Top Budheath cows stay in the family
Top Budheath cows stay in the family
SOME of the most sought-after cows at the dispersal of the Budheath herd of Holsteins stayed in the family when Cheshire farmers Robin and June Raby staged their retirement sale.
Taking several of the choicest lots, including the sales top price at 1350gns, were Karlton and Karen Williams, son-in-law and daughter of the vendors who are setting up a new herd at Great Budworth, near Northwich.
It was the third calver Budheath Astre Acorn that drew the leading bid. She was a former first prize winner in good company at the Cheshire Show and had given 10,228kg with her second. Her heifer calf by Brock led the calf section and goes to the same buyers at 400gns.
There was a clear preference for freshly calved and springing cows and heifers. Young stock and calves sold well but trade for lying-off cows and recently served heifers was patchy.
Peter Andrews from St Weonards, Herefordshire paid 1300gns for the calved heifer Budheath Juror Acorn while Richard Ratcliffe was once again adding to his Airway herd based at Natwich and took the only classified cow at 1020gns for Budheath Emerald 17th, by Arbor Vanguard Warrior. She had dropped her fifth calf the day before the sale.
(Wright-Manley).