Champion heifer sells for £3,050 at Shrewsbury dairy show and sale
The champion’s prize at Shrewsbury Auction Centre’s September dairy show and sale went to C. & S. A. Brassington from Roden, Telford for heifer Cracking Dalliance Kitty 2 which sold for £3,050.
Reserve champion was W. A. Jones & Son, Fenns Bank, Whitchurch with another heifer, Malpas Applewood Echo. The judge was Stuart Ford of Minshull Vernon.
“The best heifers were wanted and well bid for throughout the sale and there was no doubt the champion and reserve were two exceptional animals,” said Halls auctioneer and auction centre manager, Jonny Dymond. “Congratulations to both C. S. & A. Brassington and W. A. Jones & Son.
“These heifers are the result of years of breeding, shrewd purchases and stockmanship which are to be applauded.
“Nearly all the stalls were full with milkers, as 61 went through the ring meeting another wonderful trade from start to finish.
“The entry consisted of the exceptional quality we have come expect on show day at Shrewsbury, with trade peaking at £3,050 twice. However, there was something for everyone, with best Holsteins next to Procross, Norwegian Reds, Ayrshire, Montebeliardes and Freisians.
“The buying power at the ringside is really exceptional, with a strong company of buyers all competing to take 28 of the 61 milkers over the £2,000 mark, with many of these selling for £2,300 or more."
Averages were 17 in milk cows to £2,620, averaging £1,900, 44 in milk heifers to £3,050, averaging £1,989, four maiden heifers to £800, averaging £665 and three heifer calves averaging £350.
Top three cows were: 1, Wolston Maakje Glace 78 from A. D. & R. M. Thomas, Oswestry sold for £2,620; 2, Brown Swiss Cow from H. Davies & Partners, Puddington sold for £1,900; 3, Millenheath Attico Janie from Millenheath Farms, Whitchurch sold for £2.300. The third placed heifer from M. J. E. Hughes, Criggion sold for £2,800.
First time vendor at Shrewsbury, Robert Horton of L. F. Horton & Sons, Northwich sold Heathleigh Mardi Gras Lively 3, a third lactation cow giving 39kg and completing five generations of very good and excellent dams, for £2,600. Other cows from the same vendor sold for £2,480 and £2,380.
Messrs Shepherd, Bakewell from the Meldamar Herd achieved £2,450 for Meldamar Batman Belle 123, giving 42kg a day with other leading fresh cows selling to £2,380 for a commercial third lactation cow from T. A. Powell of Ludlow.
"Noteworthy is the £1,520 achieved for a sixth lactation Brown Swiss cross from H. Davies and Partners, proving that senior milky ladies have a place at Shrewsbury!” added Jonny.
Twenty-one heifers sold for more than £2,180, with 10 over £2,480. Mark Hughes saw a commercial heifer by Peak Altavelvet, descended from a cow of the renowned Brookroad Herd, sell for £2,800.
Millenheath Attico Dewdrop, giving 35kg a day, from Millenheath Farms sold for £2,750 and Alderbarrow Ack Masquerade, just a week calved and giving 24kg, from B. & L. Whitfield, Whitchurch sold for £2,650.
Meldamars heifers peaked at £2,500 for a daughter or Pine Tree I Pursuit, while Flagg Tropic Angie from new vendor, Mycocks Agri Ltd, Derbyshire and a commercial heifer from Mick and Katherin Gould, Bomere Heath achieved £2,480 each.
A run of 13 organic Procross heifers from D. J. Edge, Chester created good interest from conventional and organic buyers alike, peaking at £2,220, with many at £1,650 to £1,800.
The sale finished with a group of three, July born heifer calves from J. M. & D. Shepherd’s Meldamar Herd which sold for £350. Open heifers sold to £800 for J. J. B. Powell of Steel Heath and a trio from Mycocks Agri Ltd’s Flagg Herd made £620.
