Taking Stock

Dairy cull cows met a strong trade at Holsworthy last week where prices peaked at 113p/kg for a Holstein Friesian from W and W Northmore, Dartmoor.

Auctioneer David Kivell said Kivells were now seeing regular numbers of 80-100 cows which still isn’t enough to satisfy those buyers keen to secure full loads. “The increase in cull cow trade is also seeing buyers attending the price cattle pens with last week’s trade seeing a top price of 132p/kg for a heavy steer from G Woodman, Chawleigh.”

Gisburn Auction Marts saw the best prices for OTM Cattle since the return of cull cattle entering into the food chain, with three cull cows achieving over £1000.

First under the hammer was a farm-assured Charolais, 2003 born cow which weighed 1068kg and sold for £1442 or 135p/kg.

The next lot was a farm-assured Belgian Blue, 2002 born cow which weighed 812kg and sold for £1060 or 131p/kg. Finally M & E Hartley, Roughlee, Nelson, Lancs, sold their Belgian Blue cow which weighed 790kgs and sold for £1047 or 133p/kg.

Purchasing them all was Dunbia (Sawley), Clitheroe, Lancs. The beef from all these animals is destined for Holland.

Averages Premium 100p/kg; Prime 84p/kg; Other 67p/kg; Males 83p/kg; Dairy Culls 84p/kg

This week’s final dispersal of the Painley Holstein herd ended an era of accomplished breeding that has had a significant influence on the UK’s black and white genetics. So it was no surprise to see bidding reach a top of 10,000gns and the herd’s 100 cows and calved heifers level at £2257.

John and Valerie Barlow have long been stalwart supporters of the breed and consistently produced a steady stream of top-ranking cattle from their home at Church Minshull, Nantwich, Cheshire.

Brought out in tremendous form by the indomitable herd management partnership of David Hastings and his son David, the Painley cattle attracted a capacity crowd but it was a cow bought from the Burrow family’s Stardale herd in Lancashire that proved the most tempting.

Stardale Jed Roxy – a second calver with a best of 11,721kg – is by Jed and out of the 13,761kg Stardale Leader Roxy. She was bought at the Stardale dispersal for 12,000gns and despite fuelling sustained bidding from the ringside it was a phone bid from Cornwall-based Wills brothers that finally snapped her up at 10,000gns.

The weekly sale of cull cows at Shrewsbury Auction Centre is going from strength to strength with the average price per head of £585 achieved this week.

"For an entry of entirely dairy bred animals this is an incredible figure, with all good fresh cows making between 90p to 100p per kilo," said auctioneer David Giles, of Halls. "One would have to return to the heyday of the early 1990s to find a trade that matched the current level.

"It is indeed a great boost for the industry and with supply limited looks like a trend that is set to continue. It is interesting to note that at the turn of the year the average per head was returned at £350."

Despite the introduction of new bluetongue surveillance zones and the resultant absence of entries from the Harrogate area and beyond, the March Craven Dairy Auction at Skipton Auction Mart attracted a quality entry of 28, with strong trading levels maintained.

Supreme champion for the fifth time was Robert Phillip, of Hellifield, with a fresh calved pedigree Holstein Friesian heifer by the Canadian sire Shoremar James, out of a home-bred heifer.

Giving 28kg she sold for £1900 to regular buyer Henry Wilson, Kelbrook.

The Seward families first home sale at Pithayes Farm, Whimple, Devon on Tuesday drew 22 different purchasers from Cornwall to Wiltshire to witness a top price of 2380gs.

No less than 15 lots sold for 2000gns with top price being paid for Shermans Frederik Mandy 19, a February calved heifer by Lymatra Cody Frederik that was giving 37kg with an SCC of 34. Close behind at 2300gns was the highest priced cow of the day Shermans Webster Wallen 22, a March second calver by Delta Webster that was giving just over 50kg.

St Bowells summer show and sale of prime stock saw some quality animals, with the top price for the day going to reserve champion at £2.60/kg £1534. The homebred bullock consigned by S J Withers, Wester Ulston sold to M/s W T S Forsyth and Sons, Peebles.

The champion, a Belgian Blue cross heifer from M/s W Fleming, Mosstower also realising a good price, sold at £2.50/kg £1375 to the shows judge, Mr G Moor.

High prices were also seen on the cow front, with £1433.70 being made for Over Whitlaw and £1201.5 for Wester Ulster. On the show side Wester Ulston scaled 590kg and made 2.60 selling to W T S Forsyth and Sons. Second place was Ramrig which scaled 555kg and made 2.00 selling to M/s Cropper.

Lambs also saw a good sale with Suffolk crosses topping at £80 for Smailholm Mains. Texels topped at £79 from Birkenside and Beltex's at £65.50.

A great entry of 175 head at Beeston Castle Auction mid month sale of pedigree and commercial dairy cattle was greeted by large crowds of buyers present from as far as Cumbria and Pembrokeshire.

Fierce trade saw prices topping £2550 for a fresh heifer from Fred Schofield, Acton Bridge who consigned three heifers to the sale averaging £2276. All three were purchased by F and N Brunt and Sons, Stone.

Messrs Brunt also purchased the second highest priced heifer, Manorside Reece Beatrice by Askew Reece, at £2380 from E V and B Boughey and Son, Tarporley. Messrs Boughey also had the next top selling at £2320, the homebred Tarporley Primate Delight 2^nd by Sterndale Primate. She sold to Messrs J N and L P Bate, Great Budworth.

Cows also topped at £2180 for a fresh non pedigree 3^rd calver from H Darlington and Co, Farndon selling to Robin Arden. A further eight animals made £2000 or more.

Sale topper was from heifer rearer, Susan Whitwell, Lancashire, selling to N W and J M Coulthurst and Son, Preston.

A newly calved heifer, Broholme Kite Clair also made a good price selling for £2220 to an undisclosed buyer and consigned by R M Shackleton, Skipton. 

Leading the incalf heifers section was a heifer sired by Picton Shottle and due late August. She formed part of a small herd dispersal of commercial in-calf heifers from Michael Makinson, Clitheroe, who is ceasing milk production.  She was purchased by J Shuttleworth nd Son, Skipton, who went on to buy another three heifers from the same vendor at £1700, £1630 and £1540.

Five incalf cattle from Mr Makinson selling for £1920, £1910, £1780 and £1480 join the herd of W Moffat and Co, Dumfries