January 2010 Archives

A record entry of milking cattle were on offer at Sedgemoor and prices peaked at 2,400gns for a freshly calved cow and two heifers.

The cow was Dorset Aaron Fable 2, a second calver that had given over 10,000kg as a heifer. She was one of 11 cows and heifers consigned by Ian Dimond, Sherborne, Dorset.

It was a Dorset heifer, Stormy Pearl 2 by Littlebredy Stormforce that also sold for 2,400gns.

The other heifer at the same money was Ciderhouse Phil Elisabeth by Dalbytop Phil and out of a VG dam. This one was consigned by David Norman, Sherborne.

At 2,300gns was Dorset Faze Lucy, which helped produce a consignment average of £2,108.59 for the Dorset herd.

First time consigners A.G. Lambert and Partners, Stockbridge, put forward seven heifers to average £2,077.50 and top at 2,280gns for a Penn-England Garrison daughter - Saddlers Sparky 580.

No less than 37 lots sold for over 2,000gns and the fresh milk on offer was enhanced by a special entry of 48 Montbeliarde cross-bred heifers from Lordswood Farms, Frome. The 21 heifers sold to 2,200gns for a red heifer by Jurist that had calved in December and was giving 32.4kg.

Of the 27 cows consigned it was a November second calver giving 29.2kg that topped the section at 1,580gns.

Holstein Bulls sold to 1,400gns for Dorset Stanley from Ian Dimond. This 15-month-old bull is by Baxter and out an EX from the Joy family.

In-calf heifers from Brian Morris, Isle of Wight, sold to 1,480gns for Nunwell Peridot Ilex for a heifer due in April. This price was matched by Messrs Turney's Salcey IOW Fauvette 3 by Moet Nansen.

Regular consigners S.E. Lane and Partners, Kent, put forward three calved Jerseys, which sold to 1,270gns for the second calver - Hareplain Signature Petunia.

Averages: Holsteins - calved cows £1,907.13; calved heifers £1,966.84; in-calf heifers £1,431.31. British Friesians - in-calf heifers £1,244.25; bulling heifers £1,041.60; Holstein bulls £1,249.50; Montbeliarde cross cows £1,414.76; Swedish Red cross heifers £1,699.50. Jerseys - calved cows and heifers £1,193.50; in-calf heifers £1,017.91.

Auctioneers: Greenslade Taylor Hunt.

A two-year-old Aberdeen-Angus bull has this week been sold privately to an American buyer for what is believed to be a UK record price of 75,000gns.

The existing record price at public auction has stood for almost 50 years since 1963 when Lindertis Evulse was sold at the Perth sales for 60,000gns.

This week's sale of Balmachie Black Bear H050 by John Lascelles, Carnoustie, Angus, marks a new milestone for the Aberdeen-Angus breed and a re-opening of the export market to the USA which was a leading destination for Aberdeen-Angus bulls in the 1950s and 1960s.

"This is a major breakthrough for Aberdeen-Angus in the UK and we are delighted to have achieved this sale," said John Lascelles, Jun, who has paraded the bull to championship success at three top shows over the past year.

"The buyer first saw the bull at the Royal Highland Show last June and has been relentlessly trying to buy him ever since. I am pleased that we have been able to retain the UK semen rights so the influence of this outstanding young bull will not be lost to the UK."

Black Bear, a son of one of the leading sires in the breed, Rawburn Lord Ross C126 and out of a Blelack-bred cow by Blelack Lord Hornblower A243, has been in the championship line-up every time he has been shown, winning the reserve supreme championship at the Scottish National Calf Show as a 10-month-old calf in 2008, the junior and reserve supreme championship at the Royal Highland Show last June and culminating in the supreme championship at the National Calf Show at Carlisle last October.

Buyers, husband and wife, Jackie and Kelly Grisson of 8G Angus near Dallas, Texas, have leading herds of both Angus and Brangus (Brahman x Angus) and have built up a strong export trade in semen to Brazil and Venezuela.

Mrs Grisson saw the bull at the Highland Show and returned for the Calf Show in October determined to buy him.

The bull will remain at Balmachie for showing at the Highland in June before being sent to UK Sire Services in Devon for semen collection. He will then be shipped to the USA and Mr Lascelles has been asked to show him at the Houston Show.

A top of £2,000 was realised at the opening dairy fixture of the year at Skipton on Monday.

Sale topper was the show champion, a fresh heifer, from Malcolm and Robert Swires, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate.

