The dispersal sale of the dairy herd formerly kept at Sewborwens Farm, Penrith, when it was a key asset of the now closed Newton Rigg College, brought in more than £610,000 for the new owners of the farm.
The sale was conducted at Borderway mart, Carlisle, by Harrison and Hetherington, who said the dispersal had been a difficult decision for the new owners, who bought the farm from Askham Bryan College, York, which closed down Newton Rigg.
However, the identity of the new owners has not been disclosed, although the Leo Group, which owns and operates the Omega Proteins plant at Penrith, has been involved in the process, it said.
The owner of the Leo Group, Danny Sawrij, has a keen interest in livestock farming, particularly pedigree beef cattle.
The Newton Rigg dairy herd was established in 2014 when a new state-of-the-art dairy complex was completed at Sewborwens and the best possible genetics were selected from the Warnelview, Holmland and Tallent Holstein herds to create a solid foundation, based on proven cow families.
At the dispersal, trade topped at 7,000gns for a super six-year-old Doorman daughter, while milking heifers topped at 3,000gns for a Stantons Chief daughter and heifer calves ats 5,600gns.
Buyers from all five home nations were recorded.
The importance of strong cow families was clear to see in all the high sellers and Newtonrigg Doorman Tilly was no exception, selling for 7,000gns to Fluscopike Farms, near Penrith.
She was milking in her fourth lactation and had recently classified Excellent, completing 12 generations of Excellent or Very Good animals.
Milking heifers were in demand and topped at 3,000gns for Lillyhall Chief Elegant, which joined the herd of Mr Brown, Catrig Farm, Ayrshire.
This impressive young animal had been purchased in the black and white sale in 2019 as a young calf and had classified Good Plus 80 earlier in her lactation.
The full sister to the grand dam in this pedigree sold for 4,800gns to the Carldanton herd back in 2016.
Her April-born daughter by Rubels Red sold for 1,100gns to Mr Martin, Carlisle.In calf heifers topped at 1,850gns for Newtownrigg Duty Bunty going to Baltier Farms, near Newton Stewart.
She was sired by Westcoast Athabaska and bred from two Excellent cows from the Warnelview Bunty cow family both with impressive butterfat records.
This heifer was due in September to the beef sire.
Selling for 5,600gns was Newtonrigg Lambda Ambrosia, who was purchased by the Katal Holstein herd in Derbyshire.
She was sired by Delta Lambda and bred from a show-winning dam by Flagship.
Averages: 133 cows in milk £1,582.02; 85 heifers in milk £1,750.94; 13 faulted three-quarter cows £931.82; 71 in calf and recently bred heifers £1,327.28; 17 bulling heifers £1,201.32; 71 heifer calves (born summer 2021) £845.32; 431 Holsteins £1,416.21.
