A good entry for the first Saturday sale of the year at Taunton Livestock Centre saw a continuation in the strong dairy trade for fresh milk that ended 2007.
The markets record individual price was broken again with a top of £2220 for a pedigree heifer from John Snook of Yeovil, bought by a Devon producer. Other pedigree heifers sold to £2060 for G C B Davis, Westleigh, Tiverton.
Medium quality stock selling for between £1200 and £1500 looked dear in comparison to the best quality. Non pedigree heifers sold to £1820 for R J Popham, Highbridge and cows in their second lactation to £1580 for M J Parkhouse, Barnstaple. Messrs S and L Cook, Umberleigh sold in calf heifers to £1200 three times.
Averages: first quality cows £1450; first quality heifers £1810 (Greenslade Taylor Hunt).