Averages: 87 cows and milking heifers £1,135.44; 35 in-calf and served heifers £1019.70; 56 maiden heifers £608.81.
Auctioneers: Wright Marshall
The dispersal of the entire Lyngate herd of pedigree Holsteins, the property of Worstead Farms Ltd., Smallburgh, Norfolk took place at Beeston Castle Auction on Tuesday 24th May in front of a useful crowd of purchasers. No doubt the brilliant silaging weather affected attendance but nevertheless cattle were sold to farms in Central Scotland, North England and as far as Dorset in the South, as well as 28 young stock going to a farm in the Republic of Ireland.
The herd was being dispersed following the death of Gavin Paterson MBE last December, who was one of Norfolk’s most highly respected breeders, and the decision of the family to cease milking on the farm. The herd was managed extremely well under the care of Herd Manager Hayley Rushworth and included many good individuals from this entirely closed herd whose history stretches back almost 75 years.
The top two priced individuals of the sale were both purchased by local breeder, David Green of Lach Dennis, Northwich for his Keckwick herd. The top seller at 1,820gns was Lyngate Ditson Tolpis VG87, a daughter of the homebred Lyngate Ditson who sold dry carrying her third calf by Crackholm Fever. His second purchase at 1,750gns was Lyngate Golden Oaks Alexander Trixie VG86-2yr, a milking heifer due again with her second in September to the German sire McCoy.
In-calf heifers were the trade of the day; they were a lovely group and sold readily with plenty of bidding to a ceiling of 1,350gns twice and a further three at 1,300gns. The top sellers were a Lyngate Lotto heifer from the Handsome family going to Bubney Farms Ltd., Whitchurch and a Golden Dreams heifer from the Vogue family going to Messrs Cope Prees.
Maiden heifers and calves met the best trade so far this spring and sold up to 1,050gns for Lyngate Zeber Vaakje, 10-month old daughter of Go-Farm Zeber which sold to J L Trow & Son, Shrewsbury, whilst calves at foot topped at 600gns for Lyngate Goldmine Myrna which sold to R G Owen of Valley, Anglesey.
