A diverse range of quality milking, in-calf and bulling dairy cows and heifers attracted a large ringside of buyers and a top price of £2050 at the Borderway Monthly Dairy Day sale at Carlisle, last week where more than 300 animals were cashed.

Topping the trade was a Mincio-sired heifer from Messrs Hastwell, The Buildings, Kirkby Stephen, which changed hands recently calved and giving 34litres to G Green and Son, Norwich.

Two fresh heifers from R and A Slack, Cockley Bank, sold next at £2000, to include a daughter of Sherdon Fantastic giving 32kg and C-Haven Numero Uno-sired entry giving 33kg. They were purchased by G Green and Son, Norwich and IT and EM Carlyle, Carlisle, respectively.

Cows were topped at £1850 for a second calver from the Davidson family at Errolston Farm.

The consignment from M and M Maxwell, North Doddington Farm, Wooler, saw 31 April and May-calved cows and heifers sell to £1650 to average £1375.

The animals from North Doddington were cross bred using Holstein, Montbeliarde, Ayrshire and British Friesian genetics, with £1650 entry being a third calved cow British Friesian cross Montbeliarde giving 33litres.

The Dutch Holstein herd dispersal, imported by Best of Breed Livestock, peaked at £1800 to average £1281, with the consignment led by a recently calved heifer by Koepon General bred from a dam with three lactations of more than 15,000litres.

British Friesian cows were a little less money than previous months selling to £1600 for a black second calved cow from Messer’s Williamson, The Howes Farm, Appleby.

A good entry of in-calf heifers and recently served heifers was led by a daughter of Stardale Jury, due in August to Bilsrow Jato, that sold for £1580, for JM Hill, Drumfork Farm, Cumnock.

Richard and Leanne Winder from Wall End Farm, Broughton-In-Furness, were also in the money, selling 32 recently served and young heifers from their prize winning herd combining the best of the Holstein, Montbeliarde, Swedish Red, British Friesian and Fleckvieh. Their recently served heifers were topped at £1080 by Swedish Red daughter of Skyhigh Superman bred from Red Holstein dam, which sold due in December to Denmire Premiership. Their young heifer calves were topped at £850 for a daughter of the Norwegian Red bull, Braut, bred from a Holstein dam.

Averages: 24 Holstein cows in milk, £1442.85; 71 Holstein heifers in milk, £1517.73; 35 Ayrshire/Montbeliarde/Friesian cross-bred cows from Doddington Farm, £1375.16; 65 Holstein females from Holland herd, £1281.89; nine

British Friesian cows, £1417.77; 12 three-quarter faulted cos and heifers, £848.33; 68 in calf and recently served Holstein heifers, £1119.00; 18 Holstein Friesian bulling heifers, £588.33; 23 Holstein/Montbeliarde/Swedish Red/Fleckvieh bulling heifers , £696.08

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.