CRAVEN dairy farmers landed the leading honours at Skipton Auction Mart’s main May Craven Dairy Auction show and sale, on Monday, and while trade was brisk, notably for heifers.

Brian Moorhouse, who runs the Aireburn pedigree herd at Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, saw his first prize newly-calven heifer go on to be crowned champion, courtesy of the pre-sale judge, Laycock’s Sammy Sudgen.

Twenty two days-calved and giving 30 litres, the home-bred victor - Mr Moorhouses’s first champion of 2016 - sold for £1,400 to the Sowray dairy farming bothers from Bowes Green Farm, Bishop Thornton.

Reserve champion was the second prize newly-calven heifer from David Fort, of High Malsis Farm, Malsis, with another home-bred entry.

Giving 26 litres and 21 days-calved, Mr Fort, who is currently milking 50 cows among his 90-strong dairy herd, saw his reserve champion sell for £1,480, top price of the day, to Wick Williams, of Nantwich, who was again a multiple buyer.

He also claimed the third prize newly-calven heifer from Sally Wellock, of Oakworth, at £1,350, the first prize newly-calven cow from the same vendor at £1,330 and the runner-up in the same class from Dewsbury’s Ian and Mary Collins at £1,280.

Andrew Jennings, of Fountains, Ripon, also made £1,380 with a newly-calven heifer sold to the Grattan family at Brimham Lodge. The 11 newly-calven heifers on parade averaged £1,282 per head.

Brian and Susan Barningham, of I Oliver & Partners in Darley, presented the first and second prize in-calf heifers, which sold to a top of £1,180, again to the Sowray brothers.

The young stock on offer were in ready demand, with Jackie Bradley, of Hartwith, selling five hand-reared eight-month-old maiden heifers to £660 at an average of £628 per head, while Alan and Susan Throup, who run the Dalesbrad herd on Silsden Moor, met healthy trade with their bulling heifers, which averaged £770 and topped at £800 for the four on offer.