Ellesmere dairy farmer takes home auction championship after he sells off herd

Andrew Shakeshaft, of D. & A. C. Shakeshaft of Whattall Farm, Ellesmere, sold 67 cows and heifers in-milk, three dry cows, 80 in-calf and served heifers, 45 maiden heifers and 20 heifer calves following Halls auctioneers’ monthly dairy show and sale.

With the tenancy of the near 300-acre Whattall Farm ending soon, the Shakeshaft family decided to sell most of the herd but to keep 80 youngstock for a smaller farming venture at English Frankton.

“It was a phenomenal sale for the Shakeshaft family and Halls,” said auctioneer Jonny Dymond, manager of Shrewsbury Auction Centre. “Once again, we were delighted to exceed the vendor’s expectations.

“Halls has been privileged to sell hundreds of cattle on behalf of D. & A. C. Shakeshaft over the years. The cattle from this herd are recognised far and wide for their style, capacity and ability to milk.

“This reputation not only brought an army of buyers to the ringside but also online and one volume buyer even asked Andrew to work for him as a breeding consultant!”

Fittingly, the dairy show and sale champion was Andrew’s Pimhill Tropic Dewdrop 5 VG85, an impressive cow which sold for £4,515. The second placed cow, Dilandy Remedy Christabel VG87, also came from the same home and sold for £3,990 while third place went to Beestoncastle, a third calver from Malcolm Trevor Jones, of Oswestry which sold for £2,480.

The winning heifer and reserve champion, Heatherleigh Applicable Pammy, sold for £3,920 and belonged to Callum Benson, of Middlewich who also owned the second placed Santarosa Shield Bevel which sold for £3,850. Third was a commercial heifer from Mr Trevor Jones and sold for £3,050. The show and sale was judged by Sam Bailey, Whitgreave, Stafford,

Ten fresh heifers sold for £3,000 or more with overall section averaging £2,918. Four commercial heifers from Guto Lewis from Oswestry peaked at £3,450, with each selling for more than £3,000.

A Danish red from Alastair Drinkall from Winsford sold for £3,320 and Oliver Wilson from Leebotwood sold extremely correct heifers to £3,300. All heifers that sold for more than £3,000 were either bluetongue vaccinated or blood tested.

Fresh cows peaked at £2,480 for a third calver from Malcolm Trevor Jones, while C. S. A .Brassington from Telford achieved £2,450 for what auctioneer Jonny Dymond described as a “cracking cow” and a red and white monty type from Chris Morgan from Chester realised £2,150.

A total of 231 dairy cattle went under the hammer, with the majority from the Dilandy Herd dispersal.

 The sale peaked at 4,300gns for a show and sale champion cow, fresh in July and giving 44kg of milk daily at 5.72%. She sold to John Bayley of Nuneaton, who also purchased the next highest price 4,050gns for Dilandy Duke Kate VG86, a daughter of a bull which has had a huge impact on her, SSI Montross Duke. She was fresh just under a month and giving 38kg per day.

Another fresh cow to break the £4,000 mark was Dilandy Remedy Rosalee 2 which sold for 3850gns to the same buyer. The sale catalogue’s cover girl, Dilandy Remedy Christabel VG87, Andrew’s favourite cow which had calved in May and was recently served, flew to 3,800gns to Gwyndaf Davies from West Wales, a volume buyer on the day.

“The trade was solid throughout calving patterns, with quality dictating the demand completely, as Dilandy Alcove Ruefl GP84 achieving 3,300gns just as she was getting ready to go dry before calving again on Christmas Day,” added Mr Dymond.

A highlight of this sale was the youngstock - three-quarters of the sale comprised in-calf heifers and youngstock. The “A” lot heifer calves behind their mothers attracted a fierce trade, peaking at 1,000gns for Dilandy Parfect Tabitha, a price matched by another April calve, Dilandy Fuel Eve. Only the one calf sold for less than 750gns.

The 73 in-calf and served heifers peaked at 2,800gns twice for Dilandy Rager Millie which had a long pedigree from the Santamaria Herd and was due in October and Dilandy Luster Torch, a stylish heifer backed by Jayburn Breeding and due in January to Taos. The daughter of Dilandy Rager Christabel, which was due in February, romped to 2,500gns.

Demand for served and in-calf heifers was consistently strong, with very few under 1,800gns and a bottom price of 1,650gns.

“The section of the day was the open maiden and bulling heifers,” added Mr Dymond. “There is a shortage of high quality youngstock which was proven as prices rose to 1,900gns for Dilandy Pursuit Kate, a 15-month-old heifer whose dam sold for 4,050gns.”

A series of heifers sold for between 1,500 and 1,700gns while those of 11 to 12 months started at 1,000gns.

The dispersal sale averages: 41 cows in milk £2,410, 26 heifers in milk £2,476, three dry cows £2,317.73, served and in-calf heifers £2,274, 45 maiden heifers £1,570 and 20 heifer calves £881.

Mr Dymond added: “I would like to personally thank Andrew and all at Whattall Farm for their instructions and support over the years.”