THE February sale of pedigree beef cattle in Perth began yesterday, but saw no bulls sold - they go under the hammer later today. However, the event proved to be a memorable one for Aberdeen-Angus females with the setting

of a new breed record of 16,000guineas, 5000gns above the previous best.

The top bid came for the supreme champion, the two-year-old Skaill Delia X16 sired by Nightingale Regent and out of Delia of Skaill.

Selling this heifer, described by auctioneer David Leggat as ''probably the best ever seen in Perth,'' was Colin Davidson from Orkney.

The bidding was a complicated affair with Bill Bruce, Logie House, Ellon, Aberdeenshire, relaying instructions via mobile phone from Heathrow en route to his holiday villa in Spain through farm

manager John Green.

''We saw the heifer on Sunday evening and were just determined to have her. We plan to use her in an embryo transfer breeding

programme,'' Green commented.

Davidson was overwhelmed: ''I turned down two very good offers some months ago and was hoping for 10,000 guineas. So this is something of a bonus.''

The new record came under threat when Gregory Donnelly, Ardkillroad, Ardmore, Co Derry, sold Panama of Ardkill at 15,800gns to Wallace Magowan, Brookcourt, Bangor, Co Antrim.

The third-top price for Angus heifers was 7000gns for a second prize entry from Sandy Lee, Fordafourie, Fraserburgh. This heifer is the result of an importation of embryos from New Zealand.

The buyers were Willie McLaren, Netherton, Auchterarder, and Robin and Nancy Orr, Kersbeath, Dunfermline.

A heifer presented by John and Marion Tilson from Wedderlie in Berwickshire to the society in memory of their son Ian, who died last summer, made 5000gns. The proceeds are destined to start a youth development programme for young breed enthusiasts. The

buyer was a syndicate whose members were friends of Ian Tilson.

Showing is always a subjective business with the results totally dependant on the opinion of the chosen judge. Yesterday it fell to Norman Thomas from Oxford to place the 150 bulls for sale today.

He found his champion in an intermediate bull from Willie McLaren. This bull is one of the first crop of the imported Canadian sire, Darlene Cruz. The champion has an estimated breeding value (EBV) of 40, which puts him in the top 5% of the breed. The reserve went to a junior from Neil Massie & Sons, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

o ONE spectator was Malcolm Rodman from Argentina, a former inspector with the Aberdeen-Angus society in that country.

''There are a lot of good bulls. They are getting thicker and retaining size. At present we are not allowed to import semen, but in time the market will re-open,'' he said. ''If the right bulls are available we would definitely be interested.''

The Angus is the prominent breed in Argentina with 75% of all cattle either being pure or cross-bred. Times have been difficult recently, but there are signs of an improvement, according to

Rodman.

''Our export trade is beginning to pick up, with Germany being a very important market followed by Chile and Brazil. Producers are getting 80 US cents (per kilo) for cattle in the 460kg to 500kg range, but things are not easy.''

Rodman runs 500 commercial cows 300 miles south of Buenos Aires on a typical low-cost

system. A calving percentage of 92% is regularly achieved with a winter feeding regime based on natural grazing. Cattle are

finished on grass with the possible supplement of maize or barley.

He reckoned the Angus is in a position to reward producers. ''The certified scheme puts us ahead of the game. It's a truly international breed and recognised as such.''