Willsbro Sales 2011

CARAMEL IS THE SWEETEST AT SECOND WILLSBRO SALE

A large crowd of Holstein breeders from throughout the UK gathered at the Bristol Sales Centre for the second sale from the noted Willsbro herd, and while the highlights of the first sale held last year at the Royal Cornwall Showground, which is next to the herd’s home at Wadebridge, were not matched, the trade was lively and a very satisfactory average obtained. While dairy farmers have not had the best of times in the last couple of years, there are slightly brighter signs of profitability on the horizon and many farmers took the opportunity to invest in the world class pedigrees that Wills Bros Ltd have assembled in their herd.
This was the first sale held in the UK where all the females had been genomically tested and breeders are rapidly beginning to realise the importance of this relatively new breeding tool. One of the most desirable animals in this regard was the ten month old heifer Willsbro M Caramel ET. Sired by England-Ammon Million and out of R-Z Baxter Caramel, from one of the world’s most popular current cow families, she brought a final sale topping bid of 20,000gs from Nev & Rhian Roberts for their Dulais herd near Llanelli. A full sister made
13,000gs to John & Andrew Holgate, who acquired several of the choicest heifers for their Aliann herd in
Yorkshire.

At last year’s sale Willsbro Emilyann ET set a new breed record when selling for 90,000gs, and a younger full sister made 17,000gs to Way Ahead Holsteins, USA. A first choice calf by Glenn-Ann Palermo out of Riverdane PS Sara made 15,500gs to a Norhern Irish triumvirate of Philip Haffey, Charlie Weir and Quilly Farms. A Million sister had sold for 45,000gs in last year’s sale.

There was a choice selection of outstanding calved heifers in the sale, all classified Very Good as 2 year olds. Willsbro Mr B Lila Z ET, a daughter of Dudoc Mr Burns and a granddaughter of the noted Lylehaven Lila Z is a full sister to Willsbro Larson ET, who is in the Semex stud and one of the most sought after red carrier bulls in the world at present. Dutch breeding company Koole & Liebregts BV were the purchasers at 14,500gs, with her red heifer calf by Riverdane Roses Reflection making 5,800gs to a Canadian partnership of GenerVations and La Ferme Gillette Inc. Another outstanding heifer to rouse spirited bidding was the top Genomic milker Willsbro Goldwyn Romance ET (VG-88 2yr), and Andrew Bunting had to go to 14,000gs to secure her for his Newabbey herd in Dumfriesshire.

The top genomic heifer in the sale with a GTPI of 2089 was another member of the Lila Z family, sired by Picston Shottle, and she made 9,500gs to David Jones. He is the manager for Sahara Holsteins, who held a successful sale of their own last year, but also owns a number of cattle under his own Wiltor prefix with his wife Claire.

As last year there was a good selection of bulls on offer, for which the top price was 3,700gs for a Million son from the Licorice family to join Messrs Hussell’s Perrins herd at Beaworthy, Devon, with a Bolton son from the Roxy family selling for 3,300gs to Gordon McCully, Co.Down, N.Ireland.
Along with the high priced animals, there were many terrific calves of excellent conformation and pedigree that sold between 1,500 and 2,000gs, which will undoubtedly go on to prove outstanding purchases for their new owners. The Willsbro sales are likely to be a regular feature of the calendar, and they represent a great opportunity for other breeders to take advantage of the Wills Brothers investment in the world’s leading cow families.

 

