There were 200 people on the first day of Messrs Booth’s dispersal of their first-class Flashouse herd of pedigree Holsteins on farm near Penistone in West Yorkshire. A smaller but equally determined crowd assembled on the second day and 64 buyers were recorded, along with several others who found the cattle ‘too dear’ over the two days. The successful bidders hailed from many parts of Britain from Devon to Glasgow. The sale, which was as a result of selling the farm was arranged in under three weeks. With extensive advertising, on line catalogues and a mail shot, the short fuse did not seem to effect prices which were considered very good in the current climate of falling milk prices and cancelled dairy company contracts.

Trade is certainly well back from the levels seen two months or so ago but nevertheless nine animals made 2000gns or more with scores making into the high teens of hundreds.

Top call on the day 2300gns paid twice for fresh cows. First to reach this figure was Flashouse Talent Teda, a late October calver giving 38kg by Ladino Park Talent. John Allan from Burton-on-Trent was the successful bidder and went on to purchase 11 of the best milking cattle for his good Leaventhorpe Herd. These included Flashouse Seaver Alice, an autumn calver giving 36kg which also made 2300gns, another Seaver daughter, 4 weeks into her second lactation, that fetched 2250 guineas and Flashouse Burns Cutie 2 at 2220 gns.

One of the main buyers on day one were Messrs W.W and W.G Clark from Bradnop, Leek, who purchased 27 quality milking cattle including Flashouse Jordan Emily GP82 2yr at 2150 gns.

Calves at foot were a fast trade averaging £469 and peaking at 600gns. The principal buyer of young calves was Richard Trott, who has a heifer rearing enterprise near Castle Cary in Somerset.

Day two stated with 34 served heifers which met a level trade, peaking at 1400gns. The flood of EU imports of calved heifers at £1400 or less has severely restricted the trade for these animals and these fine heifers, many of which would calve in a month or so, seemed below their true worth.

However the bulling heifers which followed sold really well with plenty making 1000gns or more. Peter Waring (Winton) purchased the top priced heifer in this section, which was 1480gns for a smart Crackholm Fever daughter. Yearling heifers were a strong trade also selling up to 920gns for a Comestar Lauthority daughter born in February. Two of the main buyers of heifers were Edward Harrison from Penrith and Messrs J.G Pears Ltd from nearby Penistone who secured a quality load of 38.