Skipton dairy best of £2,450 for fresh heifer

The title winner was a home-bred fresh Holstein Friesian heifer by the Swires’ stock bull Myersdale Principal.

Giving 30 litres, the heifer sold for the top price of £2,450 and was knocked down to the judge Robin Boothman, Fence, Burnley.

Reserve went to a fresh second calved cow consigned by Thomas and Libby Simpson, Ripon. This Picston Schubert daughter realised £2,220, going to T. and M. Green, Wigan.

The Swires also sold a fresh cow at £2,240 to C. and J.R. Terry, Ripon, and another fresh heifer at £2,120 to Geoff Blezard, Ribchester, Lancashire.

There was a clean sweep of prizes in the in-calf heifers class by three of a ten-strong pedigree consignment from Bishop Burton College Farm, Beverley, East Yorkshire. The best of them was a daughter of Final Cut, out of a 10,000-litre cow, which sold for £1,600 to Jonathan Caygill, Rylstone, Skipton.

Mr Caygill also acquired the second prize winner at £1,160, while the third in class joined David Shuttleworth, Gagrave, for £1,280.

South Yorkshire vendors J.J. and J.D. Booth, Penistone, Sheffield, dominated the maiden heifers section taking the first three prizes. All three sold to P.J. and P. Mason, Lancaster, with the best achieving £1,450.

Averages: fresh heifers £1,772; fresh cows £1,723, in-calf heifers £1,190; maiden heifers £909.

Auctioneers: Craven Cattle Marts.