TOP quality pedigree Limousin females from the renowned Emslies herd will be sold at Carlisle next weekend.

Ten years after establishing the herd at Kinknockie, Aberdeenshire, Harry Emslie and partner Lynwen Evans are offering a selection of cattle with the looks, pedigrees, performance, milk and muscle the herd is noted for.

A quantity of frozen embryos and semen will also be available at the Harrison and Hetherington sale on Saturday, January 18.

The Emslies herd was put together solely to produce top-class cattle. No expense was spared with foundation animals from the Wilodge, Pennys, Heathlands and Ronick herds. The Ballymoney herd, purchased as a whole from Ireland, later built on those.

The “Sassy Lassies” sale includes cows with calves at foot, in-calf heifers, maiden heifers and ET-bred calves. They include red, black and polled daughters and granddaughters of the herd’s noted cow families PennysTess, WilodgeRitzy, RonickTelma, BallymoneyVeronica and HeathlandsSweetheart.

Many on offer have powerful EBV figures, including EmsliesHeledd, the UK Limousin herd book’s top female at LM+58.

The herd attracts customers from all over the UK. Harry Emslie said: “We’ve had a clear goal in mind to breed commercially relevant and viable cattle with a depth of breeding behind that which makes them suitable for pedigree and commercial customers.”

Sires used include DinmoreGoldcrest and BaileaBlack BMW, plus EmsliesColosuss the number one bull in the UK Limousin herd book with a beef value of LM+62. The selection and breeding programme focuses on the five Fs – feet, functionality, fertility, femininity and figures.

The herd enjoys show ring and market success and achieved a herd top price of 37,000gns for Emslies Frenchman – the first UK Limousin sold to America for 30 years.

Emslies Horny was supreme champion at Carlisle in October last year and the herd exhibits at all the major royal shows.

David Pritchard, H&H operations director, expects the sale will draw buyers from across the UK. “This really is a great opportunity to snap up some top-rated quality bloodstock from Limousin lines that rarely come to market,” he said.

The sale includes 30 cows (29 calves); 31 in calf heifers; 17 maiden and yearling heifers; eight recipient calves; frozen embryos and semen.

All breeding age females have been vet checked and confirmed to breed. All animals will be pre-movement tested for TB. The herd is part of the SAC health scheme and is BVD vaccinated and Johnnes monitored. All breeding age females have tested negative for Johnnes.