March 2009 Archives

The blog is pretty quiet today as I'm having a day at the BSAS (British Society of Animal Sciences) conference in Southport and so far some interesting papers on fertility issues within the Holstein breed have been presented.

Geoff Pollot from the Royal Veterinary College spoke about the effect selection for milk production is having on fertility. He says: "Selection for increased milk production unequivocally leads to a detrioration in genetic merit for fertility and condition score."

Leading on from this Conrad Ferris from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute at Hilsborough has looked into the merits of using Norwegian Red cattle rather than Holstein Friesians. His findings made for interesting listening. He found that of the cows culled during the experiment a significantly greater proportion of Holstein Friesian cows were culled due to infertility compared to the Norwegian Reds.

Conception to first AI was also significantly higher with the Norwegian Red breed during the first lactation.

For reports from the conference see the next two editions of Farmers Guardian.

Usual sales reporting will return tomorrow!

A pedigree Sussex bull sold to 3,200gns in Chelford market's weekly beef breeding section last week

The top selling bull, one of two forward from Clem Ekin, Congleton, Cheshire, was the May 2006-born Spenmoss Supreme 1, a Mayfield Supreme 4 son out of Meres Snowdrop 1.

It had won the championship at the Sussex Cattle Society's autumn show last year. The buyer was Edward Dale, Leek, Staffordshire, who will use the bull on Highland cattle.

An unregistered pedigree June 200-born Sussex bull from the same home made 2,000gns selling to Bostock Brothers, Biddulph, Staffordshire.

Auctioneers: Frank Marshall

A dispersal of dairy cattle on behalf of Eileen Tuer, Windermere, produced a top price of £2,200 at Lancaster auction mart last week.

The sale, held at short notice, was topped by a fresh heifer selling to N. McCulloch, Stranraer.

The commercial herd, calving all year round to the beef bull, sold to an overall average of £1,219.

The sale concluded with the British Blue cross Limousin stock bull, which sold at £2,950.

Auctioneers: North West Auctions

CAST ewes were in demand yesterday at Gisburn mart and a top price of £101 was realised.

The sale topper was a Texel ewe from Richard and Mark Ireland, Whalley, Blackburn selling to M.N. Alam, Blackburn.

Freda and Helen Booth, Wigglesworth, Skipton, sold a Texel ewe for £100 to Meadow Top Livestock, Accrington, Lancashire.

Others in the money were J.F. Metcalfe, Colne, Lancashire, with a pair of cast Texel rams at £98 each again selling to M.N. Alam.

Auctioneers: Richard Turner and Son.

BENTHAM mart's first 'spring Lims' show and sale of Limousin sired rearing calves saw the champion sell for a centre record price.

The championship rosette - went to a 34-day-old bull from Mason Gardner, Greenside, Tatham. This bull calf is out of a Limousin cross cow and sired by Yelland Riley - a son of Greenson's Gigolo.

The calf sold for a record price of £490 to Peter Fawcett, Mearbeck, Long Preston.

The show judge, Chris Broadley, Ripon, bought the second and third placed bulls, both from M.W. Hodgson, Cartmell Fell, at £370 and £300.

British Blue bulls topped at £370 and black and white bulls £148.

Auctioneers: Richard Turner.

ALMOST half the cattle sold into Wales when Thomas R. Hawkins (Farms), Ledbury, Herefordshire, sold their autumn calving loose-housed herd of mainly non-registered Holstein Friesians and Jersey crosses.

However, the top price of 1,800gns was paid by English buyers S.H. and C.M. Brewer, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire for Bosbury Jester Mary, a second calver sired by Walters Jaster off a Moet Genies Double dam. She had calved in mid October and sold giving 28kg.

Selling at 1,500gns was a December second calver - Bosbury Royal Hugo - selling to

A.W. Lewis, Longhope, Gloucestershire. She was a Collins Royal Hugo daughter off a Painley Knightingale dam and was giving 27kg.

Served heifers due in August onwards sold to 950gns for a Moet Almira Grosvenor daughter.

Jersey cross-bred bulling heifers sold to 700gns and purebred Holstein Friesian bulling heifers sold to 800gns.

Heifer calves sold to 700gns for Holstein Friesians and 500gns for Jersey cross-breds.

The sale also included dairy equipment and machinery. Leading prices included the re-conditioned Keenan 100 feeder wagon at £6,800; the Kuhn Primor straw chopper made £5,600, and the 8,000 litre Fabdec milk tank realised £6,200.

Averages: 53 milking cows and heifers, £1,086.65; 8 unwarranted cows, £536.81; 17 served/bulling heifers, £772.05; 24 maiden heifers, £600.02; 1 Hereford stock bull, £1,323.00.

Auctioneers: Gwilym Richards and Co.

WITH a top price of 6,200gns, and six others at 5,000gns or more, averages for bulls rose by £508 at the South Devon Herd Book Society's show and sale at Exeter recently.

There was also strong trade in the heifer section, with breed averages rising over £500 overall since the autumn sale, to £1,812 for two-year-old heifers and to £2,407 for yearlings.

Leading the trade at 6,200gns was D.J. Thomas and Son, Launceston, Cornwall, with a April 2007-born polled bull, Z Treguddick Poll Progression 5, selling to E.L. Foale, Newton Abbot, Devon.

This was followed by reserve male champion, Wenfork Trusty 5, consigned by J. Collings, Launceston, Cornwall. The hammer fell at 5,800gns to T.M. Kent, Baschurch, Shrewsbury.

