The 87-strong turnout at the main April Craven Dairy Auction at Skipton Auction Mart saw a keen demand for all classes, with freshly calved entries supplemented by 10 in-calf heifers and 44 maiden heifers, along with a special show and sale of pedigree Holstein Friesian bulls.
Champion presentation shot from Craven Dairy Auction
Champion was the first prize freshly calved Holstein Friesian cow from the Abbeyhouse dairy herd of Andrew Jennings, South Stainley, near Ripon. Abbeyhouse Gold Ruby 8 is a home-bred pedigree third calver by the famous Canadian-bred Semex sire Braedale Goldwyn. With a classification of 89 and currently giving 50 litres – she has already twice produced over 10,000 litres annually, she sold for £1840 to ringside regular Wick Williams, Nantwich, Cheshire.
Top priced dairy bull sold for 2600gns
Jennings Farmers also experienced the sweet smell of success when their home-bred Abbeyhouse Peaches and Cream which achieved the top price of 2600gns (£2,730) in the dairy bull show. The second prize winner, a son of Our-Favourite Manning ET, out of Abbeyhouse Jasper Peach, was acquired by P H Hall and Son, of Melbourne, York.
Back with the milkers, the reserve championship fell to the first prize freshly calved pedigree heifer from Mark Houseman, whose Senterprise herd based at Burton Leonard was represented in the show arena for the first time in a decade. Giving 28 litres, the 11 days-calved home-bred Senterprise Bertil Kathleen by the Dutch sire Beekmanshoe Bertil, made £2080 when acquired by Calderdale’s John Hitchen.
The day’s top female price at £2280 fell to Chris Broadwith, of Ripon, whose second calver found a new home locally in Carleton with John Howard.
Malcolm and Robert Swires, Beckwithshaw, presented second prize winners in the freshly calved classes. The heifer sold at £1900, while the cow traded at £1960 with joining Wigan’s Tom Green. The Swires also sold further entries at £2050 and £2000 twice.
Averages: Freshly calved heifers £1778.00; freshly calved cows £1530.00; in-calf heifers £1526.00; maiden heifers £795.00; Jersey heifers £309.00 and dairy bulls £2526.
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