A joint top price of £4000 was achieved for both the champion and reserve at Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ sale of 503 head of adult breeding cattle.

Judge, William Moir, Home Farm, Cairness, bought the top two winners, with the champion being the first prize British Blue heifer with heifer calf from the Morrison family, Fairburn, Longmanhill.

The blue and white sash went to the first prize Limousin heifer and bull calf from Craig and Teen Malone, Pitcairn.

In all 160 heifers and calves averaged £3137.27, up £821.24 on the year.

Bulling heifers also met a strong trade averaging 351p per kg and selling to £2600 for a pair of 19-month-old Simmental heifers from Colin and Robert Manson, Brodieshill, Alves.

Pedigree bulls (17) sold to 6500gns for a Limousin from Albert and George Howie, The Knock, Mintlaw, purchased by the Sleigh family, St Johns Wells, Fyvie.

Charolais sold to 5480gns and 5000gns for bulls from Charles McCombie, Auchincrieve, Rothiemay, purchased by Farquharson Farms, Darley, Turriff, and John Strathdee, Langlandburn, Buckie.

Neil and Stuart Barclay, Harestone, also sold a Charolais at 5000gns to Messrs Anderson, Sootiewells, Laurencekirk.

Leading Awards

Heifers with calf – Sim X with male calf – 1 and 2, C and G Gordon, Lost, Strathdon £3700 and £3500; 3, A Prentice The Bungalow, New Noth, Gartly, £3600.

Sim X with female calf – 1 and 3, C Malone, Pitcairn, Cardenden £3500 and £3750; 2, WJ Morrison, Fairburn, Longmannhill £3450.

Lim X with male calf – 1 and reserve, C Malone, £4000; 2, WJ Morrison, £3650; 3, PJ and I Stuart, Ledmacoy, Strathdon, £3600.

Lim X with female calf – 1, WJ Morrison, £3750; 2 and 3, A Prentice, £3950 and £3300.

BB X with male calf – 1, WJ Morrison, £3650; 2, A Prentice, £3350; 3, PJ and I Stuart, Ledmacoy, Strathdon, £3400.

BB X with female calf – 1 and champion and 2, WJ Morrison, £4000 and £3200.

Any other breed with male calf – 1, C and G Gordon, £3400.

Any other breed with female calf – 1, I and M Keith, Auchtygall, Peterhead, £3450; 2 and 3, C and G Gordon, £3500 and £3600.

Leading Prices

Heifer with bull calf – Sim X – Lost £3750, £3700, £3600, £3500; South Blachrie £3650, £3600, Bungalow, New Noth; £3600 (x2), £3550 (x2). BB X – Bungalow, New Noth £3700; Fairburn £3650. Lim X – Fairburn £3650; Ledmacoy £3600.

Heifer with heifer calf – Lim X – The Bungalow, New Noth £3950; Fairburn £3750. Sim X – Pitcairn £3750, £3500; South Blachrie £3650, £3450; Lost £3650; Farirburn £3450; Bungalow, New Noth £3400. BS X – Lost £3600, £3500; Auchtygall £3450.

Cow with bull calf – Lim X – Cairntack £2850, £2780.

Cow with heifer calf – Lim X – Cairntack £2780.

Bulling heifers – 351kg-400kg – Culnoag £1300. 401kg-450kg – Connachie £1550; Culnoag £1420; Culquhassen £1400 (x2). 451kg-500kg – Berryleys £1850; Connachie £1800; Essil £1650 (x2). 501kg-550kg – Berryleys £2250, £2150; Connachie £2100, £2020 (x2), £2000 (x3); Culquhassen £2000. 551kg-600kg – Connachie £2250; Brodieshill £2150; Connachie £2100 (x5), £2050, Coldhome £2050. 601kg-605kg – Brodieshill £2550, £2450; Bankhead £2300; Connachie £2100; Bankhead £2050.

Pedigree bulls – Lim – West Knock 6500gns; Wedderburn 4200gns. Char – Auchincrieve 5480gns, 5000gns; Harestone 5000gns. A-A – Perkhill Estate 4000gns; Gordonston 4000gns; 3800gns. BS – Nether Lenshie 2800gns. Sal – Milton of Cullerlie 2000gns.