18 September 2005
DISPERSAL SALE PROVES THE RIGHT ‘MEDICINE’ FOR ORPHANED CALF
The first of three Welsh Black Cattle Society dispersal sales during September took place at Harlech yesterday (September 17).

Mr and Mrs Gwilym Lloyd of Llechwedd-Du Bach put their Llechwedd-Du Welsh Black herd - established in 2000 - up for sale as they plan to emigrate.

The farm’s 6 1⁄2 year –old stock bull, Rhiwlas Rhys (16994 volume 89) was bought by Huw Evans, Hengwrt, Rhydymain near Dolgellau for 1,000gns.

While, two females shared the day’s top price of 780gns a head – Llechwedd-Du Linda 3rd and Llechwedd-Du Mai 2nd.

A third calver with her 6 week old heifer calf at heel, Llechwedd-Du Linda 3rd was bought by Richard Dutton, Shawbury, Shrewsbury, who established his pedigree Grove herd in 1997 which consists of six breeding cows.

Llechwedd-Du Mai 2nd, a second calver who also had a 6 week heifer calf at heel was bought by Mr H E Williams, Bancog, Rhyalanfair, Betws-y-Coed. The Bancog herd was established in 1974.

Lot number 34 was the 2 1⁄2 year-old in-calf heifer, Llechwedd-Du Bet 6th, who had been running with the bull since May 2005. She was sold for 520gns to John Hughes, Ffridd, Llandygau, Bangor.

A maiden in-calf heifer, Llechwedd-Du Anwen 3rd (Lot 51) matched the in-calf heifer top price of 520gns.

But the ‘story’ of the day was the sale of a 6 month old fostered heifer calf. Orphaned at 2 months she was the youngest animal to be sold and was bought by 20 year-old medical student, Sion Williams.

Sion, of Ynyswen, Brynsiencyn, Gwynedd, is a second year medical student Cardiff University, and is to start breeding a pedigree herd based on the Llechwedd-Du bloodlines.

Following the pedigree breeding stock, 16 Welsh Black stores aged 11-18 months were sold averaging £426 a head. All the steers were eligible for steer pedigree certificates and were bought by two farmers – one from Anglesey and the other from Pwllheli – as part of the Tir Gofal agri-environmental scheme.

“The sale trade was consistent and reflected the cattle sold,” said Welsh Black Cattle Society Chief Executive, Andrew James
“All animals were first or second grade registered and sold on the basis of breeding for temperament, hardiness, longevity and ease of calving.”

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