More than £500,000 changed hands at the Willsbro Premier Herd sale at Wills Brothers’ Cornish farm at Pawton Dairy.

The event, which was staged to celebrate winning last year’s Holstein UK Premier Herd Competition, attracted in excess of 1000 breeders and enthusiasts to view the best cows in this 1700 cow herd which boasts a herd average of 14,800kg at 4.08%BF and 3.27%P.

The sale of 40 young milkers and160 heifer calves, all under a year old, also featured a choice selection of embryos.

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Sale leader at 7000gns was the four-month-old heifer calf Willsbro Lambda Nita 5991 ET. Her dam, a 93 pointed Unix daughter, purchased from Messrs Wilson’s Warnelview herd, is a daughter of Final Cut Nita, that scored 97 points and gave more than 120 tonnes of milk as well as breeding 10 Excellent daughters. The calf sold to Phil Stubbs buying for his Whitgreave herd in Staffordshire.

A good number of quality red and white calves reached a high of 6200gns for Willsbro Holliman Amazon Red 5916, a Holliman daughter from the Amazon family that traces to the Luck-E herd in the USA. Bred from nine generations of Ex or VG-classified dams, this five-month-old headed home with John Sherratt of the Derbyshire-based Hope Valley herd.

Members of the Sharon family, which bred Picston Shottle, were in demand and calves by the up and coming sires Parfect and Dropbox made 5800gns and 5000gns respectively, selling to MJ and MC Thomasson of the Astlowhall herd from Cheshire and Greentower Farms, Lanarkshire.

Dearest was Willsbro Parfect Sharon 5733, a seven-month-old ET heifer bred from no fewer than 16 generations of Ex or VG-classified dams.

Selling north to Messrs Smith, Greentowers was Willsbro Dropbox Sharon 5734, a similarly aged heifer also boasting 16 generations of cows in the top two grades.

Another selling north at 4600gns when purchased by Scott Forsyth, Baltier Farms, Wigtownshire was the six-month-old, Willsbro Holliman Boegin Red 5911. She is sired by AOT Holliman-Red and bred from a Willsbro daughter of the Toitoi Unix Boegin ET VG-85-2yr that made 10,000gns at the 2020 Global Connection sale.

All milking females sold at prices in excess of £3000 and averaged more than £4000. Top price in this section was 6000gns paid for Willsbro Arrow Ashlyn 3249 VG-86-2yr.

Sired by DG NH Arrow and from the Ashlyn family whose dam and grandam both gave more than 16,000kg, this heifer is on course to give in excess of 13,000kg in her first. She sold served to Siemers Exc Hanans, and is due in October, to Peter Waring of the Winton herd, East Yorkshire.

Willsbro Hotjob Lila Z 502 VG-88, a second calver was the first animal through the ring and made 5600gns selling to Harry Roper of the Lymehouse herd, Lancs. She calved her second mid-April having produced more than 16,000kg in her first.

Mr Roper also went to 4700gns for Willsbro Rompen Ghost Red 3821 VG-85-2yr, which calved her first in March.

James Evans of Martin Evans Farming bought 10 animals for the Priddbwll herd on the Shropshire/Welsh Border. His lead purchase at 5300gns was Willsbro Lambda Ashlyn 3417 ET VG-85 2yr. She sold served in May with her second to Siemers Rengd Parfect.

Two milkers sold at 4800gns. Willsbro Hotjob Rae 3032 VG87-2yr, sold due at the end of October with her second to Westcoast GD Blakely, having already produced in excess of 12,000kg. The buyer was MJ Webber of the Oxenacres herd.

Later, Drointon Farms went to the same money for the second calver, Willsbro Milio Lilia B 209 VG89. She changed hands served at the end of May to MB-Luckylady Eye Candy E.

Embryo lots reached 1000gns for embryos by Hulu or Pace from the Knonaudale Mud family, purchased by Tom Hull of the Fortland herd.

averages: 40 cows and calved heifers, £4071.38; 54 2023-born calves, £1961.94; 104 2024-born calves, £1740.58. Overall, 198 head, £2271.82. Embryos – 77 lots, £677.00.

Auctioneers: Norton and Brooksbank and Kivells