Farming Eye

An increasing demand for fresh milk and well balanced cows and heifers underpinned the trade at today’s Border and Lakeland Holstein Club sale at Carlisle, with the joint top price of 2500gns achieved by the day’s pre-sale champion, the senior heifer in milk Stowbeck Teatro Con, consigned by Skirwith Hall Farm, Penrith.

This one is sired by Tom Teatro a Ladino Park Talent son from a high yielding French cow and sold with an exceptional udder to T Scott and Sons, Daltonhook, Lockerbie.

Also trading at this price was Aghavilly Talent Barbara from N McCarragher, Ferny Cleugh, Dumfries.  She was freshly calved in her third lactation and gave over 12,000kgs in her last.  She sold giving just over 50kgs daily and found a new home with N and K Forshaw, Meadowside, Lancashire.

The day’s second best price of 2250gns was paid for Colvend Bolton Morag from S Roan, Boreland of Colvend, Dalbeattie.  She is sired by Sandy-Valley Bolton and bred from two VG dams both milking for eight lactations.  Morag sold giving 37kgs and also sold to Messrs Forshaw.

Also selling for 2250gns was a late entry consigned by H M and D Hodgson, Carlisle, she had caught the attention of a number buyers displaying enormous potential for a heifer that was only ten days fresh.  She was Wormanby Bottle Penny and now joins one of the top herds in the county owned by N and S J Sanderson, Burtholme Farm, Brampton.

Trading at 2150gns was the reserve champion again from H M and D Hodgson and sired by Sicy Knowledge.  Wormanby Knowledge Hatsumer was bred from two Ex dams both still milking in the herd with the grand dam now well over one hundred ton lifetime.  She sold to an undisclosed buyer.

Averages; six cows in milk/in-calf £2030, 30 heifers in milk/in-calf £2021.60 (Harrison and Hetherington).

by Jonathan Long

The champion and reserve from the pre-sale show led the trade at this week’s Craven dairy sale, Skipton, with the day’s champion, a fresh calved heifer from Brian Moorhouse, Bell Busk, selling at the best price of £2350.

Mr Moorhouse’s sale leader was a daughter of Regancrest Baltimore 10 days fresh from calving and is out of an Ex classified dam which has given 10,000kg. Buying this one was Daniel Reed, Bielby, York.

The reserve championship honours fell to the Blackwell family, Cargrave, with their commercial first calver from the same class as the champion. Their show debut runner-up was a ten-days calved home-bred by the Genus bull Kelstein Dynasty. She sold giving 26kg and went at £2220 to T H Gibson and Son, Kendal.

Andrew Ayrton, Eastby, sold two fresh calved heifers at £2120 and £1950, both becoming further Daniel Reed acquisitions, while Richard Close, Starbotton, achieved £2000 with a fresh calved Shorthorn-cross heifer knocked down to T Pickup, Turton, Bolton.

The first prize fresh calved cow from T D and M Bell, Normanby, sold for top price in class at £2100, with the same vendors also selling a second entry for £1700 to Gisburn’s Frank Wrathall. The second prize fresh calved cow, a pedigree from Raymond and Robert Johnson, Felliscliffe, fell for £1750 to Wick Williams, Nantwich.

Two in-calf heifers, both due to Limousin sires, from Bishop Thornton’s Peter Baul averaged £1520 and returned to the same village when bought by brothers Shaun and Peter Sowray. A pedigree fresh calved Brown Swiss heifer from David and Pauline Brown, Ramsgill, also sold well when joining D A Fort, Glusburn, for £1650.

While trade for the 34 head of dairy cattle fell short of the exceptional prices achieved at the previous sale a fortnight earlier, demand was again strong from a ready ringside of buyers, with pedigree fresh heifers averaging £2064 and commercial first calvers £1761. Fresh calved cows averaged £1568.

There was also significant interest in a post-dairy auction sale of ten five-to-six-week-old Holstein Friesian heifer calves consigned by Jos Lancaster, of Horton-in-Craven. All from nominated sires, they sold to a wide variety of buyers to average £290.83 and a high of £330, this falling to Cowling’s Andrew Ogden.

by Jonathan Long

Holstein enthusiasts from across the globe have converged on Switzerland this weekend for the European Holstein event, with yesterday evening’s sale topping at 14,700CHF (£10,372).

Taking the sales top price was Morsan Showdown Red, a July-born daughter of MD-Valleyview Gold Chris out of Morsan Roseroyc Seisme, Sterndale Rose Royce daughter.

