THE dispersal sale of the noted York-based Millington Limousin Herd saw a new cow and calf breed record established at 50,000gns.

Millington Highlight, a four year-old cow sold with Millington Limelight, her heifer calf at foot, to new Limousin breeders Mick Gould and his wife who trade as N & JC Gould, Bomere Heath, Shrewsbury, along with his brother-in-law Jonathan and nephew Tom Waring.

Mr Gould, who also runs 300 dairy cows and a pedigree Texel flock, said: "In establishing a new herd we wanted to start with something exceptional and in my mind a cow like this very rarely comes on the market. She’s a superb cow visually and just full of breeding and quality."

Highlight has a depth of breeding, excellent performance figures, and a lengthy show record including two reserve supreme championships at the Great Yorkshire Show.

An embryo calf, she is a Wilodge Vantastic daughter out of Brockhurst Option whose mother is the highly regarded Ronick McAinsi.

Confirming the demand for the bloodline, the second top price of 30,000gns was paid for Millington Highlight’s first calf, Millington Juliet.

Born in November 2014 she is by the French sire Ecran and again had some outstanding performance figures. She was bought by John and Pat Varley for their Queenshead herd based at Queensbury, Bradford. Pat Varley said: "We have been a closed herd for a little while now and felt this was the chance to buy a heifer that has it all. She's got the looks and the figures to match!"

The sale was held at Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart, Carlisle, last Friday (19th).

Brockhurst Option, the herd's matriarch cow, lived until the age of 16 and certainly left her mark on the breed. She featured heavily throughout the day’s top prices with direct descendants grossing in excess of 100,000gns.

The sale of the Millington herd, owned for the past two years by Ashcourt Farms Ltd, followed a company restructure and change in farming policy. For the past six years it was managed by Ian Nattress.

The Millington herd was established 16 years ago by John Weatherill who – looking to re-establish a Limousin herd – made several purchases.

They included 12,000gns for the served heifer Millington Joyous and 10,000gns for Millington Hilton who sold with her first calf at foot. The bull calf Millington Mayfair was by Norman Hawk. Mr Weatherill made three other purchases for 5,800gns, 5,500gns, and 4,200gns.

Averages: 46 cows served and/or suckling £5,277.39; four embryo calves £5,906.25; 18 served heifers £4,369.17; 21 maiden heifers £3,387.56; one stock bull £8,400; nine bulls £2,286.67.