Yourbid system again proved a winner for the McGowan’s annual on-farm Working Genes sale at Incheoch, which saw 50% of buyers bid from a distance.

The sale, which has been running for 15 years, aims to provide genetic solutions to real on-farm challenges, with Neil and Debbie McGowan, recording, collating and reproducing a huge amounts of information in their ram sale catalogue. Together with supporting videos, the Yourbid on-line silent auction allowed buyers to bid from a distance. Those who travelled to the farm for the event, enjoyed seeing the stock, the chat and catch up with fellow breeders and mostly bid on their phones, with help available for those who were unfamiliar with the system.

A buoyant trade throughout saw 49 Texel sheraling rams average £1100, selling between £450 and £2850, with the sale leader selling to Matt Jack, Carriston, Fife. A son of Incheoch Drum Major with a big carcase backed up by CT scan data, he also boasts one of the highest indexes in the country.

Jim Logan, Pirntaton, bought two of the Incheoch Blizzard sons at £2800 and at £2000. Both had indexes well into the 300s and faecal egg counts in the top 1%.

The 39 Lleyn shearlings averaged £786 selling from £350 to £2800 for Incheoch Knave, purchased by Duncan Nelless of Thistleyhaugh. A son of Incheoch Jarl that stood breed champion at Perth Show, he sold boasting a high indicator of resistance to parasites and in the top 10%. An Incheoch Jailbreaker son with good maternal and muscle depth figures sold next at £2250 to Emma Clapp for regular buyers, Roseberry Estates.

Polled Simmentals also proved popular for the family's fifth time selling bulls. Three sons of Canadian homozygous polled Gibby’s Real Deal, which leaves maternal, correct, easy-doing cattle, averaged £5800 with the January 2021-born, Incheoch Maori making £6200 to Douglas Gill from Easter Ross. Matching that price, the 18-month-old Incheoch Major, by Slievanagh Joker goes out to work on Luings in Eire with Jimmy Cosgrave.

In all eleven bulls, including three Luings, sold to average £4873, heading as far south as Somerset and up to Sutherland.

Neil McGowan commented: “We have developed the Working Genes sale to help match the right genetics to the right home – that is what all the recording and data is about – and this bidding system is further helping achieve that.”

Pentland Livestock assisted with the admin and running of the sale once again. "Both new and returning customers have adapted to and embraced the Yourbid system," said Graham Burke.

"They like the simplicity of it and the flexibility to bid from home or remotely. Everyone, especially farmers, are busy and was highlighted by 20% of lots selling to buyers who viewed stock in the weeks prior to the sale, but weren’t able to or chose not to attend on the night. More still placed a bid without seeing the stock," he said.