22-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Buyers from across UK compete to buy Powys border dairy herd
A packed ringside of buyers from across the country competed for quality cattle from a Powys border dairy herd.
T. A. Wainwright and Son, from Groton, Marton, near Welshpool saw his herd of 165 in-milk Holstein and Brown Swiss cows and heifers go under the hammer at a dispersal sale, held as part of Halls auctioneers' weekly livestock auction in Shrewsbury yesterday (Tuesday).
Allen Wainwright sold the herd to focus on arable farming. His grandfather moved to Groton from Oswestry with his dairy herd in 1921 and three generations of the family bred cows for 'very good legs, feet and udders with strength, not extreme stature, plenty of milk with kilos of fat and protein'.
The Groton Herd included 72 cows and heifers freshly calved since February. The trade peaked for the pick of the herd, the hugely admired Red and White Summerfield Awesome Cherry Chip Red, who won the pre-sale show and sold to a Cheshire buyer for the day's top price of £3,400.
Calved for the second time on April 29, she was giving 42kg of milk. Fresh calved heifers from the dispersal peaked at £2,700 for a Sandy Valley Earthshaker daughter who calved on April 25.
One of the very last cows in the ring was January calved Summerfields Addison Pistolwhip who she sold for £2,550. December to February calved cows and heifers sold from £1,700 to £2,200, depending on quality.
'The sale really took off with the cows due to calf from June to October, with demand significantly sharper than the spring calved,' said auctioneer Jonny Dymond, Shrewsbury Auction Centre manager.
'No doubt this was enhanced by the cows being in calf to British Blue and the farm's reputation for quality calves.
'The Wainwrights have always been great supporters of Shrewsbury Auction Centre with their calves which are firm favourites among the buyers.'
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A third calved De-Su Hartley daughter, due with her fourth calf in August, sold for £3,050, a second calver by De Su Reginald, due in July, made £2,800 and a heifer by Skywalker Stark, due in October, achieved £2, 700.
A total of 208 dairy cattle were sold at Shrewsbury Auction Centre on the day, with Alisdair Drinkall from Wettenhall, Cheshire taking the reserve champion prize with a heifer that sold for £3,120. Show judge was James Williams from Nantwich.
'It was another highly successful dispersal sale here at Shrewsbury where Halls has drawn new customers to its dairy department,' added Mr Dymond. 'An entire herd has been sorted, sold and delivered all in one day.
'It's emotional selling your cows, so you don't need hassle or a drawn-out sales process. I would encourage any other dairy farmers considering selling their herd to contact me.'
For more information about the herds, contact Mr Dymond at Shrewsbury Auction Centre on Tel: 01743 462620 or 07803 412617.
