Archive Article: 1998/01/16
Sunnyburrow Farm, Devon,
hosted the first dairy
dispersal of the new year
last week. Farmers keen for
clues as to which way the
dairy trade is going watched
the event with interest…
Sunnyburrow dispersal
Averages £/head
Dairy cows 779
Served heifers 524
Stirk heifers 410
Barren cows 349
Calves 287
A good read… a glance through the catalogue showed Sunnyburrows cows and heifers averaged 7344 litres at 4.17% butterfat and 3.43% protein in the 12 months to September 1997.
Ann Stacey and Emma Dyer do the paperwork in the office. Well, in the barn, actually.
Ed Pilkington announces the start of the auction in the traditional way.
Trade got off to a flying start with 10 out of the first 40 cows on offer making more than 1000gns. This was a day when 15 hit four figures, as cohort money and the desire to fill quota fuelled demand, said Derek Biss of auctioneers Greenslade Taylor Hunt. "There are very few sales at this time of year – and people will chase stock at out-of-season dispersals. I hope all our sales this year will be as buoyant as this – but trade will probably be sticky."
Those sitting ringside saw a top bid of 1280gns for a November 1994-born non-pedigree cow. She was one of 12 heading back to Bridgwater with D S Jenkins and Sons. Of course, with about 200 people present, some of those at the auction werent so lucky and had to stand!
A cup of tea for the photographer!
This event near Cullompton saw the Sunnyburrow herd of 136 Holstein Friesians on offer for T R Reed and Sons. It was established in 1990 with 50 cows from the Hummer herd at Sherborne. Homebred heifers and bought-in stock were later added.