Heifers win top two prizes at Shrewsbury Dairy Show and Sale

The champion’s prize went to first time seller at the market, R. J. & R. H. Gadsbey of Yarlet, near Stafford for Oldchurch Vitality Akke, described by Halls auctioneer and auction centre manager Jonny Dymond as a “very correct heifer”.

Freshly calved nearly a month and already close to 40kg, the heifer was purchased by the show judge Amy Bell for £2,480. The March show and sale was sponsored by NWF Agriculture.

Reserve champion and topping the trade was A. & C. Drinkall from Wettenhall, Cheshire with a Holstein heifer making £2,520 at a couple of weeks calved. She just pipped last week’s top vendor A. D, & R. M. Thomas from Lutterworth with Wolston Maakje Lavender 60, another two week fresh heifer which sold for £2,500.

A Red & White heifer from Malcolm Trevor Jones also made £2,450 while the Shepherd family returned with fresh heifer Meldamar Pursuit Ruth 163, a month calved, which made £2,320.

A second heifer from the Shepherds, Meldamar Adorable Gwen 70, made £2,220, as did another heifer from the Thomas family with Wolston Maakje Cutes 2, now scored VG to make nine generations in the top two grades.

Trade for the eight cows on offer was topped by the first placed cow from A. & C. Drinkall with Pimhill Luis Cotton 5, a third calver giving 42kg. She calved three weeks and sold for £2,400 to the judge.

Second prize cow was a Brown Swiss cross from Harold Davies of Puddington, giving over 40kg, which made £2,250. Her mate, the third placed heifer, made £1,700.

The market welcomed 11 in-calf heifers from P. J. Charles, Kings Norton, described by Mr Dymond as “absolutely tremendous group of well grown youngstock”.

First in the ring was Chapman Rory Custard Cream by homebred Chapman Mopan Rory, born in January 2022 and due to calve in a couple of months to sexed semen or Hereford, which £1,850. Five heifers sold for more than £1,500 with Chapman Redcarpet Evelyn at £1,550, due in the summer to Angus or Hereford, leading the way.

A further impressive group of maiden heifers from the same vendor topped at £870 for the first of the run, Chapman Yamaska Margaret, born at the end of September by Westcoast Redcarpet.

In second spot at £800 was Chapman Marcello Custard Cream, born in December 2022. The final youngstock dispersal from the late Martin Jones was topped at £710 for a 13 month old heifer by popular sire Applejax.

Another vendor dispersing the last of their youngstock was the Allwoods from Ash. Three of these heifers, born in autumn 2023, sold for £550.

A dispersal consignment of Jersey cattle from Ben and Holly Dyer from Stafford attracted extra interest and top price of £1,100 went to a fresh second calver which was calved just a month at 27kg.

Not far behind these was a mid-lactation second calver served to British Blue which made £1,050, as did another two-month calved second calver.

The couple also sold nine dry cows, all due over the spring and summer to either beef or a Jersey stock bull.

They sold to £900 for a young cow due to Charolais with her second calf. Another in this group, a pedigree jersey, Tagg Snowdrop Tsunami, due to a Jersey with her third calf, also made £880 .

“All in all, a great weekly sale with something for all and trade to follow the quality and selection forward,” said Mr Dymond.

He congratulated supporters of the market who were successful at UK Dairy Expo in Carlisle, including the Wilson family from Aberystwyth who had the Red & White champion, Firstlook Genetics, J. & S. Doherty, Toi Toi, the Arrell family, Hallon Holsteins and Michael Owens. Seaton Farms also gained the Mature Cow All Britain for 2023 following her success at Dairy Day, Telford 2023.

“One of the successful heifers, which was bought here last spring, gained a second placing, proving Shrewsbury in the place to be for pedigrees,” added Mr Dymond.

Early entries for dairy sales over the next two weeks at Shrewsbury are now being encouraged. Entries are being accepted by Jane Arrell on 07394 479668 or dairy@hallsgb.com