The Swires, who hold the record for the most number of dairy championship successes at Skipton with their Whinhill Holstein Friesian commercial herd, followed up title wins in November and December last year .

The heifer, by Regancrest Dolman, sold giving 33 litres and went to Wick Williams, Nantwich, Cheshire.

The Swires also sent out the reserve champion, a fresh second calver, by Myersdale Sportsman, which sold to T. and M. Green, Wigan, for £1,900.

Averages: heifers £1,580; cows £1,188.

Auctioneers: Craven Cattle Marts.

Bluefaced Leicester

Once again demand saw averages jump for Blue Faced Leicester females at Hawes, following the trend set at Carlisle earlier in the week.

Averages were up by £360 on the year and trade topped at £4,000.

Leading the way was a gimmer hogg out of the best ewe in the Smearsett flock of W.A. and A. Booth, Austwick, Lancaster. Judged champion by the judge, Dennis Lumley, this gimmer is an embryo daughter of the £11,500 Hundith tup out of a M1 Star Green ewe. The buyer was Robert Wallace, Girvan, Ayrshire.

At £2,800 Messrs Lord, Kirkby Stephen, sold a gimmer hogg from their Hewgill flock to Garry Shields, Ravenstonedale, Kirkby Stephen. This gimmer is by Z14 Hewgill and out of the full sister to the Z40 Hewgill tup.

The Z14 Hewgill was also behind the breeding of the Lord's second prize hogg, which sold for £1,400 to Colin Lowis. This one was out of a K1 Lunesdale ewe.

They also sold a shearling by V45 Hewgill out of a R1 Lunedale ewe for £1,600.

Neil Marston from the Highberries flock, Scaleby, Carlisle, topped the ewe trade with a gimmer shearling by the X1 Snab Green and carrying twins to Z4 Hundith. This gimmer hogg, which goes back to a Bull and Cave ewe, was bought by G. Jackson and Son, Anchor Farm for £2,500.

Averages: gimmer hoggs £1,164; gimmer shearlings £965; ewes £950; 37 head overall, £1,061.11 (up £360 on 2009).

Swaledales

AVERAGES were up £168 on the year at a sale of Swaledale females at Hawes recently with prices peaking at £2,000 for gimmer shearlings.

Sale leader was a fourth placed entry from M.K. Skidmore, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, selling to R. Metcalfe.

Ewes sold to £1,000 with gimmer hoggs selling to a peak of £700.

Averages: gimmer hoggs £438; gimmer shearlings £739; ewes £560; 36 head overall, £593.72 (up £168 on 2009).

Auctioneers: Hawes Farmers Auction Mart.

THE 746 Charolais bulls sold through UK markets last year averaged £4,689 and numbers going under the hammer were around 10 per cent up on the year.

Trade for Charolais females also improved according to Iain Millar, breed society chairman.

"In addition, the trends were complemented by a 5 per cent increase in the societyÕs membership, particularly when considering the breed society was inaugurated almost 50 years ago." he says.

In Scotland, Charolais bulls met a great trade at the last official sale in Perth in February with an equal centre record of 55,000gns for Sportsmans Columbo, and a new all Continental beef breeds average of £6,062 for 195 lots traded, a figure representing a 93 per cent clearance rate.

Welsh suckler men also demonstrated their confidence in the breed by establishing three new centre all breeds records at Welshpool new mart's inaugural fixture in November with an 8,300gns top call, and £3,349.50 average for 50 bulls sold.

In Dungannon in March, a record £3,332 Northern Ireland breed average was achieved with a 98 per cent clearance for 46 entries sold.

"Charolais is continuing to prove itself as the beef terminal sire that leaves cross-bred progeny, which appeal right across the sector beginning in the store ring where they consistently head the trade," says Mr Millar explains.

Semen from pedigree Limousin, British Blue and Charolais bulls has been exported to Texas, USA, by Sememstore.co.uk

In all, semen from seven Limousin bulls has been forwarded, along with semen from two British Blue bulls and one Charolais bull.

The respective orders comprised of some leading pedigree names including Wilodge Tonka, Ronick Member, Grahams Unbeatable, Grahams Samson, Jockey, Milbrook Alistair (sexed semen) and Millbrook Vic. The British Blue semen came from the bulls Cowden Artic and Cowden Vesuvius, whilst the Charolais semen was from the bull Jolympe.

Since its launch in January 2009, Semenstore.co.uk, has completed export orders to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Australia, and South Africa. This most recent shipment to the USA is the first multi-breed order completed through the on-line company.

