AN ELECTRIC trade for Limousin bulls lit up the British Limousin Cattle Society's annual May sale at Carlisle's Borderway mart on Saturday.

As well the top price of 42,000gns, paid for the supreme champion, two other bulls made more than 20,000gns, and a further seven topped the 10,000gns mark. The sale grossed just over £618,000 and the 142 bulls sold averaged £4,353.80, up more than £1,200 on the year and just short of the record Limousin average at an official bull sale.

The judge, Steadman Dodd of Temple Sowerby, Penrith, put up as supreme champion Wilodge Vantastic from Christine Williams and Richard Bartle of D A Williams, Shifnal, Shropshire.

The October 2004-born bull weighed in at 912kgs at 556 days old. The first son of Wilodge Tonka to come up at auction, his Beef Value of LM+43 ranks him easily in the top 1pc of breed. His French-bred dam is Ravenelle. Vantastic went to Smiths of Bloxham, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, for their pedigree Ironstone herd.

Vantastic is the highest priced bull yet sold by the Wilodge herd.

Local buyers included W M Reed and Sons of West Biggins, Frosterley, Weardale, who paid 12,000gns for Cloughhead Vulcan, a Cloughhead Tommy son and out of Cloughhead Rosa.

J N Swinbank of Cold Comfort Farm, Neasham, Darlington, bought the junior champion, Garnedd Arbennig at 8,000gns for his suckler cow unit. Bred by K I and E Jones of Betws-y-Coed, Conwy, the 16-month-old is a Broomfield Regentcey son out of Eden Marianne.

In the female section, judged and sold the previous day, the female champion was Bowers Victoria, from G T W James, Ewyas Harold, Hereford, a daughter of Grahams Samson and out of Bowers Pippa, she went for 2,600gns to T W Roberts & Son, Lisvane, Cardiff.

Averages: 45 senior bulls £2,696.17; 67 intermediate £5,275.86; 30 junior £4,781; overall av for 142 sold £4,353.80. Cow served and/or suckling £1365; 8 served hfrs £1,929.38; 26 maiden hfrs £1,350.87.