There’s no question about it… the purebred dairy cattle industry is alive and thriving! Spring sales are HOT and consignments are selling for record prices! Here’s a rundown from sales that happened in early April.
40th Annual Pioneer Dairy Classic
The students at UW-Platteville assembled a tremendous sale group featuring all seven breeds to sell in the 40th Annual Pioneer Dairy Classic on Saturday, April 1, 2023. All said and done, 61 lots were auctioned off for an average of $2,702.
High Seller: Lot 7 – $6,400 – Legendholm Tstrm Havana-ET, a Thunderstorm Summer Jr. 2 prospect for 2023 due in May tracing back to Dundee Hezbollah!
Consignor: Legendholm Holsteins, Eddie & Mandi Bue, WI
Buyer: Todd Lohr
Century of Holsteins Celebration Sale
The 2x Master Breeders, Kawartha Holsteins, made 40 head available from the heart of their herd on Saturday, April 1 with online bidding through walkerdairysales.com. The 55 live lots sold, gaining new homes in Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Live lots averaged $3,946 while the six embryo lots averaged $1,416.
High Seller: Lot 1 – $25,000 – Kawarhta Sidekick Fanta, a Summer Jr. 2 prospect carrying an Unstopabull full sister to Maple! Fanta is from an EX-92 Elude followed by an EX-97 Atwood.
Consignor: Kawartha Holsteins, ON
Buyer: London Dairy and Hodglynn, ON
36th Annual Waupaca-Waushara Show Opportunity Sale
The Waupaca-Waushara Holstein Association hosted their annual sale on Saturday, April 1, 2023 in Weyauwega, WI. Though the weather was dreary, the offering of Holstein calf projects was not phased, averaging $2,206 on 48 lots.
High Seller: Lot 11 – $7,500 – Rock-N-Hill II Thun Crystal, a summer yearling, sired by Thunderstorm, with a stacked pedigree of seven EX dams behind her! Consignor: Rachel Mccullough, WI
Buyer: Carli Reeverts, IL
Discovery Genetics Spring Online Sale
On Sunday, April 2, Kevin Krejci and Lisa Demmer offered a small, yet impressive group of jerseys in their first ever Discovery Genetics Spring Online Sale via cowbuyer.com. 11 live lots sold and averaged $4,290.
High Seller: Lot 2 – $8,000 – Discoverys Kidrock Eira-ET, a fall calf from the 2016 Jersey Jug Winner, Discoverys Tequila Escape-ET EX-95 followed by three more EX dams.
Consignor: Discovery Genetics, WI
Buyer: Marcus De Jong, WI
Calves for a Cause Sale
It would be an understatement to say that the 2023 Calves for a Cause sale outperformed itself. The sale grossed an impressive $285,000 on 44 lots, which is an increase of 58% compared to 2022. The average also increased quite a bit – 62% – at $6,006. In total, the sale managed to raise a $65,000 donation to the Children’s Health Foundation plus an additional $6,500 for Stratford General Hospital.
High Seller: Lot 29 – $32,000 – Garay Awesome Bahama, a red 12/20 December calf from the Talent Barbara EX-95 family with many material and full sisters who are All-American and All-Canadian nominees!
Consignor: D.A.D Livestock
Buyer: Quality, Dupasquier and Beckridge
Oklahoma State Holstein Sale
Oklahoma’s State Holstein Sale took place on Thursday, April 6 in the afternoon on-grounds at the Southern National Show in Stillwater, OK. The group of 52 lots averaged $3,554 after the last gavel drop.
High Seller: Lot 10 – $13,500 – Krullcrest Redsmith-Red-ET, a 6/2 summer yearling for 2023 out of Duckett G Chip Tokyo-ET EX-93 followed by Durham Treasure EX-96!
Consignor: Johnathan Heinsohn, IL
Buyer: John Williamson, TX
Kingsway Tag Sale
In a well-organized tag sale held April 7-8, Kingsway Farms sold 63 lots for an astounding average of $9,736.
