No fewer than 23 lots sold for £5000 or more at the final dispersal sale of Bill Nadin and Yasmin Bradbury's Sterndale and Peak Holstein herds from Derbyshire, where prices peaked at 21,000gns.

The on-farm sale from the couple who have built up a reputation for breeding prolific cow families with generations of high scoring Excellent cows, was topped by the fourth calver, Sterndale Deman Rae, a Edg Deman daughter.

An Ex92 SP cow bred from 10 Ex-classified females which include the Ex97-4E GMD 6* cow, Glenridge Citation Roxy, Deman Rae is a daughter of the Ex94-3E LP60 10* cow, Sterndale Snow Wyn Rae, and a grand-daughter of the Sterndale Goldwyn Rae Ex94-3E 20*. She was knocked down to Anthony Wills, buying for the Willsbro herd managed by sons Robert and Mathew, from Cornwall, who also went to 4800gns for her fresh heifer, Sterndale Strongman Rae, by Lesperron Stronger and served to Sterndale Performer.

Willsbro bought three of the top five highest priced lots, forking out a further 16,000gns, 8500gns and 7000gns for top breeding females. Dearest was Sterndale Jordy Awe Jodie Red VG87-2yr, a September 2018-born first calver that sold sexed to Stgen Doral Red. Another backed by generations of VG and Excellent-classified cows, her grand-dam is the Ex93-3E show cow, Sterndale Colt Jodie Red that sold for 6500gns at the 2014 herd sale, while her third dam is the VG87-2yr 26* Sterndale Sterling Jodie Red that made 10,000gns at the Global Classic sale in 2012 and then was resold for 18,000gns at the Newabbey sale in 2014.

Minutes later, the Wills family forked out 8500gns for Peak Sidekick Gold Rhapsody, a 25-month-old ET heifer bred from the top show cow, Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody Ex97-6E SP LP130 22* – better known as The Tank – that is bred from 13 generations of Ex-classified females and boasts no fewer than three supreme championship at the UK Dairy Expo. She is by Walnut Sidekick and sold AI'd to Peak Tropic.

Another bred from the same top show cow, Peak Kinggold Rhapsody ET, a February 2019-born daughter of Woodcrest King Doc, sexed to Simers Lambda Haniko for next month, made 7000gns to Willsbro.

'The Tank' was behind most of the big sellers including the second top priced lot at 19,500gns paid by New Chapter Holsteins, Derbyshire. Selling at this price was Milliedale Lambda Rhapsody, a fresh heifer by Farnear Delta-Lambda, and a great grand-daughter of the top show cow, Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody Ex97-6E SP LP130 22*. Her second dam, Milliedale Dusk Rhapsody Ex95-2E 8* is a maternal sister to the 2018 National Holstein champion, Milliedale Dusk Rhapsody Ex95-3E that sold for 10,500gns the previous year.

Second top price was 19,500gns paid by New Chapter Holsteins, Derbyshire, for Milliedale Lambda Rhapsody ET, a fresh heifer sired by Lambda. Bred from no fewer than 15 successive generations of Ex dams, she is the result of a flush from an Ex91 Commander from an Ex95 Dusk that topped the 2017 herd sale at 10,500gns, with the next dam being the top show cow, Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody.

Her dam, Milliedale Commander Rhapsody Ex91, a third calver made 5200gs selling to Dumfriesshire breeder, Andrew Bunting, Midtown, New Abbey, who also went to 9000gns and 7200gns for top lots

Selling at 9000gns, was a yearling daughter of Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody, Peak Darling Rhapsody ET, by Doorman Darlingo, which sold sexed in March, to Farnear Delta Lambda.

Also heading home in the same lorryload to New Abbey, at 7200gns was Sterndale Bylambda Rae VG87-2yr, bred from a full sister to the dam of the top seller. She calved her first in October and sold sexed to Avant Garde-I KD Summerfest.

Northern Ireland breeders also featured in the buyers list, with Martin Garvey, Silverbridge, Co Down, going to 8500gns for a grand-daughter of The Tank. Peak ABS Lambda Rhapsody VG86-2yr, a Farnear Delta-Lambda daughter sold having recently calved in her second

Martin and Cyril Millar, Coleraine, bought three of the top sellers at 7500gns and 7000gns twice. Tops here was Sterndale Lindell Ghost a maximum classified second lactation cow that completes 10 generations of Ex-classified cows. This second calver by Hartline Lindell, is a grand-daughter of the Ex94-5E SP LP70 8* cow, Sterndale Laurie Ghost and sold sexed to Farnear Delta Lambda.

The father and son duo also bought a four-year daughter of The Tank, going to 7000gns for Peak Denver T Rhapsody ET VG87-3yr. She is by Mr Mogul Denver and sold in her second and sexed to Siemers Lambda Haniko.

Sterndale Linkup Rae Ex93 SP, a third calver by EDG Mogul Link Up that sold sexed to Farnear Delta Lambda, also made 7000gns selling to the Millars. Bred from the same line as the top seller, her dam Sterndale Goldwyn Rae, is the grand-dam of the 21,000gns cow.

Another in the money at 7200gns was Sterndale Silv Ghost ET, which had classified maximum points in her third lactation and was the ninth generation of direct Ex-classified cows. A Seagull-Bay Silver-sired cow bred from the Ex90 18* Sterndale Shot Ghost, she sold fresh in her fourth, to Robert McNeil, buying for his Cairnpat herd from Stranraer.

Just behind, on 7000gns, Preston-based breeder, D Moss, Bleasdale, bought the five-year-old Sterndale Gold Chip Rae VG88 SP, a Mr Chassity Gold Chip-sired second calver bred from the Ex93-2E Sterndale Kanu P Rae.

OTHERLEADING prices

6700gns – Sterndale Denver Rae Ex92-5E, bred from Sterndale Aftershock Rae, to M and C Millar, Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland. 6500gns – Sterndale Alchemy Noel Red Ex94-4E LP70, bred from Sterndale Advent Noel Red Ex90 11*, to Messrs Smith and Sons, Preston. 6200gns – Sterndale King Doc Advantageous VG88-2yr, bred from Riverdane Barbwire Adventageous Red Ex92-2E SP LP60, to Wills Bros, Cornwall.

6000gns – Sterndale Megasire Legacy Ex91, bred from Sterndale Gold Legacy Ex90-2E, to M and C Millar, Co Londonderry; Sterndale Fitzlambda Airy VG88-2yr, bred from Sterndale Fitz Airy Ex91 SP, to Messrs Booth, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland; Peak Crushtime Rhapsody, out of Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody, to Leyburn Farming, Armagh.

5500gns – Peak Gold Detour Rhapsody VG85-3yr SP, bred from Peak Goldwyn Rhapsody, to New Chapter Holsteins, Derbyshire.

Averages: 63 cows in milk, £3971.67; 60 heifers in milk, £3699.50; 12 in-calf heifers, £3841.25; 16 bulling heifers, £3025.31; 41 heifer calves, £2336.89; five bulls, £2919.00; 27 embryos, £961.99. Overall, 197 Holsteins, £3437.02.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington and Bagshaws