| 2016-03-02 |    |
New Sires Make their Mark at Craven Dairy Auction
Home-bred newly calven progeny of new dairy bulls used by respective vendors bagged principal honours at the main February Craven Dairy Auction at Skipton Auction Mart. (Mon, Feb 29)
The Robinson family, from Eldroth, north-west of Settle, took top billing with their first prize commercial Holstein Friesian heifer, their sole entry on the day and the first to market by their stock bull, Feizor Knowledge, acquired from near North Craven neighbours, the Booth family.
Gary Robinson is pictured with the family’s February Craven Dairy Auction champion
Shown by Gary Robinson, who also works for the Guy Machinery sales team in Gisburn, the 28 days-calved victor, giving 30 litres, sold for £1,380 to CN Bentley, of Kepwick, Thirsk.
Reserve champion was the second prize newly calven heifer from the Ravensgate pedigree Holstein herd of Peter Baul, who trades as M Baul & Partners at Watergate Farm, Bishop Thornton, making it two championship wins and two reserves from the four dairy shows staged at Skipton so far this year.
Mr Baul’s latest frontrunner, Ravensgate Verve Honesty 159, again his only entry on the day, was the first to come to market by the Genus sire, Ballycairn Jose Verve. Twenty-one days-calved and giving 30 litres, she joined frequent buyers Alf and Andrew Townsend, of Southfield, Burnley, at £1,460.
Mart regulars, the Lawson family, of the Newbirks pedigree herd at Mill Farm, Arthington, presented the third prize newly calven heifer, another home-bred which sold away for the day’s top price of £1,480 to show judge Richard Crabtree, of Clifton, Otley,
A continuing dispersal of ten newly calven heifers from David Leeming, of Burnt Yates, Harrogate, traded to a high of £1,310.
Of the 38-strong entry, trade for milkers was described as ‘testing,’ as dairy cows once again predictably felt the pinch on price, with the 28 newly calven heifers among the turnout averaging £1,113.
However, young stock looked a stronger trade, with two in-calf pedigree heifers from W Stewart, of Carlisle, first and third prize winners in the section show class, both hitting £1,000. Show sponsors were NMR and VG Energy.
Four six to eight-week-old heifer calves from Chris Watson, of Horton-in-Craven, averaged £232.50 per head, selling to a high of £250.
There was better news at the same day’s weekly rearing calf sale, with all types among the 72 head on parade satisfying enhanced buyer demand and meeting a healthy trade. Black and white youngsters in particular were keenly sought after, showing a marked increase in price when averaging £92.21 per head overall for calves all under eight-and-a-half weeks, with a top of £165 for a bull calf from Chris and Margie Hall, of Shelley, Huddersfield.
Limousin youngsters found an extra gear, with Robert Metcalfe, of Brearton, selling a brace of heifers at £340 each and Threshfield’s Angus Dean achieving £310 with a bull calf. The day’s top price of £400 fell to a British Blue-cross bull calf from James Gooch, of Cononley, with John Marshall, of Dacre, presenting the top price £350 Blue-cross heifer calf, also stepping up with a Saler heifer calf sold at the same price.
Continental entries averaged £316.60 per head overall, while the pick of the native breeds were two bull calves that sold for £255 - an Aberdeen Angus from Church Farm Enterprises in Burton Leonard and a Hereford from S&PE Bowker, of Earby. The native average was £205.20 per head.
“The attendance of Spring rearers is a welcome sign at the ringside and a consistent run of calves is needed to keep them coming,” noted Craven Cattle Mart’s auctioneer Sam Bradley.
