Steady trade at Lancaster Holstein sale

Although there were fewer entries at last week’s Lancaster Dairy Sale the trade maintained a similar level to that seen in recent months and levelled 22 head at £1770 on a day that saw bidding reach 2600gns.

Both leading bids came from Joe Marrs buying for his family’s Broomhills Holstein herd at Carlisle. His top call of 2600gns came for the champion consigned by Messrs Boow whose Dunnerdale Lheros Gipsy is out of a 60-tonne Progress dam that classified Excellent and hails from one of the herd’s oldest and most successful families.

Messrs Boow also took the reserve championship with Dunnerdale Talent Annie who is out of a 12,152kg dam by Outside. She realised 2000gns to A Wallbank, Longridge, Preston.

Mr Marrs also claimed Whitecarr Modest Snowflake from Tom Cowell, Kirkham, Lancashire. She realised 2200gns and is out of a twice 11,000kg-plus dam by Starboy. Mr Cowell has entered 60 head from his herd for the January sale which will be the Lancaster club’s 600th show and sale.

Completing  a trio of high priced buys for Mr Marrs’ was Maybar Modest Chance, a calved heifer out of a VG-85 Calbrett-I HH Champion cow from F G and M R Martin and Son taken at 1950gns. Best for the Maybar herd was 2000gns paid by K Sharp for a calved heifer by Wildman.

The sale included the first portion of cattle from the Fornside herd for Messrs Akrigg from Silloth, Cumbria. Prices reached 2000gns for a third calver out of a Boulet Charles dam. Buyers were W R and J E Dixon, Wigton, Cumbria.

Averages: seven cows £1575 and 22 calved heifers £1861. (Norton and Brooksbank with North West Auctions).