Buyers from as far away as Northern Ireland and Somerset were attracted to a Welshpool smallholding on Thursday for the dispersal sale of an entire pedigree herd of Brown Swiss dairy cattle.
The buyers were keen to secure the top quality genetics of the 108 cattle on offer in the Shoestring herd owned by Paul Pritchard and Kate Loake of Cefn Hilin, Belan, Welshpool. 
Farm machinery, implements, fodder, a 16:15 Alfa Lavel herringbone parlour and associated dairy equipment also went under the hammer in the auction conducted by auctioneers Halls.
The herd could not have been in a more favourable condition for sale, with most of the milking animals either freshly calved or due before Christmas. The top price was £2,050 for Sujenca General Éclair, a cow bred by J. Ball of Sandbach, which had just freshened in her third lactation and was yet to be weighed.
This presale favourite was purchased by Messrs L. A. and S. M. Lloyd of Shrewsbury, who secured 17 cattle at the auction. They also secured the third calved Shoestring Brooking Jenny VG86, a four-year-old that had calved on August 4, giving 40 kg a day, for £2,000.
In-calf and dry cows were in demand throughout the sale and the bidding rose regularly over £1,500 to £1,900. The highest seller was two-year-old Shoestring Monarch Wilma PI VG86, in-calf to Prossli with her second due in December, which sold for £2,020 to Messrs D. W. and L. K. Mycock of Buxton, Derbyshire.
A undoubted star of the sale was six-year-old Shoestring Silas Tigerlily EX92-2, due with her fifth calf to JP Jongleur on November 13. Wanted by both pedigree breeders and commercial farmers alike, she sold for £2,000 to Walford College of Agriculture, North Shropshire.
Five in-calf heifers sold on the day to a peak of £1,600 for Shoestring Joker Cortina, who was not far from calving down to Huck. She was the pick of local producer I. L. and O. G. Roberts of Welshpool. All correct heifers sold in excess of £1,300.
Fifteen bulling heifers were akso very keenly sought after by a large company of buyers, with the largest quantity selling to Richard Sheppard of Northern Ireland, who purchasing five.
However, competitiveness was the song of the day with the top five prices going to five different buyers. The top price was given by local producer, T. E. and J. A. Jerman who paid £1,020 for Shoestring Simbaboy Gertrude 2.
Ten “A” lot heifer calves were sold after their dams, with prices ranging from £380 to £520 for a five-day-old heifer, Shoestring Huck Anya, from a freshly calved heifer, Shoestring Joker Anya, which achieved £1,850 in her own right. Both were purchased by Mr D. P. Manning of Shrewsbury.
Averages: 76 milking and dry cows at £1,385, five in-calf heifers at £1,334, 15 bulling and maiden heifers at £818, 10 “A” lot heifer calves at £437.
Leading prices in the machinery section were: £17,400 for a 2009 JCB Loadall 526/56, £7,900 for a 2016 TAFE 25 DI compact tractor, £6,000 for a 2011 Keenan Mech Fiber 320 feeder, £5,400 for an E registration Massey Ferguson 4wd tractor, £3,200 for a Kuhn 19.1 fertiliser spreader , £2,500 for a King Feeders straw chopper, £1,300 for a ROKA DX bulk tank 4000l single phase and £1,250 for a McConnel PA 93 hedge cutter.
Top 10 prices for milking and dry cows/heifers: £2,050 Sujenca General Éclair to L. A. and S. M. Lloyd; £2,020 Shoestring Monarch Wilma VG86 (2yr) to D. W. and L. K. Mycock; £2,000 Shoestring Brookings Jenny VG86 (4yr) to L. A. and S. M. Lloyd; £2,000 Shoestring Silas Tigerlily EX92-2(6yr) Walford College of Agriculture; £1,920 Cimarron Jad Rosemary to A. M. Windsor; £1,900 Monarch Heather to L. A. and S. M. Lloyd; £1,850 Shoestring Joker Anya to D. P. Manning and Co; £1,820 Shoestring Visons Phyllis to L. A. and S. M. Lloyd; £1,820 Organsdale Surge Amy 55 VG 85(5yr) to L. A. and S. M. Lloyd and £1,800 Shoestring Monarch Queenie to J. Meddins and Co.
Top three in-calf heifers: £1,600 Shoestring Joker Cortina to I. L. and O. G. Roberts; £1,520 Shoestring Ettal Gessie to S. Smith and Sons; £1,500 Shoestring Monarch Paula to J. Meddins and Co.
Top five bulling/ maiden heifers: £1,020 Shoestring Simbaboy Gertrude to T. E. and M. A. Jerman; £950 Shoestring Payssli Fiona W. G. and E. A. Trow and Son; £920 Shoestring Huck Rose to Richard Sheppard; £880 Shoestring Payssli Rubie to G. G. and R. E. Rees and £880 Shoestring Prossli Babs Mrs H. Stubbs.
Top five “A” lot heifer calves: £520 Shoestring Huck Anya to D. P. Manning and Co; £500 Shoestring Annie to Miss A. Goodier; £500 Shoestring Vinold Gundl to Mr J. Ball; £450 Shoestring Dundee Amy to Miss A. Goodier and £420 Shoestring Dundee Belle to W. G. and E. A. Trow and Son.
Picture caption:
Halls’ auctioneer Jonny Dymond selling six-year-old Shoestring Silas Tigerlily EX92-2 for £2,000.