The First Sale to disperse the Newrodddige Herd of pedigree Holsteins on behalf of Mallaber Partners took place at Park Farm, Drakelow, Nr. Burton-on-Trent on Wednesday. 9^th May. This sale comprised virtually the entire milking portion except a few autumn calvers, the close calving in-calf heifers and all heifer calves born since the beginning of December. A second sale will take place in the early winter for the remainder of the herd.

A really good crowd were in attendance with cattle being dispersed from Wigtownshire in South West Scotland to Kent in the South with several buyers purchasing more than ten head.

The top price of the day was for the milking heifer Newroddige Pam 63^rd (VG85-2yr), a daughter of Windy-Knoll-View 4 Aces and bred from seven generations of VG dams. This December calved heifer was sold giving 41 kg daily to join John Allan’s Leaventhorpe Herd at Tutbury, Nr. Burton-on-Trent. John purchased four more leading lots including the January calved heifer Newroddige Loader Angela (VG86-2yr) back in-calf for December and still giving 46 kg for 3300 gns and the January calved second calver Newroddige Contented 136^th (VG87-3yr) who was sold giving 55 kg daily for 3200 gns.

Michael and Ben Haigh of Glenluce, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire were the leading volume buyers of the day purchasing 23 milkers; their leading lot was the outstanding Newroddige Dictator Rosamay (VG88-3yr & SP) who is another daughter of Overside Dictator and the fourth generation of top scored cows and traces back to the Spring Farm Rose family. She calved her second in March and was sold giving 57 kg daily for 3650 gns.

Selling for 3400 gns was another Dictator daughter Newroddige Dictator Sally (VG85-3yr), an eleventh generation VG/EX daughter of the Styche Sally line; fresh calved with her second she was the choice of Peter Royle for his Bolshaw Herd at Rugby, Warwickshire. Her dam by Mr. Sam who was carrying her fourth calf by Lavanguard sold for 2800 gns to join the Castellhyfryd Herd of Simon Davies at Whitland, Carmarthenshire whilst her daughter by Windy-Knoll-View Perform was the top in-calf heifer selling for 2350 gns to HT Hawksworth & Son of Shardlow, Derby.

Also selling at 3400 gns was one of the best animals in the sale Newroddige Duplex Sonya 2^nd ET (EX91 & SP), a third calf daughter of Duplex tracing back to the imported Impala TTR Sonya EX92(16*). She was sold milking almost 60 kg a day with her third and was one of ten great cows purchased by Colin Middleton for his Mittonvale Herd at Mitton, Nr. Clitheroe, Lancashire. He also purchased the third calf Empire Sonya (Ex90-4yr), the Kendall daughter Newroddige Frances 54^th (Ex90-4yr) and the Hydaways Royale daughter, Newroddige Chancer 17^th (GP83 & SP) all for 3000 gns each.

Heifer calves were in great demand and sold to a top of 1100 gns for the December born Newroddige Steady Kitty by Stantons Steady purchased by S Forshaw & Sons of Longridge, Preston.

TOP PRICES:                                                                                                             GNS

AVERAGES:

160 Cows and Milking Heifers (including 61 heifer calves at £692.48) £2179.86;  7 In-calf Heifers £1897.50;  167 HEAD £2168.02.

WRIGHT MANLEY of Beeston Castle Auction, Cheshire together with Norton & Brooksbank were the Auctioneers.