Annandale Triumphant in Sale

On Wednesday the 25^th Annual Autumn Black & White Dairy Bull Sale saw a record entry of over 100 pedigree animals catalogued. Despite the slight anxiety prior to the sale that this was too many for the demand to absorb the event turned out to be very successful with 80% of the bulls presented finding buyers and 10 making over 4000gns to a joint record top price of 7500gns.

With virtually every young bull boasting an awesome pedigree, much of the demand and price variation depended on the conformation of the animal in the ring, and the buyer’s individual preferences for Friesian or Holstein genetics. The overriding theme which prevailed though was that however well bred the bull, if it was frail it was hard to sell.

The show stopper Annandale Hopscotch had earlier won Reserve Champion and the Special Production Championship under Ray Browns “Bidlea Herd” expert judgement. Sired by the highly rated Italian sire M.E. Dal Alliance and from an unbroken sire line of high scoring Excellent dams from the “Hope” family the 7500gns bull now goes to Messrs Clarke’s Herd near Skipton. The dam of the bull Annandale Gelpro Hope 3 EX93 has staggering milk, butterfat and protein production with all six lactations averaging 14000kg in 305 days at 4.2%F and 3.4%P (she also bred the Champion bull at this event three years ago).

The second leading price of 5200gns was for an 18 month old pure British Friesian bull from Ian Brocket’s Winnoch herd based in Renfrewshire. Homebred on both sides of its pedigree. (Sire; Winnoch Umpire and dam; Winnoch Cherry 239 SP). The bull goes to the South Cumbrian herd of Messrs Fell.

Although five of the top ten prices over 4000gns for bulls bred and shown by Messrs Armour of Annandale including the 4500gns overall Champion “Annandale Total” (Askew Reece x Annandale Trustee Triuna VG87) it was a rewarding day also for local respected breeder Andrew Carter & family of the “Gerrard herd”. Their much admired 16 month old son of Gillette Jordan “Gerrard Chancer” made 4500gns. He is out of a homebred dam classified EX92 that is still at home in her seventh lactation.

Amongst the leading prices was another enthusiastic local pedigree breeding family Messrs Horsley’s “Woodcatt Mario ET” is a son of legendary Denmire Gibson Marie 22 – the forth successive Excellent 94 pointed cow and sold for 4000gns. At 4300gns was a Crackholm fever son of Woodmarsh Zoey. The 19 star brood cow bred by Messrs Gould, Shropshire from the world famous Ocean View Mandel Zandra EX95 (USA).

Auctioneer Glyn Lucas summed up the days work simply “to average over £3000 selling 80% of the largest sale we have had is very rewarding indeed.

Leading Prices

Averages

71 Bulls £3102.86