Eastford Holsteins lead trade at Black and White Sale
Trade topped at 9,000gns at Borderway Mart’s Black and White Sale of elite dairy animals at Carlisle last week (2 December).
The world-famous sale, held for the 31st time, drew one of the largest crowds on record, including buyers from overseas.
Altogether 24 animals sold for £5,000 or more and trade averaged £4,000.
See also: What’s in Your Livestock Shed? visits a state-of-the-art £1.3m dairy unit
Sale leader was a red and white heifer consigned by Eastford Holsteins, Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire. Eastford Absolute Hotspot Red is a daughter of the World Dairy Expo reserve grand champion Starmark AD Hotstuff Red EX94. She was purchased by Andrew Kennedy of Northern Ireland on behalf of a client for 9,000gns.
Absolute Hotspot Red sold for 9,000gns © Robert Smith
Selling for the day’s second-best price of 8,200gns was Absolute Windbrook Adeen, from Absolute Genetics, Kirkham, Lancashire. This animal had recently calved with her second and had classified VG88 a few days before the sale. Her Goldwyn dam topped the Holmland dispersal at 14,500gns and her granddam, by Durham, was grand champion at UK Dairy Expo, Great Yorkshire and AgriScot. She went home with JJ Taylor, High Whinnow Farm, Wigton.
Absolute Windbrook Adeen sold for 8,200gns © Robert Smith
Next, at 8,000gns, came yearling heifer Priestland PS James Rose from the McLean family, Bushmills, Northern Ireland. This stylish daughter of Atwood IS a great-granddaughter of three-time Royal Winter Fair grand champion Thrulane Jame Rose EX97. The successful bidder was B O’Connor from Bawnmore House, County Cork, Ireland.
Priestland PS James Rose sold for 8,000gns © Robert Smith
One of the most talked-about consignments in this year’s sale was a Jersey heifer from the Futuredreams herd of James Evans, Pembrokeshire, South Wales.
This was the first-ever animal to sell from this amazing herd, which has an average classification score of EX92.5. Futuredreams Tequilas Excite Veronica was champion at the 2017 National Calf Show.
Her third dam, Huronia Centurion Veronica, has been the most influential cow in the breed in the past decade, breeding seven daughters classified either EX95 or EX94. She sold for 7,500gns to the Saxby family, Clitheroe.
Futuredreams Tequilas Excite Veronica sold for 7,500gns © Robert Smith
Two lots made 7,000gns.
The first was the August 2016-born Lynholme Brokaw Amyly, consigned by Messrs Lawrence, Holme Farm, Grange-over-Sands. Amyly is the first direct progeny to sell in the UK from the two-time national Italian champion Toc-Farm Allen Amyly EX96. She won her class at the National Calf Show in October and was purchased by Alison Hunter, West Tarbrax Farm, Lanarkshire.
Lynholme Brokaw Amyly sold for 7,000gns © Robert Smith
Also selling for 7,000gns was Heavenly SO Katrysha, from Heavenly Genetics, Lancashire, offered alongside her full sister. Sired by Solomon and bred from a VG Windbrook dam, her granddam is Lovhill Goldwyn Katrysha EX96 – a two-time All American winner and grand champion at World Dairy Expo in 2015. She was purchased by Peter Prior from Designer Holsteins, Essex.
Topping Brown Swiss trade at 5,000gns was the heifer Kedar Aurora, from the Kedar herd of T Lochhead & Sons, Dumfries. Sired by Jenor, she is out of a VG87 Blooming dam who was honourable mention grand champion the 2017 UK Dairy Expo. Her third dam, Ace Arve, classified EX97 and was grand champion at Swiss Expo in 2007. Buyer was Brent Crothers, New House Farm, Shrewsbury.
Averages: nine cows and heifers in milk, £3,763.33; one British Friesian in milk, £3,360; eight Holstein in-calf heifers, £2,921.87; 63 Holstein open heifers, £4,061.66; three Jersey heifers, £4,095; two Brown Swiss, £4,200; 41 embryos, £464.10.
(Harrison & Hetherington)