There were once again many excellent quality entries to our Weekly Dairy Sale, which saw a total of 55 animals through the sale ring.  The ringside was absolutely packed with many regular and new purchasers in attendance with buyers coming from as far and wide as Sussex.  Trade was very strong indeed thanks to the quality and consistency of animals, with strong milkers proving to be particularly sought-after.  

A top selling price of £2320 was achieved for a truly awesome Limousin bull, ‘Saltbrook Lieutenant’ from Messrs PM. & L. Harris & Son, Alkmonton, Derbyshire.  With his good temperament and high health status he was highly sought-after and purchased by an undisclosed purchaser.

Heifers-in-milk provided a roaring trade, with a recently calved pedigree heifer (lot 5) with a 32.4kg yield and high herd health from Messrs P. & M. Timmis, Standon selling to £2080 to Mr G.A. Hargreaves & Sons, Creswell, Staffordshire.  The same vendor also consigned another superb pedigree heifer-in-milk (lot 4) with a 37.4kg yield that sold to £1980.  The purchaser was Mr C.J. Phillips & Co, Minsterley.  Regular quality consigner Messrs J.H. Wynn & Partners, Fennsbank, also brought forward a lovely recently calved heifer, ‘Fennswood Yen Augusta.’  She was purchased for £1900 by Hunt Partnership, Crewe.  Pure Friesian heifers achieved an average selling price of £1231.32 and fresh milking heifers achieved an average of £1715. 

We had some great quality in-calf heifers through the sale ring, with trade topping at £1500 for a pedigree animal from Mr D.B. Jones, Bangor-on-Dee.  She is in-calf to Hereford and due at the end of December.  The purchaser was PT. & L. Johnson, Stafford.  Messrs E. & M. Pearce, Whitmore, Staffordshire consigned several very good commercial in-calf heifers that sold to £1260.  Overall, this group of February due, in-calf heifers averaged £1220. 

Cows provided a strong trade yet again, with Hilltop Farming Company, Aston-by-Budworth, achieving the top cow selling price of £1680 for an outstanding, pedigree third calver with an awesome 44kg daily yield.  She was secured by Messrs BG. & MA. Elkin & Sons Ltd, Hilderstone.  Many other cows sold for between £1400 and £1600 and the average milking cow selling price was £1347.85. 

Shorthorn milking cows also sold particularly well, selling to £1600 for new vendor, Messrs DJ. & DS. Winnington, Gnosall.  The purchaser of which was Messrs D. &J. Moseley Ltd, Stoke-on-Trent.