Two polled bulls sold for 5,500gns each. The first was Z Sexton Poll Polaris 2 from R.R.B. and S.J. Harvey, Ivybridge, Devon, selling to J. Hopkins, Lympsham, Somerset.

The second was Z Colcharton Dynamic 2 from R.J. and C. Edwards, Tavistock, Devon, going to J.B. Fentem and Sons, Alsop-en-le-Dale, Derbyshire.

Messrs Edwards had further success in the female section selling Z Colcharton Darling of 2007 for the top price of 3,000gns. The heifer was knocked down to R. Edwards, Leominster, Herefordshire.

At 2,600gns was Tregondale Suffragette 17 from M.R. and R.J. Rowe, Liskeard, Cornwall, selling to new breeder T. Earl, Lerryn, Cornwall, who also bought another four other heifers.

Averages: 31 bulls, £3,695; 18 females, £2,031.

Auctioneers: Kivells.

THE Trafford family, Keswick celebrated triple success at the two-day suckled calf show and sale at Carlisle last weekend.

Not only did they clinch both the heifer and steer championship awards, but they also sold for the joint top price of £4,500 on the heifer day.

Messrs Trafford took the championship on the first day with a black Limousin cross nine-month-old daughter of the Limousin sire - Waindale Potential - out of a British Blue cow. She sold for the joint top price of £4,500 and to C. Birrell and Co, Castle Douglas.

At the same price was the reserve champion, another Limousin cross heifer this time from Messrs Harrison, Appleby. The heifer was by a home-bred Limousin bull, Noble Buster, and out of a British Blue cross mother. The hammer fell to an undisclosed buyer from the north west.

The Traffords were also successful on the second day taking the steer championship with a black steer sired by their imported French Limousin stock sire, Vallion, and bred from a British Blue cross dam. It later sold for £3,000 to Messrs Naylor, Derby.

Topping the steer sale at £3,200 was a Limousin cross from Robert and Michael Scott, Thirlwall Castle, Greenhead. This red steer, by their Limousin stock sire, Cloughhead Titanic, is out of a Limousin cross dam. It was knocked down to Donald MacPherson, Oban. 

Averages: 1,250 heifers, £777.78 (+60 on the year); 1,360 steers, £826.12 (+£105).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

AUCTIONEERS Harrison and Hetherington have announced a sponsorship award for five UK national primestock shows in 2009.

If the cattle supreme champion at Borderway Agri Expo, Scottish Winter Fair, English Winter Fair, Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair and the Welsh Winter Fair, was purchased from any of Harrison and Hetherington's eight sales centres between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009 a cash prize of £1,000 will be awarded to the winner, providing the exhibitor was the purchaser.

In 2008 the prize was won at the Royal Smithfield Christmas Fair by Alistair and Elizabeth Vance, Newton Stewart, Dumfriesshire. Their Limousin cross heifer, Divine Diva, was purchased at the autumn suckled calf show and sale held in September at Carlisle for £3,000. Bred by Robert and Michael Scott, Greenhead. Carlisle, it sold at Smithfield for £15,000.

A UK breed record price of 9,000gns was realised for a bull at the Lincoln Red Cattle Society's spring show at Newark.

The top seller, Stainton King, consigned by Robert and John Needham, Gayton Le Wold, Louth, also took the reserve male championship rosette.

This April 2007-born bull is by Market Stainton George and out a Donington Victor cow. The bull sold to Tony Mallon, Little Fransham, Norfolk, who runs the Westacre pedigree herd alongside a commercial herd.

The Needhams also took the male and senior championship with Market Stainton Kinsman, a March 2007-born bull also by King.

The hammer fell at 5,600gns to R.G. Parkinson and Sons, Donington on Bain, Lincolnshire for use in their Donington herd

The reserve senior champion bull, Walmer Joburg, from Hedley Needler, Ranby, Louth, made 2,600gns selling to Sir Richard Sutton's Settled Estates at Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. Jobury is a November 2006-born son of Walmer Falcon out of a Market Stainton Bonus sired dam.

The reserve junior champion bull, Donington Kavannah, Brian and Graham Parkinson, Donington on Bain, Louth, made 3,000gns to Michael Read for his Hemingby herd at Louth. This son of Limestone Dunstan is and out of an Anwick Augustus.

Demand outstripped supply in the female trade and new breed record prices and averages were set for maiden heifers.

The reserve champion heifer, Hemingby Treasure, from Michael Read, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, sold for a record of 2,500gns to Michael Woodford, Cold Overton, Leicestershire.

Born in September 2007 the heifer is by St Fort Essex and out of the show cow Hemingby Treasure.

The junior female champion from Ivan and Martin Clough, Halton Holegate, Spilsby, was Beverley Ella, a daughter of Beverley Adventurer. This three-month-old heifer sold at 2,100gns to C.T.H. Charlton, Spalding, Lincolnshire.

Averages: 12 bulls, £3,037; 50 females, £1,569; 5 cows with calves, £1,491; 4 in-calf cows, £1,116; 21 in-calf heifers, £1,562; 19 maiden heifers, £1,741.

Auctioneers: Newark Cattle Market.

THE champion at the Border and Lakeland Holstein Club's March show and sale at Borderway mart sold for the top price of 3,000gns.

The heifer, a Boss Iron daughter and the seventh generation of EX or VG cow, was consigned by Steven and Anne Morley, Southwaite, Carlisle, and sold to an undisclosed buyer.