TOP PRICES
15	Willsbro M Caramel ET	Nev & Rhian Roberts (Dulais)	20,000
39	Willsbro Planet Emilyann ET	Way Ahead Holsteins –USA	17,000
111	First choice Palermo x Riverdane PS Sara	P.Haffey (Glasson), Quilly Farms (Utopian) and C.Weir (Burnhill)	15,500
64	Willsbro Mr B Lila Z ET (VG-87 2yr)	Koole & Liebregts BV – Holland	14,500
102	Willsbro Goldwyn Romance (VG-88 2yr)	A.Bunting (Newabbey)	14,000
16	Willsbro Mill Caramel ET	J.D & J.A.Holgate (Aliann)	13,000
10	First choice Sid x Riverdane Gold Ashlyn	Way Ahead Holsteins –USA	10,000
70	Willsbro Shottle Lila B ET	D.W & C.E.Jones (Wiltor)	9,500
48	Willsbro Hazel Sanchez ET	L.A.McMurray (Matfield)	9,000
20	Willsbro Dior Rae ET	Quilly Farms (Utopian)	8,000
96	Willsbro Secure Redrose Red ET	J.D & J.A.Holgate (Aliann)	7,000
125	Willsbro Shottle Zandra	J.D & J.A.Holgate (Aliann)	6,800
64B	Willsbro Lila Z Reflection Red ET	GenerVations and La Ferme Gillette Inc	5,800
44	Willsbro Duplex Ghost 2 ET (VG-87 2yr)	M.A.Jeanes Farms Ltd (Stowey)	5,600
74	Willsbro Sho Lust ET	T.R.Quick (Mendip)	5,600
124	Willsbro Zandra Bonair ET (VG-87 2yr)	A.C.Birkle (Whinchat)	5,600
26	Riverdane Bolton Dellia ET (VG-88 2yr)	L.A.McMurray (Matfield)	5,400
21	Willsbro Advent D Rae Red ET	R.J & S.J.Kirk (Leedham)	5,100
17	Willsbro Million Chassity ET	Bond & Cooke (Aplins)	5,000
65	Willsbro Man O Man G Lila Z ET	T. Lockhart – Eire	5,000
121	Willsbro Xacobeo Show Wind ET	R.M.Harris (Winkleigh)	5,000
28	Willsbro Shottle B Doris ET	L.F & A.J.Bartlett (Hayne)	4,600
57	Willsbro Sho Lautamie ET	T.R.Quick (Mendip)	4,600
100	Willsbro Rose Goldwyn ET	D & P.Mead & Co (Lynchmead)	4,600
60	Willsbro Licorice Million ET	D.R & B.M.Thomas (Churchvale)	4,500
18	Willsbro Mill Chassity ET	R.Lancaster (Lickber)	4,000
103	Willsbro Goldwyn Rose ET (VG-87 2yr)	L.A.McMurray (Matfield)	4,000
85	Willsbro Shottle Playmate 2 ET (VG-86 2yr)	I.W.M.,D.M & M.W.Hussell (Perrins)	3,800
1	Willsbro Goldwyn Angel (VG-87 2yr)	W.A.Jones & Son (Fennshall)	3,700
61	Willbro Lining ET (Bull)	I.W.M.,D.M & M.W.Hussell (Perrins)	3,700
68	Willsbro M X Lila Z ET	R.K & S.G.Miller & Sons (Moorshard)	3,700
104	Willsbro Garrett Roxy 2 ET	R.McLean & Sons (Relough)	3,700
107	Willsbro Reflexor ET (Bull)	G.S.McCully (Dechomet)	3,300

 

AVERAGES

11 calved heifers £ 7,932-27

82 maiden heifers & heifer calves £ 3,499-57

2 first choice heifer calves £ 13,387-50

95 female lots £ 4,221-00

13 bulls £ 2,019-23

108 lots £ 3995-97

46 embryos £ 382-79

AUCTIONEERS: NORTON & BROOKSBANK (with Kivells)

 

WILLSBRO SALE 2011 "BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER"

With a catalogue brimming of world-class pedigrees, World-leading genomics and show potential, the Willsbro Sale is back and better than ever.

For example, the first daughter to be offered for sale in Europe from the $100,000 R-Z Baxter Caramel VG-89 2yr (CAN) sells. Sired by Million and with a GTPI of 2045, her highest daughter in Europe sells with global contract interest. Also selling is a Million grand-daughter of the $1.5 million Regancrest S Chassity EX-92, her first descendant to sell in the UK. With a GTPI of 2038 and from a VG 2 year old dam, she sells ready to flush with contracts for embryos and bulls.

With a GTPI of 2089 and a PTAT of over 3 points, Willsbro Shottle Lila B also sells ready to flush. Her Bolton dam just recently scored VG-87 as a 2 year old and is Europe's only Bolton daughter of the Million Dollar cow Lylehaven Lila Z EX-94 8*.

Wilsbro Larson the #1 Red Carrier GLPI bull in the world is one of today's most heavily used contract mating sires in the breed. His Red Carrier full sister is just fresh and already scored VG 2year old. She sells with her Red and White daughter- thought to be the first Red and White offering from the Lila Z family in the world today.

Representing the very best families in the UK, first choices sell from both Riverdane Gold Ashlyn VG-88 2yr and Riverdane PS Sara EX-93 2E, by Pine-Tree Sid and Glen-Ann Palermo respectively.

With a catalogue brimming of world-class pedigrees, World-leading genomics and show potential, the Willsbro Sale is back and better than ever.