Gisburn prize winning calf sells for £500

Trevor Hodgson’s long journey down to Gisburn Auction Marts from Dent, Cumbria was worth while on Thursday, when he won the champion calf at the auction marts Christmas show for rearing calves.

The prize winning calf out a Holstein Friesian cow, sired by the British Blue bull Moorsley Anderson, stood proud at just six weeks old, and was picked out without hesitation by the pre-sale show judges Mike Teasdale, Malton, North Yorkshire and Tony Binns, Harrogate and created a flurry of bids in the sale ring, eventually being knocked down to fellow Cumbrians D and J Errington, Cockermouth, Cumbria for the days top price at £500.

Next best at £492 was the reserve champion, the first prize winner of the British Blue heifer class, an eight weeks old British Blue heifer, sired by Cowden Artic out a Holstein Friesian cow, from TW Holden & Son, Chaigley, Clitheroe, Lancashire, which later sold to calf rearer Richard Fitton, Kearsley, Bolton, Lancashire. Messrs Holden also picked up the second prize rosette in the British Blue Heifer class which sold for £410.

Regular vendor Colin Whitelock, Gargrave, Skipton, North Yorkshire had a successful day when his second prize British Blue Bull Calf sold for £435 to RM Teasdale, Scragglethorpe, Malton, North Yorkshire. Mr Whitelock was again in the money we he sold top price Limousin heifer at £432.

Of the 231 calves forward, 16 British Blue bull sold in excess of £400 and 18 British Blues achieved in excess or £300. Top price Limousin bull calf came from JO Fairbank, Greetlands, Halifax, West Yorkshire whose second prize calf made £398 to JA Swann, Little Ouseburn, York, North Yorkshire. At the other end of the scale Black and White dairy bulls continue to sell well, averaging £83 with at top price of £230 E & M Joule, Bolton, Lancashire.

Averages Bulls BB £365; Lim £309; Sim £382; AA £203, B & W £83 heifers BB £323; Lim £300; Sim £290; AA £158

Auctioneers Richard Turner & Son