Purchasing semen from five Limousin bulls was Bob Cummins of Hilltop Farms, who runs the oldest active Brahmousin herd in the United States and has been cross-breeding Brahman and Limousin cattle since 1983.

Mr Cummins, who located the Semenstore whilst surfing the web for British Limousin semen said, ÒMy interest in British Limousin sires lies primarily in their potential to provide some additional thickness and muscling in our Brahmousin cattle and I hope these bulls will complement our existing genetic traits of light birth weights, calving ease, fertility, and fast growth to weaning for the cow/calf producer.Ó

A record average, a top price of 6,100gns and 10 lots over 3,000gns was achieved at the first Lancaster dairy sale of the year.

Top seller was the overall champion, Inspired Chapters Rose, from Carl Smith, Preston. This cow, was champion in the Lancashire Club's herd competition last year, and had given over 10,000kg as a heifer and sold four weeks fresh giving 47kg. Rose is descended from Bosdale Storm Rose.

The major consigner was J. Burrow and Sons, Barton, Preston, who sent 18 cattle from their noted Stardale herd including 16 heifers that averaged £2,605. Among these was the second highest price of the day, which was 4,600gns for Stardale Jordan Vaakje 6. This heifer by Roylane Jordan is bred from 11 successive generations of VG or EX cows. The hammer fell to Wendy Brassington, Telford, Shropshire, for the Cracking herd.

The next two animals were both from Messrs Burrow and were full sisters by Picston Shottle out of Skyhigh Durham Adeen. They made 4,000gns and 3,000gns respectively selling to W. and S. Airey, Carnforth, and J.P. Robson, Garstang.

Robert and Elaine Butterfield, Bentham, Lancaster, had a consignment from their Ingleview herd, which produced a top price of 3,800gns paid by A. Bargh, Penrith, for Ingleview Igniter Dandy PI VG-86 2yr bred from a noted cow family with 4 generations of Excellent cows behind her tracing back to Walkerbrae and Leslieville. The same team also achieved 3,000 guineas for their Ingleview Igniter Kelly VG-85 2yr, that is no less than 10^th successive generation of VG and Excellent cows, this very smart heifer being purchased by Wendy Brassington as mentioned above.

Two other regular consignors achieved good averages firstly Wilson and Stephen Boow, Bootle, Cumbria, averaged just short of £3,000 for their six entries with a top of 3,800gns for a Red Talent daughter. The buyer was Elwyn Thomas buying on behalf of Maurice Jones, Calcourt Farms, Montgomeryshire.

David and Sheila Tomlinson, Bilsborrow, Preston, exhibited five young cows and heifers that averaged almost £2,500 apiece and included Bilsrow Jordan Rolls, that made 3,000gns again to Calcourt Farms.

The embryos offered attracted very strong bidding over the telephone with the Advent embryos out of a Redman daughter of the famous Yursden Kite Caramac-Red achieving 680gns per embryo.

Averages: 12 cows, £ 2,208.50; 55 calved heifers, £2,327.95; 1 bull, £1,312.50; 68 lots overall, £2,284.99; 19 embryos, £604.02.

Auctioneers: Norton and Brooksbank with North West Auctions.

A smaller than normal catalogued entry were forward at the first show and sale of 2010 for the Border and Lakeland Holstein Club at Borderway mart.

However 50 fresh cows and heifers were sold on the day with demand for milking animals outweighing supply.

Leading the bidding at 1,850gns was the show champion, Wormanby Talent Ricki, consigned by H. and M. and D. Hodgson, Burgh-by-Sands, Carlisle. Freshly calved in her second lactation giving 41kg this young cow is by Ladino Park Talent and is descended from a long line of EX and VG cows. She sold to R.D. and L. McKelvey, Lochmaben, Lockerbie.

  Reserve champion was the second place cow in-milk consigned by Andrew Holiday from Edenholme Holsteins. This red daughter of Markwell Kite had recently calved in her second giving 37kg. She sold for 1,550gns and joins the herd of Messrs Elliott, Dalston, Carlisle.

Two sold at 1,820gns; the first was Stowbeck Decker Pansey from Skirwith Hall Farms, Penrith, selling to R.G. and W. Whitfield, Silloth, Carlisle. This young heifer is by Far-O-La-Debbi-Jo Decker and bred from five generations of cows classified in the top two grades.

The other at the same money was Keirmains Dynamo Roselind from M. Young Thornhill, Dumfries. This two-year-old heifer was sired by Netherside Dynamo from a Comestar Outside dam. Giving 33kg it sold to T.W. Fawcett, Penrith.

