Rodway dispersal smashes Shorthorn record with 5,300gns bid

The Dairy Shorthorn breed sales record was smashed by the Rodway herd dispersal of Graham and Shirley Madeley last week.

A top call of 5,300gns overtook the existing record of 3,600gns which was passed three times in total and equalled upon two further occasions,

The sale attracted Red and White enthusiasts from all over the UK and Ireland bidding fiercely for the cattle on offer.

The Rodway Herd has long been at the forefront of innovative breeding in the Red and White world, blending Dairy Shorthorn genetics with, principally Danish Red and influenced by Graham Madeley’s trips around the world to study Red and White breeding.

The top call of the day of 5,300gns came early in the sale, when Edward Crank beat off several other determined bidders to take home the great show cow Rodway Sonnschein 15^th. 

This VG 89 Kingsdale Libby’s Rebel daughter was Champion Dairy Shorthorn at the Royal Highland in 2010, and part of the winning Interbreed Progeny Group, as well as Champion at other local shows.  Having calved on 15 April, she was in great form, giving 44 kilos at the time of sale and now joins the Earls Gift Herd, at Ince near Chester.

Shortly afterwards, another Kingsdale Libby’s Rebel daughter, this time the EX 91 classified Rodway Rose 36^th, was the subject of further fierce competition.  Having calved in January, and recently served again to Drisgol Madonnas Prince, she stayed within the family, being bought by Neil Madeley for his Nejay Herd, Bridgenorth, Shropshire.  Her dam, the great show cow Red Rose 19^th EX 93, also produced the outstanding Red Rose 42^nd, a May 2010 heifer by the Australian bull Treeton Pimp.  She was sold as confirmed in calf to Nejay Amadeus and also attracted huge interest, before Robert Boote beat off all, at 4,600 gns to add her to his Dunham Herd, near Chester.

Two further heifers equalled the previous breed record of 3,600 gns.  First up was another Treeton Pimp daughter, this time Rodway Marie 76^th, with 3 generations of EX cows behind her.  Having run with Nejay Amadeus to calve in the Autumn, she was secured by Alan Wright, buying for his Yewtree Herd near Tarporley.  Shortly after the Nejay Ernie daughter, Rodway Lady Barrington 34^th, who was successfully shown at local shows and at the Dairy Event last year, made the same price to Stephen Booth from Stewartstown in Northern Ireland.

Irish buyers from both sides of the border, were out in force with minibuses having been dispatched to both Manchester and Birmingham Airport to collect those flying in on the morning of sale.

Glen Carter from Tipperary bid strongly to take home Rodway Jenna 2^nd, a VG 88 2006 born daughter of Kingsdale Libby’s Rebel, at 3,400 gns.  Due in June to Nejay Amadeus, she was  Reserve Heifer Champion at the Royal Show in 2008 and South West Dairy Champion in 2010.  Two other animals sold at 3,300 gns.  Firstly, the EX 90 Rodway Lisbet 2^nd, due in July to Churchroyd Pluto, having given over 10,000 kilograms in her current lactation, and Interbreed Heifer Champion at the Royal Show in 2008, went to Messrs Malkin from Stone, Staffordshire; later in the sale, another Nejay Ernie daughter, this time Rodway Lady Barrington 101^st, a February 2010 born heifer due to calve in the Autumn also went to Northern Ireland with Mr Booth, Stewartstown.

Averages: 50 Cows in-milk, £2,212.35; 9 Dry Cows, £2,131.50; 26 Heifers in-milk, £2,366.54; 17 Served Heifers, £2,294.56; 38 Maiden Heifers, £1,250.88; 28 Heifer Calves-‘A’ lots, £ 886.87; 4 Young Bulls, £853.12; 2 Bull Calves, £630.00 (Frank Marshall & Company)