Reserve champion was consigned by P.H. Forbes, Dykehead, Blackford and sold for 2,100gns to Brettobreck Farms, Stromness, Orkney. This heifer was by a home-bred sire - Dykehead Duke.

Other leading prices included the first place junior heifer in-milk from S. Moor and Son, Seaham, Co Durham. Littlecoop Moonbeam 160 is by Donelea Instinct and sold for 2,200gns to I.D. Houston Farming, Dalbeattie.

At the same price was Stowbeck Freeman Mavis consigned by Skirwith Hall Farms, Skirwith, Penrith. She was sired by Braedale Freeman going back to four generations of EX or VG cows and sold to Brettobreck Farms, Stromness, Orkney.

Averages: 8 cows in-milk, £1,302; 34 heifers in-milk, £1,976.47.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

CALVED heifers sold to 2,520gns when Richard and Lyn Langford, Wellington, Hereford, dispersed their Auberrow herd of loose housed Holstein Friesians at Ross market.

Top price was paid by C.M. Pugh, Kempley, Gloucester, for Auberrow Louson Dora, a Beverlake Louson daughter, which had been calved eight weeks and giving 29.2kg daily.

The same buyer paid 2,450gns for the Newfailand Mr Frosty sired Auberrow Frosty Fairy. This nine-week calved heifer was off a 9,236kg Keystone Clietus Valvano cow.

For 2,100gns, the same buyer purchased the 10-week calved heifer Auberrow Frosty Jane, which was giving 32kg daily. She was also sired by Mr Frosty.

Cows sold to 1,650gns on three occasions including a sixth calver making 1,550gns.

Served heifers sold to 1,600gns.

Averages: 30 milking cows and heifers, £1,496.95; 7 unwarranted cows, £675; 2 in-calf heifers, £1,653.75.

Auctioneer: Gwilym Richards

A bid of 4,400gns for a Picston Shottle son topped the trade for pedigree dairy bulls at Borderway mart, Carlisle last week.

Top seller was Annandale Scintilate from W.J. Armour, Moffat, Dumfriesshire. Descended from the Ada family the bull's dam was classified VG87 as a two-year-old, making her one of the highest classified Silverpost Sinatra daughters in the UK. The bull was snapped up by M.J. Wilson, Uldale, Wigton

Selling for 3,000gns was Warnelview Casper consigned by K.J. and C.S. Wilson, Thursby, Carlisle, and purchased by W. Meredith, Stichen, Aberdeen. His dam was an EX 94 Boulet Charles with over 100 ton of milk.

In the show classes the championship went to Lesmay Designer from Brian Weatherup and Partners, Cowdenbeath, Fife. This son of bull Weeton Jackson sold for 2,000gns to P.R. Stewart and Co Falside, Fife.

The reserve champion was Evening Spice consigned by Evening Hill Farm, Thursby and selling to R. and J. Mitton, Clap for 2,500gns. He was sired by Emerald-Acr-Sa T-Derek.

The champion and reserve champion British Friesian bulls were consigned by R.S. and W.A. Howarth, Pickering, Yorkshire. The champion, a son of Failand Breadwin out of Blackisle Bertha 11, sold for 1,900gns to J.H Fell, Whitbeck Cumbria.

The top price British Friesian was a maternal brother to the champion and was sired by Marshside Rocket. Consigned by W.R. Mann and Sons, Avoch, Ross-shire, the bull sold for 2,900gns to J.J. Baxter, Beaumont, Carlisle.

Averages: 22 Holstein bulls, £2,002.12; 10 British Frisian bulls, £1,732.25; 32 head overall, £1,916.25.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

BIDDING peaked at 2,220gns at the major reduction sale of the loose housed and fully organic Pimhill herd of pedigree Holsteins sold at Beeston Castle on behalf of Richard Mayall and his daughter Ginny, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Topping the sale was Pimhill Mike Clover 2, a daughter of Lucky Mike bred from seven generations of VG or EX dams from the Pedran Clover family. She was coming to the end of her first lactation and is due again to Mr Sam in early June. The hammer fell to Rhodri Ellis for his organic herd at Rhewl, Ruthin.

Pimhill Iron Marcia, a fresh second calver by Boss Iron giving 37kg daily, made 2,200gns. The buyer was Chris Jerman, Chirbury, Powys.

The leading priced older cow was Pimhill Derry Christine, a fourth calf daughter by Derry from the Christiane family. She was bred to Solid-Gold Colby and was one of 18 purchased by the Watkins family, Carmarthen.

Another leading buyer who took many of the better fresh calved cattle was W.O. Dilks, Ashbourne - his leading purchase at 2,150gns was Pimhill Bradley Japonica, a fresh heifer by Rockall Bradley.

Averages: 303 cows and milking heifers, £1,335.72; 1 in-calf heifer, £1,575; 304 head overall, £1,336.50.

Auctioneers: Wright Manley.

THE centre record for commercial cattle was smashed at Penrith mart when 41 top quality commercial show animals were forward at their spring special show and sale of haltered cattle.

Top seller at £13,000 was the overall show champion, Sidewalk Sally, a July 2008-born British Blue heifer consigned by W. Richardson and Son, Ghyll House, Dufton.

The heifer was knocked down to the show judges - Phil and Sharron Sellers - noted commercial cattle showmen from Kilburn, Derbyshire.

