Fleckvieh bulls proved the star attraction at Wright Marshalls Mid-Month dairy sale at Beeston Auction Mart, securing three of the four top prices including the day's best at £4000.

The event, which attracted an entry of 171 head of which 166 were forward on the day, also saw a strong demand for milking females and a return to buying quality and volume due to the fairly tight supply nationally. Hence, milking heifers averaged £200 per head more than last month with pedigree cows up a massive £700 on the same sale in February.

Topping the trade was Ernie, an October 2016-born bull imported from Austria, by Slatequarry Fleckview Genetics, Rock, Dungannon, Northern Ireland. An Evergreen son bred from an 89point heifer and a 11,500litre grand-dam, Ernie was knocked down to D Lovat and Son, Hutton Grange Farm, Great Rollright, Oxon.

The same home also sold the next two highest priced bulls at £2500 twice. The first, Manni, a high index polled September 2016-born son of Mahango, was bought by Aberystwyth producer, A Evans, Cwmwythig, Capel Bangor.

Lancashire-based J and E Airey, Blackmoss, Chipping, Preston, purchased the second £2500 bull, Vani, a similarly aged bull by GS Valento bred from a 89point show heifer.

Leading the milking entry at £2300 was WA Jones and Son's Fennshall Cancun Papoose, a Larcrest Cancun daughter that calved her second mid February and is now giving 38litres. Bred from seven successive generations of Ex cows, this entry from Park Farm, Whitchurch, Shropshire, headed home with JG and CA Bayley, Castle Farm, Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Fieldside Laurinda 18, from H and VE Jolly, Great Eccleston Hall, Preston, then made £2200 to WE and O Blockley and Son, Church Farm, Tarvin, Chester. This calved heifer by Sahara Baloo changed hands having calved down near the end of February and giving 32litres.

A number of heifers made £2180 including the best from Gavin Struthers' Balcurvie herd from Windygates, Fife. Balcurvie jettie Jojo, by Clear-Echo Jettie, was knocked down to JG Williams, Brooklands, Wrenbury, Nantwich, giving 36litres per day.

By the end of the day, some 20 cows and milking heifers sold for in excess of £2000, with 42 at over £1800. Only seven sold for less than £1000.

Leading the in-calf heifer section at £1610 was a Zeber daughter close calving to Drake. She was consigned by P Adams and Sons, Suffolk and was bought by G Thomasson and Son.

Averages: 11 pedigree cows, £1997.50; 126 milking heifers, £1604.80; 20 in-calf heifers, £1288.57; four Fleckvieh bulls, £2750.

Auctioneers: Wright Marshall.