Crisp new calvers double tops at Craven Dairy Auction
Malhamdale’s Robert Crisp, of Nelson Farm, Calton, bagged a championship and reserve championship double at Skipton Auction Mart’s opening September Craven Dairy Auction. (Mon, Sept 12)
Show judge Frank Wrathall, of Gisburn, awarded principal honours to Mr Crisp’s first and second prize newly calven commercial heifers, both by a son of the renowned Genus dairy bull, Picston Shottle, and both out of daughters of another Genus sire, Garrison, who has been used to good effect by the Dales dairy farmer over the years.
The 11 days-calved title winner, giving six gallons, sold for a sale-topping £1,700 to regular buyers Alf and Andrew Townsend, of Southfield, Burnley, while the reserve champion, ten days-calved and giving five-and-a-half gallons, made £1,380 when joining another ringside regular, Cheshire’s Wick Williams.
The third prize newly calven heifer from Brian Moorhouse’s Aireburn pedigree dairy herd at Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, also sold well at £1,380 when again joining Mr Williams, who also paid £1,460, second top price of the day, for the first prize newly calven cow from Glusburn’s David Fort.
The total entry of 55 head included 27 in-calf heifers and seven maiden heifers from David Leeming, of Burnt Yates, Harrogate, and formed the final part of his herd dispersal. His heifers sold to a high of £1,120, with plenty of others around the £1,000 mark. Mr Leeming’s yearlings sold to £690, with some younger maidens topping at £500 three times.
The first prize in-calf heifer from the Oliver family in Darley sold for £1,160 to David Shuttleworth, of Gargrave.
Newly calven heifers averaged £1,342, newly calven cows £1,230, in-calf heifers £890 and maiden heifers £488.
The show was again sponsored by regular supporters NMR and Trouw Nutrition. The next Craven Dairy Auction is on Monday, September 26.
Calves sell to £420
At the same day’s weekly rearing calf sale, which attracted a healthy 91-strong turnout and healthy trade to match, the Townsends swapped the ringside for the sale ring and headed the prices at £420 with a British Blue-cross bull calf.
Johnny and Simon Moon, from Wigglesworth, had a good run of six-week old Continental calves topping at £410, while Fred and Mark Houseman, of Burton Leonard, saw their six Blue-cross bull calves average £408. The overall Continental average was just shy of £324 per head.
Native youngsters were again hard fought over, with bulls and heifers both averaging over £250 and plenty of others in the late £200s. The Housemans headed both sections with top prices of £310 and £305 for Aberdeen Angus entries. Natives averaged £256.30 overall.
Black and whites reached £152 for a pure Friesian bull calf from Stephen Marshall, of West End, with John Marshall, of Dacre not far behind at £150. With plenty of others in the late £80s and £90s, the section produced an overall average of £65.23 per head.