The Richardsons also consigned the reserve champion, Ting Ting, a May 2008-born Limousin heifer, which went on to realize £10,000 selling to B.A. Williams, Powys.

The best opposite sex animal was an August 2008-born Limousin steer, Take That, also from the Richardson family. It went on to make £6,000.

Bidding was strong throughout with many more prices exceeding £3,000.

Averages: steers £1,958; heifers £3,622.

Auctioneers: Penrith and District Farmers Mart.

THE overall champion at Leyburn auction mart's spring spectacular of show potential cattle sold for a centre record price of £6,100.

The title-winner, a Limousin cross heifer from John Smith-Jackson, Haltwhistle, Northumberland, sold to joint buyers - Jennifer Hyslop, Barrhill, Aryshire, and Andrew Richardson, Appleby, Cumbria.

Best British Blue

Mr Smith-Jackson also took the trophy for the best British Blue with a steer, which went on to realise £1,260.

Reserve champion

Reserve champion went to a Limousin cross heifer from J.W. Dent and Sons, Barnard Castle, Co Durham. The hammer fell at £4,600 to H.A. Blythe, Norwich.

The Dent family also sold a Limousin heifer at £2,200 to Dickie Anderson, Middleham.
Other leading prices included £3,100 paid for a Limousin heifer from Fred and Ruth Prescott of W.A. Dinsdale and Son, Grinton, Richmond. It was knocked down to Stephen Priestley, Bradford.

Averages: heifers £1,792; steers £971.

Auctioneers: Leyburn Auction Mart

THE largest entry of bulls since the 1970s was forward at the Devon Cattle Breeders' Society show and sale at Sedgemoor auction centre.

The show champion was Forde Abbey Gulliver from Lisa Roper, Chard, Somerset.

This February 2007-born son of Cutcombe Pippin is out of a home-bred cow Ð Forde Abbey Beauty 26. The hammer fell at £5,775 to Simon and Grania Phillips of the Collaton herd, Launceston, Cornwall.

The reserve champion, Challenge Buttons, from John Gilson, Wellington, Somerset, sold at £4,725 to J.M. Williams for the Werrington herd, Launceston, Cornwall. This April 2007-born bull is by Bywood Buttons and from the Ribecca cow family.

At £5,250 was Efford Down Grenadier from David Barker, Taunton, and selling to G. Dart and Sons, Molland, Devon.

Heifers were much in demand with David Ingram, Tamworth, Staffordshire, buying two in-calf heifers and 13 maiden heifers to establish a new herd.

Other top prices included £1,470 for a heifer Ð Ashbrittle Gloriosa - from the Ashbrittle herd, Wellington, selling to G. Summerhayes, Tiverton, Devon.

Messrs Heywood and Hurd, Taunton, sold Whitefield Bridesmaid 42 for £1,470 to Sophie Simmons, Gillingham, Dorset.

Averages: 29 bulls, £2,546; 7 cows, £920; 8 in-calf heifers, £1,370; 25 maiden heifers, £1,132.

Auctioneers: Greenslade Taylor Hunt.

Bidding rose to 7,000gns when David and Rosemary Dickie, Sanquhar, Dumfries and Galloway, offered their noted Knockenjig herd of around 400 Aryshires for sale at Borderway mart, Carlisle.

The youngstock were a particular feature of the sale resulting in an average of £897 for all calves under one-year of age.

Top price

Earning the top money, the second highest price ever paid for an Ayrshire cow, was Knockenjig Moonshine 23. The hammer fell to Holehouse Farms, Kilbirnie, Ayrshire. This VG88 cow sold just starting her second lactation. She is sired by Woodland View Pardner and from an EX grand-dam which produced over 60 tonnes of milk in her lifetime.

From the same family Knockenjig Moonshine 22, also classified VG88, sold for 6,000gns to S.P.R. Reed, Blaenannerch, Cardigan. Moonshine 22, which sold carrying an Easlad pregnancy for early May, was placed second to the overall champion at last year's Royal Highland Show.

Also selling for 6,000gns was Knockenjig Lucky 22. She was first heifer in-milk at last year's Dumfries show and placed third at Agriscot as a senior heifer in-milk.  This young heifer now joins the herd of G.R. Thomas, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire.

Trophy winners sell well 

Knockenjig Wallpocket 15, one of the stars from last year's Agriscot, sold for 5,200gns to J. Adamson and Son, Pettinain, Lanark. Sired by McCornick Nelson she won the junior heifer in-milk class at Agriscot and went on to compete in the overall championship.

Knockenjig Brindle 21 sold for 4,100gns to N.R.A. Poots, Blackhill, Peterhead. This second calf cow is due in October to Easlad.

Youngstock 

Cow families and pedigrees added considerable value to the best young stock. Knockenjig Tilda 13 sold for 3,500gns to G.R. Thomas, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. This heifer is a Triple Crown daughter and her first two dams are classified EX with high production and components.

The highest price calf under one-year-old was Knockenjig Heather Bloom 22 sired by B Jurist from an EX 91 dam. The grand-dam was also EX and had produced over 60 tonnes in her lifetime. Both calf and dam sold to J.S. Leswalt, Stranraer for 2,400gns each.

Averages: 186 cows and heifers in-milk or in-calf, £2,175.19; 51 in-calf heifers, £1,284.91; 85 maiden heifers, £864.95; 72 heifer calves, £887.10; 6 bull calves, £1,085; 4 bulls, £2,401.88; 404 head overall, £1,369.42.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Entries were down on the previous month at Kendal auction mart's monthly sale of pigs but demand was strong in all sections with prices often exceeding sellers expectations.

