Parklands Holsteins pull keen crowd to Beeston
The dispersal of the Parklands Holstein herd brought 207 head under the hammer at Beeston Castle auction mart last week.
Cows and calved heifers averaged £1002 and produced a top price of 1600gns for a Duncan Progress daughter.
The sale, following the tragic death of Nantwich dairy farmer Mark Vernon, saw buyers compete for a strong selection of cows with a rolling herd average of 10,266kg and a margin over purchased feed of 13.8p/litre.
Carmarthen dairy farmers V&N Thomas made the day’s two leading bids, paying most for Parklands Progress Nicole – a PI second-calver out of a Gillette Carlton dam that had produced 4000kg from 107 days in the parlour.
Messrs Thomas also gave 1550gns for Parklands Iron Gretha, a heifer by Boss Iron coming to the end of her first lactation.
She is due in July to Ridge-Star Jemmer.
On course to give almost 10,000kg was a Del Santo MC Callisto daughter from the Tina family who made 1500gns to G&M Davies, Carmarthen, while Shropshire dairy farmer Rob Cope was in at 1450gns to take the December-calved heifer Parklands Iron Fudge.
Dearest among the cows was a 2000-bred Marconi daughter secured by RG Swaine of Crewe. Hully Marconi Sherry 5th is a PI third calver AI’d in February to Rockalli Bradley.
She gave 10,460kg with her second calf.
Leading the volume buyers were K&WM Rees from Whitland, Dyfed, who went home with 15 head.
Their top call was 1380gns for Parklands Zelati Lassie – a freshly calved heifer by Leaventhorpe Mark Lassie.
She is out of a twice 10,000kg dam by Formation.
Local buyers Messrs Speed of Chester took a young cow by Cubby Metro who was close to calving with her third after an impressive 12,291kg performance.
She made 1350gns.
Also staying locally – at 1320gns – was another by Callisto, bred out of a Grandslam dam.
She was due in August with her second to Sikkema-Star Modesto.
Averages: 177 cows and calved heifers £1002, 24 in-calf heifers £1051.
(Wright Manley)