Prime Cattle (under 30 mos)

Near full complement of buyers and Keelham Farm Shop buying the highest gross animal from Mesrs AA&E Critchley&Son of Hutton near Preston, a 565kg Limousin cross heifer which made £1523 or 269.5p/kg. Second high in the heifers was £1502 or 263.5p/kg paid by Hamlets Butchers of for 57okg Limousin cross heifer consigned by Mesrs CD&RF Kitching of Threshfield. Top of the steers was a 530kg Limousin cross from Simon Bennett which sold to Countrystyle Meats of Lancaster for £1375 or 259.5p/kg.

Steers

465-555kg                                             to 259.5p/kg

Heifers

400-480kg                                             to 233.5p/kg                        to 233.01p/kg

480kg+                                                   to 273.5p/kg                        to 254.5p/kg

Top Prices £ per head and p/kg

Steers

£ per head: SD Bennett (Limx) 1375

p/kg: SD Bennett (Limx) 259.5       

Heifers

£ per head: AA&E Critchley&Son (Limx) 1523, 1408, 1398,1374, CD&RF Kitching (Limx) 1502, SD Bennett (Limx) 1326

p/kg: SD Bennett (Limx) 273.5, AA&E Critchley&Son (Limx) 271.5, 269.5,269.5,258.5, CD&RF Kitching (Limx) 263.5

Prime Cattle (over 30mos)

Overall Average                                   141.5p/kg                             £778.25

Top Prices £ per head:

£ per head: Wood Bros (B&W Hfr) 778

p/kg: Wood Bros (B&W Hfr) 141.5.

A light show of cast cattle with continuing strong demand for all classes. Best dairies are high 130s and the steakers 118p+. Lean, plain cows very good the lowest of which was 90.5p/kg

Overall Average                                   122.13p/kg           £786.37

Black & White                      to 137.5p/kg                        av. 120.25p/kg

Dairy Shorthorn                   to 118.5p/kg                        av. 115.87p/kg

Montbeliarde                       to 136.5p/kg                       

Limx                                       to 148.5p/kg                        av. 143.09p/kg

BBx                                         to 124.5p/kg

Top Prices (£ per head or p/kg)

B&W:

£ per head: JD Taylor&Son 1081,SW&JE Ryder&Son 1066, Wood Bros 966,951, JD Crabtree&Son 959,941, CN&SA Harrison 937, H Downs&Son 894

p/kg: SW&JE Ryder&Son 137.5, H Downs&Son 135.5, JD Taylor&Son 133.5, JD Crabtree&Son 132.5, Wood Bros 130.3,128.5

Other Dairy

£ per head: SW&JE Ryder&Son (Mont) 990, H Downs&Son (Dairy Sh) 764

p/kg: SW&JE Ryder&Son (Mont) 136.5, H Downs&Son (Dairy Sh) 118.5

Brit Blue:

£ per head: D Wells 722

p/kg: D Wells 124.5

Lim:

£ per head: D Wells 1084,819

p/kg: D Wells 148.5,136.5

Aberdeen Angusx

£ per head: D&GM Scott 708

p/kg: D&GM Scott 127.5

2192 Prime Sheep (comprising 65 Spring Lambs, 1645 Old Season Lambs & 482 Cast Ewes & Rams)

New Season Lambs short of requirements countrywide and resulted in a stronger trade this afternoon by some margin and levelling at 334p/kg across the board. Top price per head was £160 for Charollais’s shown by Charles Marwood of Whenby, York. The purchasers were Kendall’s Farmers Butchers of Pateley Bridge and Harrogate. Mr Marwood sold two further pens at £155 each. Jack & Rebecca Wallbank of Keasden sold first draw lambs to £156 per head, Robert Towers of Farleton had lambs to £155 as did Joe and Trevor Stoney of Bewerley. Messrs Stoney had the top price per kilo at 380p for 40kg Texels selling at £152 each to Hamlets butchers in Garstang. Mr Marwood was next at 378p and John Key of Midhopestones sold Suffolks to 375p.
Old Season Lambs were forward in less numbers, but as expected, this shortage of numbers made the meated and well fleshed lambs a better trade on the week by around 10p/kg, with heavy hogs in very strong demand and around 15p up on the week. Top price of £162 came for Texels from Ian Pratt of Erringdon selling to Hartshead Meats in Mossley. Messrs A Gill & Son of Knaresborough had a good consignment selling to a top of £155 each or 296p/kg for a pen of 15 Texels weighing 52kg again purchased by Harthead Meats. The same vendor had further pens at £147 and £146. Brian Lund of Walshaw had top price per kilo when his Continental crosses made 313p/kg. Stephen Pepper of Oxenhope sold lambs to 300p/kg purchased by Keelham Farmshop, whilst Andrew Hutchinson of Faceby also sold to 300p/kg (37kg @£111) to Hartshead Meats. Best Hill bred Lambs were also dearer on the week, John Lord of Littleborough selling Cheviots to 261p, and Colin Middleton of Mitton selling Cheviots to £137 each.
Another large show of ewes saw more leaner types making their way on the market but still maintaining trade whilst heavy ewes were short of requirements and sold to a strong demand.

