Dairy and calf champions crowned at Skipton
Shows for dairy cattle and dairy-bred rearing calves formed part of another busy Monday market day at Skipton Auction Mart. (Sept 13)
Standing both champion and reserve in the calf show with a brace of British Blue-x youngsters was Alan Middleton, who trades under the family partnership of JP&KE Hartley at Lane House Farm, Beamsley. Tapped out by show judge Chris Heseltine, the victor, a bull calf, made £400, the reserve champion heifer £350.
Top call of £425 among the under six weeks of age younger end fell to defending champions Andrew and Louise Ayrton, of Eastby, with a Blue-x heifer, followed at £410 by another from Airton’s Paul and Janet Bolland. Limousin bulls sold to £485 for an older calf from Wood Bros in Manchester.
Of the natives, Angus bulls were popular, selling to £308 for one from Ralph Guy in Earby, while black and whites met a phenomenal trade, the 12 on offer averaging £143, with pure Friesians away at £205-£255.
The 35 head forward, while of mixed quality, created plenty of interest ringside, several potential buyers leaving empty-handed
In the dairy arena, trade topped at £2,100 for the champion from Jack and Alan Wilson, of Green Hammerton. Their MVP-sired Holstein heifer in milk, fresh since August 23 and giving 32kg per day, headed home with Richard Crabtree, of Otley, who also claimed the first prize cow from the same home, a second calver by Gerard also fresh in August, at £1,800.
Barden’s Ian Parkinson, champion at the previous dairy show, followed up with the reserve championship with his second prize home-bred 28kg heifer by Genus ABS Maldeves, which made £2,000 when claimed by same day rearing calf champion Alan Middleton.
Nine heifers in milk averaged £1,775 and nine cows in milk or in calf £1,217. Silsden’s Martin Throup judged.