An entry just shy of 300 head for the February Borderway Dairy Day sale at Carlisle, saw prices peak at £2400 on four occasions, with 137 milking heifers averaging £1946.

Matt Gemmell's Brownfield herd from Dumfries produced two of those sale leaders with entries giving more than 40kg per day. First was Brownfield Applejax Elfeda 2, a late December-calved heifer by Seagull-Bay Applejax bred from a home-bred GP84 cow. She sold to Messrs Dent and Son, Darlington.

Brownfield Mercedes Agnes, which calved on January 2, made the same money when selling to Messrs Green and Son, Lach Dennis, Northwhich. Her pedigree features the AI sire, Pine Tree Mercedes and the GP82 dam, Brownfield Secretariat Agnes. Mr Gemmell sold five heifers for an average £2200.

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The same buyers went to £2400 for Petteril Adorable Carol from the Morleys of Petteril Bank Farm, Carlisle. Her dam is a King Doc daughter that gave more than 15,000kgs as a three-year-old.

The first animal to sell for £2400 was Mansebrae Dreambig Carefree, from first time consignor, A Watt, Meadow Bank, Dalserf, Lanarkshire. She by Kings Ransom Dreambig and bred from three generations of dams all with high production figures. The buyers were Messrs Watson and Co, Ochiltree, Cumnock who also went to £2320 for another fresh Holstein heifer from Messrs Watt.

The Coppside herd of Jackson’s from Guillyhill, Dumfries sold 10 cows and heifers to average £2000 with a top price of £2350 paid for Coppside Artisan Weeber Red. This red and white giving 40kgs is by Luck-E Artisan Red and out of Wreaywood Appleman Weeber 25 LP60 SP Ex90-2E. She was another that headed home with Messrs Dent and Son, Darlington.

The same stable also topped the in-calf heifer section at £1680. Coppside April is bred from a VG87 pointed dam and sold due in March to an Angus bull.

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The third sale to disperse the ESK pedigree Holstein Friesian herd owned by Robert Byers from Canonbie peaked at £2300 for Esk Brilliant Bety. She is sired by Inch Brilliant, bred from a DG Charley dam, and was knocked down to Messrs Green and Son, Lach Dennis.

The Dent family from Bridge End Farm in Kirby Thore sold 12 Pro cross heifers to average £1968, with a top price of £2300 paid for a Danish Red heifer sired by Vimo, purchased by Messrs Dent, Darlington.

Ayrshire heifers from the Stevenson family, Kirminnoch Farm, Stranraer, sold for £2000 for a daughter of Palmyra Power Remsberg.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.

Averages: Freshly calved – 137 Holstein heifers, £1946.64; 37 Holstsein cows, £1721.03; 14 Pro cross heifers, £1939.28; 27 faulted ¾ cows, £1120.37.

Dry cows – 15 Pro cross cows, £1238.00.

Youngstock – 27 Holstein in-calf heifers, £1441.82; eight Jersey and cross-bred in-calf heifers, £1020.00; six Holstein bulling heifers, £1041.66.