Averages: All breeds – 86 cows, £1310.11; 209 milking heifers, £1495.54; 62 served heifers, £1145.29; 27 maiden heifers £637.78; six heifer calves £190.00

SOME 295 head of milking cattle found new homes, representing a 100% clearance at the opening Mid-Month Focus Milk Dairy sale for 2017, at Beeston, where prices peaked at £2300 amongst the heifers and £2190 for cows.

However while demand was strong from the outset, a poorer show compared to the last sale in December, saw like for like trade back about £150 on the month.

It was nevertheless a good day for Jeremy Platt’s Lachstone herd at Lach Dennis, Northwich, which produced the top priced lot for the second consecutive month, along with several other sale leaders. His Lachstone Camelot Jasper, a 24-month-old calved heifer by Larcrest Camelot, made £2300 to Ferney Lees Farm, of Tarporley, who also purchased Lachstone Kody Saba, by Hammer-Creek Oman Kody, for £2250 from the same home.

Another Lachstone heifer by Bakombre, from Mr Platt sold for £2200 to D and HE Colclough and Son of Hassall, Sandbach. In all, the 12 Lachstone heifers averaged £1912 each.

A good show of heifers from the Sutton family's Rowarton herd from Astbury, Congleton, sold to £2220 for a daughter of Premier Kerndt Sailing giving 35kg. The buyer was David Colclough.

Just behind on £2200, an Altaiota heifer from the Oakshore herd of the Shepherd family of Ledsham was snapped up Dave Green of Lach Dennis.

Top price for Gavin Struthers' Balcurvie Holstein herd from Windygates, Fife, was £2100 paid for an Alta-Avalon daughter purchased by Brian Parker of Haughton, Stafford.

Cows met a fast trade for the best with the lead cow at £2190 being a second calver by Wyman from Andrew Shakeshaft, Ellesmere purchased by D and HE Colclough.

Graham Dimelow of Malpas then sold a GP83-2yr Garrett for £2180 to JF Owen and Son

of Overton-on-Dee.

Served heifers peaked at £1620 for a home-bred daughter of Sandy Valley Bolton from Terry Goldstraw of Audlem which sold due towards the end of February to an Aberdeen-Angus.

Auctioneers: Wright Marshall