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.

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.

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.

Meanwhile, the mart’s latest monthly Saturday livestock fixture again coincided with the bi-monthly Agri-Trader Auctions, complemented by seasonal Craven Feather Auctions and Border Fine Arts & Beswick sales.

Over 200 head of stirks, weaned calves and young stores met a packed ringside and many more could have been sold, which potential vendors should bear in mind ahead of the next monthly sale on Saturday, June 1.