Next best of the evening was a call of 14,700CHF (£10,372) for Everdes Destry Kramberry Red, a Scientific Destry daughter out of Rustler Pepita,  a Sir Ridgedal Rustler daughter which was World red Holstein champion in 2012 and is classified Ex93.

And trading at 14,000CHF (£9878) was La Waebera Destry Tinette Red, a Destry daughter out of La Waebera Ralstorm Tina, an All Gaspar Ralstorm daughter which has an impressive show record behind her.

Selling at 12,500CHF (£8820) was Castel Sid Sublime, a Pine-Tree Sid daughter out of Castle James Jolie, a Shoremar James daughter which is classified Ex95 and has had two lactations over 13,000kg.

A brace then made 12,000CHF (£8467), with the first one at this money being Kellystar Goldwyn Kaya,  a Goldwyn daughter out of Gauglera Merchant Kelly, an Altagen I Merchant daughter classified Ex92 and with six lactations under her belt, four of which are over 11,000kg.

The second of the sale at this level was Bruhlhof Mary-Rose Red, another by Destry and this time out of Starmark-I RedRose, a KHW Kite Advent daughter. She goes back to Lavender Ruby Redrose the supreme champion at Madison in 2005.

Then at 11,700CHF was Plattery Lucas Trinita Red, a Vieuxsaule Lucas daughter out of Plattery Stadel Orchidee, a Stadel daughter with two sons already in AI.

Just shy of that at 11,500CHF was Schrago Barbwire IRA Red, a Hylite Barbwire daughter out of Suard-Red Jordan Irene, a Ja-Bob Jordan daughter with a host of show wins under her belt.

by Jonathan Long

Dairy trade has been strong in recent days as well bred cows and heifers coming in to peak milk have been in good demand.

Wednesday’s Border and Lakeland Club sale at Carlisle saw trade peak at 2900gns for fresh calved heifer  Wormanby Jeeves Princess from H M and D Hodgson, Wormanby Farm, Carlisle.  She was bred from two excellent dams sired by Shottle and Formation respectively and placed second in the junior heifer class in the pre-sale.  She sold to C and L Mair, Townhead Farm, Dumfries.

Second best of the day was Littlecoop Breeze 68 the overall champion from S Moor and Son, Littlecoop Hosue Farm, Hawthorn, County Durham.  She is sired by Ardross Sterling from a VG Samuelo dam. This one was knocked down at 2700gns to Stuart Braid, Dumfries, for the Murthat herd.

The Boclair herd sold five heifers in total with two selling for 2500gns to N and S J Sanderson of Burtholme Farm, Brampton. First was Boclair Triumphant Gypsy 2 bred from three generation of excellent or VG dams and giving 35kgs. Second was Boclair Shottle Gypsy 2, she had been placed first in the junior heifer class sired by Shottle and again bred from three generation of long lasting excellent or VG dams.

The Gillespie family from High Plouglands, Carlisle, sold three heifers to top at 2400gns for Ploughlands Bonair Joan 2. She is sired by Karona Bonair and sold giving 36kgs and traced back to Lemington TI Joan EX93 4E LP70.  She was purchased by J and H Somerville, Larglea Farm, Dumfries.

Another from the Boclair herd, Boclair Triumphant Joan 2, then sold at 2300gns. This one had been  reserve champion and is by Boclair Triumphant. She also sold to N and S J Sanderson of Burtholme Farm, Brampton.

Across at Skipton on Monday trade peaked at £2700 for a fresh calved cow from the Swires family, Harrogate. Their sale leader was a home-bred second calver by the Semex sire Penview Icepack. Giving 50 litres, she joined the Kellett dairy farming family, Bishop Thornton.

Selling at £2450 was the day’s pre-sale champion from the Smellows pedigree dairy herd of Jeremy Taylor, Broughton.

This one was a fresh calved heifer, Smellows Reece Viola 2, by the well-known AI sire Askew Reece, out of the home-bred Smellows Decker Viola, who averaged more than 11,100kg at 4% butter fat over two lactations at Small House, with her grand dam, Smellows Outside Viola, herself averaging 12,500kg-plus at 14.3% butter fat over five lactations. Eighteen days calved and giving 31kg, Mr Taylor’s champion sold to Daniel Reed, Bielby, York.

Averages; Carlisle -  12 cows in milk/in-calf £1889.34, 39 heifers in milk/in-calf £2091.07. Skipton – Fresh calved heifers £2143, cows £2233.

by Jonathan Long

The UK’s high ranking Prehen Franco ET (PLI £233) realised a top price of 5000gns at Holstein NI’s 23^rd annual spring show and sale, Moira, a sale that saw 21 lots changed hands to average £2029.

