THE Stainbank pedigree Holstein Friesian dairy herd run by Robin Jennings at Hill House Farm, South Stainley, Ripon, secured its second Craven Dairy Auction championship of 2018 at Skipton Auction Mart’s opening April show and sale, also adding the reserve championship for good measure.

The three-year-old title winner, Stainbank Breeze 67, by the Genus dairy bull Zelgadis, out of Breeze 64, had calved for the second time 15 days earlier. Giving 44 litres, she fell to regular buyer Mark Goodall, of Tong, Bradford, for £1,800. Mr Jennings’ reserve champion, a newly calven 28-litre commercial heifer acquired as a calf, sold for £1,350, again to Mr Goodall.

However, it was an in-calf heifer from Duncan Holme, of Storiths, that met the trade of day. Due in May to an Aberdeen-Angus bull, she made £1,400 when claimed locally by John Howard, of Heslaker. A small show of dairy cattle, judged by Brian Blezard, of Ribchester,

Last week’s rearing calf fixture saw another robust entry of 72 head sold in the new calf ring, again attracting a strong consignment of buyers and producing a top price of £425 for a British Blue-cross bull calf from R L Wright and Son, of Airton. The better end of the Continentals sold away nicely and incorporated some tidy pens of Limousin-cross bull and heifer calves, the former topping at £380 and £360 for bulls.