Page 68 - West Country View

Cream of the crop showcased at Sedgemoor
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The UK’s Holstein Premier Herd was dispersed at Sedgemoor Auction Centre to great acclaim with record averages and international buyers.
Partner Derek Biss FRICS FAAV said: “GTH sold the UK’s Premier Herd to a roaring success. We had buyers from
all corners of the UK, Ireland, and even sold one cow to a Dutchman who had seen it advertised on our social media.
“We achieved a Sedgemoor record average of £2,000 per animal and a record cow average of over £2,700.”
In addition to a bumper crowd around the sale ring there were in excess of 100 people at a time watching the livestreaming of the sale. By the end of the day there had been more than 20,000 views online!
The successful sale was the culmination of a lifetime’s work by farmer Dennis Smith. At the age of 17, instead of buying a car, he bought his first pedigree heifers and since then has built a prestigious herd that has been six times national finalist for the Holstein UK Premier Herd competition, having received honourable mention twice and Reserve Champion once.
His pedigree Holsteins were crowned the 2018 UK Premier Herd Competition winners at the recent UK Dairy Day, perfect timing as the dispersal sale to mark Mr Smith’s retirement followed closely after this national success.
Breeders from all corners of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Holland gathered at Sedgemoor Auction Centre to witness the successful sale of his prizewinning Oakroyal Herd, which he farmed near Exeter.
An electric trade throughout topped at 5600gns twice, firstly for the much talked about Promis family which
saw the heifer Oakroyal Camelot Promis VG-2yr sold to J Richardson from Ireland joining a number travelling across the water for various Irish purchasers.
The most prolific family at Oakroyal and the family most synonymous with the herd is the Peach family and this also had the honour of the joint top price of 5600gns. She travels to Staffordshire to join the Barmick herd for MP & BJ Hollins & Son.
Eighteen lots achieved in excess of £3,000 and from week old calves to senior cows the overall average per animal was an impressive £2,000, which is a testament to the quality of the cattle in the Oakroyal Herd.
A packed ringside saw many potential buyers leave empty handed and an impressive 65 individual buyers were recorded for the 149 animals catalogued.
Sedgemoor is the premier venue for livestock auctions with easy access to the M5. For more information on the range of sales held please call 01278 410250 or visit gth.net/sedgemoor.
Photographs from the Oakroyal dispersal at Sedgemoor Auction Centre. Photo credit: Emily Fleur