Auctioneers: Norton & Brooksbank

Averages:  170  lots (incl 25 ‘A’ lots @ £408) £1,276.98; 118  cow & calved heifers £1,447.40; 22  served heifers £1,156.91; 30 maiden heifers  £694.75  

A tremendous crowd including bidders from Kent, Berkshire, Welshpool and Fife packed into the barn at High Ground Farm on Tuesday this week to see the dispersal of Messrs D & E Beresford & Son’s high yielding Highgro herd. The decision to sell on farm looked to have been an excellent one with great local support as well as plenty of buyers from neighbouring counties and from far away. An average of virtually £1,100 a life and 13 individuals making 2,000 guineas or more tells the story of a much improved trade.

An NMR average of 11,259kg and an impressive health status in a TB4 area all combined to attract buyers in large numbers to compete for the cattle. When the 11 year old lot 1 coming with her seventh calf having given 88 tonnes of milk made 800 guineas we felt we could be in for a good day and so it was.

Top price went to one from a group of heifers purchased from neighbour Brian Moorhouse’s Aireburn herd.  Aireburn Zelgadis Stephanie, bred from three generations of Excellent cows sold for 2,500 guineas due in September to Lavanguard to Edward Fort for his Silmoor herd near Keighley.  The same buyer also claimed another Zelgadis daughter from Aireburn at 2,250 guineas. The 17 Aireburn cattle averaged £1971.

One of the main buyers was Mr K Lupton who purchased 15 good animals for his herd at Longridge, Preston. This group included Highgro H Jordan Linda 2 at 2,450 guineas. This smart heifer calved in February and sold still giving almost 40 litres daily.