that is it, from here onwards all of the galloway cows remaining in the herd will be crossed with the limousin. A lifetime of breeding come to an end. No wonder the guy wanted to share the day with someone who was sympathetic to the cause.

 

An early arrival at the mart to assist with showing of cattle. The above photo shows the judges of the day perusing one of the classes, there were many classes both pedigree and none pedigree for those selling their cattle to be put forward for judging. I have to say I was disappointed in one class my farmer showed in, just shows how old fashioned my views are, he was beaten by a canadian type galloway. They appear bigger, leggier, blacker and in my mind not as pleasing to the eye - definitely uglier, lacking the sweetness of the traditional galloway which I have been so accustomed to over the years. Just as well everyone shares different views, in my mind his was the best forward for that particular class but then maybe I was biased, hoping that the elderly farmer could go out on a high, red tickets and silverware and why not? Blue and yellow tickets were the order of the day, at least he didn't go home empty handed!

 

I did think the trade on the day wasn't too bad, especially as the reports filtering back from Castle Douglas hadn't been too promising but then I don't believe there were many forward for sale that day. Bulling heifers from Solmain (above) topped at £1,050 and would average about £800. The top price that I noted was £2,000 for heifers off Peela Hill.

 

These heifers are off Hindhope, true hill cattle and ones whom the farmers son appreciates, hopefully a herd which won't be biting the dust in the near future.

I have to say on the day I was somewhat flabbergasted. I mentioned arriving early to assist with setting cattle out for the judging and that there were many classes forward for the judges to study. As with all show events there is usually one which is deemed the best of the best - the overall champion of the day and so it was at Carlisle. However, the event seemed to be overlooked when the beast entered the ring. Usually at marts I attend whatever animal has won the championship finds its owner being presented with silverware and a round of applause is given by those collected around the ringside. This appeared to be overlooked at Carlisle.

I really was flabbergasted. There were silver cups up on the rostrum not far from the auctioneer, I don't know whether they were all intended for the champion beast or whether some were designated for other prize winners, regardless, they were overlooked. The champion entered the ring and if it had not been for the farmer waving the champion rossette under the nose of the auctioneer I do believe the auctioneer would have sailed on regardless, some splutterings were offered, thanking judges etc and bidding commenced - end of story. Quite an anti climax I'm sure for the farmer who had taken the championship rossette. Not what I am accustomed to that is for sure.

 

I have said Galloways are black hairy beasties but they can come in a variety of colours, Dun, Red and White and then there are the Belties (Belted Galloways). Traditionalists like myself prefer the black, there are those who harper for Duns and then there are those who specialise in Belties which I have to say do have an appeal although many traditionalists don't have much time for them.

 

Maybe more ought to have time to appreciate the beltie as they were a strong trade. Sold at the end of the sale, many had left the ringside but those who were left bid. Collectors items maybes - who knows but I do know they were in demand. Red ones especially with one incalf heifer realising £5,000 admittedly the catalogue did read "a rare chance to buy a red heifer" she was a decent beast and someone took the opportunity of the rare chance to buy her.