Auctioneers: CCM Auctions
Averages: Fresh heifers £1,453; Fresh cows £1,375
There was a packed Bank Holiday Monday dairy shippon and ringside for the main August Craven Dairy Auction at Skipton Auction Mart, which featured an inaugural show and sale on behalf of the Yorkshire Holstein Club, plus a standalone bull section. (Aug 29)
The first prize newly calven heifer in the pedigree show class progressed to earn the supreme champion’s rosette. It came from Alan and Susan Throup, who run the Dalebrad herd with their oldest son Richard and daughter Rosie, 20, at Higher House Moor, Silsden Moor.
The 30 days-calved Dalesbrad Destry Peony, giving 32 litres, is home-bred by the Genus sire Scientific Destry, by whom the Throups also have a number of other milkers at home. The same sire’s maiden heifers have been taking the show world by storm of late. The Skipton victor, who is out of Dalesbrad Northside Peony Red, sold for £1,950 to regular buyers Alf and Andrew Townsend, of Southfield, Burnley.
The Throup family was also responsible for the third prize newly calven heifer with their Dalebrad Pan Ash daughter, Pan Ash Doris. The sire, described as a good udder bull, was sold at Skipton two years ago. The 28 days-calved 30-litre Doris made £1,520 when joining Brian Blezard, of Ribchester.
The second prize fresh heifer was presented by David and Dee Holmes, who run the Holmedale herd in Castley, Otley. The two-year-old Holmedale Hercules Poppy 2 is by Ingleview Hercules, bred by Robert and Elaine Butterfield in High Bentham, out of Haverah Park Gold Poppy 2. Boasting a lot of milk in her back pedigree, she sold at £1,780 to Wick Williams, of Nantwich.
Local breeder Brian Moorhouse, of the Aireburn herd at Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, also did well at £1,700 with his Aireburn Charlie Rilla-sired heifer, out of a EX92 cow. This also fell to Mr Blezard.
Show judge Edward Fort, who runs the Silmoor Holstein herd on Silsden Moor, awarded the reserve championship to the first prize fresh cow from multiple Craven Dairy Auction champions, father and daughter, David and Suzy Lawson, who run the Newbirks Holstein herd at Mill Farm, Arthington.
Having produced her second calf a month prior to the show and giving 40 litres, Newbirks Downing Rosina is by the Lancashire-bred Stardale Downing, a former stock bull used to good effect by the Lawsons, Out of Newbirks Matson Rosina, the reserve champion found a new home with Cowling’s Martyn Jennings at £1,400.
The Lawson family also figured prominently in the bull section with Newbirks Jazzman, a well-bred 15-month-old bull sired by Bassingthorpe Bossman and half-brother to Newbirks Jazz 1584, who was Holstein champion and reserve dairy interbreed at this year’s Great Yorkshire Show, and also second in its class at the European championships in the hands of Robert and Elaine Butterfield, who bought her as a milking heifer from the Lawsons last year.
Hard bid for in the sales ring, the promising young Newbirks bull went on to sell locally for £2,700 to Angus Dean at Toft House, Threshfield.
A good line-up of maidens was headed by a bulling heifer from the up-and-coming Startover herd of the Gratton family at Brimham Lodge Farm. Startover Glauco Jasmine 2, sired by the Toc- Farm Duplex Glauco, took first prize in class and went on to sell for £850 to Jennings Farmers in Fountains, Ripon.
The Throups’ Dalesbrad herd again caught the eye with a 16-month-old Coldsprings Ponder-sired heifer, Dalesbrad Ponder Gwennie, sold for £840 to Simon Spensley in Gargrave.
Of the 51 head forward, in the pedigree section fresh heifers averaged £1,453 and fresh cows £1,375. In-calf heifers sold to £1,140 for an entry from Ian Oliver & Partners in Darley, averaging £1,080. Maiden heifers averaged £671.
Chris Hardcastle, from Saltergate Hill Farm, near Harrogate, president of the Yorkshire Holstein Club, said the inaugural show and sale had received good support from members, attracting both a strong and quality turnout. The show was co-sponsored by NMR, Cogent and Trouw Nutrition.