Prehen Franco 5000gns

Prehen Franco is currently one of the highest ranked PLI bulls in the UK and is backed by eight generations of VG and EX dams. This December 2011-born bull is by the Ensenada Taboo Planet son, De Su Observer ET. Bred by Stuart Smith, Londonderry, his dam is the UK No:7 PLI cow Prehen Goldwyn Froukje ET EX91 (PLI £254).  She gave more than 11,700kg at 4.18% butterfat and 3.78% protein in her second 305-day lactation. Successful bidder was Mr G R Gilmore, Portaferry, County Down.

by Chrissie Long

The first sale to disperse the Twinfields herd of Holsteins for Messrs Bainbridge saw a top price of 3800gns paid by an undisclosed breeder from south west Scotland for Twinfields Ice PAck Jenny a September calved Pennview Ice Pack daughter.

She is out of an excellent EX93, 60 tonne Integrity cow from the home developed Jenny family.

Following her at 3700gns was a heifer giving 36kg a day by Karona Bonair that calved in early November. This was Twinfields Karona B Trixie which had earlier won reserve champion in the club show and sale and is out of an EX94 homebred cow by Roylane Jordan, the buyer was R McNeil, Cairnview, Wigtownshire.

Then at 3600gns was Twinfields Laudan Ivory, a Laudan daughter out of Ridgefield Storm Ivory, an Ex95 Maughlin Storm daughter. She sold giving 36kg a day having calved in November. Taking her home was R McNeil.

And making 3500gns was Twinfields Shotgun Karen, a first calved Gen-I-Beq Shotgun daughter. This one, which calved in December is out of a Tobthom Integrity daughter and was knocked down to Messrs Bryson, Mauchline.

Taking the same call was Twinfields Final Cut Kitty, a Gillette Final Cut daughter out of a Comestar Stormatic sired dam. This heifer sold to R McNeil.

One of the most sought after outfits in the Twinfields line up was the Advent Red daughter of the American Elm Park Tiara Red, Twinfields Advent Tory Red. She is bred off five straight Excellent cows and calved her second calf in mid October last year. At 3400gns she was purchased by S Wood, Manor Farm, North Yorkshire. Her 3 month old heifer calf by Kamps-Hollow Arudolf Red made 2,200gns to Messrs Bradburn of Orrell House Farm, Wigan.

As expected the heifer calves were keenly bid for with a 2700gns call claiming Twinfields Lobster Sara ET out of the 3500gn Twinfields Million Sara, and an overall average of over £1200 for the very young heifer calves.

Averages; 25 heifers in calf/ in milk £2549.40, 24 cows in calf/in milk £1815.63, 21 heifer calves £1160, one bull calf £315 (Harrison and Hetherington).

by Jonathan Long

Prices hit 3750gns at the first Western Holstein Club Focus Milk sale at Beeston on Friday, with a record average for calved heifers.

The top price of the day was paid for Townhouse Sam Elissa from the Roberts family of S F R Farming, Tarporley. This daughter of Mr Sam has eight generations of VG/EX dams behind her, was sold five weeks fresh, had been scored (VG86‐2yr) and was sold giving 40kg. After a competitive bout of bidding from several sources the hammer eventually fell at 3750gns to P and A Mercer who were buying for their Sandringham Herd, Nomansheath, Whitchurch.

The second top seller was the reserve champion from the pre-sale show. Dunnerdale Sterling Annie; this outstanding heifer was sold giving 33kg and sold to Rob Ward for 3500gns for his Wayring Herd, Whitchurch.

A total of five more heifers then sold at 3000gns or more, including Bidlea Padbury Tagasling from Ray Brown and Partners, Holmes Chapel which sold for 3200gns for a daughter of Bidlea Padbury whose three nearest dams have given a total of 290t of milk.

Then at 3100gns was Fieldside Clematis 17, from Harry and Vera Jolly of Great Eccleston Preston for a Cogent Loader daughter sold giving 38kg a day. Three more sold at 3000gns and these were the champion heifer, Dunnerdale Lou Gipsy, a December 2010 daughter of Jenny Lou Marshall, from the Boow’s who was sold giving 40kg.

Also at this figure was Bilsrow Alexander England from David and Sheila Tomlinson, Preston, a daughter of Golden Oaks ST Alexander with 4 VG/EX dams as well as Grosvenor H Loader Brianne, another daughter of Cogent Loader consigned by Marshall and Patsy Barnett of Holmes Chapel.