A total of 42 pigs were forward; in-pig sows sold to £116, geld sows to £107, porkers to £95, store pigs to £44 and weaners topped at £28.

Auctioneers: Lancaster Auction Mart.

A huge crowd of buyers, probably the largest ever seen at Beeston for this sale, were in attendance for the March edition of the mid-month sale of pedigree and commercial dairy cattle at Beeston Castle mart.

Once again the top price was paid for an entry from Jack and Taylor Barclay, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who are dispersing the Burnbrae herd as they calve. This time the top price was £2,600 paid for a freshly calved third calf cow, Burnbrae Tugolo Mars, a daughter of the Italian sire Olmo Prelude Tugolo. It sold giving 42kg daily to John Minshull, Tean, Staffordshire.

Other leading bids included two entries from the Carnguwch herd of G.H. Griffiths and Co, Pwllheli, who are selling the entire milking portion of their herd as they calve. Realising £2,450 was the January calved heifer, Carnguwch Jordan Janett, a daughter of Roylane Jordan. At £2,350 was the fresh fourth calver, Carnguwch Gibbon Janett, which was giving 55kg. Both were purchased by P.R.F. and E.A. Stone and Sons, Stone, Staffordshire.
Mark Bowden, Malpas, Cheshire was in the top prices again selling Starcross Rainbow Peewit 2, a fresh heifer by Cogent Rainbow, for £2,220 to a regular Cheshire buyer.

Two heifers made £2,200 each; firstly Stokehall Alice 55, a Cotopierre JR Belero daughter, from E.V. and B. Boughey, Tarporley, Cheshire sold to Messrs Stone. The second was Flintstone Sonic Contented 3, by a home-bred sire, from R.A. and S. Arnott, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire. It sold to an undisclosed local buyer.

Joseph Heler Farms, Nantwich, Cheshire sold two heifers at £2,150 each; Helton Shottle Zilda and Helton Atom Eliza were giving 34kg and 32kg respectively and were both purchased by J.L. and E.M. Parker and Son, Haughton, Stafford.

Served heifers
Served heifers calving for the late spring and early summer sold to a top of £1,600 for a heifer from V. Jerman and Sons, Welshpool. Maiden heifers topped at £1,180 for a daughter of Shottle from R.J. Court and Sons of Banbury, Oxfordshire, and four heifers from Boty Farms, Ruckinge, Kent sold between £1,100 and £1,140 for daughters of Stardale Fantasia and Stardale Van Nistelrooy. Boty Farms also had the three top selling heifer calves at £440 and £420 twice.

Fornside dispersal
The sale also included the dispersal of the Fornside Herd, the property of Richard and Cath Akrigg, Silloth, Cumbria.

These topped at £2,500 twice; the first at this price was Bromstead Marker Mitzy Red, a red and white daughter of Indianhead Red Marker due with her sixth calf in May to Sterndale Rose Royce. She sold to Rob Swain, Shavington Park, Market Drayton. The other at this price was her daughter, Fornside Kite Mitzy Red 2, in-calf due in September to Rose Royce. The hammer fell to Ledgers Farm, Deal, Kent.

Other leading prices included £2,350 paid for Fornside Outside Vera 3 - a fresh second calver going to J.G. Warhurst, Prestwich, Manchester.
Bulling and yearling heifers sold to the fastest trade of the day with the top twenty selling between £1,300 and £1,500. Top in this section was a Shottle daughter out of a Gilbert dam selling to Enchanted Holsteins, Preston, who also purchased a Bolton daughter for £1,450 and three others at £1,400 each.

Calves under six months also sold well peaking at £600 twice - once for a September-born daughter of Final Cut and the other for a three-week-old daughter of Autumn Ridge Matson.

Averages: 172 cows and milking heifers, £1,529.01; 10 served heifers, £1,386.00; 34 maiden heifers, £851.76; 10 heifer calves, £276. Fornside herd - 52 cows and milking heifers, (including 13 heifer calves at £426,15), £1,439.61; 1 served heifer, £2,500; 48 maiden heifers, £1,007.71; 101 head overall, £1,244.85.

Auctioneers: Wright Manley.

RENEWED confidence from suckler breeders and a continued strong trade for beef cattle resulted in a centre record price of 12,500gns and an average of £4,600 for bulls at the national show and sale of British Blues at Chelford.

The auctioneers reported strong trade despite a shortage of quality cattle to tempt pedigree breeders, which resulted in nearly all the bulls going to commercial suckler producers.

The new centre record price was paid for a June 2007-born bull, Elkington Cowboy, from Frank Page, Elkington, Northampton. This Tamhorn Ringmaster son is out of the Greystone Indelible sired Park Samantha.

The hammer fell to Newark auctioneer Paul Gentry, buying on behalf of the Gascoine Group, Newark, Nottinghamshire.

Top priced bull at 12,500gns.

Greystone breeding was to the fore again, when Graham Coates, Stainforth, Yorkshire, brought forward his home-bred bull Greystone Carbon, a black May 2007-born son of the Valide-sired Greystone Warrior, out of the Adagio-sired Greystone Topic. The buyer at 8,200gns was Keith Barrow, Over Stowey, Somerset.

The show was judged by Society chairman - Jim Sloan, Co Down - who tapped forward Penygelly David from Brian Griffiths, Newtown, Powys, as his champion.

