Roake Holsteins hit top of 3000gns

There were 78 four-figure bids and a top price of 3000gns when more than 300 head from the Roake Holstein herd were sold at Taunton Livestock Centre.

Owned by Bossington Farms, Stockbridge, Hants, the herd drew a big crowd with no shortage of takers for calved heifers.

And it was the high-yielding younger cattle that produced the top call for a member of the Cross Stitch family.

Roake Lee Cross Stitch 33rd is by Comestar Lee and out of a twice 13,000-litre Hanoverhill Lieutenant dam.

Bidding peaked again when Roake Integrity Contrary 48th, another milky heifer, realised 2500gns.

She was giving 36 litres on the day and is out of a Lindy dam that had several yields over 12,000 litres.

The best cows saw a call of 2200gns for Roake Goodluck Contrary 38th.

By Braedale Goodluck, she calved her second in September and was bought by J Morgan, Devon, who also gave 500gns for her heifer calf by Comestar Outside.

Trade for recently-served heifers was more selective, but pedigrees and classification scores promised plenty of milk and it was an Outside daughter with a PIN +37 and PLI +45 that led this section at 1550gns.

Yearling heifers peaked at 740gns paid for another Outside daughter out of an Accolade dam.

A guest consignment of six bulls from the Littlebredy herd reached 2000gns for Littlebredy Karismo, a Roylane Jordan son.

Averages: Cows and heifers 1117, calved heifers 1468, September served heifers 732, yearling heifers 525.

Littlebredy bulls 1417.

(Greenslade Taylor Hunt)