Averages: 4 cows in-milk, £1,719.38; 11 heifers in-milk, £1,760.18; 15 head overall, £1,749.30.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

ROSETTES for the championship and reserve both went to R.L. and M.S. Mares, Darwen, Lancashire, at the January pedigree dairy sale at Gisburn.

Show winner was a Fustead Emory Blitz daughter backed by two generations of VG breeding. It was knocked down to livestock agent Aubrey Greenhalgh for £2,600. The reserve champion also with a solid VG pedigree by Comestar Outside sold to D. Walmsley, Worston, Lancashire, for £2,220.

Trade for the remaining heifers was slightly slower than of late but cows giving 30 litres or more were easy to sell with D.E. and M.A. Booth, Lancashire, leading the trade at £1,900 for a third calf cow by Silky Gibson giving 46kg.

Heifer calves made to £380 and in-calf heifers to £1,780.

Auctioneers: Richard Turner and Son.

DEEHAVEN GOES OUT IN STYLE

Wednesday this week saw the re-scheduled final sale to disperse the noted Deehaven herd for Mr Sam Noble. Founded 40 years ago, it is a pure Canadian Holstein herd with an elite health status, certified under the Checs Cattle Health Standards. The milking herd was sold in June last year and this sale, first planned for January 6, was postponed due to bad weather. However a good crowd filled the impressive sale ring which included 37 buyers from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and many parts of England.

The sale set off in a promising mode as the 19 milking heifers attracted strong bidding, up to 3,000 guineas for a Hartline Tom daughter from the Erland family. Mr G.A.G Evans was the successful bidder and takes the heifer, along with 8 other grand sorts back to Welshpool for his Trawscoed herd. Heifer calves at foot were 'on fire' making 1,000 guineas or more on 3 occasions for calves barely 2 months old.

The Erland family was keenly sort all day and provided the top price of 3,500 guineas for Deehaven Amery Erland Red, a lovely natural red heifer recently pd+ in calf. Her dam was a red Talent heifer, purchased by Geoff Ullyott at the June sale for 4,400gns. She has been re-classified since purchase and is now VG-89 with her second calf. The buyer was Mr D Davies from Llandysul, Ceredigion, who purchased 4 heifers for his Dafron herd.

One of the most admired calves in the sale was Deehaven Goldwyn Milly, whose dam is an Excellent-93 Comestar Leader. At less than 12 months old this highly promising individual travels to West Wales to Lewis Pearson Ltd at 3,200 gns. Another Milly, bred from 8 generations of VG/EX cows fetched 3,100 gns as an in-calf heifer, selling to Mr S.F Roberts of the Townhouse herd near Tarporley.

Main buyers on the day were David and James Manning from Hereford, who secured 28 head for their Newcross herd, which is also a high health status herd. The Mannings were principal buyers at the June sale and relished the rare opportunity to buy top class stock from a herd with comparable health levels.

Sam Noble has been a pioneer in pushing livestock keepers to move to testing their herds regularly to eradicate diseases such as Lepto, IBR, BVD & Johnnes. Several buyers were present because of this high level of herd health and maybe we shall see more of this in the future. The day began with minstrels playing buyers into their seats and ended with smiles and an average of £1,722 per lot.

A highly successful year in the store cattle and weanlings sections has been reported at the Shrewsbury Auction Centre by auctioneers, Halls

The number of store cattle sold at 17 sales during 2009 totalled 4,500 ─ five per cent up on the previous year ─ and the popular Tuesday weanlings section increased to 2,600 head, 1,000 up on 2008.

Store cattle prices saw the £1,000 barrier broken on numerous occasions, peaking at in excess of £1,100.

A top price of 2,300gns was realised at the sale of in-lamb Texels at Lanark last Saturday.

Making top money was the pre-sale show champion from L. Stuart, Castle Douglas. This Glenside King II daughter sold in-lamb to Humeston Outback. The buyer was Messrs Smith, Greenloaning, Perth.

Auctioneers: Lawrie and Symington

Whitland

Auctioneers reported an 'excellent' entry of hoggs forward considering the weather with trade remaining steady and the best meated continental types peaking at 210p/kg with plenty reaching over £2/kg. Standard weights averaged 200.85p/kg and £83.36 with an overall market average at just under £2/kg at 199.46p/kg, which is an increase of approximately 40p/kg on the year.

Kirkby Stephen

At Tuesday's weekly sale of prime sheep 15 buyers ensured all classes of sheep met with a 'phenomenal trade'. Topping at 254.60p/kg was a pen of Beltex hoggs and continental-bred hoggs regularly broke the £90 barrier.

