A BLACKSMITH has played a major role in the farming and business life of Alasdair Houston, of Gretna House Farms, Gretna Green, in Dumfries-shire – the fourth generation of the family to farm there. While probably best-known globally for owning the Famous Blacksmith Shop and its equally celebrated anvil to conduct thousands of marriages as part of what’s now a major Scottish visitor destination, on the farming side, his Gretnahouse prefix has become a byword for excellence in no fewer than three breeds – Simmental, Charolais and Aberdeen-Angus. That latter breed is where the other Blacksmith comes in. Gretnahouse Blacksmith L500 has made an indelible mark on the breed, both in this herd and many others.
SHARING OPTIONS:
Cooltomin Pearl Lucky, which, along with her October 2020-born heifer calf, sold for the top price of €4,700.
Tommy Liston from Ardagh in Co Limerick hosted the dispersal sale of his Cooltomin Angus herd in Kilmallock last Saturday, with prices peaking at €4,700.
Taking the top price was the cow and calf pairing of Cooltomin Pearl Lucky 1300 and Cooltomin Tina 1392.
The three-year-old dam is a daughter of the highly-rated Netherton Americano and sold scanned in-calf and due December to Mogeely Joe.
Her October 2020-born heifer calf s sire is the successful Canadian AI bull HF Rebel.
Both mother and daughter boast five stars on the replacement index.
An in-calf Cooltomin heifer sired by HF Rebel that will be offered for sale.
The Cooltomin pedigree Angus herd of Tommy Liston from Ardagh, Co Limerick, is set to go under the hammer on Saturday 17 April in Kilmallock Mart.
Established nearly 40 years ago, the herd was originally run alongside a dairy herd, but for the last five years, the Angus have taken pride of place.
Selling due to retirement, the sale comprises of 26 cow and calf pairings, five maiden and in-calf heifers, a four-year-old stock bull and a number of young bulls suitable for work.
Split herd
The herd is split between autumn and spring calving, with most cows with calves at foot scanned back in-calf again.