A CRACKING Ayrshire heifer from the Lawrie family's Cuthill Towers herd from Milnathort, topped the April and Border and Lakeland and Coloured Breeds dairy show and sale at Carlisle, selling for 3450gns.

The heifer, Cuthill Towers Leader Ray, a 65.6% Ayrshire from Fife breeders, Arthur and Susan Lawrie and sons David and James, is by West Spittal Leader and out of the GP80 Cuthill Towers Barbarian Ray. Champion at the pre-sale show as selected by local breeder, Donald Millar of the Trailflat Holstein herd, her third dam is the Ex94 classified Cuthill Towers Regal Ray, which produced more than 12,000kg in her fourth. She calved at two years of age, is giving 34litres per day and sold to new breeder, Laura Ashley of Welsh Dragon Farms, Powys, who hopes to show the heifer later in the year.

The same buyer also bought the second top priced Ayrshire from Cuthill Towers at 2250gns. This was Cuthill Towers Leader Bonnet, a similarly aged heifer by the same sire from the Lawries which also calved at two. She calved down mid February and is out of a previous home-bred GP83 Bonnet.

Keeping it in the family, Craig Davidson, Errolston, Gretna, sold the lead priced Ayrshire bull, Davidsons Patriot, at 2000gns to his uncle, Keith Davidson and family, Halmyre, Haugh of Urr, Castle Douglas. This ET-bred yearling is the result of a flush from the American Ex90 Maple-Dell Burdette Donna which is a maternal sister to the Ex94 Maple-Dell Trident Dee show cow, and sired by Palymra Berkely Reagan.

A good choice of productive Holstein cows and heifers, with a high proportion producing in excess of 40kg, met a more subdued trade compared to the previous month's sale. They peaked at 2650gns for the champion winner, which again was produced by David and John Brewster of Boclair Holsteins, Glasgow, who sold four heifers to average in excess of £2000.

Their sale leader, selected by judge, Donald Millar, was Boclair Gambler Reizend. Bred from seven generations of Ex or VG dams, this Willsbro Gambler daughter is out of the Ex91-3E Boclair Jordan Reizend 2 and sold giving 45kg per day having calved mid March. She sold to Tip Top Dairy Farm, Ayrshire bodied heifer producing 45kgs and bred from seven generations of Excellent or Very Good dams all with massive production. She was bought by Tip Top Dairy Farm, Ayrshire.

Welsh producers, Messrs Thomas, Llangennech, Llanelli, Dyfed, Carmarthenshire, bought a number of Holsteins to include the next four top priced lots.

Dearest at 2300gns was Wormanby Derby Lustre from the Hodgson family's local herd from Carlisle. Another backed with a great pedigree, this Wormanby Derby daughter is a grand-daughter of the Ex94-6E SP LP110 cow, Honesberie Shottle Lustre. Bred from 11 generations of Ex or VG dams, she goes back to Idee Lustre Ex95, the Royal Winter Champion in 2001.

Messrs Thomas also went to 2250gns for Wormanby Denim Linda, a Claynook Denim-sired heifer in milk out of the VG88 SP LP60 Wormanby Triplex Linda, which in turn is bred from three Ex-classified cows.

Just behind, on 2200gns, Cameron Baty of the Tynevalley Herd in Cheshire, sold Tynevalley Millicio Katrina to Messrs Thomas. She is by Wintersell Millicio, and out of the Ex92 Tynevalley Windbrook Katrina which traces back to the great Glen Drummond Shower Ex 14*.

Jersey cattle hit a top of 2200gns for Helsington On Time Belle, an embryo bred from the Ex94-6E MM Rapid-bay-UK Won Belle which in turn is bred from the Ex92-2E 27* Duncan Belle. Sired by Lencrest on Time, and consigned by Rob and Yvonne Willison, Kendal, this October 2017-born heifer was knocked down to Cowhill Trust, Duncow, Dumfries.

The same buyers also went to 1700gns for Robert Hunter's Clydevalley Excitation Evette GP81, from West Tarbrax, Shotts. A second calving giving 35kg having calved early February, she is by Bridon Excitation CJCC and out of the VG85 Clydevalley Rocket Evette.

Second top price was 1800gns paid by McCreery Farms, Wigtown, Newton Stewart, for Ribble Topeka Clover, from Ribble Jerseys, Waddington, Lancs. Sired by Heartland Merchant Topeka and bred from four generations of VG dams, she changed hands due to River Valley Circus Craze (sexed) in May.

Averages: Holstein – Seven cows in milk, £1474.50; 81 heifers in milk, £1727.25; 16 bulling heifers, £920.18. Ayrshire – 14 heifers in milk, £1750.50. Jersey – Four cows in milk, £1252.12; six bulling heifers, £1128.75. Non-pedigree – 29 milkers, £1133.46.

Stradnahanna youngstock sale – 19 Holstein in-calf heifers, £1122.94; 26 Holstein heifer calves, £688.55. Ribble Jersey sale – 10 in-calf heifers £1328.25; 11 heifer calves, £637.63.

Embryos and semen – 39 doses of semen, £58.80. 118 embryos, £804.00.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.