Dairy entries top £2,280 at Skipton

Newly calved heifers bagged top honours at June’s Craven Dairy Auction at CCM Skipton (Mon, June 17).

The Newbirks pedigree Holstein herd of David and Claire Lawson in Arthington secured yet another championship success with their first prize heifer, by Schillview Oman Gerard.

Three weeks calved and giving 33 litres, the title winner sold for the day’s leading price of £2,280 to Ribchester’s Geoff Blezard.

The second prize heifer and reserve champion, another pedigree from Bishop Thornton’s Peter Baul, was by the renowned Picston Shottle. The 18 days calved runner-up, giving 33 litres, made £2,100 when joining returning Cheshire buyer Wilmot Blockey, of Tarvin, Chester.

Robin Jennings, of South Stainley, again performed well with a nine-days calved 31-litre heifer, which sold for £2,220, second top price of the day, again to Mr Blockley, who also paid £2,200 for the third prize newly calven heifer from May Craven Dairy Auction champions Fred and Mark Houseman.

The pick of the commercial newly calven heifers from Chris Broadwith, of Thornton Watlass, sold for £1,900 to H Goodall and Sons, of Tong, Bradford.

Graham Bell, of Sinnington, York, was responsible for the first and third prize newly calven cows, the red rosette winner selling for top price in class of £1,880 to Skipton regular Wick Williams, of Nantwich, Cheshire, the third to the Goodalls for £1,850.

The second prize newly calven cow from J Wellock, of Oakworth, made £1,440 when also falling to Mr Williams.

A consignment of 12 maiden heifers, from Robert Metcalfe, of Brearton, made a clean sweep of the prizes in this show class, with his first prize winner the leading performer at £880 upon joining MR Smith in Laneshawbridge. The overall selling average was £778.

AT Greaves, of Allerton, presented the first prize in-calf heifer, a British Friesian due in two months, which sold locally for £700 to Duncan Holme, of Storiths.

With a number of regular buyers cutting grass for the predicted good weather to come, the 41-strong entry met with easier trade than of late, though quality dairy cattle remained good to sell. Pedigree newly calven heifers averaged £1,834, commercial heifers £1,672 and newly calven cows £1,630.