End of 80-year B&W era eragfgfg

EIGHTY YEARS of breeding were brought to a close as Lockerbie dairy farmers J Shanks & Son dispersed their Rattra Holstein herd at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, last week.

And topping the trade at 2000gns was a 15-month-old heifer by Weeton Jackson.

Rattra Julie 519th, who is out of a Jedieson dam, has a show career ahead of her and stays in south-west Scotland with Sandy Stevenson.

The Jedieson daughter Rattra Julie 398th was claimed at 1800gns by G and A Linton of Kilmarnock. This fourth-calver is out of a Dalesend Thankful dam and due next month to Maughlin Storm. Her most recent lactation reached 11,335kg,

 The same buyers took the May 2001-bred Rattra Rosie 310th at 1800gns. Rosie is a Rattra Spirit daughter with three generations of VG and Excellent dams behind her.

 There were 13 Excellents and 40 VG cows on offer presenting ample opportunities for buyers to stake a claim on deeply bred cow families with milk and type.

 The Rosie family was one of the most sought after with the fourth calver Rattra Rosie 299th realising 1750gns to Tom Forsythe of Newton Stewart. She was in-calf to Haldrey Leadership and topped 11,200kg with her second.

Averages: 117 cows and heifers 1012; 28 in-calf heifers 857 sand 56 bulling and maiden heifers 610 (Harrison & Hetherington).