The 87-strong turnout at the main April Craven Dairy Auction at Skipton Auction Mart was one of the highest in recent years, though with a full shippon trade was a shade easier than of late for the 30 milkers forward, possibly aligned to recent drop in the price farmers are paid for their milk.

Nevertheless, there was again keen demand for all classes, with newly calven entries supplemented by ten in-calf heifers and 44 maiden heifers, along with a special show and sale of pedigree Holstein Friesian bulls. A total of ten animals sold for £2,000 and upwards.

Champion was the first prize newly calven Holstein Friesian cow from the Abbeyhouse dairy herd of Andrew Jennings, who trades as Jennings Farmers at Fountains Farm, South Stainley, near Ripon, last victorious at the 2011 Christmas dairy show.

His latest title winner, Abbeyhouse Gold Ruby 8, is a home-bred pedigree third calver by the famous Canadian-bred Semex sire Braedale Goldwyn – “for me, the best dairy bull in the world,” according to Andrew.

With a classification of 89 and currently giving 50 litres – she has already twice produced over 10,000 litres annually – the victor is another high-class product of the Jennings’ prolific Ruby family, whose lines stretch way back to a cow bought in the 1950s by Andrew’s father Eric from the Creskeld herd of J and C Stoddart-Scott at Arthington in West Yorkshire.

The champion, which had calved three weeks prior to the show, sold for £1,840 to ringside regular Wick Williams, of Nantwich Cheshire.

Jennings Farmers also experienced the sweet smell of success when their home-bred Abbeyhouse Peaches and Cream achieved top price of 2,600gns (£2,730) in the dairy bull show. The second prize winner, a son of Our-Favourite Manning ET, out of Abbeyhouse Jasper Peach, was acquired by P H Hall & Son, of Melbourne, York.

Back with the milkers, the reserve championship fell to the first prize newly calven pedigree heifer from Mark Houseman, of Church Farm Enterprises, whose Senterprise herd, based at Burton Leonard, was represented in the show arena for the first time in a decade, during which Mr Houseman has been expanding his dairy holding, which now stands at 340 milkers.

Giving 28 litres, the 11 days-calved home-bred Senterprise Bertil Kathleen, by the Dutch sire Beekmanshoe Bertil, made £2,080 when acquired by Calderdale’s John Hitchen, of Ludendenfoot.

The day’s top female price at £2,280 fell to Chris Broadwith, of Ripon, whose second calver found a new home locally in Carleton with John Howard.

Multiple champions Malcolm and Robert Swires, of, Haverah Park, Beckwithshaw, again performed creditably when presenting both second prize winners in the newly calven classes. The heifer sold at £1,900, the cow at £1,960, both joining Wigan’s Tom Green. The Swires also sold further entries at £2,050 and £2,000 twice.

Jeremy Taylor, of Broughton, sold his third prize newly calven heifer for £2,000 to John Whittaker, of Laneshawbridge.

The Aireburn pedigree herd of Craven Dairy Auction regular Brian Moorhouse, of Bell Busk, was responsible for the dairy bull show first prize winner, who is related to two of the world’s top dairy bulls. Aireburn Electricity ET is by Comestar Lauthority, himself a son of the great Braedale Goldwyn, out of the Picston Shottle daughter Willsbro Shottle Echo.

The March, 2011-born red rosette winner, said to ready for work by his breeder, sold for 2,350gns (£2,467.50) to Stephen and Malcolm Abbott, of Dacre, Harrogate. In addition, Mr Moorhouse presented the third prize bull, by another Braedale Goldwyn son, Crackholm Fever, which also found a new home near Harrogate when joining Eric Marshall, of Heyshaw, for 2,250gns (£2,362.50).

R & CR Mitchell, of Oakworth, who regularly perform well at Skipton with their in-calf heifers, were responsible for the top price in class at £1,960. It found pastures new with David Shuttleworth in Gargrave.

The best of the 12 to 16-month maiden heifers at £960 came from Stephen Midgley, of Thorpe Bassett, Malton, selling to Stephen Breare, of Silsden.

SDM Kellett, of Old Farnley, Leeds, achieved a clean sweep of the prizes in the Jersey heifers class, which sold to a high of £358.

Newly calven heifers averaged £1,778, newly calven cows £1,530, in-calf heifers £1,526, maiden heifers £795, Jersey heifers £309 and dairy bulls £2,526.

Judge was Threshfield’s Angus Dean, with the show again supported by regular monthly sponsor BOCM Pauls. The next Craven Dairy Auction is on Monday, May 21.

BELOW: Robin Jennings with his main April Craven Dairy Auction champion.