BIDDING peaked at £2,380 when the milking portion of James and Malcolm Kayley’s Hellifield-based, pedigree Candlerush herd was dispersed in Gisburn on Thursday last week.

The powerful cows with plenty of milk behind them drew some new faces to the ringside, and according to auctioneer Fred Spurgeon, some of the older cows looked particularly good value.

But it was a Newbirks-bred third calver that drew top money from local man William Oldfield. From the noted Heliotrope family, this January calved VG85 cow had given 11,466kg at 5.34 per cent fat and 3.45 per cent protein in her second note and was currently giving 48kg.

A January-calved heifer, Candlerush Impression Jeanette by Monument Impression and out of a 13,709kg dam, sold for £2,150 to G Green and Son, Northwich, who also paid £1,950 for a 2014-born Regancrest Brendal daughter.

Two at £2,020 included a third calver by Sham Charlie bought by volume buyer, the Cote Farm Partnership, Carnforth, and another third calver with consistent 10,000kg yields behind it, bought by Frankland Farms, Skipton.

In addition to the dispersal, the regular weekly sale saw a firm trade and a top of £1,780. This came for a newly calved heifer from J and B Rowland, Haighton, Preston, bought by T and M Green, Wigan, who also paid £1,700 for a newly calved cow from the same home.

Averages were: Candlerush dispersal, 61 cows £1,180. Regular sale, pedigree newly calved heifers £1,380; non-pedigree £1,355; newly calved cows £1,355; in-calf heifers £1,100.

The auctioneers were Richard Turner and Son.