A MOTHER and daughter duo set the trade alight when they sold for 10,500gns and 10,000gns at the milking portion dispersal of Bill Nadin and Yasmin Bradbury’s Buxton-based Sterndale and Peak Holstein herds, due to health reasons.

The herds, which have been built on the back of proven cow families that excel in dairy strength, high type and the ability to produce large volumes of milk, have also brought in their fair share of success on the show circuit.

Hitting the top price of 10,500gns was Milliedale Dusk Rhapsody, an Ex94-rated daughter of the top show cow, Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody Ex97-5E, known as ‘the Tank’, which most recently won the supreme title at the UK Dairy Expo. Owned by Yasmin’s eight-year-old grand-daughter Millie Wardle, Dusk Rhapsody is backed by 14 generations of Excellent-classified cows and calved her fourth in December. After some spirited bidding, she was knocked down to D Neville, Co Limerick, Republic of Ireland, giving 45.6kg per day and back in calf to sexed Delta-Lambda. 

Her December-born daughter, Milliedale Doorman Rhapsody, drew in just as much attention when she also sold across the Irish Sea, to IL McMurray, County Down, for 10,000gns. 

Two cows then attracted a final bid of 7500gns with the first, Sterndale Explode Rachel VG89-3yr, selling to Messrs Phillips, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire. Backed by 12 generations of dam in the top two grades, she had her second back in November and changed hands giving 39.2kg and back in calf to Wilt Emilio. 

Matching that price when snapped up by MJ and LJ Robertson, Horton, Bristol, was the very last lot in the catalogue, Sterndale Ladd Airy Red VG88-3yr. She had some success in the show ring as a two-year-old and sold freshly calved in June giving 46.7kg. 

See the July 29 issue of The Scottish Farmer for the full report from the Sterndale and Peak dispersals.