Debut dairy judge Jacob Wellock bags brace at CCM Skipton

One of a pair consigned by multiple past champion Mark Smith at Winterburn, this 37kg per day Bomaz Tyce daughter oozed milk and was bred from a 9,211kg dam with 4.34% fat and 4.01% protein who is still on farm dry and coming with her third calf.

The heifer was first in the sale ring and travels home to nearby Cononley with regular purchasers Danny and Caroline Yarrow. Young Malhamdale teenager Jacob Wellock made his judging debut and stood by his earlier decisions in trying to buy the heifers forward when they sold and was successful in claiming his reserve champion, a three week calved 36kg well-balanced Holstein Friesian from Calderdale’s Henry Hitchen, Luddendenfoot, for £2,700.

With the show principals at the latest Craven Dairy Auction are, from left, judge Jacob Wellock, champion Mark Smith, reserve champion Henry Hitchen and Richard Crowther, of sponsors Genus ABS (Image: CCM Auctions)

The Wellocks were also successful purchasers of the second entry from Mark Smith. This Denovo Citizen daughter which calved a week under two years of age was what many considered the cow maker of the day and at 30kg from a welded-on udder made £2,750. Average for heifers in milk was £2,783. The next Craven Dairy Auction is on Monday, August 24.

Meanwhile, CCM Skipton’s July Saturday livestock collective fixture saw another solid turnout of 435 stirks, weaned calves and young store cattle penned and successfully sold, with multiple four-figure prices again seen across all sections, the overall selling average showing a healthy increase a shade over £68 per head on the month.

A very similar trade for feeding and suckler bulls saw 73 forward sell to £1,800 top for a Limousin from New York Farms, Silsden, who also hit two other section highs with a £1,760 Parthenaise and a £1,640 Shorthorn. Blue bulls peaked at £1,750 from John Willie Hardcastle, Harrogate, strong Charolais-x bulls also selling to £1,640 from Martyn Jennings, Cowling, also responsible for the £1,430 top price Aberdeen-Angus.

Lots of Blue bulls made £1,400-£1,500, while £1,500-£1,600 was seen for plenty of Blue steers full of flesh at 8/9-month-old. Strong 9/11-month-old native bulls with flesh and frame were £1,550-£1,600, Angus bulls at 8/9-months £1,400-£1,430.

Of the 359 bullocks and heifers, the former sold to a top of £1,910 for a Simmental from Sim x, Silsden, with other strong steers from this good home £1,800-£1,890. Strong yearling suckler-bred steers were regularly £1,650-£1,800, dairy-cross yearlings £1,300-£1,550, younger dairy-cross sorts £1,200-£1,350. Native steers saw Angus trade to £1,780 top from CN&SA Harrison, Elslack with a trio of strong types, other stronger sorts £1,400-£1,700, while heifers sold to £1,840 for a ring full of strong Angus from L Thorpe, Oakworth, with yearling native heifers £1,050-£1,200. Continental heifers topped at £1,740 for a forward type Limousin from Nick Carlisle, Kilnsey, the better end of suckler types £1,500-£1,700, strong dairy-cross heifers £1,400-plus, younger sweeter dairy- cross sorts £1,100-£1,300.

In-calf cows from Andrew Barker, Todmorden, sold to £1,120 for a Beef Shorthorn, plus others in-calf up to £1,000. Next month’s sale is on Saturday, September 5, also, among others, the date for the high profile annual Beltex Sheep Society show and sale of pedigree rams and females.