A new UK and European record for an Aberdeen Angus headlined the fifth annual online Rawburn Production Sale hosted by Dowbiggin Marketing and Shrewsbury-based Halls auctioneers on the MartEye platform from May 1-3.

The top price of 73,500gns (£77,175) was paid for record breaker Rawburn Karama A415, a daughter of the renowned Rawburn Makka Pakka and out of the exceptional donor HW Karama T532.

This outstanding female combines elite performance with style and presence, backed by one of the most proven cow families in the Kelso-based Rawburn herd, with her dam already producing sons to £40,000.

Described as one of the very best females ever offered for sale from the herd, she was knocked down to Yester Estate, East Lothian, Scotland.

The second highest price of the day was 15,000gns (£15,750) for Rawburn Rachel B459, which sold to Angus House Farm, Scotland. This thick, easy-fleshing daughter of the Australian sire Te Mania Nebo was out of the influential Rachel X415, herself a Byergo Black Magic x Jindra Rachel 6310 embryo daughter and full sister to Rawburn Roxburgh.

Combining proven international genetics with exceptional maternal strength, she attracted strong attention for her functionality, udder quality, and structural correctness.

Next to sell was Rawburn Evening Star B442, which realised 9,000gns to Michael Poland, Isle of Wight. Sired by Rawburn Loaded, one of the most successful sires used within the herd, she is a beautifully balanced, deep-bodied and feminine heifer with excellent length and fleshing ability.

Backed by Transformer on the maternal side, she offers proven calving ease and growth, alongside strong performance credentials, carrying eight EBVs and indexes in the top 10% of the breed.

Mr Poland purchased six heifers in the sale, averaging £7,490, continuing to build his Mottistone Aberdeen Angus on the Isle of Wight, which has replaced the world renowned Mottistone Highland Fold that dispersed in Stirling a few years ago.

Rawburn Lady Rose B613 followed closely, selling for 8,200gns to George Brown, Hampshire. A granddaughter of the influential Lady Rose N363 and from a dam that is a full sister to Rawburn Loaded, she represents one of the most consistent cow families in the herd.

Sired by Jungle Eric, a rising star within the Rawburn breeding programme, she combines power and shape with femininity and style. Her performance figures are equally impressive, recording +63 for Terminal and +83 for Self-Replacing Index, marking her out as a female of real genetic and commercial significance.

Another standout from the renowned Rachel cow family was Rawburn Rachel B492 which sold for 8,000gns to Ollie Jones, Llanbadarn Fynydd, near Newtown, Powys. Carrying no fewer than 12 EBVs and indexes in the top 10% of the breed, she represents the strength and consistency of the Jindra Rachel 6310 line, which has produced multiple high-selling sons, AI sires and influential females within the Rawburn herd.

Offering a rare opportunity to access this prolific cow family, she was widely admired for both her figures and overall quality.

Trade was strong throughout, with demand evident across the entire offering. The sale of 36 pedigree Aberdeen Angus heifers averaged £7,784.58 and, notably, even without the record-breaking top price, the average exceeded that of the previous year, underlining the depth of quality on offer.

A total of 39 embryos averaged £866.12, with a top price of 1,700gns (£1,785) per embryo achieved for a package from HW Karama T532, the dam of the record-breaking Rawburn Karama A415, sired by Tonley Jester Eric.

These were purchased by Clive Richardson, Republic of Ireland. Embryos sold to the UK, Republic of Ireland, Germany, Austria and Romania, further highlighting strong international demand for Rawburn genetics.

The sale was managed by Josh Dowbiggin, of Dowbiggin Marketing, alongside Jonny Dymond, of Halls auctioneers, Shrewsbury, on behalf of vendor John Elliot of Rawburn Aberdeen Angus.