Prices go Sky High and records are smashed at Designer Genes Sale 2016

Seventeen Females and three Embryo lots were sold to average £4,717 and gross £94,340 for a clearance total of 80%. The auctioneer was Nick Hyne of Halls Auctions and the sale was managed by Josh Dowbiggin. The sale broke a number of records, being the highest averaging Hereford sale in the UK, as well as the highest priced Poll Hereford female to ever sell at public auction in the UK.

Topping the live lots on the day was 10-month old heifer calf Sky High 1 Miss Valentine from B Birch and G Brindley who sold for 8500gns (£8925) to Adam Bowen and family. Out of 2015 Hereford Female of the Year Dendor 1 Jennefer 15th and by breed-leading sire Romany 1 Lawbreaker RE L23, she is the highest priced Poll Hereford female to ever sell at public auction in the UK, as well as also being the highest priced Hereford female to sell at under 12 months of age in the UK. Congratulations to the Birch and Brindley families on their record breaking day.

Second highest price of the day was paid for breed legend Coley 1 Bubbles 249 from Miss H Whittaker. A twice Native Interbreed Champion and previous Reserve Female of the Year, the whole sale ring gasped when Bubbles entered the ring! This powerhouse female by 2012 Sire of the Year Blakelaw 1 Calzaghe then sold for 8000gns (£8400) to PD & JM Vaughan.

Three more females from the Coley herd sold at Designer Genes. These females were all ¾ sisters sired by the 5-figure bull Sky High 1 Korker and out of cows sired by Blakelaw 1 Calzaghe (2012 Sire of the Year). Coley 1 Brandy 360, Coley 1 Samantha 369 and Coley 1 Model 378 sold for 3500gns, 3000gns and 3600gns respectively to Speirs Farms Ltd, N & L Holdsworth and PA Astley.

The Grand Female Champion at the Hereford Cattle Breeders’ Association Christmas Calf Show (Europe’s largest Hereford Show) was Normanton 1 Enoki 4th from the award winning Normanton herd. Enoki 4th was one of the last daughters of Alvian 1 Emperor to ever sell from Normanton. She was sold to J Hodge for 6000gns.

A cow/calf pair from G & MC Shepherd’s Moorside Herd was another high selling lot at the sale. Moorside 1 Jane 3rd, a two-year old first calved heifer, had won numerous breed and interbreed titles throughout 2016. She was knocked down to new breeders S & E Walker, Lancashire for 5000gns. Her April born heifer calf, Moorside 1 Jane 9th, a daughter of noted Cogent sire Moorside 1 Joseph was next into the ring. She was sold to Alan Crooks, Sheffield for 3800gns.

A lovely January 2016 born heifer from the Frenchstone herd was offered at the event. Frenchstone P. 1 Get Real is the first daughter of Danish sire Moeskaer Magnum to sell in the UK. She was purchased by Robert Allcock for 4400gns.

A ‘pick of the heifers’ lot was offered from the Moralee herd of Tom and Di Harrison. Having already won National Champion at the Agri Expo calf show and swept the board at Northumberland County, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the first heifers to ever be sold at auction by Moralee! Both heifers were also the first to sell from senior herd sire Cornriggs 1 Knight Rider. Moralee 1 Nest Egg was sold to PA Astley for 4200gns and Moralee 1 Nigella was sold to George Morgan for 3200 gns. Mr Morgan also offered a heifer at the event - Fardre 1 Ms Gweno, who had already won the Female Championship at Agri Expo earlier in the season. Sired by Harvie High Roller and out of Harvie Ms Gwen 177T, she was knocked down to K Goldstraw for 3200gns.

Another young heifer also breached the 4000 guinea barrier. Rempstone 1 Fashion E340, a daughter of noted sire Aldersley 1 Edgar and of the top donor female at Rempstone, Kinglee 1 Fashion. This stunning heifer weighed 420kgs at 7 months of age. She was sold to Victoria Orr for 4200gns.

An in-calf heifer from the famous Bosa herd was also offered at Designer Genes. Bosa 1 Priscilla 993, a daughter of Eldersfield 1 Carter, was a very popular entry on the day, selling for 4000gns to R Williamson.

Horned females were also in demand on the day, topping at 3400gns for Auckvale Janet 1579N from the Kemp family. Sired by Kalgoorlie 1322K and out of an Advance 790E daughter, she was sold to Mannon Lewis’ Salbri herd in Angelsey.

Two heifers from the impressive Haven herd were offered as a pick lot. Julia 48 and Dowager 180 were the first Haven females to sell at public auction in 35 years. Sired by Kermit and Kingpin, two bulls that a receiving a lot of attention in the horned world. Dowager 180 was sold for 3000gns to CFP, SH & LJ McCreath and Julia 48 went to M J Brewster for 2600gns.

Embryo Lots

A flush of any cow in the herd from the noted Moeskaer herd in Denmark was the first of the embryo lots to sell. Moeskaer Herefords have this year won a number of national and international accolades, including Champion Bull of Europe 2016. This lot was sold for £9000 to MJT Herefords Canada and Dara C Entwistle, Illinois.

Another flush of any cow in the herd was also offered on the day, this time from owners of the 2016 Canadian National Champion female Harvie Ranching. The flush sold for £6000 to DRA Fabb and Moeskaer Herefords.

A late entry embryo lot came from Rockness Herefords in Scotland. A package of three full sibling embryos to Stars of the Future Female Champion Rockness 1 Matilda KH1 were offered as the last lot of the day. These were knocked down to G & MC Shepherd for £1860 (£620 per egg).