Auctioneers: Wright Marshall 

Averages: 121 cows and milking heifers £1,133.47 (including heifer calves at £427.72) 

The Dispersal of the entire milking portion of the Manor House Herd of pedigree Holsteins, the property of Derrick and Kathleen Calvert of Manor House Farm, Paythorne, Clitheroe, Lancashire took place at Beeston Castle Auction on Friday, 19th August. Buyers from Lancashire and Yorkshire and down to West Wales were present as well as a good local support helped to make for a more than satisfactory result. 

The top price of 3,000 gns was for the only animal in the sale not to be homebred; Holmland Epic Colleen ET (GP84-2yr) attracted lots of interest primarily due to her pedigree being a daughter of Genervations Epic and bred from six generations of top classified members of the Cosmopolitan family. She was milking with her first calf and due again next February to Sandy Valley Cabriol. She was purchased by J & J Crosier of Gisburn, Lancs. Not long after she passed into the ring Messrs Crosier won the bidding again when they purchased Manor House Lausmart Heather (VG85-2yr) for 2,550 gns, this milking heifer was carrying her second calf for early November to Toc Farm Fitz and was backed by three VG/EX dams from one of the foundation cows that were purchased after restocking from Maesyrafon. 

The leading fresh heifer was Manor House Brendal Julia, a daughter of Regancrest B Brendal that calved in July and was sold giving 32 kg. She was purchased by G Green & Son, Lach Dennis Northwich. Another Lausmart daughter, Manor House Lausmart Baby 2nd sold for 1,800 gns to a West Wales breeder. 

Also included in the sale were all the heifer calves born this year and these topped at 950 gns for Manor House Solomon Lana, a daughter of the Doorman son, Walnutlawn Soloman and bred from six generations of VG/EX dams from the Ingham Lana family which trace back to the famous Laurie Sheik’s. She also went down to West Wales together with a ten generation VG/EX member of the Baby family sired by Holmland Epcot sold for 880 gns. Both calves were March born. 

The May born heifer calf, Manor House Kana Emma Red sired by Drouner Ajdh Kana Red was sold in aid of charity in memory of the late Louise Hartley, the Farmers Guardian reporter who sadly died very recently. She sold for 900 gns to E & M E Tyrer of Bury