Black and whites sell to 18,000gns at Borderway Mart

Trade topped at 18,000gns at the 30^th Black and White Anniversary sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, on the weekend (3 December), where heifer averages levelled at nearly £4,000.

Making the day’s top price was the June 2016-born Panda Lucky O’Kalibra (pictured below), consigned by Molly Westwood, owner of the Panda herd, Somerset. Sired by Luck-E Absolute Awesome Red, she is out of the Pine Tree Sid daughter GS Alliance Sid O’Kamila VG87 (2yr), who gave 12,502 litres in her first lactation. She is the only progeny from the Okalibra family in the UK, her granddam beig the three times Swiss Expo champion Decrausaz Iron Okalibra EX97. The winning bid fell to the Thisillda Syndicate from south-west Scotland.

See also: Holstein bulls sell to 5,000gns at Dungannon

Next best and selling for 15,000gns was nine-month-old Absolute Doorman Tangfastic (pictured below) from Absolute Genetics, Kirkham, Lancashire. Sired by Val-Bisson Doorman, she is out of the Canadian cow Kingsway Sanchez Arangatang Ex95, who is a maternal sister to the UK Dairy Day champion 2016 Knowlesmere Goldwyn Abrakaboom VG89. Purchasing her was Elite Street Genetics, Co Cork.

Designer Holsteins, Ingatestone, Essex, paid 9,000gns for the first daughter of the world champion Kandie to sell in Europe – the July 2016-born heifer Feizor Beemar A Kandie (pictured below) from WA and A Booth, Austwick, Lancaster. Sired by Pol Butte MC Beemer, she is out of the KHW Kite Advent Red daughter Luck-E Advent Kandie Red Ex95, the unanimous 2014 All American winning five-year-old.

Two lots sold for 8,000gns.

First one through the ring was the February 2016-born heifer Nobold TLC Gold Bambi from M Roberts and TLC Genetics, Nobold, Shrewsbury. Sired by Braedale Goldwyn, she was the first daughter of the prolific Canadian show winner Aingers Adven Bambi Ex94 to sell outside of North America. She sold to the Bambi syndicate, Cheshire.

Selling for the same money was Knowlesmere Jones Sol Aloof from A and J Whittaker, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Sired by Walnutlawn Solomon, she is out of the UK Dairy Day 2016 Grand Champion Knowlesmere Goldwyn Abrakaboom VG89 and is a maternal sister to the 10,000gns Knowlesmere Doorman Abrakadazzle. Buyer was Richard Watt, Augher, N Ireland.

Other breeds

Topping the Red and White trade was Auchensala Absolute Shakira Red consigned by Ali Cook, Ruthwell, Dumfries.  Shakira is sired by Apples Absolute Red and bred from Blondin Rampage Suzette VG89. Buyer at 5,500gns was D Dawes, Oxford.

Leading Brown Swiss trade was the heifer Kedar Wonderment Jana from T Lochhead and Son, Dumfries. This UK Dairy Expo 2016 Junior Champion is sired by Top Acres C Wonderment and bred from four Excellent dams. She sold in calf to RK and SG Miller and Sons, Somerset.

Jerseys sold to 2,900gns for EliteStreet Tequila Belle, consigned by Elite Street Genetics, Ireland. Sired by Tower Vue Prime Tequila, she is bred form the famous Duncan Belle cow family. Buyer was Diamond Genetics, France.

Philip Halhead, Norbreck Genetics, paid 2,800gns for the heifer Sweetings Euphoric, donated by John Lawson and Anthony Jackson, with proceedings going to the Louise Hartlet Memorial Fund to support young people in agriculture.

Averages: three Holstein heifers in milk, £2,800; 10 Holstein in-Calf heifers, £3,708; 73 Holstein Open heifers, £3,945; 10 Jersey heifers, £1,964; two British Friesian heifers, £2,520; one Brown Swiss, £5,775; 31 Embryos, £513.