Cockleshell Heifer tops Newark Club Sale at 6,000gns 

28 Bulls average £3,404
Sale Grosses £780,000

A catalogued entry of 621 pedigree and commercial cattle saw a top price of 6,000gns for a pedigree Limousin heifer at the sixth annual Limousin Day held at Newark Livestock Market on Saturday 17th April 2010 on behalf of the East Midlands Limousin Cattle Breeders Club & the North West Midlands and North Wales Limousin Cattle Club.

A record entry realised a firm trade from the outset from a packed ringside of buyers with Cockleshell Delia, consigned by Messrs Pitcher Farms Ltd, Ivy House Farm, Friskney, Boston, Lincs securing the leading bid of 6,000gns. Put up as Female & Supreme Overall Champion in the pre-sale Show judged by Mr Gary Swindlehurst of Procters Farms, Slaidburn, Lancs, this rising 27 month old heifer is by Winnington Trumps and out of Cockleshell Molly. She was sold in-calf to the new junior herd sire, Greenwell Deridius, to Messrs R Barnard, Pontefract, West Yorkshire. Also joining Messrs Barnard was Cockleshell Dee, again from the Pitchers, and also sired by Winnington Trumps but this time out of the Grahams Samson-sired Cockleshell Vendee. This January 2008 born heifer made 4,800gns.

Coachhouse Dan 5000gns
Coachhouse Dan 5000gns

Three bulls took the joint top price of 5,000gns which saw 28 out of 31 bulls forward find homes – representing a clearance rate of 90% – to an average of £3,404. Two of the top-priced bulls were consigned by Messrs Heald & Co, Home Farm, Grove, Retford, Notts. Coachhouse Dan, May 2008 born, is sired by Haltcliffe Picasso and out of the Broadmeadows Cannon granddaughter, Brackenbank Odette. This first prizewinning bull, weighing in at 910kg, also sported a Beef Value of LM+28 and sold to Jane & Sam Pilkington, Buxton, Derbyshire.

Another first prizewinner from Messrs Heald, Coachhouse Detail, made the same money. Sired by the homebred Coachhouse Virgil and out of the Haltcliffe Picasso daughter, Coachhouse Tandolph, and with a Beef Value of LM+30, he was purchased by David Harrison, Buxton, Derbyshire for his Harrison pedigree herd.

Bailea Black Dawson 5000gns
Bailea Black Dawson 5000gns

MT Jones, Heol Senni, Sennybridge, Brecon sold Bailea Black Dawson again at the 5,000gns mark. Carrying black genetics, this red-coated naturally polled bull was sired by Salomon and out of Bailea Skylark when snapped up by Messrs Manby Farms for their McTurk herd.

Dinmore Drumbull 4200gns
Dinmore Drumbull 4200gns

Another bull with black genetics but sporting a red coat was Springmeadow Black David from Messrs P & N Darlington & Daughters, Crewe, Staffordshire. Sired by Hewsons Golddust and out of Cracrop Ullaloo, buyer of this one at 4,600gns was Kevin Bowe, Bowes of Norfolk. Joining Black David on the trip east was another Bowes’ purchase this time from Paul Dawes, Dinmore Manor, Hereford who sold the embryo calf, Dinmore Drumbull, the product of a successful Wilodge Vantastic/Tunnelby Nuisance pairing at 4,200gns.

Mereside Dubai 4500gns
Mereside Dubai 4500gns

The Overall Male Champion from RM Hazard & Sons, Saltby Heath Farm, Skillington, Grantham, Lincs sold at 4,500gns. Mereside Dubai, sired by Alaska and out of Mereside Anabel and with a Beef Value of LM+23, joins Messrs Williams & Saunders, Cullompton, Devon.

Averages:
28 Bulls £3403.13
11 Cows and Calves £2972.61
20 Cows £1962.85
18 In calf Heifers £1988.72
103 Maiden Heifers £1481.96