Dairy Shorthorns to 3,200gns at Chelford

Demand for red and white genetics is buzzing so it was no surprise to see record averages achieved at this week’s annual autumn show and sale of Dairy Shorthorns at Chelford, Cheshire. The sale produced a record average of £2247 for freshly calved heifers and a top call of 3200gns.

Breed stalwarts the Hayward family from Newark, Nottinghamshire once again enjoyed a tremendous trade for cattle from their noted Hooton herd and it was the stylish roan heifer Hooton Lily Fair 238th, freshly calved a week, that topped the day at 3200gns. She goes back through a family of some of the greatest Dairy Shorn show winners of all time – among them Hooton Lily Fair 113th.

Judge Marshall Crank gave Lily Fair 238th the championship on Monday and claimed her for his herd at Chester.

Admirers of Marleycote Barrington Iris 15th – this year’s Great Yorkshire Show reserve inter-breed champion from Northumberland-based David Baynes and family – turned out at Chelford to take a tilt at this VG 88 daughter of Nejay Royalty but were outclassed by determined bidding on the phone from Jonathan Fisher, Penrith, Cumbria who secured her at 3000gns.

Averages: Cows in-milk £1,820.43; heifers in-milk £2,247.00; in-calf heifers £1,556.00; maiden heifers and calves £755. (Frank Marshall).