The dispersal sale of a long-established herd of Holsteins from the north-east topped at 2,000gn.
The sale of the Ordens Farm Holstein herd at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, saw 255 animals go under the hammer to an overall average of £1,271. The sale of the herd, which is owned by the Taylor family at Ordens Farms, Boyndie, Banff, attracted interest from all corners of the UK.
Auctioneers Harrison and Hetherington said: “Buyers as far north as Shetland and Orkney and down to north and south Wales were part of the 37 registered buyers that saw trade top at 2,000gn with 70 head selling for 1,500gn or above.
“This was a quality herd of highly productive Holstein cattle averaging 10,712kg at 4.02% butterfat and 3.08% protein with many cows in the sale giving over 50kg. As well as being highly productive the herd was very fertile with a large percentage of the herd calving within the year and many within 11 months.”
The auctioneers said trade followed the trend of recent weeks with freshly calved animals in demand with the biggest percentage selling from 1,350gn and 1,700gn. They said there was a noted rise in the value of mid-lactation animals, especially those due to calf in January and February, with many selling for between 1,150gn and 1,350gn.
Leading the sale at 2,000gn was a “very classy” second-calver by Crockett-Cares Eight. She sold having produced more than 10,000kg as a milking yearling and she calving for the second time under three-years-old. The buyer was Mr Strand, from near Glasgow, who also purchased a Wal-Del-Hayden daughter giving 46kg in her third lactation for 1,900gn.
The Nicholson family, of Findlins Farm, Shetland also purchased a large number of top quality animals topping at 1,900gn for a very milky second calved cow sired by Errolston Sphinx.
The Taylor family will disperse their youngstock at Borderway Mart on Wednesday, November 2.
The sale will feature 170 heifers, including in-calf heifers, bulling heifers and heifer calves.
The averages were: 160 cows in-milk £1,104.01 and 95 heifers in-milk £1,408.76.
