Leading dairy herds to fore
Cosdon herds first bred bull makes highest price
THE first bull to be bred in the newly-formed Cosdon herd of Blonde dAquitaine cattle not only stood supreme at the breed societys mid-summer sale at Borderway Mart but also made the top price of 6000gns.
Devon breeders Peter Holman and Pauline Williams, who run a livestock haulage business at Okehampton, bought two foundation cows from Mr Barbers Megray herd at Crediton in October 1997.
One of the cows was carrying the Carlisle victor – the Hadley Legend-sired Cosdon Navajo. The bull, which weighed 846kg at Carlisle, won the Elite Beef Breeder championship at the Royal Bath and West this year and stood third in the senior bull class at the Royal.
"We had admired the breed for some time and decided to set up a herd with a few females.
"But we never dreamt we would have been so successful selling our first bull", said Pauline Williams who is hoping for great things for a younger full brother to Navajo.
Buyers at 6000gns were breeders J and * Clark who run the Garngour herd in Lanarkshire.
More fame for Hadley came when a son of Hadley Esquire – Darlington breeder A Halls Hallmark OJ – changed hands at 4800gns.
Hallmark OJ was reserve supreme on his Carlisle outing following his reserve junior male title at the Royal Highland. Buyer was R Garden, Skene, Aberdeenshire.
Four bulls from the Marstonmill (IC and S Archer), Whitefield (EA Mutch), Bradnock (GB Harper) and Garngour (J and * Clark) herds made 2000gns apiece.
Averages: 14 bulls £2175 (up £361) and four females £898. (Harrison and Hetherington). *
Memories of top Bridge End stock inspire lively trading
PRODUCERS have long memories, and the top-notch cattle which were offered two years ago from the Dent familys Bridge End Holstein herd were still very much in the minds of many of those who thronged the Carlisle ring last week for the latest selection.
And the performance of many of those 1997 sale animals, which has been closely monitored by black-and-white breeders, inspired confident trading to a top of 2800gns this time round.
The bid came from an undisclosed telephone buyer from Scotland who claimed the showy, freshly calved heifer Bridge End Storm Pansy, a Maughlin Storm daughter out of a Boulet Charles dam.
Facing a boat trip to a new home in Co Down were several of the smartest lots including Bridge End Starbuck Buttergirl and Bridge End Storm Wendy bought by Norman McKnight for his Loughend herd.
The freshly calver heifer Buttergirl is out of a twice 11,000kg-plus show winning dam by Inspiration and made 1850gns; the Storm heifer is out of a Starbuck cow and realised 1380gns.
Another from the Buttergirl family, by Randolph, made 1350gns to J T Parkin, Barnard Castle, Co Durham.
Bridge End Storm Maple, out of a Jogger dam, made 1700gns to J W Tinkler and Son for their Lower Dene herd based in West Yorks, while the Kepculloch herd of Glasgow dairy farmers R Steel and Son added the in-calf heifer Bridge End Mason Fiona at 1400gns.
Averages: 53 cows and heifers in-milk £1003; nine heifers in-calf £942 and three maiden heifers £661. (Harrison and Hetherington). *
High yield Pincots in demand
THE high yielding Pincots Holstein herd – rolling average to May 1999 9655kg – was dispersed to a top price of 4300gns for Glos owners Colin and Barbara Robertson.
Underpinned by a further 10 four-figure bids, the successful sale saw the second calver Avondale Charles Rena command most attention. Sold freshly calved after a 10,300kg heifer lactation, she was giving 47.7kg on the day and was bought by B and L Whitfield and Son, Daventry.
The same buyers paid 1900gns for Springvalley Dewberry 13, a Bear Path Fantastic daughter about to complete her second note have given 8021kg in 250 days.
The dam of the top priced cow, a Prelude daughter with a best of 12,700kg, was sold carrying her fifth calf by Maughlin Storm. Buyer at 1050gns was R Fortune, Bristol.
Calved heifers sold to 1250gns for an Astronaut daughter out of a 14,800kg Amos dam.
Averages: 114 milking cows £773; four in-calf heifers £724. (Gwilym Richards). *
Beef ban lifting boost for sale
THE lifting of the beef ban raised the spirits of buyers at the sale of Limousin bulls at Carlisle last week – and clearly helped level 44 head at £2210 – but bidders carefully picked their way through the entry.
The best sold well with sires carrying the Woodhouse, Redrock and Haltcliffe prefix taking the top three calls of 4300gns and 4000gns twice.
Beef and sheep producer A Haggas, Skipton, North Yorks, signed the days biggest cheque for Woodhouse Oliver (Beef Value 20), a Broadmeadows Cannon son from Stoke-on-Trent breeder Geoff Blood.
Cumbria hill farmers Willie Cowx and son Andrew have recently been producing some good Limousins from their Hudscales herd but this sale saw them offer an 18-month-old bull carrying the Redrock prefix of fellow Cumbrians C N and J Dodd and Sons.
Redrock Orlando (Beef Value 24) is by Gaulois and went to Cheshire with J F Longman at 4000gns. His breeding included a line from the influential Cannon when used by local breeders Matt and Craig Ridley in their Haltcliffe herd.
And more Cannon featured in their own Haltcliffe Osmond which also made 4000gns. Buyer was G L Wilkinson, Bishop Auckland. (Harrison and Hetherington). *
Leading dairy herds to fore
WEST country dairy farmers were presented with cattle from 10 of the regions prominent Holstein herds at the annual seasonality sale at Taunton, Somerset.
Two calved heifers from G * Alford and Sons Silverpark herd at Exeter led the trade. A heifer by Diamond Star made 800gns and one by the Lancashire-bred bull Fortland Command also realised 800gns.
South Chard, Somerset, farmers L J Turner and Son sold two calved heifers from their Chardit herd at 780gns apiece and stock from G * Elliott and Cos Shapbrook consignment topped at 770gns for a calved heifer by Astre Starbuck.
The milking portion and all in-calf heifers from Dorset milk producer C R Caplans Everwood herd were offered and reached 700gns for a calved heifer by Dalmatien. A batch of 20 in-calf heifers from E and M Duckett, Wedmore, Somerset, averaged £434. *