ONE of the best offerings of pedigree dairy cattle forward for the Borderway Black and White Sale at Carlisle, ensured a relatively buoyant trade throughout, despite the downturn in milk prices.

With prices peaking at 12,500gns and more than a quarter of the sale selling for more than £4000, it was pretty much a good sale from start to finish. As always, however, it was only the very best bred entries that attracted the big bucks.

Included in this line up was Whinchat Atwood Savoire Fare, a 10-month-old heifer calf from first time consignor Andrew Birkle, who owns a 250-cow herd in Leicestershire that boasts a rolling average milk yield of 10,000+litres on a twice daily milking regime.

Sired by Atwood and bred from no fewer than 10 generations of high scoring Excellent cows that averaged 94.4points of which four are home-bred, her dam, which is still going strong having produced nine calves, is the Ex96-6E SP LP80 cow, Whinchat Shottle Savoire Fare.

The only pedigree in the world that boasts an Ex97, two Ex96 and three Ex95 classified cows, with the grand-dam also still milking in her ninth, this black and white youngster was knocked down to Stranraer breeder, Robert Agnew who was buying the calf on behalf of neighbouring breeder, James McNeil, Cairnpat.

Scottish breeders, Brian and Michael Yates' Logan herd from Castle Douglas, again came up with the goods, producing the second top priced lot at 9000gns while also being part owners of calves at 5500gns and 4500gns. Their best, Logan Diamond B Jodie Red, an 11-month-old red and white calf that stood champion calf at the South-west Dairy Show at Castle Douglas, is by Mr D Apple Diamondback. Her dam is the VG88-2yr classified unbeaten show cow, Logan Integral Jodie Red that not only won her class at this year's UK Dairy Expo but also the National Red and White Show. Bred from 11 generations of VG or Ex dams, this youngster is a grand-daughter of Sterndale Sterling Jodie Red which was part bought at the New Abbey dispersal. She sold across the Irish Sea with Messrs Jackson of the Crossnacole Holsteins in Eire.

Eastford Holsteins – a small red and white herd owned between Brian Yates and his wife Sheila and Gilmour and Caroline Lawrie, Monkton, Ayrshire, produced the 5500gns and 4500gns calves.

Dearest was Eastford Jordy Kiwi Red – the first heifer to sell from the unbeaten show cow, Eastford Atomium Kiwi Red, the All Britain Intermediate heifer in 2017, that bagged the Superheifer award at AgriScot in 2017, to name but a few. This four-month-old is by Cycle McGucci Jordy Red, bred from the same family as the Ex95 Luck-E Advent Kandie Red, and was knocked down to retired vet, Stuart Mullan who owns just six cows in his Redsky red and white herd based outside Hexham and Michael Howie of the Morwick herd from the same area.

Northern Ireland breeders, Messrs Porter, Lisburn, bought the couples' 4500gns entry, Eastford Control Abigail, a similarly aged heifer by JK Eder-I Control, and a grand-daughter of the Ex91 MS Apples Abigail which in turn is out of the top breeding cow, KHW Regiment Apple-Red Ex96-4E DOM 22*.

Back amongst the black and whites and the first member of the Silvermaple Damion Camomile cow family to sell in the UK attracted a 7800gns bid from local breeders, H and M Hodgson and Sarah Sutton, Burgh By Sands, Carlisle. This was also the first heifer sold by young Natasha Kirkby of Lancs-based Absolute Genetics. Her calf, Absolute Jacoby Ciao Bella, which was the result of a bought in frozen embryo from Quebec, America, is a six-month-old heifer bred from the VG88-2yr cow, Butlerview Uno Card which in turn was bred from Silvermaple Damion Camomile Ex95 2* LP50, a former All American and All Canadian Junior 3yr.

The long trip north from Bristol, also proved worthwhile for first time consignor Max Davies when his Davlea Applicable Alicia, made 7500gns selling to Peter Prior of Designor Holsteins, Ingatestone, Essex. His purchase is bred from the Ex92 Moorshard Windbrook Alicia, which was bought as a heifer calf at Bristol and last year was reserve grand champion at the Royal Welsh. Maternal sister to Davlea Bradnick Alisia VG89-3yr, the grand champion at the National Holstein Show and the Royal Welsh Show this year, this three-month-old entry is by Stantons Applicable.

Gary and Izzy Jones' Jones herd from Weston, Shrewsbury, also enjoyed a good day with a 6200gns sale for Jones Doorman Fame, a March 2018-born entry from their unbeaten three-year-old Clondpaddin Brokaw Fame, that stood reserve champion at the Royal Welsh and first prize junior at UK Dairy Day, this year. A grand-daughter of the Ex93-2E, Cradenhill Linjet Fame, and by Val-Bisson Doorman, she was knocked down to Brian and John O'Connor, Co Cork, Eire.

Just behind on 6000gns, the champion calf at the National, Evening Beemer Sunrise, a 15-month-old from the local breeders the Wilson family, Evening Farm, Carlisle, was bought by the National Calf show judge, Hefyn Wilson of the Tregibby herd from Cardigan, Dyfed. She is by Pol Butte McBeemer and is a grand-daughter of teh Ex91 SP LP50 cow, Evening Fever Sunrise.

Empire Holsteins, based just outside Castle Douglas, went to 4800gns for a Belle Sunny Australia, a full sister of the Laird family's Blythbridge Solomon Australia that made 6000gns here in 2016 and the $15,000 Illens Observer Australia. Selling at this price was a 15-month-old daughter of Illens Atwood Australia, the Ex95-2E show cow owned by the Blythbridge Holsteins, that stood champion at UK Dairy Day last year and supreme at the Dairy Expo, the previous year. She was consigned by Belle Genetics, Glassonby, Penrith, and is by Walnutlawn Solomon.

Heifers from Philip and Simon Haffey's Northern Ireland-based Glasson herd also sold well with sales at 4800gns and 4500gns both of which were bought by Messrs Tudor, Bridgenorth, Shropshire. The former, Glasson Silver W Twizzle, is the first progeny to sell from the All European winner Hallow Atwood Twizzle in the UK, being out of the 10,000gns Hallow Windbrook Twizzle, bought at the Hallow sale in 2016. The sire is Seagull-Bay Silver.

Making 4500gns was her May 2018-born stable mate, Glasson Doorman A Miss Snowdrop that goes back to Eastside Lewisdale Gold Missy Ex95 2E 27* LP 60.

Jersey heifers were topped at 4400gns for Potterswalls Engineer Harp, a seven-month-old heifer consigned by Northern Ireland breeders, the Fleming family, John Henning and Keith Agnew. A daughter of the record priced Jersey, Bluegrass Vindications Harp that sold for 11,000gns at the Red Ribbon sale in 2015 and has since won numerous champions up and down the country to include the Borderway Agri Expo and the Highland. Engineer Harp, sold to Hamish Campbell from Castle Douglas.

Matthew and Ruth Harper, from Maryport, produced the lead priced Brown Swiss at 3500gns which sold to Rachel Smith, Lincolnshire. This was Lillyhall Blooming Evelyn, a two-year-old by the top type sire, Blooming and bred from eight generations of Ex or VG cows tracing back to the World Dairy Expo grand champion Lyndale Convincer Elaine Ex93.

Averages: Holsteins – Seven cows and heifers in milk, £3360.00 (-£403.33 for two fewer sold); five in-calf heifers, £3318.00 (+£396 for three fewer); 58 maiden and heifer calves, £3605.34 (-£456.32 for five fewer). Jersey – Five calves, £3045.00 (-£1050 for two more). Embryos – 23, £1207.50 (+£743.40 for 18 fewer).

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.