Spring Lambs  – Overall Average  £141.03 per head or 334p/kg            

36.0kg to 45.5kg to 380.0p/kg         av 341.48p/kg      or £142.65 per head

45.6kg to 52.0kg to 337.0p/kg         av 314.9p/kg         or £150.93 per head

Suffolk average £140.73 per head or 326.11p/kg

£ per head: £153 ID&JC Briggs; £150 JA Key; £149 AJ Slater; £149 JA Key; £140 R&DA Earnshaw; £125, £102 JA Key

p/kg: 375p, 338.6p, 337.8p JA Key; 318.2p R&DA Earnshaw; 318p R&DA Earnshaw; 317p AJ Slater; 312.2p ID&JC Briggs

Texel average £125.82 per head or 335.27p/kg

£ per head: £155, £152 JA Stoney; £140 JW Tinkler; £137, £135 JA Stoney; £117 JW Tinkler;

p/kg: 380p, 360.5p JA Stoney & Son; 325.6p JW Tinkler & Sons; 318.6p , 314p JA Stoney & Son; 316.2p JW Tinkler

Charollais average £151.05 per head or 353.33p/kg

£ per head: £160 CW Marwood & Son; £156 MJ&RH Wallbank; £155 JD&V Towers & Sons; £155x2 CW Marwood;

p/kg: 378p, 367.5p CW Marwood & Sons; 363.2p MJ&RH Wallbank; 358.1p 352.3p JD&V Towers & Son

Old Season Lambs  – Overall Average  £106.35 per head or 240.86p/kg             

32.1kg to 35.9kg to 250.0p/kg         av 222.4p/kg         or £76.89 per head

36.0kg to 45.5kg to 300.0p/kg         av 237.3p/kg         or £97.40 per head

45.6kg to 52.0kg to 313.0p/kg         av 254.1p/kg         or £122.28 per head

52.1kg and over   to 279.3p/kg         av 237.5p/kg         or £137.42 per head

Beltex average £118.91 per head or 272.0p/kg

£ per head: £136 S Pepper; £136 EP&JM Hutchinson; £133 PN Dalby; £130 BL&R Lund; £130 EP&JM Hutchinson; £129 S Pepper

p/kg: 300p S Pepper; 288.9p EP&JM Hutchinson; 288.4p, 277.6p  S Pepper; 270.8p BL& R Lund; 266.7p EP&JM Hutchinson

Suffolk average £106.66 per head or 250.5p/kg

£ per head: £147, £146, £137 A Gill & Son; £135 S Dorey; £130 GW Thackray; £130 C Middleton; £125 K Marshall; £120 S Dorey;

p/kg: 265.3p C Middleton; 260p GW Thackray; 255.3p S Dorey; 255.1p K Marshall; 248.8p, 241.7p A&AR Phillipson;

Texel average £109.33 per head or 250.1p/kg

£ per head: £162 IJ Pratt; £155 A Gill & Son; £144 BL&R Lund; £140.5, £140 MP Jennings; £140 A Gill & Son; £139 BL&R Lund

p/kg: 313p BL&R Lund; 300p EP&JM Hutchinson; 297.4p AM&HV Brown; 296.2p A Gill & Son; 295.1p K Marshall;

Mule average £95.84 per head or 223.1p/kg

£ per head: £115.5 S Dorey; £108.5, £107 R&KA Burley & Son; £105 J Pickles; £103 KM&L Throup; £102.5 S Dorey;

p/kg: 233p S Dorey; 231.8p JK Wilson; 230.9p R&KA Burley & Son; 228.3p J Pickles; 224.4p J&R Driver; 223.8p W Holden

Charollais average £107.50 per head or 250.0p/kg

£ per head: £107.50 E&AM Simpson & Son;

p/kg: 250p E&AM Simpson & Son

Swaledale average £73.39 per head or 199.8p/kg

£ per head: £105 R&KA Burley & Son; £100 JP Stirke; £94 R&KA Burley & Son; £87 JP Stirke; £80 WP&B Walker & Son

p/kg: 218.6p R&KA Burley & Son; 211.4p JK Wilson; 208.6p GJ&G Schofield; 208.3p JP Stirke; 207p J Pickles

Dalesbred average £86.04 per head or 208.7p/kg

£ per head: £92.5p, £86 JP Stirke; £88.5 W Holden;

p/kg: 210.2p, 209.8p JP Stirke; 193.1p N Pepper

Cheviot average £114.82 per head or 249.8p/kg

£ per head: £137, £131, £128.5 x2, £127, £121.5, £118, £113.5 C Middleton; £113 JP Stirke, £109 F&M Parkinson

p/kg:261.5p J Lord; 257p, 256.9p, 253.7p C Middleton; 253.5p F&M Parkinson; 252.4p F&M Parkinson; 253.1p C Middleton

SBF average £93.64 per head or 228.3p/kg

£ per head: £99.5, £99.5, £96x3, £95 GW Thackray; £92 x2 J&E Slater; £80 JE Greenwood; £79 GW Thackray;

p/kg: 237.5p, 236.9px2 234.1px3 GW Thackray; 219p x2 J&E Slater; 205.1p, 187.5p JE Greenwood

Suffolk to £97.5, Texel to £150, BFL to £83.5, Mule to £96.5, Lleyn to £59.5, Swaledale to £65.50, Gritstone to £66.50, Cheviot  to £63.5, Lonk  to £66.5.

