Deeply-bred North American lines attract dairy producers
13 August 1999
Deeply-bred North American lines attract dairy producers
EXCLUSIVE use of Holstein bulls for 30 years provided a wide selection of stock from deeply-bred Canadian and American families at the Wheldrake herd dispersal.
Jonathan and Bridgett Gratton are ceasing milk production at Wheldrake Hall, near York and the sale of 270 head presented 20 EX and VG cows among the majority which classified Good Plus.
And it was two heifers that had both classified VG-88 as two-year-olds which made 2500gns apiece to lead the trade. Both were members of the same family which originated in the Yorkshire-based Beningbrough herd.
Wheldrake Raider Serena stayed in the county to join the Eshton herd owned by Newton Hall Farms, Gargrave, Skipton, which is staging its own production sale in early September. Serena calved in April and is out of a sixth-calver Madawaska Sentry cow.
Wheldrake Astre Sasha, a calved heifer which had been AId in June to Wilgenwi JD Cubby Alaska, was bought by a telephone bidder from the West Country. Her heifer calf, by Fleury Bar Lee Univers, topped the calves at 560gns. Buyers were J B Morley, Whitby, for their Crossbutts herd.
Freshly calved cows and heifers met the best trade but a heifer due with her second in September attracted a lot of interest and reached 1700gns to local dairy farmer P Hall, Melbourne, York. He adds Wheldrake Jed Bubbles – in-calf to High-Hill Tesk Best – to his Ryburn herd.
Averages: 122 cows and calved heifers £746; 23 served heifers £672 and 69 recently served and maiden heifers £309. (Norton & Brooksbank). *