Following the December collective monthly sale of dairy cattle at Ross-on-Wye Market, auctioneer Gwilym Richards remarked “it was standing room only ringside with all 287 cattle finding new homes in less than four and a half hours, and being a sheer delight to sell after such a traumatic year for the dairy industry”.
Five calved heifers from Brownswood Holsteins of Worcester sold in excess of 2,000gns with two at 2,150gns, and others at 2,120gns, 2,100gns and 2,000gns. Their consignment of 14 heifers averaged £1,964.
Robert and Keith Oughton of Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, received 1,950gns for a calved heifer and 1,880gns for a 2nd calver.
John and Ruth Hoggins of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, sold calved heifers to 1,900gns and cows to 1,800gns for a second calver as part of the phased dispersal sale of their Whitecastle herd.
Mark and Ben Stephens of Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire, averaged £1,901 for their calved heifers with a best of £1,943.
The sale also included the dispersal sale of Malcolm and Lesley Meredith’s herd at Glewstone, Herefordshire. Their loose housed herd sold to 1,850gns and 1,750gns for calved heifers, 1,700gns and 1,650gns for second calvers and 1,650gns for fourth calvers. Their spring calving in-calf heifers sold to 1,120gns.
Colin and Ben Andrews of Leominster, Herefordshire, were also dispersing their herd of loose housed cattle. Their milkers sold to 1,880gns for a 2nd calver and 1,800gns for a 1st calver. Their in-calf heifers sold to 1,420gns, bullers to 1,050gns, yearlings to 780gns and heifer calves to 400gns.
There were 50 successful buyers with many more unsuccessful underbidders from as far as Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Shropshire, Staffordshire and all corners of Wales.
Averages:
Collective Sale Fresh heifers
1st quality £2,044
2nd quality £1,731
3rd quality £1,128
all
heifers £1,743
Fresh cows 1st
quality £1,806
2nd quality £1,229
3rd quality £1,050
all cows £1,442
G W & J Hoggins (phased
dispersal)
