The March Border & Lakeland club show and sale had an exceptional offering of high yielding heifers many bred from world class pedigrees.  In total 178 animals sold to top at 2,550gns to average £1688 for the fresh heifers.  Demand was strong for the top quality animals however there was a noticeable reduction in value for second class heifers and trade was selective if not unpredictable at times.  

The show was sponsored by Paragon Veterinary Group, Cogent and Advanced Nutrition and expertly judged by John Hodgson from the Holmeden Holstein herd.  He selected Boclair Caviar Barbara for his overall Champion and Champion Udder.  This powerful framed heifer was consigned by J Brewster from Boclair Farm, Glasgow and was sired by Gillette Caviar and bred from a VG88 Braedale Goldwyn dam.  Barbara sold for the top price of the day for 2,550gns to G McCulloch, High Ardwell Farm, Wigtownshire.  

The Reserve Champion went to Warnelview Rydell Susette consigned by the Wilson family from Wood Farm.  She was sired by Warnelview Rydell and bred from a strong cow family tracing back to an EX93 Picston Shaker fourth dam that was once a herd favourite.  Susette sold for 2,0000gns to Bowness Farms, Aspatria.  The Warnelview herd sold a further five heifers to average almost £1900 with Warnelview Lemust Fogey who was bred from four generations of Excellent or Very Goods also selling for 2,000gns.

 The best pedigree in the catalogue was Woodcatt Mardi Gras Maude consigned by D&H Horsley from Woodhouse Farm, Catterlen, Penrith.  She was sired by Mardi Gras and bred from a VG88 Talent followed by a VG Skychief who was sister to the Royal Show Champion Dalesend Storm Maude EX97.  Maude sold for 2,500gns to J Marrs Broomhills Farm, Carlisle. 

Skirwith Hall Farms sold five heifers to average over £1900 topping at 2,200gns for Stowbeck Utah Jeanie who was purchased by G McCulloch, High Ardwell Farm, Wigtownshire.  She was sired by View-Home Utah and bred from a long line of Excellent or Very Good cows a number with massive lifetime yields over 100 ton.

The Dunderdale herd sold seven heifers to average £1750 and topped at 2,150gns for Dunnderdale Masterful Sabrina sired by Masterful and traced back to Dunnerdale Intergrity Sabrina EX94.  She was purchased by Smalthwaite Farms, Penrith. 

There was a cracking group of thirty in-calf heifers consigned by Colin G Mair & Son from the Monruy herd near Turriff in Aberdeenshire.  They averaged £1245 and topped at 1,400 for Monyruy Twist Gretel.  She was sired by Cogent Twist and bred from a VG Metalic dam.

The sale opened with a special consignment of semen and included bulls such as Shottle, Skychief, Raider, Goldwyn and Windbrook.  The Braedale Goldwyn topped at 320gns per dose with the whole consignment averaging £101 per dose.

The next dairy sale at Borderway takes place on Friday 16^th March and features the complete dispersal of the prize winning Bowberhill Holstein herd. 

Averages

57 Heifers in milk                                            £1688.05

30 In-Calf heifers                                            £1245.90

50 Doses of semen (per dose)                       £101.71

Leading Prices

Lot      Purchaser

49        G McCulloch, High Ardwell, Ardwell, Atranraer, Wigtownshire                                 2550gns

62        JT & EM Marrs & Son, Broomhills, Orton Road, Carlisle, Cumbria                           2500gns

73        G McCulloch, High Ardwell, Ardwell, Atranraer, Wigtownshire                                 2200gns

77        Smallthwaite Farms Ltd, Smallthwaite House, Calthwaite, Penrith, Cumbria           2150gns

55        RK & C Rudd & Sons, Grassings Farm, Kirkbridge, Wigton, Cumbria                     2000gns

63        Bowness Farms, Threapland Lees, Threapland, Aspatria, Cumbria                         2000gns

36        Bowness Farms, Threapland Lees, Threapland, Aspatria, Cumbria                         1920gns

52        Bowness Farms, Threapland Lees, Threapland, Aspatria, Cumbria                         1920gns

65        Firm of WA Clark, Whins Farm, Kirtlebridge,Lockerbie, Dumfriesshire                    1920gns

31        GG Baynes & Son, Marleycote Walls, Slaley, Hexham, Northumberland                1900gns

34        Bowness Farms, Threapland Lees, Threapland, Aspatria, Cumbria                         1900gns

38        G McCulloch, High Ardwell, Ardwell, Atranraer, Wigtownshire                                 1900gns

Prize List