Bidlea herd tops sale at Beeston

The Bidlea herd had a scorcher at the Western Holstein Club’s show and sale taking the day’s top price of 2950gns with a heifer by Moet Trystar and creating a real stir around the ringside for its consignment of bulls which achieved the top four bids peaking at 2400gns.

On a day that produced no let-up in prices – and saw the top-end cattle get even dearer – the 80 calved heifers averaged £2113 with the 12 bulls levelling at £1671.

But the day’s bumper-cash haul headed back to Holmes Chapel with loyal vendors Ray Brown and Partners. Their sale topper, Bidlea Trystar Tagasling, is from one of the herd’s most successful families. Trystar is by Picston Shaker and Tagasling’s dam is an 11,166kg cow by Mr Manhattan.

She heads south to Haverfordwest with Roger Stafford who was the day’s biggest buyer taking 15 lots.

Stafford-based Betholt Ltd sold the calved heifer Dunston Ocean Useful at 2650gns to J L and M E Parker and Son, Haughton, Stafford. By the Calbrett Champion son Smiddiehill Ocean, she is out of a 10,300kg Comestar Lee dam and was giving almost 40kg on the day.

The 18 cows, which averaged £1867, reached 2600gns for Stokehall Norma 32^nd which took the reserve championship. From Shrewsbury farmers Jack and Barclay Taylor, she is by Jordan and out of a Jogger dam and gave 8023kg as a heifer. Buyer was Roger Brooks, Wettenhall, Cheshire.

There were four other 2600gns deals. Lincolnshire vendors G H Harrison and Sons sold the Jordan heifer Bassingthorpe Roy Steff 4^th to Roger Stafford who also took Michael and Jean Gould’s Woodmarsh Lymestar Hatlady 79^th while D V Burgess of Chester sold a Shoremar James heifer from his Burbank herd to P Plant, Stafford.

Also at 2600gns was John and Valerie Barlow’s Painley Leader Lana taken by Murray (Farms) Ltd, Pattingham.

The championship went to the second calver Irthingvale Best Paula from local vendors Graham and Barbara Bell. This Actonfarm Best Mate daughter was giving 43.3kg and made 2500gns to Edward Davies, Tenby.

A keen demand for bulls took prices to 2400gns for Ray Brown Partners’ Bidlea Zulu, a son of Penn-England Garrison and out of a Zenith dam from the Tagasling family. Buyers were F H Cookson and Son, Altrincham, Cheshire. The Brown’s Bidlea Cracker – by Drake – made 2200gns to J Redmayne, Samlesbury, Preston. Two other Bidlea bulls made 2150gns and 1900gns.

Averages: 18 cows £1867; 80 calved heifers £2113 and 12 bulls £1671. (Wright Manley).