THE second dairy sale of 2022 saw brisk trade with 17 cows catching the interest of buyers on Monday, January 24.

Stand-in judge Brian Moorhouse of the Aireburn herd, Bell Busk, selected a fresh 30kg heifer as champion, put forward by Mark Smith, Winterburn. The heifer, by Applejax, was one of five heading to Richard Sutcliffe, Queensbury, and fetched the day’s top price of £2,200.

Mr Smith also saw another fine heifer by Arbor Red break the £2,000 barrier, heading north to a buyer from Scotland for £2,100. In all, freshly calved heifers averaged £1,950.

Jack and Alan Wilson, Green Hammerton, saw strong trade for their in-calf cows as part of their ongoing dispersal. Trade peaked at £1,700 for a wealthy but youthful cow, coming with its fourth calf at the end of February. In-calf to the Holstein Cookie Cutter Harper, she made £1,700 to Robert Metcalfe, Brearton.

A batch of 11 crossbred in-calf heifers due for February onwards to a Limousin from Rick Bamforth, averaged £1,351. They twice peaked at £1,600, with the 11 eventually heading to three different buyers, including David Shuttleworth, Gargrave, purchasing the volume of the batch with seven on his load.

The next dairy sale is Monday, 7th February.

Rearing calves were up on the week with an entry of 38 forward and a solid trade for all classes.

The sale saw a mixed show with everything from smalls to good reared 12-week animals.

Black and Whites topped at £300 from G Hayton & EC Stocks, Bolton Abbey, for a 12-week-old pure British Friesian. Nice rearing four to six-week-old calves fetched £60-£78.

A young Angus bull sold from JH Bradley, Huddersfield, fetched £220, and a fine Hereford bull from James Wellock, Eshton, sold at £280.

Continentals performed well with Limousin bulls selling to £510 from G Hayton & EC Stocks, Bolton Abbey, for a Lim out of a pure Friesian at 12 weeks of age.

Blue bulls topped at £450 from P&RM Sutcliffe, Queensbury, with other nice rearing Blues with size at five to six weeks fetching £370-£400. Younger rearing sorts went for £300 to £350.

Angus heifers sold to £265 with blue heifers selling to £350 from P&RM Sutcliffe, Queensbury.

Other nice-ended heifers went for £280 to £350, while smaller and younger goods £240 to £270.

Limousin heifers sold at £310 from G Ayton & EC Stocks, Bolton Abbey.