The May Mid Month Sale of Dairy Cattle at Beeston Castle Auction attracted an entry 321 head of which 307 animals were forward on the day. As usual all the pedigree Holstein milkers were part of the Western Holstein Club’s Focus Milk section. There were certainly less buyers around but the trade was certainly dearer than it was a month ago, particularly for the best.
IN-MILK COWS AND HEIFERS
In the milking section trade was very good considering there was a much smaller crowd than usual, but it as it proved you don’t always need a big crowd to have a good trade. Competition was good from the several big buyers present which included 5 different people from West Wales purchasing 70 head; resulting in a much faster trade and an increased average on the previous month. This was particularly so for the best which saw a top bid of £1800 for Dilandy Concrete Bibby from D & AC Shakeshaft of Ellesmere. This daughter Larcrest Concrete is out of a 12000 kg dam and was sold giving 33.5 kg to an undisclosed West Wales buyer who also sold the highest priced unregistered heifer at £1680 for an animal giving 34.5 kg to JG & CA Bayley of Nuneaton. Another Concrete daughter from the Shakeshaft’s, Dilandy Concrete Kate 2nd sold for £1650 to Philip Plant of Eccleshall.
The second highest priced heifer was consigned by David Monk of Ormskirk for his Hydaways Goldmine daughter, Bannistree Vera 112th which was giving 35 kg and sold to D & HE Colclough & Son of Hassall, Sandbach. The last heifer through the ring, Joylan Roc Star by the homebred Joylan Rockefeller made the third highest price of the day selling for £1670 to DR & B Trow of Whixall, Whitchurch. This heifer was consigned by Joylan Farms of St. Michaels Preston who sold another, Joylan Wyman Loeza for £1610 to Ferney Lees Farm Ltd of Tarporley. The last heifer to break the £1600 barrier, and also selling at £1610, was Annshill Drayman Keesannette who had travelled all the way from Fife, Scotland with Gavin Struthers.
Cows sold to a top of £1450 for the second calf, Burnbrae Gerard Vaakje form Jack and Barclay Taylor of Myddle, Shrewsbury who sold giving 45 kg to the Colclough’s. The second highest selling cow was Deanbank Magpie 46th, a Galastar Bluesky second calver from Ian Bradburn of Orrell, Wigan which sold for £1300 to John Bayley.
IN-CALF HEIFERS
Just like the milkers these were a much better trade selling to £1350 for a daughter of Abbeyhouse Mr Gold due in June from EV & B Boughey & Son of Tarporley. Next at £1200 was the lead heifer from DW & MN Ishmael of Orrell, Wigan for a daughter of Bassingthorpe Drayman due in Mid July.
MAIDEN HEIFERS
They continue to struggle and appear to be a real cheap investment for the future. Top price was only £610 for a daughter of Regancrest Altaiota from Tom Cowell of Kirkham, Preston.
HEIFER CALVES
Just like the maidens they appear very cheap. We had a large entry of almost 50 in this month and top price was £200 which was achieved three times all for entries from Grosvenor Farms Ltd., of Chester.
AVERAGES:
21 Cows £958.14; 149 Milking Heifers 1210.59; 14 In-calf Heifers £1046.15; 64 Maiden Heifers 403.83; 48 Heifer Calves £157.50
WRIGHT MARSHALL of Beeston Castle Auction, Cheshire were the Auctioneers.
