Auctioneers: Norton & Brooksbank

Averages: 112 cows & calved heifers, £1,153.17 (incl. 34 calves @ £518); 38 served heifers , £1,029.55; 6 maiden heifers, £532.00; 156 lots, £1,099.16

A number of volume buyers from as far away as Hampshire, West Wales, Cheshire & Cornwall combined to make a fast & furious and far better than predicted trade for the dispersal of BQ Farms (South) Ltd’s dairy herd on farm near Kettering on Tuesday this week. A successful sale of the dairy herd of 112 with 34 calves at foot and 40 served heifers.

Peter Gorse who is setting up a new herd near Stafford took advantage of the splendid older cows that showed no signs of doing anything other than prolonging their working lives even after 10/12 calves. He finished up with 38. John Colgrove made the long journey from St. Austell in Cornwall and filled an artic with many of the best young cows on offer.

The top priced milker was a daughter of Ked Outside Jeeves due in August with her second calf.  At 1,550 gns she joins eight of her herd mates bound for Messrs F.M Faulks & Sons herd at Colston Bassett, Notts. The same buyer also claimed one of several good daughters of McCormick, in calf to Trigger for August at 1,500 gns. Also selling for 1,500 gns was another Jeeves daughter due in August with her second calf. She travels to Chester along with 23 others to Messrs A.J & G.M Cliff Ltd.

The calves at foot sold particularly well with 34 averaging £518. Five of these made 600 gns or more with a top of 660 gns twice for daughters of Chalcliffe Ransom. Will Fox from Hook in Hampshire was the main buyer claiming 32 youngsters.

Served heifers due mainly in August or September sold readily to average over £1,000 with a top 1,380 guineas for a September calver by Refined Kingpin.

It took just under 3 hours to sell all 180 cattle and the feeling was, ‘this was a dear sale!’ The cattle were good and with the excellent health status it was no surprise this fine herd beat market trends.