DESPITE a superior quality offering of cows and heifers for the July Border and Lakeland Holstein Club show and sale at Carlisle, overall averages were down by almost £200 per head on the month due to the continued dry weather and shortage of grass.

The event, which included the annual Lismulligan youngstock sale where prices peaked at 1050gns, saw 17 lots sell for more than £2000, with a top price of £2850 paid for well known dairy photographer, Jane Steel's Lomond Durbin Summer from Kepculloch, Balfron.

This ET-bred October 2015-born heifer is backed by seven generations of VG or Excellent-classified cows being out of the Ex92-2E Kepculloch Shottle Summer ET and sired by Ladys-Manor Durbin. A grand-daughter of the Royal Highland Show champion, Altona Lea Rudolph Summer Ex95, she sold freshly calved to Northern Ireland producer, David McNaugher.

Second top price was 2600gns paid twice, with the pre-sale champion, Wormanby Deman Brook, from Wormanby Farms, Carlisle, selected by the judge, Joe Marrs of the Broomhills Holstein herd, also from Carlisle, being one of those sales.

Freshly calved, this March 2016-born heifer by Edg Deman, is bred from the Ex93-2E SP cow, Wormanby Bottle Brook, and sold to the judge, who also went to 2300gns for his choice of reserve champion, Stowbeck Cinderdoor Jeanie, from Skirwith Hall Farms, Penrith. Bred from four generations of Excellent or VG dams, she is by KH Cinderhood and sold a month calved.

Matching the 2600gns price was February 2015-born Aytonian Bluebell 319, which calved her second at the end of May having produced 9231litres in her first. Consigned by HS Petch and Sons, Whitegate, Middlesbrough, Bluebell is bred from a previous home-bred VG85 Bluebell and sired by Schillview Oman Gerard. She sold to JJ Taylor, High Whinnow, Carlisle.

Messrs Petch sold 14 cows and heifers to average £1946, with their second top price, 2200gns selling to Messrs Bryson, Mauchline. This was Aytonian Aster 431, a late April calved heifer by Ladys-Manor RD Grafeeti.

The firm of N and M Oldfield, Demense, Gisburn, bought the next two top priced lots at 2450gns and 2400gns. Dearest was a heifer from six Excellent dams tracing back to the Indianhead Holstein herd in Wisconsin, USA. Rockset Latitude Bridget 2, an April 2016-born calved heifer from Jim Gray, Drumtall, Strathaven, is by Rockset Latitude and out of the Ex92-3E SP LP60 cow, Rockset Rampage Bridget 2 ET.

Later, Messrs Oldfield forked out 2400gns for Matthew and Ruth Harper's Lillyhall Mascalses Bonita from West House Farm, Maryport. Bred from seven Excellent dams tracing back to the 1996 World Dairy Expo Champion Buggs Blackstar Buffy, this Zani Bolton Mascalese daughter, calved mid June.

Averages also slipped by almost £200 at the seventh annual sale of young-stock from the Lawson family's Lismulligan British Friesian from Fife, due to the lack of grass.

Top price in this section was 1050gns paid for Adams Laura 9, an eight-month-old heifer calf by Gemini Norseman and bred from an Adams daughter of the BFE90 Blackisle Laura 32. The heifer had a PLI+£203 and was purchased by Eryl Done, Lowick, Berwick upon Tweed.

Just behind, on 950gns, R Swallow, Milkrigg, Hexham, bought the 10-month-old heifer, Lismulligan Brandy Lavender 33, by Adams Counsellor and bred from two Excellent dams.

Two 16-month-old heifers by Raby Jazzman made 920gns each. The first, Lismulligan Wendy 32, a winner at the Kinross Calf Show in 2017 and second prize winner at the National British Friesian Show at UK Dairy Expo in March, was knocked down to JE Olton, Domvilles Farm, Stoke.

Minutes later, Lismulligan Renee 111, made the same money selling to R and W Todd, High Toft Farm, Bishop Auckland.

Averages: 11 cows in milk, £1916.25; 57 heifers in milk, £1832.93; 11 embryos, £535.50; 31 Lismulligan heifer calves, £769.54

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.