Second calver lands another Craven Dairy Auction title for Aireburn herd
A second calver cow from the Aireburn herd of Brian and Judith Moorhouse at Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, picked up another Craven Dairy Auction championship for the couple – their fourth this year – at Skipton Auction Mart’s opening May show and sale. (Mon, May 13)
The Moorhouses secured their latest title with the home-bred Aireburn MVP Scilla, a daughter of the Genus sire, Seagull-Bay MVP. From a long established and milk-rich line, the fortnight-calved 40-litre victor attracted keen interest at the ringside before falling for £1,650 to Ken Throup, of Woofa Bank, Silsden.
Standing reserve champion was the first prize newly calven heifer from Richard Close, of Calf Hall Farm, Starbotton. The Friesian type home-bred, calved for eight days and giving 25 litres, made £1,600 when joining regular local buyer John Howard. of Heslaker.
The second and third prize heifers both came from Mark Smith, of High Rails, Ripley, the duo selling to a top of £1,420 to David Shuttleworth in Gargrave, with the second prize newly calven cow from Calderdale’s Jon Midgley, of Ludendenfoot, making £1,380 when finding pastures new in Oxenhope with Tom Goulding..
Show judge was Ilkley’s Sam Naylor, with National Milk Records again sponsoring.
Rearing calves top at £480
The same morning’s weekly rearing calf sale again produced strong trade for the 60 head forward, the best of them a brace of pure Limousins from James Cooper, of Dacre, one of which, a two-month-old bull calf, topped the market at £480, with a heifer calf from the same home heading that section at £390.
British Blue youngsters were once more in ready demand, with Richard Spence, of Sutton-in-Craven, claiming £470 top call with a bull calf, while Horton-in-Craven’s Joss Lancaster was right up there too with two others at £450 and £445. The overall Continental-cross selling average was £316.20.
Native bulls met a straight trade throughout, with Andrew Lee, of Lothersdale, topping at £190 with an Aberdeen-Angus, though it was the Angus heifer calves that met the trade of the day, averaging £205 and peaking at £280 for one from Chris Drake, of Thornton. The overall section average was £188.33.
Black and whites also sold well, with a ready audience for all types and a respectable average of £62.88. Douth Craven’s Mr Spence led the way again with a bull calf at £135. This coming Monday is the seasonal calf show day.