This January 2008-born son of the Affute-sired Annanwater Vince, out of the As de Trefle sired Penygelly Una sold to J.E. Trafford, Keswick, Cumbria for 7,800gns.

Forest Charlie Chaplin from young breeders, C. Woosnam and T.A. Mathias, Llandinam, Powys, sold at 7,500gns. This July 2007-born son of Bringlee Waldo, out of Hazelwood Unis, sold to D.R. Milburn, Brampton, Cumbria.

Michelle Wilde, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, sold the September 2007-born Dafydd D'Ochain sired Ridge Dean Cherokee for 7,500gns to Mike Scott, Besthorpe, Nottinghamshire.

The reserve male champion, Croftends Cannon, a Baroque son from breeders Andrew Bellas and Sons, Appleby, Cumbria, made 5,800gns to Dunmaglass Estate, Inverness, Scotland.

Trade for females peaked at 6,000gns for the reserve female champion, Graymar Diamond, from Graham Jones, Hadnall ,Shrewsbury.  By Sjaka, out of the Tintin-sired Cefn Rhos Annabella, she was bought by J.L. Innes, Huntly, Aberdeenshire. 

Mr Innes also bought the female champion, the July 2006-born Dafydd sired heifer - Croftends Beau - once again from Messrs Bellas at 5,000gns.

Mike Scott, Nottinghamshire, paid the same price to take home the January 2008-born heifer, Betws Dwyn, by Blak du Baty and out of Croft Urella, from Gill and Rhys Bellis, Llandysul, Ceredigion.

In the commercial section top price was £2,050 paid for a nine-month-old steer from Brian Griffiths, Powys. The steer was knocked down to B.J. Pritchard, Herefordshire.

Frank Page consigned the champion, a nine-month-old heifer by Tamhorn Ringmaster. The show judge, John Madeley, Herefordshire, backed his judgment and placed the final bid at £1,940.

Next best was £1,720 for the last lot, a three quarter bred heifer from Herries Farms, Glencaple Dumfries. This six-month-old heifer was snapped up by the Dulson family, Malpas, Cheshire.

Averages: 53 pedigree bulls, £4,602.50; 45 pedigree females, £2,726.38; 40 cross-bred steers, £895.38; 56 cross-bred, £932.73; 45 embryos, £210.00.

Auctioneers: Frank Marshall.

Carmarthen mart have sold a total of 2,500 calves  already this year. Although this is slightly donw on the year (3,000 were sold this time last year) the auctioneers have reported prices are up considerably. Beef calves have leaped £70 on last years average to £180 while dairy bull calves have also risen from £6/head in 2008 to £44 in 2009.

In an official statement the auctioneers said: "Transparent is a term seen used for payment in calf collection schemes but what could be more transparent than the sale ring at a live auction. A fixed 3 pre cent commission and 50p/calf biosecurity cost. Before that the price stated at the fall of the hammer is the price given. This is not an ESTIMATION before the calf leaves the market, the calf is not graded again and revalued once it arrives home with its new owner. And although not called bonuses the premiums on selected breeds and calves from registered sires are very much noticeable in the live auction."

The trade in all sections at Ashford market this weeek was reported by auctioneers as being 'healthy'. Hoggets were returning to near 170p/kg, cull ewes to £90 (with the top 200 averaging over £70); best cattle were 175p to 185p/kg ( and 26 head made over £1,000); OTM cattle wanted in large numbers by buyers with again a sample well over £1,000 per head, meated dairy cows to £800 plus.

Trade for store cattle was reported to be 'on fire' with yearling Charolais steers to £750; rearing calves to £300, pigs to 144p/kg.

Auctioneers: Hobbs Parker

LAST week's centre record price for dairy cattle at Carmarthen mart was almost beaten this week when the top price realised was £3,500.

A similar number to last week were forward but a slight drop in trade was recorded. More commercial heifers forward saw an average of £1,568 while the registered heifers held firm averaging £1950.

Top price was paid for Gest Moss Rose 72, a young first calver, which had calved a fortnight and was giving 6 gallons a day. The heifer, consigned by R. Maskell, was sired by Styche Roco and out of Gest Moss Rose 71 VG85.

Another from the same herd, Gest Fannella 297, by Styche Sophistication and out of three generations of EX and VG dams sold for £2,700.

Both lots were bought by E Rees, Whitland.

With five lots over £2,000 and the next 15 making £1,800 and over the trade was still very strong, especially for the better quality animals.

The Merwydd herd of Messrs Jones was well represented by two heifers averaging £1,925, the better of the two, an Iljster Talent daughter out of VG86 Eastview Meadowlord dam, sold for £2,150.

Top price cow was from the commercial section - a second calver consigned by M.W. and J.M. Jones, Oswestry, and selling at £1,950.

Averages: 5 cows, £1,210; 19 heifers, £1,570; 2 recorded cows, £1,385; 12 recorded heifers, £1,950; 2 in-calf heifers, £1,020.

Auctioneers: Bob Jones-Prytherch and Co.

Last Friday an entry of over 1,500 head of stock went under the hammer at Hallworthy auction in Cornwall.

The dairy cattle trade peaked at £2,500 with 11 heifers realising over £2,000. Top money was paid for Mayner Midnight 27 Ð a heifer from T.N. Morrow and Partners, Truro. Their consignment of six cows and heifers averaged £2,115.

At £2,300 was the champion heifer, Trewirgie Fed Isabelle 28, from Mark Davis, Tiverton.

