Butterfield bull lands the spoils at Skipton
Pedigree dairy bulls were on parade for their annual show and sale that once again formed part of Skipton Auction Mart’s main April Craven Dairy Auction. (Mon, Apr 27)
The Ingleview pedigree herd of Bentham’s Robert and Elaine Butterfield, runner-up in 2014, went one better at the latest renewal when presenting the first prize bull, Ingleview Magician, a September, 2013-born son of Cogent’s Lirr Drew Dempsey.
The
dam is Saxelby Shottle Marie, bought by the Butterfields, of Linghaw Farm, from
Lincolnshire breeder Andrew Stafford at the same time as they acquired their
Great Yorkshire show-winning Saxelby Golden Rose. Shottle Marie is currently
expecting her sixth calf and the Butterfields are currently milking 150 cows.
Their
red rosette-winning bull sold for 1,750gns (£1,837) to regular buyer Mark
Goodall of Tong, Bradford.
The
Dalesbrad pedigree herd of Allan and Susan Throup, of Higher House Farm,
Silsden Moor, was responsible for the second prize bull, Dalesbrad Hugo Boss, a
December, 2012-born son of the Genus sire, Bassingthorpe Bossman, out of a
home-bred cow, Dalesbrad Drake Doris. He sold for 1,450gns (£1,522) to Alf and
Andrew Townsend, of Southfield, Burnley.
The
six pedigree bulls sold averaged 1,420gns, or £1,491.
Bossman daughter also champion
Bassingthorpe
Bossman was also the sire of the same day’s Craven Dairy Auction champion,
Newbirks Jazz 1612, shown by the Lawson family of Mill Farm, Arthington, who
were winning their third dairy title of 2015.
It
was the first time that David Lawson and his daughter Suzy had shown a Bossman
daughter at Skipton and their first prize newly-calven heifer – two weeks
calved and giving 28 litres – sold for a joint high of £1,900 to show judge
Brian Blezard, of Ribchester,
Mr
Blezard also paid the same price for his chosen reserve champion, the first
prize newly calven cow from the Calton pedigree Holstein herd of Teesside
husband and wife, Mark and Karen Calvert, of Glebe Farm, Crathorne, Yarm.
The
Calverts were staging the second part of their ongoing herd dispersal sale,
having sent out both the champion and reserve on their first outing at Skipton
the previous month. Their latest frontrunner, Calton Focus Ruby, a third calver
by the Genus sire, Ralma Focus, out of Atlas Ruby, had 11 generations of VG
Excellent behind her. She came to market giving 55 litres.
The
Calverts were also responsible for the runners-up in both main show classes.
Their second prize cow, Calton Focus Claire, also by Ralma Focus, was giving 50
litres, while their second prize heifer, Calton Gerard Mary, by the Genus bull,
Schillview Oman Gerard, calved last September and came to market in calf to
Cogent Twist, due October. She was giving 35 litres.
Both
blue rosette winners were sold for the same price of £1,800 to the same buyer,
Skipton regular Wick Williams, of Nantwich in Cheshire.
The
Calverts, who are coming out of milking altogether, consigned 11 dairy cattle
at the latest renewal and say they still have over 80 at home.
The
third prize newly calven cow from the Bradley family, of Brimham Hall, sold
locally to Heslaker’s John Howard for £1,700, while the third prize newly
calven cow from the Abbeyhouse herd of Andrew Jennings, who trades as Jennings
Farmers at South Stainley, made £1,350 when joining Stocks Enterprises in
Nappa.
Trade for the 61 head of dairy cattle forward was
described as “sticky,” with good, honest dairy heifers harder to sell than of
late. A large portion made £1,350 to £1,650, with the 23 newly calven
heifers averaging £1,421 overall and the ten newly calven cows £1,354.
Maiden
heifers from John Roberts, of South Crosland, Huddersfield, and David and Jill
Pennock, of Bolton Abbey, reached a strong trade up to £830, with the 19
entries averaging £581 per head overal. Four in-calf entries averaged £1,170
per head, with a high of £1,300 from Silsden Moor’s Jeff Throup.
Show
sponsors were ForFarmers, Shepherd Agri, NMR, VG Energy and Armstrong Watson.