A GOOD crowd was on hand ringside to bid for the 13 fresh Holstein Friesian heifers, cows in milk and In-calf cows forward for Skipton Auction Mart’s latest fortnightly Craven Dairy show and sale. (Mon, Feb 21)

Due to a surplus of milkers, Edward Fort and daughters, who run the Silmoor herd on Silsden Moor, brought forward a pair of well-balanced 35 litre heifers and had the day’s two leading prices, top call of £2,450 going to a Sandy-Valley Copycat daughter from the Corrie family whose dam had records over 10,000kg.

She fell to regular purchasers, the Hartley Farming Partnership in Beamsley, while her herd mate, Silmoor Close Up Beatexus, fresh since January 18, headed home at £2,220 with another frequent buyer, Mark Goodall, from Tong, Bradford.

Peter Waring, who runs the Winton pedigree herd in Cherry Burton, Beverley, made the journey west well worthwhile when securing his first-ever championship with a 34kg heifer, Winton Fontaine Flo, whose dam gave over 11,000kg in her fifth lactation

The victor made £2,000 when claimed by the show judge, dairyman Craig Bentley, of Kepwick, Thirsk, while also hitting £2,000 was the second prize 33kg heifer from Robin Jennings, of South Stainley, Ripon. The six fresh heifers on parade averaged a healthy £1,995.

The adjudicator also paid £1,350 for the first placed cow and reserve champion, an early February third calver from Ian Hall, who trades at J Dibb at Old Northcote Farm, Kilnsey, and stood both champion and reserve at the previous fixture.

Peter Waring further made his mark when standing third in the newly calven cows show class with a 42kg entry that went on to head the section prices at £1,650.

More selective trade for in calf cows saw the Wilson family from Green Hammerton average £975 with their four-strong consignment.

The opening March fixture is on Monday 7th.

Details of past and upcoming auctions and links to the farming podcasts can be found at: https://www.ccmauctions.com/