Out in the cattle pens over 500 head sold to a "snorting trade" according to senior cattle auctioneer, David Kivell. "It is fabulous to see farmers travelling from Devon and Cornwall to sell at our markets with buyers represented from all parts of England resulting in an outstanding market average of over £615" he said.

It was a similar viewpoint from Kivells' sheep auctioneer, Steve Prouse, who saw the relentless trade for the cull ewes and store lambs continue with the best ewes up to £87 and the store lambs to £62. The entire market sheep average was £53.55 for an entry just shy of 900.

Business did not stop there, though. There was a rapid wash down and disinfectant before setting up the bird cages for the entry of 600 poultry and eggs which went under the hammer the following morning.

The Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association's show and sale of 48 crowned in-lamb ewes and gimmer hoggs at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, produced a top price of £2,000.

Top seller was the reserve champion ewe from P. Hallam, Arnfiedl, selling to G. Dargue, and Levens Farming Partnership, Penrith.

The champion, a gimmer shearling, from W.H. Hutchinson and Son, Redgate made £1,000 selling to W.J. Porter.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

THE 340-strong Loddonvalley herd of pedigree and non-pedigree Holsteins dispersed on behalf of E.E. Marks and Son, Basingstoke, Hampshire, sold to a top of 2,600gns and an average of £1,185.

Top money was achieved three times; first was a fresh second calver by Bosside Ruben giving 40kg, bred in the Charavon herd. She joins a load of 16 bought by Spiby Partners, Chichester.

Loddonvalley Sinatra Smelly 2, a heifer 10 weeks calved and giving 32kg sold for 2,600gns to C.M. Pugh, Gloucestershire. The same buyer also bought Loddonvalley Convincer Victoria, another fresh 33kg a day heifer, at 2,550gns.

James Crosbie-Dawson, Overton, Hampshire, purchased 17 young cows and in-calf heifers including Loddonvalley Lucky Pastime, seven weeks fresh with dam and grand-dam both 50 tonne producers. She was the last to make 2,600gns .

The 38 served heifers peaked at 2,400gns for an April calver by Alanta GayLord and maidens sold to 1,100gns for daughters of GayLord and Lucky Mike. Calves at foot sold to a top of 680gns for a daughter of Braedale Icefyre.

Averages: 161 cows and calved heifers, £1,342; 38 served heifers, £1,690; 49 yearlings/bulling heifers, £901; 52 heifers under 12 months, £606; 1 bull, £756; 301 head overall (including 39 A lots), £1,185.

Auctioneers: Norton and Brooksbank.

Top price and the reserve champion award at Gisburn auction marts' February pedigree dairy cattle show and sale went to a Whytil Brandy Elizabeth 321 from J. and M. Singleton, Goosnargh, Preston.

Sired by Weeton Brandy this heifer, three weeks calved and giving 27kg, sold for £2,580 to N.W. and J.M. Coulthurst and Son, Preston, Lancashire. The same buyers also went home with the champion, a Ladino Park Talent bred heifer again from Messrs Singleton, this time selling at £2,520.

Simon Thompson, Longridge, sold two Comestar Outside heifers for £2,560 and £2,040 to producer retailer Tom Pickup, Entwistle, Bolton.

Averages: cows £1,716,; heifers £1,935.

Auctioneers Richard Turner and Son.

A 16-month-old 425kg British Blue heifer landed the cattle championship at the March primestock show at Skipton Auction Mart.

The prizewinner from Jimmy Baines, Trawden, sold for the top price of £967 (228p/kg) to Saltaire butcher Richard Binns.

Anthony Thompson, of L.R. Thompson and Son, Foulridge, was awarded the prime lambs title for a pen of Beltex-cross lambs, which weighed in at 41kg and headed the prices at £102 each selling to Keelham Hall Farm Shop, Thornton, Bradford.

Back in the prime cattle classes, particularly strong this month, the reserve championship fell to the second prize 485kg British Blue heifer from Keith Downs, Bingley. It sold for £844 (174p/kg) to Calderdale buyer C. Clough, Northowram.

Jimmy Baines landed the prime lambs reserve championship with a pen of 37kg Beltex-cross lambs, sold for £85 per head to Woodends Butchers, Adel, Leeds.

Newark exhibitor Steve Dorey saw his long trip north from Lincolnshire pay dividends when he achieved a prime lambs first prize double in the Suffolk and Mule classes.

His class-winning 42kg Suffolks sold at £79 each to Lancashire buyer J. Holt, Helmshore, while the first prize 48kg Mules realised £69.50 per head when knocked down to Paul Watson, Hellifield.

Mr Watson also paid £72 apiece for the first prize 48kg Swaledales from Roy Nelson of C. Nelson and Sons, Bordley, who also exhibited the second prize pen.

Auctioneers: Craven Cattle Marts

The Holstein championship at the South West Scotland dairy show at Castle Douglas went to a senior cow in-milk, Errolston Gibson Wendy, from Brian and Valerie Davidson of Errolston, Gretna.

This third calver, by Silky Gibson and out of Lliwe Rudolph Wendy, was champion at Dumfries and Lockerbie show last year, reserve champion at Northern Expo 2007 and best cow in the Scottish herd competition 2008.

The Ayrshire championship went to L. Davidson of Halmyre, Haugh of Urr with Halmyre Urr Princess Royal 103, which was reserve champion at the AgriScot last year.

