Despite the recession (which is now official we’re told!), cattle prices remain buoyant. We hear tales of a grade trade for stores in the beef sector, and we, as dairy auctioneers, can report a similar story.

Although the milk price has been reduced to the producer by several buyers, the price for good quality dairy cattle has risen since Christmas, as evidenced by two Holstein sales we conducted in Lancashire last week. Firstly David France and his son Andrew sold their well known, highly respected Tarnbrook herd, which is maintained on a very exposed farm with magnificent views over Morecambe Bay. Very attractive in summer, but fairly chilly in an icy January wind! A huge crowd of farmers, both local and from further afield, attended, with several vehicles needing the attention of the tractor to enable them to make their homeward journey. The Tarnbrook herd is well known in Holstein circles for its Dream family, which has won many family group awards in herd competitions and now has over 300 females registered. Top price was paid, however, for an in calf heifer by Picston Shottle from the famous Woodmarsh Melody family. She made 5,800gs to Metcalfe Farms from Leyburn, North Yorkshire. One of the top selling Dreams at 5,000gs was purchased by David Coombes of the Yardgrove herd in Dorset, who was attracted north by the depth of breeding in the catalogue. Every animal in the sale averaged over £2000, and many trailers went home empty.

It was a similar story at the Lancashire Holstein Club’s monthly Show & Sale at Lancaster two days later. This was the club’s 600th sale and breeders had made a really good effort to put on a good show in celebration with plenty of really good young cows and heifers on offer. These sales are an excellent barometer of the dairy trade, and over 100 head returned a healthy average of over £2,350, with a top price of 5,000guineas for the Champion, a Shottle daughter exhibited by the Bainbridge family from Carnforth, and purchased by Gerwyn and Aled Vaughan from South Wales, who had also been buyers at Tarnbrook. In fact, many of the choicest lots at both sales were bought by breeders from Wales, who, although their herds are ravaged by TB, are fortunate that they get full compensation for the animals they lose, unlike their counterparts in England, who are paid according to a table which increasingly seems to resemble a work of fiction. Shottle really is the bull of the moment, and it is no surprise that he is in world wide demand as he really stamps his stock and sires a tremendous number of outstanding individuals. His 19 daughters in both sales averaged £3,400 and he promises to become one of the all time greats in the Holstein breeding world.

Our next major sale is the Centenary Elite Sale, which takes place at the conclusion of judging at the National Holstein Show on Monday February 16th. A catalogue of 30 head, mostly youngsters, has been assembled, all from world class families and it promises to be a most exciting occasion.

Christopher Norton of Norton & Brooksbank. 26.1.09