Hereford cattle hit 9,000gns at Spring Show and Sale

A pleasing heifer and bull trade topped at 9,000gns at the Hereford Cattle Society Spring Show and Sale at Hereford Livestock Market on Tuesday (5 April).

Leading the sale was Grand Male Champion Fisher 1 McCoy by Fisher 1 Jaguar from WJ Hutchings and Sons, Sussex selling to Highridge Farm Partnership, Surrey. The eighteen month old boasts figures of +23 TSI and +27 SRI and rates +58 for 600 day weight.

The male champion, Fisher 1 Mc Coy from W. J. Hutchings and Sons sold for 9,000 gns

The male champion, Fisher 1 Mc Coy from W. J. Hutchings and Sons sold for 9,000 gns

Breed secretary David Prothero felt that, given the present market climate, the sale had been a “great success”, with 45 show bulls averaging £3,414 ahead of last year’s throughput of 23 at £4,287.

Next best at 8,400gns and 8,000gns were two nineteen month old Panmure 1 Henry sons from the Solpoll herd of J and W McMordie, Ballygowan, Co. Down. The pick was out of Solpoll 1 Dainty G2, Solpoll 1 Milkyway, which headed to P Murphy, Wychnor Staffordshire, a full brother to Kitkat which sold for 10,800gns last April.

Solpoll 1 Milkyway from J. and W. McMordie sold for 8,400 gns

Solpoll 1 Milkyway from J. and W. McMordie sold for 8,400 gns

Making 8,000gns and heading to JR Pike and Son, Chippenham, Wiltshire was Solpoll 1 Lawyer. This Solpoll 1 Starlet C7 son is proven to at a TSI of +23 and a SRI of +27.

A two year old from CS Fletcher, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, then made 6,400gns. Barwise 1 Lekhwair, which has a proven EBV of +45 for 400 day weight, is by Barwise 1 Wellington out of Barwise 1 Graceful and caught the eye of GJ and EM Thomas, Ferwig, Cardiganshire.

The McMordie’s were back in the ring selling two more nineteen month olds, the first, Solpoll 1 Maverick snapped up by Spendlove Brothers, Kettering, Northamptonshire, for 6,000gns. This son of Solpoll 1 Dynamite it out of out of Solpoll 1 Dainty G17 and has top one per cent retail yield figures.

The Australian-sired Solpoll 1 Mr Daffy then made 5,400gns selling to H Richardson, Redditch, Worcestershire. This son of Wirruna Daffy D1 is out of Solpoll 1 Dainty J24.

Females topped at 5,700gns led by Grand Female Champion Dendor 1 Molly 44 from DE, ED and AL Jones, Newtown, Powys, knocking down to local breeder PD Vaughan, Kingsland, Herefordshire. This fourteen month old is by Danish sire SMH Euro 30E, noted for easily fleshed and milky daughters, and out of Dendor 1 Molly 41.

Mr Vaughan was back in the bidding to secure Reserve Female Champion Romany 1 Ishbel H12 M4 for 5,300gns bred by JRB Wilson and Son, Kelso, Roxburghshire. The 20 month old son of Romany 1 Heavyduty A84 H12 out of Romany 1 Ishbel D1 J66.

The Solpoll herd then saw three heifers sell from 5,500gns, 3,600gns and 3,300, the lead female of the trio being Solpoll 1 Starlet M8 by Solpoll 1 Dynamite out of Solpoll 1 Starlet E21.

Lancashire breeders G and MC Shepherd, Preston, realised 3,800gns for Moorside 1 Jane 6, a Romany 1 Jane A51 E66 daughter, which knocked down to the Highridge Farm Partnership, Surrey.

Averages: 45 bulls, £3,414.83 (80 per cent clearance); 19 shown heifers, £3,255 (100 per cent clearance); 24 non-shown heifers, £1,627.

(Herford Market Auctioneers)