Milk price hopes see Holsteins hit 3250gns at Hallworthy

South west dairy farmers produced a sizzling trade for a strong entry of Holstein dairy cattle at the annual Christmas Cracker show and sale held at Hallworthy Stockyard in Cornwall.

Prices rocketed to 3250gns for the day’s supreme champion from the Maymor herd of Truro herd owners T N Morrow and Partners.

Barry Colton of auctioneers Kivells said the demand for dairy cattle reflected the improved milk price that was now bolstering confidence among dairy farmers. “It’s been a long, hard road for dairy farmers but the increase in the value of milk is at last injecting much needed confidence into these businesses.

“We had a tremendous trade all the day with prices for stock reflecting the heightened demand for dairy cattle throughout the UK,” commented Mr Colton.

The top call of 3250gns came for T Morrow and Partners’ Maymor Laura 58th – a freshly calved heifer by Be-Ware Juror Geno. Her dam, by Dream-On Herod, is from one of the herd’s best families noted for its production and longevity and had achieved over 11,000kg in two of her seven lactations.

Laura 58th, who collected the championship under the day’s judge Mr Maurice Grose, Manaccan, Helston, Cornwall, was giving 33kg and was bought for a client by A W Walters, Launceston.

Treginegar Dairy Farms, Padstow regularly supply top quality cattle to this fixture and this year’s Christmas Cracker sale was no exception. Their freshly calved heifer Lawtonian Mia 16th stood reserve champion and made the second highest price of 2550gns and was claimed by Bath-based Nick Flower on behalf of a client.