Baul family on the ball at CCM

Based at Watergate Farm, Bishop Thornton, Mr Baul bagged four dairy championships at Skipton last year and won his first title of 2020 with a 20 days calved 28-litre heifer, Ravensgate Symion Muscome 128.

She is by the Cogent sire, Snowbiz Symion, out of a Woodmarsh Topshot cow whose own dam had given three yields of over 10,000 litres.

The victor sold for a price-topping £2,400 to ringside regular Brian Blezard, of Ribchester.

He had also claimed the champion at this year’s opening dairy show a fortnight earlier.

Mr Baul’s reserve champion heifer, Ravensgate Elias Muscome 124, by another Cogent sire, Shanael Elias, arrived 24 days calved and also giving 28 litres. She sold for second top of £2,300, again to Mr Blezard.

The third prize newly calven heifer was consigned by Cowling’s Chris Bell, who trades as NA Bell and runs the Mireclose pedigree Holstein herd at the farm of the same name.

He was crowned champion on his first-ever appearance in the dairy show arena at Skipton last month.

His latest prize winner, calved for three weeks and giving 27 litres, was knocked down for £1,700.

Robert Crisp, of Nelson Farm, Calton, had a very fresh commercial heifer at £1,600, while a mid-lactation heifer from GW Leggott & Sons, of Great Smeaton, north of Northallerton, sold at £1,450.

Show judge was West Yorkshire dairy farmer George Fleetwood, of Upper Hopton, Wakefield.

National Milk Records, represented by Helen Whittaker, continues its long-standing support for Craven Dairy Auctions.

The seven milkers on parade saw pedigree heifers average £2,133, their commercial counterparts £1,010.

The next dairy fixture is on Monday, February 10.

Tremendous trade for rearing calves.

The same morning’s weekly sale of 54 dairy-bred rearing calves produced tremendous trade for a mixed quality turnout.

British Blue-cross bulls were leading the way when averaging a solid £325 per head.

The youngsters were selling from £230 up to a top of £445 for one from Gargrave’s Colin Whitelock.

Blue-cross heifer calves were also in strong demand, with an overall breed average of £251.

The best end getting away from £270 up to £385 top – this for a belter from the Sowray brothers in Bishop Thornton.

Mediums were £220-plus, the smallest selling in the early £200s.

Limousin youngsters were also well sought after, notably heifers, which averaged £260 and sold to £360, while bulls peaked at £280.

Mr Whitelock was again responsible for both top price performers.

The sale produced an overall Continental-cross average of £271 per head, while native entries averaged £201, with the Sowrays heading both classes on price with a brace of Aberdeen-Angus – a bull at £240, a heifer at £200.

Black and white calves sold to £105 for a pure-bred British Friesian from G Pickersgill and Sons, of Guiseley, with anything carrying size making £60-plus, producing an overall selling average for the section of £62.

The mart is gearing up to be a hive of activity with plenty of sale attractions coming up.

Among the late winter/early spring calendar entries will be the annual sale of BFL females on Wednesday, February 12.

Entry forms are now online with the closing date to get those entries in of February 3.

The annual Craven Champions show takes place on Tuesday, February 18 with the schedule and entry form online. The event includes the early show and sale of pedigree cattle.

The ever popular working sheepdog sales get underway for 2020 on Friday, February 21.

Classed as the winter sale, entries close on Friday, February 7. Entry forms can also be found online.

Also popular are the Agri Trader sales with the first machinery sale of the year due to go ahead on Saturday, March 7.

Delivery of items on the Thursday before between 2pm and 4pm and on the Friday from 10am to 4pm.

Catalogues will be online from 5pm on the Friday.

For details of all sales go to www.ccmauctions.com