She is a third calver by Brieryside Centurian and out of a home-bred cow.

The champion Jersey was brought out by John Jamieson of Woodhead, Annan, and his winner was the first prize in the cow class.

I'm back in the office now after a trip up to Bentham mart this morning for their spring show and sale of around 900 store cattle and feeding bulls.

The champion, a smart heifer from Jonathon Townley and Son, Clapham, Lancaster, made the top price of £1,700 when selling to Gerald and Will Ketley who runs the Picketts herd of Limousin and commercial cattle at Colcheshter, Essex. The heifer was a 10-month-old British Blue cross out of a British Blue cross Limousin cow and by a British Blue bull -Wilodge Valiant.

The heifer was knocked forward as champion by show judges, Oswyn Jones, Ruthin, and Leslie Kendal, Askham.

Mr Jones was also buying and paid £760 for a 10-month-old British Blue cross heifer from the Townleys and £780 for the first prize feeding bull, a 10-month-old Limousin from J. Kelsall, Clapham, Lancaster.

The reserve champion - an 11-month-old British Blue steer from Ian Rawlinson, Ulverston, Cumbria - sold for £1,602 to Chris Hewitt, Tatham, Lancaster.  

Top price among the cow and calf outfits was £1,580 for a British Blue cross heifer and calf from H.E. and M. Hird, Austwick, Lancaster.

The largest entry for several months at the Western Holstein Club's monthly show and sale at Beeston Castle realised a top price of 5,000gns.

Trade was slightly down on the month due to an absence of some regular buyers.

Earning the day's top call was the show champion, Tibenham Talent Kandy 18, a fresh calved heifer from Jack and Barclay Taylor, Myddle, Shrewsbury. This daughter of Ladino Park Talent was bred by Peter Rout, Norfolk and bought by the Taylors as a bulling heifer. She was calved a month and sold giving 32kg. The buyer was Adrian Hinton for his Wentwood herd, Raglan, Monmouthshire, who also paid 3,950gns for Hollowmoor Goldwyn Joyce, a daughter of Braedale Goldwyn, from Mark Bowden, Malpas, Cheshire.
Selling at 3,400gns was Alandrew Terrason Coco 3 from G. and A.E. Smith and Sons, Garstang, Preston. This daughter of Innwood Terrason is bred from eight generations of EX or VG dams and sold to David Alderson, Northallerton.

The highest price in the cows was 3,200gns paid for Ridgefield Linjet Beauty - a third calf daughter of Sunnylodge Linjet, which sold giving 40kg to Mark Lee, Northampton.
The sale also included the first consignment of animals to disperse the entire Carnguwch herd, the property of G.H. Griffiths and Co, Llwyndyrys, Pwllheli. They sold to a top of 2,500gns for the December-calved Carnguwch Talent Janett. This daughter of Talent gave 8,900kg as a heifer and was sold giving 47kg in its second lactation. The hammer fell to Lloyd Thomas, Carmarthen, who also bought two other high scoring young VG cows from the same home by Sinatra and James.
The large choice of embryos sold on a mixed trade and a 60 per cent clearance rate. The top bid was 400gns per embryo for a package of Talents from eight generations of VG/EX dams from the Rockset Rachel family.
 
Averages: 40 cows, £1,727.25; 95 calved heifers, £1,901.62; 2 in-calf heifers, £1,548.75; 137 head overall, £1,843.48. 45 embyos, £302.87.

Auctioneers: Wright Manley.

A trio of Texel cross Cheviot Mule hoggs won the breeding sheep championship for Willie Brown, and his son, John, who run a 600-ewe flock at Hilton of Culsh, New Deer.

Reserve was a pen of three Scotch Mule ewe hoggs from H.P. Sleigh and Son, St Johns Wells, Fyvie. Thei hoggs were bred by Allan Wight, Crawford, Lanarkshire, and made up part of the championship winning pen at St Boswells show and sale last August.

Top honours in the commercial beef section at the Royal Northern Spring Show at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, went to father and son team - Ian and Paul Wilson, Gollanfield, Inverness with a 478kg, 10-month-old, home-bred Limousin cross Charolais cross steer - Bob. This steer, sired by the 7,800gns Middledale Toronto, sold for the top price of £3,700. The buyer was Bert Paton, Kirriemuir, Angus.

It was a successful day for far-travelled exhibitor, Donald Morrison, a crofter and fish merchant from Burnside, Kinlochbervie, who won both the reserve supreme and reserve steer championships and also the heifer championship. Both were unsold.

The reserve heifer champion was a 416kg 11-month-old Limousin cross, Gregor's Girl, from Roy Milne and his three sons, Jim, Matthew and Sam, Lhanbryde, Elgin. Bred by David Brown, Dipple, Fochabers, this heifer sold for £2,600 to Stewart Brown, Little Brechin, Brechin.

Mr Brown also paid £1,900 for a second prize Limousin cross steer by Cornfay Allan from Wm Robertson and Son, Tomintoul, while Harry Brown, Auchmaliddie Mains, New Deer, sold the third prize winner in the same class, Thommo, a Limousin cross by Airdlin Ascot, at £1,700 to Orkney buyer, A.J. Laird, Mossbank, Burray, who also paid £1,600 for a second prize Limousin cross steer from Logierait.

No fewer than 16 of the 25 exhibition cattle sold realised four-figure prices to record an overall average of 313.6p/kg. The 13 steers averaged 311.2p/kg and 12 heifers 316.8p/kg.