High Seller: Lot 1 – $65,000 – Miss Tang Alligator A Trick, a full sister December calf to Kingsway Alligator A Twix, Junior Champion at Canadian National Show 2021, Junior and Supreme Champion World Dairy Expo 2022, Junior Champion Royal Winter Fair 2022.
Consignor: Kingsway Farms
Buyer: Velthuis Farms, Quality, Beckridge Hovden
Michael Heath Legacy Auction
The Michael Heath Legacy Auction didn’t sell any live lots, rather offered a collection of purebred dairy cattle memorabilia, services, embryos, goodies and more via cowbuyer.com to start a scholarship fund in remembrance of Michael Heath. To no one’s surprise, the dairy community showed up in full force, raising more than $70,500 in Michael’s honor.
Kentucky National Brown Swiss Sale
Sale manager, Joe Sparrow, said it best – Kentucky is known for bourbon, horses and now you can add Brown Swiss to the list! The tremendous lineup of a whopping 65 live Brown Swiss lots averaged $3,642, which just might be one of the highest averages ever in the Kentucky National Brown Swiss Sale series. 17 head sold for over $5,000 with cattle selling to 13 states from California to Vermont to South Carolina!
High Seller: Lot 13 – $23,500 – Edge View R Sally ETV, a 3/10 spring yearling for this year from none other than Cutting Edge B Sonny!
Consignor: Elite Dairy II, NY
Buyer: Summer Kiernan, NY
Nor-Bert’s Spring Selection Online Tag Sale
The Freeman family in Breman, IN offered a select group of Ayrshires, Milking Shorthorns and even a sprinkle of brown with a few Jersey lots and a Brown Swiss. When the bidding on cowbuyer.com closed, 10 lots sold averaging $4,060.
High Seller: Lot 11 – Nor-Bert Ringer Vivid-ET, an Ayrshire summer yearling for 2023 with numerous All-American and EX scoring dams.
Consignor: Freemans, IN
Buyer: Peter Vail, FL
Jeffrey-Way Holsteins Online Auction
Jeffrey-Way Holsteins put up a beautiful offering in their online sale via cattleclub.com. 16 lots found new homes, grossing over $69,000 and averaging $4,356. Jeffrey-Way animals now call home to places across the U.S. including Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
High Seller: Lot 2 – $7,500 – Jeffrey-Way Aliza-Red, a Warrior Sr. 2 from an EX-94 Destry followed by all EX dams from the August family!
Consignor: Jeffrey-Way Holsteins, WI
Buyer: Kenneth Kocher, OH
Best of Luck-E
The Engel’s Best of Luck-E sale was one to remember. An outstanding 173 lots sold in Hampshire, IL on Saturday, April 15, 2023 averaging $4,805 – and 30 of those lots were March calves!
High Seller: Lot 1 – $45,000 – ZBW-JLP Mrand Joyous-Red, a Summer Jr. 2 prospect who is potential 12th generation EX, the highest Type Homozygous Polled cow in the breed and sold with a contract for her son to go to AI!
Consignor: Luck-E Holsteins, IL
Buyer: Joyous Syndicate, PA
Wisconsin Ayrshire Spring Sale
A solid lineup of Ayrshires sold in Thorp, WI on Saturday, April 15. At the conclusion of the sale hosted by the Wisconsin Ayrshire Breeders’ Association, 54 lots walked through the ring and averaged $2,548.
High Seller: Lot 50 – $6,100 – Lazy M Jaeger Jingle-ET, a pretty winter calf from a 2x Jr. All-American Masterpiece followed by several more VG dams.
Consignor: Mike Maier, WI
Buyer: Sydney Kleingartner, ND
New York State Guernsey Video Sale
The New York Guernsey Breeders’ Association offered a small but mighty group in their video sale held via cowbuyer.com in the evening on Saturday, April 15, 2023. At the conclusion of the sale, 14 live lots went for an average of $2,986.
High Seller: Lot 2 – $8,000 – Topline Dixon Baby JJ, a MAX score 4-year-old due in June!
Consignor: Emily Fisher, NH