Melton Mowbray

Almost 1,100 cull ewes were on offer on Tuesday with a record average of £98.99. Many pens of ewes made over £120 with a top price of £160 paid for a pen of continental cross ewes from P. Weaver, Caunton, Newark.

Sedgemoor

A record top price of £141 was achieved for cull ewes at Sedgemoor on Tuesday where there were 553 ewes and rams on offer. The best ewes averaged £110 and rams sold to £107.

THE wintry conditions did not deter Texel and Beltex breeders from attending the annual sale of in-lamb females for both breeds, at Chelford Market last Saturday.

In the Texel section the championship went to a shearling gimmer from Idris Morris' Fachell flock, Caernarfon, Gwynedd.

The prizewinner, a February 2008-born gimmer by the home-bred ram Fachell Nutter, a Watchknowe Lanark Cracker son, was sold carrying twins to Baltier Prestige. The hammer fell at 2,650gns to Messrs Warren, Gomersal, Bradford.

The reserve champion was another shearling gimmer, this time from Peter and Rose Woof, Stainton, Kendal.

This Castlecairn Never Again daughter sold carrying twins to Kelso Planet. It made 600gns knocked down to R. Fox, Elvington, York.

Another from the same flock, this time a Crockholme Moscow Flyer daughter, carrying a single to Kelso Planet, made 820gns. The buyer was Will McCaffrey, Malpas, Cheshire.

The Gray family from Ettrick, Selkirk, were rewarded for their long journey with a top price of 900gns for their leading ewe, an April 2005-born daughter of Ettrick Karate Chop, sold carrying twins to Mitchellhill Paparazzi. She returned home to Scotland with near neighbours Messrs Kenny.

Frank Rushton, Matlock, Derbyshire, put forward a strong pen of ewes, with a top price of 520gns for a February 2004 born Haltcliffe Jackpot daughter, in-lamb to Deveronvale Powerpacker. The buyer was Matt Tomlinson, Kilburn, Derbyshire.

Leading the ewe class was the best of a pen from the Greenwood flock of Messrs Barrow, Wigton, Cumbria. This February 2007-born Cambwell Krugar daughter sold carrying twins to home-bred ram Greenwood Oscar. It realised 420gns to Giles Pyman for his Thacka flock, Cumbria.

In the Beltex section at 550gns was a second prize shearling gimmer from David Williams, Denbighshire. This Headlind Genic daughter due in February sold to J. Owens, Shobdon, Herefordshire.

The reserve champion, a ewe lamb from Bernard Staveley, Clapham, Lancaster, made 420gns. This March-born twin, by Tewitt Hall Milkshake, a Headlind Ee By Gum son, sold to M. Thackray, Prion, Denbighshire.

Averages: Texels - ewes £400.75; shearling ewes £351.92. Beltex - ewes £224.70; shearling ewes £312.90; ewe lambs £237.20.

Auctioneers: Marshalls

BENTHAM and District Auction Mart held its first Young Farmers singles night, which despite the weather conditions saw 22 hoggs forward from local young farmers members.

A market record was also set when the best presented hogg, a Beltex cross gimmer, from John Frankland, Rathmell, Settle, was knocked down for £2,250 (5113p/kg).

It was knocked down to one of the judges - Les Thackray, Mickley, Ripon. The proceeds of the sale were donated to three young farmers clubs in the area - Burton-in-Lonsdale, Lawkland and Rathmell YFC. The hogg was then resold for £800 to retail butcher - George Cropper, Accrington, Lancashire.

Winning the short-wooled prime hogg class was Josh Harris, Long Preston, Skipton, with a Beltex cross gimmer, which sold for £220 (488p/kg) to the judge George Cropper.

First prize in the long wooled prime hogg section went to Hayley Baines, Trawden, Lancashire, with a Mule wether lamb. It later realised £89 (217p/kg) going to Yorkshire Halal Meats, Keighley, Yorkshire.

The recent upsurge in demand for cull ewes saw another record price at Bentham with James Robinson, Carnforth, Lancashire, selling a 91kg pure Texel ewe for £182 to Andrew Sanderson, Accrington.

Robert Towers, Farleton, achieved £180 (246p/kg) for two continental ewes weighing 73kg.

Mule ewes topped at £136 for entries from James Robinson with six pens making over £120 a head.

Averages: 22 prime hoggs, 558p/kg; cast ewes £94.92.

Auctioneers: Richard Turner and Son.