The sale of the milking portion, maiden heifers and heifer calves for Mrs Janice Hughes, her son Trefor and daughter Heidi of their Hafael herd of pedigree Holstein Friesians attracted buyers from throughout Wales, England and Northern Ireland to their West Wales coastal farm at Llanrhystud in Ceredigion.

Two cattle shared the top price of 3,000 gns and both were purchased by L E & P M Rees for their Anvil herd near Aberystwyth.

The first to make 3,000 gns was the VG86 second calver Hafael Berryhill Blossom which had been calved two months and giving 43 kgs when sold having recorded 8,409 kgs milk 4.45% fat as a heifer. Her dam was VG88 and her grand dam EX90. 

The two month old heifer calf sired by Genervations Willpower out of this cow sold for 1,050 gns to D A Mawhinney of County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

The other 3,000 gns animal was the freshly calved second calver Hafael Wyman Sharon GP83 which had produced 8,697 kgs of milk at 4.57% fat and 3.58% protein with her first calf. Her mother was EX92 and her grandmother VG88.

Top priced calved heifer was the VG85 two year old Hafael Doorman Wendy, a fourth generation animal in the top two grades, which had calved in late September. The buyers at 2,600 gns were H O & S E J George for their Trigarn herd near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.

Next highest priced calved heifer at 2,500gns was sold to the Ormond herd of D J & G Davies of Lampeter, Ceredigion. Their purchase was Hafael Atwood Gweno which was a month calved and was out of a 10,140 kgs GP dam and an Excellent grand dam. 

The highlight of the sale was the phenomenal trade for the youngstock with the maiden heifers averaging £1,035 and the heifer calves levelling out at £654 throughout fired up by interest from across the Irish Sea.

However, it was the Welsh that made the top bids for the maiden heifers with 1,200 gns being recorded twice for fourteen month old Mr Chassity Gold Chip daughters. Both buyers were from the St Clears area of Carmarthenshire - R H & E S Lloyd of the Llangynin herd and D A & C L Owens & Co of the Caria herd. 

The second highest price for a heifer calf was made by M T & E R Davies & Sons of Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, when they paid 1,020 gns for the five month old Woodmarsh Miller sired heifer calf out of an 11,663 kgs 4.52% fat EX 91 Ladino Park Talent mother to join their Hillcross herd.

Averages:

140 cows and milking heifers £1,425.08

(including 29 heifer calves at £641.22)

22 maiden heifers £1,035.68

8 heifer calves (no dams) £702.18

1 bull £1,575.00

171 lots £1,342.04

Auctioneers: GWILYM RICHARDS & CO jointly with JJ Morris