AN on-farm reduction sale of Andrew Birkle and family's Whinchat Holstein herd from Leicestershire, saw more than £560,000 change hands with input from Marteye accounting for almost half the animals purchased.

The event which featured many of the breed’s best known cow families and top ranked sires, was topped at 9000gns by Whinchat Chief Saviore Faire 7 ET, a two-month-old calf from the Savoire Fare line and sired by Stantons Chief.

Bred from 11 generations of Excellent dams that average 94 points, her dam is Whinchat Goldsun Savoire Fare Ex95-3 SP, with the sixth dam being Pinehurst Savoire Fare ET Ex-92 GMD. Final bidder was Cornish breeder Anthony Wills, bidding via MartEye for the Wills Brothers' Willsbro herd.

Her close relative, Whinchat Chief Saviore Faire 4 ET, also sold to the Willsbro herd at 5700gns. A four-month-old going back to the same Pinehurst cow, her dam is the Ex96-8 SP LP110 27* Whinchat Shottle Savoire Fare.

Second top price was 6800gns paid for the Goldwyn daughter, Whinchat Goldwyn Farrah 5 ET, bred from seven straight Excellent cows with a 97-5, 100 tonne dam. A full sister to the stockbull, Whinchat Goldfinger ET, this November 2020-born heifer sold to Jim Henderson, buying for the Northhill herd from Thorntonhall, Glasgow.

Whinchat Doorman Shula VG89 topped the milkers at 6000gns. This fresh second calver which changed hands giving 56kg per day, is bred from six generation of Ex-classified cows tracing back to the mother of Picston Shottle. She sold served, sexed to Walnutlawn Sidekick, to Cyril and Martin Millar, buying for the Glenleary herd based at Millar Farms, Coleraine.

Whinchat Dice Farrah VG86-2yr was another selling to Millar Farms at 5000gns. Sired by Loh Dice Red and out of Whinchat Kimball Farrah Ex90 SP, she sold due at the end of November, sexed to Gen-I-Beq Attico Red.

Peter Waring bought eight lots for his Winton herd from East Yorkshire. Dearest at 5000gns was Whinchat Dealmaker Flo 2 VG88, fresh second calver and a seventh generation Ex or VG cow bred from Whinchat Chauffeur Flo Ex-91-2, SP and sired by Claynook Dealmaker.

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Next on his list at 4400gns was Whinchat Goldchip Star VG86-2yr, a first calver due in November sexed to Vogue Solarpower.

Two of the top priced lots sold to Ayrshire with Keith Rennie, Brocklehill, forking out 3900gns for the fresh heifer Whinchat Chief Molli 2 VG86-2yr, a Stantons Chief daughter and grand-daughter of the Ex92 SP cow, Whinchat Artie Molli Red 2

Earlier, Robbie and Margo Scott, Nethervalley, Tarbolton, went to 3800gns for Whinchat Chief Angela VG86-2yr, a fresh heifer whose third dam is the Ex93-4 SP LP80 cow, Whinchat Arudolf Angela and by the same sire.

Auctioneers: Norton and Brooksbank.

averages: 82 cows and calved heifers, £ 2932.32; 81 served heifers, £2074.07; 57 maiden heifers, £1401.47; 52 calves at foot, £1245.87; four bulls, £1863.75. Overall, 276 head, £2031.06.