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Bank of Scotland
Aberdeen-Angus Suckler Herd of the Year 2004 (UK)
Welcome to Balaldie
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Balaldie is a 700
acre family business, situated on the Tarbat peninsula 35 miles north of Inverness . It consists of 600 ac split 50/50 between LFA (Kimberley, where the cows are summered) and non
LFA land (Balaldie, all arable) with the rest
being rented on a seasonal basis. We
currently run 150 cows through the summer - 100 commercial Angus crosses and 50 pure cows.
We finish one third of our own cattle with the rest being sold store or for breeding.
Balaldie has been
farmed by the Munro family for three generations, with a fourth, James, currently studying
agriculture at Aberdeen University. Our
particular branch of the Clan Munro, the Munro’s of Lealty, have been farming in
Easter Ross since the late 1600’s. (1679)
The family has been
involved with the Angus breed for over a century, with my great grandfather Finlay first
registering an Angus bull, Adam of Rockfield, in 1902. His first registered Angus
female was born in 1898. His son, (my grandfather) Finlay,
on returning from Egypt to take over at Rockfield, continued breeding Angus cattle.
The depth of
involvement with the breed came and went over the years. My father Charles and his brother
Finlay (Rockfield) went their separate ways in 1962 when my father married. Both however
continued in their involvement and use of Angus cattle.
In the aftermath of
BSE and following “study” trips to Orkney, Denmark, Sweden and Norway I
decided we ought to return to breeding pure Angus cattle. Both my father and I had used
various outcross breeds, though always running at least one Angus, on what was now a
commercial herd descending from some of the original cows (though some were still pure, if unregistered).
Vastly improved bloodlines which could stand toe to toe with continental bulls fed this
desire to return to pure cattle and at the end of 1997, Princess 14th of
Downfield, a Scotch Cap daughter, was bought privately from Robert Groom, Tullyfergus. The
following year the first registered calf for some years, Prelude of Balaldie was
born.
Finlay
J Munro
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