Willsbro Spring Sale

EUROPEAN CHART TOPPER LEADS THE WAY AT WILLSBRO

The Willsbro Holstein herd based in Wadebridge Cornwall and owned and managed by the Wills family staged their impressive Spring Sale at the Exeter Sale Centre in front of a knowledgeable and enthusiastic crowd of Holstein breeders from across the UK and Ireland.  The Willsbro herd is one of the world’s leading breeding establishments and have over a short space of time built up a strong reputation for breeding excellence and for a willingness to sell their best.

Trade topped at 12,000gns for Europe’s leading Conformation Sidekick daughter with no less than 20 animals selling for or more than £4000.  Milking cows and heifers averaged over £4000 with the overall average coming to an impressive £3298 per life.  Buyers from 25 counties were recorded from all the five home nations and once again the importance on the online bidding platform was very evident with just over a third of the sale purchased online.


Willsbro Sidekick Ashlyn 302 - 12,000gns

Strong cow families are the back bone of this exceptional breeding organization and topping the sale at 12,000gns was a daughter of Sidekick from the Tri-Day Ashlyn family that has been so prolific at Willsbro.  Willsbro Sidekick Ashlyn was the number 1 Conformation Sidekick in Europe at +17 and was the number 2 Worldwide.  Her dam by Chief is the number 2 Confirmation daughter of Chief in the breed and has recently scored VG85 as a two year old.  This amazing young calf now joins the Ashlea Holstein herd of Mike & Lynn Robertson near Bristol.

The Amber cow family attracted strong interest from start to finish, this is the cow family of many leading sires including Atwood, Aftershock and Golden Dreams.  Selling for 9,000gns was an outstanding two year old sired by Willsbro Amoeba whos fourth dam was the full sister to Atwood.  She was purchased by James McNeil, Cairnpat Farm, Stranraer.


Willsbro Amoeba Amber 167 - 9000gns

The judges choice had to be the ultra stylish Willsbro Abbott daughter from the Sharon cow family.  She was an easy Very Good 87 points and oozed style with an udder that could only be described as flirting with perfection.  Unfortunately, her dam had only been classified Good Plus, however this readymade show heifer sold for 8,100gns to James Morton in N. Ireland.

The Sharon cow family was in high demand going back to the dam of Picston Shottle, this incredible maternal line has excelled in type, production and components.  Selling for 8,000gns was Willsbro Tropic Sharon, sired by Tropic and from a VG88 2yr Lambda dam.  Her genomic figures impressed many with a GLPI+3413 and super high type numbers at PTAT+2.31.  She joined the incredible group purchased by James McNeil, Cairnpat Farm, Stranraer.  Her full sister sold for 7,000gns to the Yates family from Meiklefirth Holsteins near Castle Douglas. 


Willsbro Tropic Sharon 146 - 8000gns

One of the early lots that attracted some brisk bidding was Willsbro Calumet Roxy, a Very Good 87 classified two year old sired by Larcrest Calumet and bred from ten generation of Excellent classified dams.  She has the potential to develop into a high scoring mature cow in the future and sold carrying a female pregnancy by Siemers Hanans for November.  This super balanced young go now joins the famous Relough Holstein herd owned by the Mclean family in N. Ireland. 

  Our next sale at Borderway takes place on Wednesday 16^th June and features almost 114 exceptional animals in the Border & Lakeland Club sale.  One special heifer of note is a Red & White great granddaughters of Apple consigned by Boclair Holsteins.  Catalogues for this sale are available online at www.harrisonandhetherington.co.uk   or can be ordered from the Pedigree office on 01228406230.  The online Live Bidding platform is available for all our dairy sales, please register for this service at least 24 hours prior to the event.    

Averages
43 Cows & Heifers in milk - £4082.79
48 Yearling Heifers (born 2020) - £2821.88
31 Heifer Calves - £1900.16
2 Bulls - £3097.50
39 Embryos - £595.00
124 Holsteins - £3298.00

Leading Prices

Lot          Price                      Purchaser

35           12,000gns             MJ & LJ Robertson, Ashlea Farm, Bristol

76           9000gns                James McNeil, Cairnpat Farm, Stranraer

48           8100gns                J. Morton, Ballyhoy Road, N. Ireland

72           8000gns                James McNeil, Cairnpat Farm, Stranraer

7              7800gns                M. McLean, Relough Holsteins, N. Ireland

71           7000gns                Firthhead Partners, Meikle Firthhead, Castle Douglas

69           6200gns                M. McLean, Relough Holsteins, N. Ireland

36           5600gns                Desmond Holsteins, Rep. of Ireland

40           5500gns                E. Cox, Clwch Dernog Bach

25           5000gns                PA & CT Barrett, Tresallick Farm

80           5000gns                Warnelview Holsteins, Wood Farm, Carlisle