All five of these were purchased by Alan Smith on behalf of the family business of T Smith and Sons and were among 27 head destined for their noted high yielding Bumblebee Herd at Hinckley, Leicestershire.

A further 17 heifers sold from 2500 to 2900gns in a trade which was very rewarding to all vendors and further highlighted the demand for top quality heifers fresh in milk.

Averages; four cows £1622.25, 65 calved heifers £2341.98 (Wright Manley).

by Jonathan Long

While many cattle breeders on this side of the Atlantic are left in bewilderment at the price some semen fetches, a story emerging  from the USA about a Holstein bull well and truly puts £750/straw prices in the shade.

The first five doses of semen from the highest genomically ranked polled Holstein bull in the world, GOLDEN PP, Kulp-Dale Golden PP-Red, have been sold for a staggering $10,000 a straw.

It’s a quite astronomical sum, but with polled genetics the current in-thing in Holstein circles some breeders are racing to be at the top of the pile when it comes to having the latest and best genetics in their herds. And for some clearly there is no price they won’t pay to secure the right genetics.

In this case the purchaser has boxed clever and secured three month exclusivity ensuring they will have a strong lead over the competition when it comes to having potential AI stud bulls ready for collection and the hope is clearly to flush with this semen to maximise the revenue potential.

You can read the full story here

by Jonathan Long

Tuesday’s Christmas Cracker sale of dairy cattle at Sedgemoor resutled in a strong trade and decent demand throughout, with 53 cows and heifers selling for more than £2000.

Topping the prices was  a 3300gns call Gerald Lambert’s Saddlers Bluey 5. This Picston Shottle daughter calved in November and was giving 30kg a day.

The top priced cow was the pre-sale show champion Bettiscombe Lavanguard Tilly 150 from regular consigners Roland and Simon Bugler, Dorset. She was a fresh second calver and sold for 2650gns.

At 2600gns were first time consigners Designer Holsteins, Essex, with their freshly calved heifer Noremead Baxter Warmer out of an Ex90 dam and an Ex94 ninth dam.

Rookhaye Estate, Wiltshire, then sold their calved heifer Rookhaye Same Eileen by Regancrest-Mr Drham Sam for 2450gns. And another Bettiscombe then sold at 2450gns, with this being the reserve champion second calver Lofficiel Kimberly.

And Eric Puddy’s heifer Marcroft Bax Lulu by Emerald-Acr-Sa T-Baxter sold for 2400gns.

Of the four bulls on offer top spot was taken by B L Davies & Son with Davlea Jonah at 2500gns, he is by Gen-Mark Stmatic Sanchez out of the Canadian Jacobs dam.

In-calf heifers from Robert Horton’s Hinton herd based at Swindon, Wilts, took all of the youngstock prizes with the first prized heifer Hinton Logan Dixie due January selling for 2030gns and the second prized heifer Hinton Re Design Cornelia 2 for 1820gns

Averages; 22 cows £2020, 94 calved heifers £1985, five bulls £1407, 15 in-calf heifers £1704.50, eight served heifers £1186.50, two bulling heifers £976.50 (Greenslade Taylor Hunt).

by Jonathan Long

Local vendor Ruth Watson was top of the sellers list at yesterday’s Borderway Black and White sale, Carlisle, when she took 23,500gns for her August-born heifer calf, Lillyhall Windbrook Trilly.

This Gillette Windbrook daughter is out of Go-Farm Trilly, an England-Ammon Million daughter with seven brothers stood at AI studs. She was knocked down to I W and E A J Hughes, Gilfachafael, Wales.

Following that at 14,000gns was Sahara Numero Uno Jessica, an ET bred daughter of Amighetti Numero Uno out of Hood ATM Jessica, a Ked Outside Jeeves daughter, a dam which sold for 20,000 Euro in 2011 and maternal sister to heifers selling for $87,000 and $40,000. This one was knocked down in a three way split to the Overside, Logan and Annan herds.

Her full ET sister Sahara Numero Uno Jane also sold on the day for 9500gns.

And making 10,000gns was Lynholme Gold Wishes, an ET bred Goldwyn daughter out of Raeland Leduc Wilhelmina, a Lystel Leduc daughter.  This one was champion calf at the Lancashire calf show this year and junior champion at Northern Dairy Expo. She is also full sister to $154,000 Rockymountain Gold Winter and a brace of other multi-championship winning sisters. Buying her was David Wright of the Berryholme herd.

Average; 79 lots £3846 (Harrison and Hetherington).

by Jonathan Long