$35,000 paid for Holstein calf

Nathan and Amanda Bayne with their daughters Brooke, Sophia and Lilly-Grace and 6-week-old heifer calf Hailstorm. Photo / PGG Wrightson

A six-week-old heifer calf from North Otago's Busybrook Holsteins is believed to have set a New Zealand record, selling for $35,000.

The Bayne family held an on-farm "gold label'' sale near Duntroon on Friday. The offering included both North American genetics and high-indexing New Zealand-bred cows.

The sale comprised calves, heifers and in-milk cows, with 45 lots sold in total - averaging more than $6700 and grossing $303,200. Buyers came from Northland to Southland, PGG Wrightson agent Andrew Reyland said.

He believed the price paid for Busy Brook Doorman Hailstorm - the first lot offered - would be a New Zealand record for a dairy calf.

The calf's mother, RF Goldwyn Hailey EX97, was "probably the best show cow in the world'' for some years and her wins included grand champion at the World Dairy Expo in both 2012 and 2014, Mr Reyland said.

Nathan and Amanda Bayne imported some embryos and Busy Brook Doorman Hailstorm was the only heifer from the flush.

There was plenty of interest in the calf prior to the sale and it was bought by the well-known Sherriff family of Sherraine Holsteins from Ohoka, Canterbury.

Mr Reyland praised the high standard of presentation and condition of the cattle offered. Guest auctioneer Brian Leslie came from Australia for the sale.

Mr Bayne said the couple were very pleased with how the sale went. While getting $35,000 for Hailstorm was a "standout moment'', overall they were very happy with the presentation of all the cattle on offer, which was a real credit to the team working behind the scenes.

"It's a big effort to put on a sale like this but well worth it when you see such an enthusiastic gallery of buyers who had travelled from around New Zealand, and some from Australia, too,'' he said.