800 head dairy dispersal tops 3,900gns

One of the UK‘s largest dispersals of Holsteins took place last week at Exeter Market, with part one of the 800 head Springbird Herd going under the hammer on behalf of the W D Carr Partnership based near Brighton in West Sussex. Prices topped 3,900gns with a large crowd of buyers in attendance from across the country.

Leading trade was a mother and daughter from the Nora family. Springbird Outside Nora 3 (Ex-92-3), due next month with her sixth calf, but looking in splendid form, had many admirers but it was Richard Gay who had the final nod at 3,900gs to take her to his Walkabout herd near Axminster.

Her second calf daughter by Regancrest-MR Samuelo made only 100gs less and was bought by Adrian Salter Chalker, for his Hintonhurst herd at Twyford, Berkshire where the original Nora came some 50 years ago. This cow’s three month old heifer calf by Ked Outside Jeeves was the top priced calf at foot, being sold to a telephone bid of 1,600gs to Keith Pattinson of the Ellengrove herd near Carlisle.

The Boo family was another whose members were popular with another mother/daughter combination making high prices. In this case John Downing of the Wintersell herd purchased the dam, the prizewinning Springbird Nistleroy Boo (Ex-91) for 3,400gs with the daughter by Heather Holme Velvet making 3,600gs to T Smith and Sons who bought a dozen good cows for their Bumblebeehall herd in Leicestershire.

Chief volume purchasers were V A and H M A Thomas, Hendy, Carmarthen, one of several West Wales buyers, who took 20 head for their Tynywaun herd, while Bampfield Farm, Barnstaple, took 24 heifer calves.