Numbers and selling averages up at Skipton store lamb opener Increases in both numbers and selling averages were seen, as Skipton Auction Mart’s main sheep sale season got off to a solid start with the traditional pipe-opener for store lambs. (Wednesday, July 10) A total of 3,071 lambs was penned for sale, compared to the previous year’s turnout of 2,126 head, with all breed averages showing an across-the-board increase on 2018 to level at £64.59 per head overall, an increase on the year of £3.09.

Forward: 26 Prime cattle comprising 15 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos), 2 Clean Cattle (over 30 mos) & 9 Cast Cattle. 2,440 Prime Sheep comprising 2129 Spring Lamb & Hoggs, 311 Cast Ewes & Rams. 30 Rearing Calves.

Rearing Calves to £360x2 (30) B&W av £56.20 Cont av £275 Native av £175 Just 30 calves through the door this morning with the Calf show looming next week. Best calves could still make a handy price with some 4 week old Blue bulls from Joss Lancaster of Horton in Craven selling to £360 twice. A couple of sweet Angus heifers from Hartley’s of Bolton Abbey that reached £185 & £165. Continental heifers saw a straight trade for the young show of calves on offer with the best being a solid calf from PJ&JE Bolland.

Welshman Sion Jones twice top dog on price at CCM Skipton Summer working sheep dog sale North Wales dog trainer Sion Jones, who runs Cefn Eithin Sheep Dogs in Corwen, had a field day at Skipton Auction Mart’s summer working sheep dogs sale, claiming top call of 10,000gns (£10,500) on the trials field and repeating the feat in the unbroken pen with a 1,600gns (£1,680) youngster. It is thought to be the first time a single handler has achieved a top price double at the venue. (Friday, July 5)

Fortnightly Sale of Young Feeding Bulls, Store Bullocks & Heifers, Breeding Cattle Forward: 313 head of cattle Comprising: 244 Feeding Cattle (92 Young Bulls, 35 Beef Feeding Cows, 107 Bullocks & Heifers) & 69 Breeding Cattle.

Rob Marshall claims first CCM Skipton prime lambs title Nidderdale’s Rob Marshall, of Monk Ing Farm, Dacre, notched up a first time prime lambs championship success at Skipton Auction Mart’s July show. (Mon, July 1) He clinched the title with the first prize Continental pen, five 46kg Beltex-cross-Texel lambs, all home bred and the majority by a tup bought out of Skipton last year from Chipping’s Richard Seed. They sold for £106 per head to Vivers Scotlamb in Annan.

Critchleys retain monthly prime cattle championship at CCM Skipton An excellent and high quality turnout of 27 under 30-month clean cattle for Skipton Auction Mart’s July prime show and sale saw the Critchley beef farming family from Hutton, Preston, repeat their championship-winning success of the previous month with a 545kg Limousin-cross heifer. (Monday, July 1) Bought in and further improved on the farm, as in June the title winner again fell to Alan Beecroft, of Countrystyle Meats Farm Shop and Restaurant in Lancaster for 258.5p/kg, or £1,409. It was among a six-strong tally for the regular Red Rose buyer.

Craven Dairy Auction frontrunners sell at £2,500 and £2,450 The two top-notch principals at Skipton Auction Mart’s latest Craven Dairy Auction show and sale achieved the highest prices seen in recent memory. (Mon, July 1) Taking top call of £2,500 was the overall champion, the first prize newly calven heifer from the Lawson family, who run the Newbirks Holstein Friesian pedigree herd in Arthington, Otley.

Forward: 42 Prime cattle comprising 27 Clean Cattle (under 30 mos) & 15 Cast Cattle. 1,840 Prime Sheep comprising 1657 Spring Lamb & 183 Hoggs, Cast Ewes & Rams. 42 Rearing Calves. 14 Dairy Cattle

Craven Dairy Auction (14 head) A handy show of dairy cattle for this morning’s show & sale, pre sale judge Shaun Sowray went about his work quickly and efficiently picking a cracking heifer from the Lawson family of Arthington as his Champion and closely followed by a super grafeeti daughter bred by Brian and Judith Moorhouse of Hesper Farm, Bell Busk. These two heifers would be the envy of most farmers and quickly made their way to the top two prices of the day.