A NEWLY calven heifer from Brian and Judith Moorhouse, of the Aireburn pedigree Holstein herd at Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, was supreme champion at the Christmas Craven Dairy Auction at Skipton mart.

The Moorhouses, who won last month's event, took the title with their 12 day calved 30 litre heifer, Aireburn Commander Dewdrop.

By Larcroft Commander, the Genus sire, and out of Aireburn Ferrari Dewdrop, she made the second top price of £2,200 when joining William Oldfield, of Gisburn.

The £2,350 top price of the day was achieved by another Larcroft Commander daughter, the second prize newly calven heifer from David, Claire and Suzy Lawson’s Newbirks pedigree herd at Mill Farm, Arthington.

She was also top price of the year for a new calver, when sold down to Stephen and Rachel Coates of Baildon. She was 30 days calved out of Newbirks Commander Jazz 1723 and was giving 35 litres.

The first prize newly calven cow, a second calver from Thomas and Libby Simpson, of Red House Farm, Ripon, was reserve champion.

By Wyman, the World Wide Sires’ dairy bull, the 15 days calved 48-litre cow was bagged by Richard Sutcliffe of Queensbury, for £2,050, with another second calver from the same home selling for £1,780 to Brian Blezard, of Ribchester.

Mr Blezard also paid £2,150 for a second Moorhouse family 26 days calved 30-litre heifer boasting 11 generations of VG or EX behind her.

In an in-calf heifer show, the Ravensgate pedigree herd of Peter Baul at Watergate Farm, Bishop Thornton, won for the second year running.

Ravensgate Shottle Honesty 169, by Picston Shottle – due to calve on December 17 to the Genus sire, Grazie – made £1,320 when joining Cheshire buyer David Hancock.

The 26-strong turnout saw pedigree newly calven heifers sell to an overall average of £1,750 per head and their commercial counterparts £1,456, with newly calven cows averaging £1,675 and in-calf heifers £1,185.

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