Welsh buyers dominate Hawkins dairy sale

Virtually half the cattle travelled to Wales following the very well attended sale for Thomas R Hawkins (Farms) at Ledbury, Herefordshire, of their Autumn calving loose housed herd of chiefly non registered Holstein Friesians and Jersey crossbreds.

However, the top price of 1800gns was paid by English milk producers S H & C M Brewer of Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire for Bosbury Jester Mary, a second calver sired by Walters Jaster off a 10,809kg Moet Genies Double dam.  She had calved in mid October and was giving 28kgs daily.

A W Lewis of Longhope, Gloucestershire, paid 1500gns for the December calved second calver Bosbury Royal Hugo.  She was a Collins Royal Hugo daughter off a Painley Knightingale dam and was giving 27kgs when sold.

Served heifers due in August onwards sold to 950gns for a Moet Almira Grosvenor daughter.

Jersey crossbred bulling heifers sold to 700gns and purebred Holstein Friesian bullers sold to 800gns.

Heifer calves sold to 700gns for Holstein Friesians and 500gns for Jersey crossbreds.

The sale also included dairy equipment and machinery.  Leading prices included the re-conditioned Keenan 100 feeder wagon made £6800, the Kuhn Primor straw chopper £5600, and the 8000L Fabdec Milk Tank £6200.

Averages: 53 milking cows and heifers £1086.65, 8 unwarranted cows £536.81, 17 served/bulling heifers £772.05, 24 maiden heifers £600.02, 1 Hereford stock bull £1323.00 (Gwilym Richards & Co).