The World’s Number One heifer ranked on PLI with a figure of +£741 stole the show at Meadow Lea Farm, Mickle Trafford yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, 1st November, when Andrew Walley of Cottonabbotts Holsteins presented a sale of contemporary genetics from his large herd under the banner ‘Aiming High from Cottonabbotts’

 

A large crowd gathered at Meadow Lea Farm, many travelling long distances, keen to see and witness the first sale from this really good herd of cattle who have made enormous strides in their genetic evolution over the last 10 years. As a general overview the very best met with a powerful trade and there was no doubt there was a premium on those heifers who combined depth of pedigree, superior genetics and had the looks to match. But it has to be said the overall standard, particularly in the served and open heifers, was tremendous and there will be little doubt that all those who were successful bidders will be very pleased with their purchases.

 

Buyers were recorded from Northern and Southern Ireland, several from Scotland, throughout Wales, Devon and Cornwall as well as Cheshire and its surrounding counties.

 

So the star of the sale, the May 2016 born calf Cottonabbotts Penmanship Jessica ET, a daughter of Sandy-Valley-I Penmanship and bred from 7 generations of VG/EX dams from the Hood ATM Jessica family. After a frenetic round of bidding contested by six different parties including three separate individuals from Northern Ireland the hammer was eventually knocked down at 18500 gns to David and Claire Jones of Wiltor Holsteins from Magor, Nr.Newport, South Wales who purchased the heifer jointly with Hugh Neilson of Overside Holsteins of Strathaven, Lanarkshire.

Cottonabbotts Penmanship Jessica ET

 

Next at 5800 gns was the very smart Cottonabbotts Camaro Ambrosia, a December ’14 daughter of Stantons Camaro due to calve in the early New Year to De-Su Fantasmic with sexed semen. This was from a great line-up of cows from this renowned cow family and whose grand dam was full sister to last years’s Royal Welsh Show Champion. Ambrosia sold to Honeycomb Holsteins of Sharnford, Leicestershire.

 

At 3400 gns was the young cow, Cottonabbotts Control Ghost (VG87-2yr); a daughter of the Snowman son, JK Eder Control and an 11th generation classified in the top two grades. She sold dry having just completed her first lactation and was due in early January to Stantons Draftpick. She was purchased by Bryan and John O’Connor of Kanturk, Co Cork in the Republic of Ireland. Closely behind this on the pricelist was the first animal in the ring, the outstanding milking heifer Cottonabbotts McCutchen Mirage (VG87-2yr), a 10th gen VG/EX from the Seagull-Bay M family who has just been awarded the Champion heifer in the Western Holstein Club’s Herd Competition and who is due to calve again nest April to Wa-Del ABS Bourbon. She sold to DR & A Higgins of Longnor, Shrewsbury.

 

At the level 3000 gns was the yearling heifer Cottonabbotts Buick Lisette, a daughter of Huijben DG Buick from the Licorice family with a PLI of +£526. This very smart individual sold to Tony Blackburn of Broomhall, Nantwich. Not far behind at 2900 gns was another lovely maiden heifer, the 10 month old Cottonabbotts Masterful Roda who has 15 direct dams all scored VG/EX from the renowned Ivory Mark Family; this Mogul grand-daughter sold to Mrs Rachel Williamson of Wardle, Nantwich.

 

AVERAGES:

27 Cows and Milking Heifers £1808.33; 9 Served Heifers £1930.83; 58 Maiden Heifers and Heifer Calves £1429.09; 1 Bull £1050.00

 

WRIGHT MARSHALL of Beeston Castle Auction, Cheshire were the Auctioneers.