An inviting mix of top class pedigrees from noted cow families and sound productive commercial animals ensured a buoyant trade throughout at the dispersal of Stephen Langdon’s Salterton and herd manager Nick Kay’s Opencountry Holstein herds

The two herds which were run as one unit on farm near Salisbury drew 56 buyers from the tip of Cornwall to Dumfries, Pembrokeshire and Northern Ireland and attracted a top price of 4000gns for Opencountry Rubicon Atlee. This freshly calved heifer with an18,000litre Riverdane dam by Doorman boasts three VG sisters in the Ashlea herd. She goes back to the Ex94 Aitkenbrae Starbuck Ada, and sold to Elwyn and Cheryl Thomas, buying for the Gatrog herd, Carmarthenshire.

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No fewer than 49 lots sold for 2000gns or more, with a second top price of 3800gns also paid by the Thomas' for Wiltor Modesty Cosmopolitan VG86, which gave 11,700kg as a heifer and sold back in calf to Lambda. Her Magnitude heifer calf topped the calf section at 1700gns and her 5 ET daughters by Firebrand made up to 2800gns as autumn calving heifers.

Top price for the Salterton herd was 2450gns for a fresh Shamrock daughter giving 50kg daily.

Averages: Salterton dispersal – 87 cows and calved heifers, £1563; 24 served heifers, £1190; 15 maiden heifers, £641; 24 heifer calves, £447. Overall, 147 head, £1249. Opencountry – 67 Cows and calved heifers, £1810; 50 served heifers, £1757; 22 maiden heifers, £885; 29 heifer calves, £507. Overall,169 head, £1443.

Auctioneers: Norton and Brooksbank and Kivells