Quality heifers in abundance at Borderway mart pedigree dairy sale

Quality cows and heifers were in abundance at the pedigree dairy Border & Lakeland club show and sale, at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, last week (21 May).

Topping the day’s trade was a heifer with a pedigree from the Pinehurst Rhapsody family consigned by Mr W Armour, Moffat, Dumfriesshire.  Freshly calved Annandale Hambone Rhapsody was sired by Ridgefield Hambone ET and out of Annandale Bradley Rhapsody. She sold for 3,900gns to DC Hall, Skipton, North Yorkshire.

Next at 2,800gns and overall champion was in-milk heifer, Snow Peggy 37, consigned by G and M Wilson and Sons, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria. Giving over 40kgs she is sired by Gillette Jordan and out of Snow Peggy 32. She went home with DR and HM Horsley Ltd, to Penrith, Cumbria.

Champion Snow Peggy 37 with (left to right) Mr Ian Plews, Cheryl Watson, Mr Ian Wilson and judge Mr James McNeil

Also at the same money was another in-milk heifer from the same herd, Snow Mushroom 9. Sired by Denmire Murphy and out of Snow Mushroom 6, she sold to FS Sturrock and Sons, Hartlepool, Cleveland.

The Brewster family from Boclair consigned three special heifers the best topping at 2,650gns for Boclair Triumphant Vision.  She was sired by Boclair Triumphant and went home with an undisclosed buyer.

Commenting on trade after the sale, auctioneer Glyn Lucas said: “Buyers have had a high class of animals to choose from today and it is nice to see quality and special pedigrees achieving a premium.  Trade for fresh calvers has dropped in recent weeks due to a lot of bulk tanks running close to capacity and the seasonal milk price drop has dinted producer confidence.”

Averages

10 Cows in milk/calf, £1,879.50; 96 Heifers in milk/calf, £1,936.80; 15 in-calf heifers, £1,571.80; 121 overall average, £1,895.40.

(H & H)