Top prices:

Lowland: £150 J Watson; £124.5 BL&R Lund;

Mule/Masham: £96.5 N&J Thwaite; £96.5 P Sedgwick;  

Horned: £66.50 S Driver; £65.5 KM&L Throup

Hill: £66.5 IJ Pratt; £63.5 J Caygill & Partners  

Cast Rams average £73.73

Suffolk to £79.5, Texel to £129.5, BFL to £97.5, Swaledale to £59.5, SBF to £66.50, LLeyn to £79.50.

Breeding Sheep

There was an increased show of Sheep and lamb outfits today and a strong trade for shearlings and young ewes with nice lambs at foot. Messrs Barnes of Sawley had top price per outfit when their Texel Shearlings with twins made £265 and £258. David Coates of Coniston Cold made £235 twice and £225 of Mule Shearlings with Twins, Peter Simpson of Dacre made £235 of Texel Shearlings with Twins, Colin Smith of Sutton in Craven £225 of Texel and £220 of Mule Shearlings with Twins and Alan Midgely of Luddendenfoot topped his run of sheep with a pen of Texel Shearlings and Twins at £220. Older sheep still commanding the equivalent of £55-£65 per life for decent twins, whilst Richard Umpleby made £170 and £160 twice of Suffolk and Continental Ewes with Singles.

Suffolk Ewe + Single                           £170 av £163                       RJ Umpleby

Suffolk Ewe + Twin                             £190                                       RJ Umpleby

Texel Ewe + Single                               £160 av £136                       RJ Umpleby

Texel Ewe + Twins                               £225 av £182                       C Smith

Texel Shlg + Single                               £180 av £163                       P&AM Simpson

Texel Shlg +Twins                                £265 av £205                       Julie Barnes

Texel Shlg + 1.5                                   £258                                       Julie Barnes

Mule Ewe + Single                               £170 av £138                       RD Metcalfe & Son

Mule Ewe + Twins                               £180 av £150                       C Smith

Mule Shlg + Twins                               £235 av £210                        D&J Coates

Mule Hoggs + Single                           £170 av £162                       CM&EM Gratton

Jacob Ewe + Twins                              £130                                       K Woodhouse

Zwartable Ewe + Twins                      £155                                       N Parker

Charollais Ewe + 1.5                           £150                                       RJ Umpleby

Swaledale Ewe + 1.5                          £110                                       RW Hebdon

Swaledale Shlg + Twins                      £175                                       AP Percival

Rearing Calves to £410 (68)

B&W av £115.4 Cont av £345.4 Native av £145

Better numbers of rearing calves today with Black and Whites selling away the nicest of all the breeds. Stephen Marshall of Summerbridge saw the trade of the day with his Friesian bull to £250 with James Dugdales strong black and whites topping at £175. Overall the substantial number of black and whites today averaged £115.4. Continentals were a straight trade with the best of the bull trade up at £415 for a tremendous Limousin  Bull from C Watson, Horton Pasture. British Blues presented by Fred Houseman of Church Farm Enterprises reached £390 three times. Native heifers were hard to place today ranging from £225 down to £115 this morning however Aberdeen Angus bulls soared to an average of £245.

Bull Calves

Limousin x (Av £352.86) to £415 C Watson                  

Brit Blue x (Av £381) to £390 x3 Church Farm Enterprises                                                       

Aberdeen Angus (Av £240) to £275 Flasby Estates

Flekvieh (Av £135) to £135 C Watson

Hereford X (Av £145) to £175 JA Lawn & Sons

Shorthorn (Av £106.54) to £180 Flasby Estates

Black & White (Av £115.4) to £250 JC&DJ Marshall & Sons                     

Heifer Calves                       

Simmental x (Av £280) to £280 CN&SA Harrison                                                        

Ab Angus (Av £138) to £225 Flasby Estates                                                  

British Blue (Av £310) to £310 H&M Dugdale & Son

Lim (Av £215) to £215 M&R Smith.

Hereford (Av £121) to £155 JA Lawn

Prize Awards:       Newly Calven Heifers:        1^st SJ Sugden                         2^nd M Baul & Partners                         3^rd GB Moorhouse

Champion – SJ Sugden                       Reserve – M Baul & Partners

Newly Calven Heifers (av £1832): to £1980 SJ Sugden