Top call fo 2000gns for Shropshire dairy dispersal

A top price of 2000gns was recorded at the dispersal sale of a noted Shropshire dairy herd on Friday.

The sale of the Haughtonhome herd of Holstein cattle at Haughton Farm, near Shrewsbury met with a strong trade despite the introduction of Bluetongue disease restriction zones 48 hours earlier.

Leading Shropshire auctioneers Halls conducted the auction on behalf of R and B E. Home and Son who moved to Haughton Farm in 1975 and brought with them the nucleus of the herd from Berwick Grove, where milk production had been the order of the day since 1923.

Top price went to Haughtonhome Ivy 39 by Oliva Lausan Crew, a son of Storm, who sold to Messrs Wilson of Uttoxeter for 2000gns. This impressive animal was coming towards the end of her first lactation and is due again for January 2008 to Hawksmoor Renett, a son of Shottle.

Daughters of Boss Iron, Jackson, James, S-Man, Mr Jedd Approval and Manat regularly realised in excess of 1500gns throughout the sale. A home bred bull, Haughtonhome Elmsbury PI by Convincer, featured particularly well amongst the good crop of in-calf heifers, which were either in-calf to Hawksmoor Renett or High Society Dunkirk, a son of Durham.

In-calf heifers sold to 1620gns for daughters of Manat, Lead Ready and Carp-Pyr Basar Brad all purchased by Mr Mathew Beeston for his Rodeo herd.

A total of 117 animals in milk averaged £1091.46 and 32 in-calf heifers averaged £1,308.56, giving an overall average of £1,137.64.