Solid demand at Downs draft dairy sale at CCM Skipton
CCM Auctions added an extra fixture to its already busy Spring dairy calendar with a special draft Bank Holiday Monday sale from Keith Downs, who farms with his wife Pam and son, David, at Milnerfields Farm, Bingley. (May 3)
With Keith a well-respected local farmer and long-standing director of the auction mart it was no surprise that a good number of buyers and potential purchasers were ringside, as Downs cattle have done well previously for buyers, with quite a few commending their durability and staying power. As a result, bidding was swift as people tried to secure other cattle from this home to add to their own herds.
The 40 stock catalogued were principally Spring calvers, with 16 February calvers, ten March
calvers, a brace of April calvers and a further nine Autumn calvers, already 4-5 months in calf to beef forward on the day, with the youthful offering also comprising of 21 in their first lactation.
Trade topped for a widely admired 33kg third calver fresh since March 8 and one of four heading to Richard Sutcliffe in Queensbury. With a very consistent trade over the entire sale, there were seven animals breaking the £1,700 barrier, with these being to the pick of buyers for cows and heifers that were fresher and giving over 30kg per day,
Milnerfields cows are now predominantly British Friesian crosses, bred to thrive on a lower input grass-based system, and the cows forward were in fine form, full of milk and potential to go on and produce under many different systems for their new owners.
With the 37 lots forward averaging £1,504 there were 12 buyers recorded, with the majority remaining in Yorkshire although a wagonload of eight headed to North Wales.
CCM continues its fortnightly sales programme this coming Monday, May 10, while on offer within the following sale on Monday, March 24, is a consignment of in calf heifers from Sally Wellock’s Harehils pedigree herd in Oakworth, above Keighley.
Dairy sales co-ordinator Sarah Liddle commented: “These heifers are born and bred in Yorkshire, tried and tested in Oakworth and stock from this farm have a great reputation with past buyers, with the majority in calf to sexed Holstein semen this will be a draw for those looking for sought-after late summer milk.”
Auctioneers – CCM