Prime Cattle (under 30 mos)

The February Prime Show judge George Cropper from Baxanden backed his judgement and bought the Supreme Champion and first prize heifer a 590kg Limousin from F&B Smith of Westhouse, a heifer which won a strong class and went on to be the highest gross at £1572 and top price per kg at 266p. Paul Baines from Jim Baines of Widdop presented the reserve champion a 580kg homebred Limousin heifer which sold to Countrystyle Meats of Lancaster for 256.5p/kg or £1488.

Leading steer was the first prize also consigned by F&B Smith which made 245.5p/kg or £1338 when selling to Robertshaws Farm Shop of Thornton whilst the top gross in section was a 615kg British blue Steer from CD&RF Kitching of Threshfield at £1368 or 222.5p/kg which also joined Robertshaws.

The leading buyers at this week’s sale were Countrystyle Meats and Robertshaws Farm Shop with 6 each closely followed by Keelham Farm Shop, Skipton with 5. 4 cattle from the entry made £1400 or more, with retail cattle a similar trade and more choice in the commercial types causing this section to be slightly easier.

Heifers – 1^st & Champion F&B Smith              2^nd & Reserve J Baines        3^rd RT&J Critchley

Bullocks – 1^st F&B Smith                                    2^nd RT&J Critchley               3^rd CD&RF Kitching

Steers

460 -560kg                                            to 245.5p/kg

560kg+                                                   to 234.5p/kg                        av.226.66p/kg

Heifers

480kg+                                                   to 266.5p/kg                        av.208.36p/kg

Top Prices £ per head and p/kg

Steers

£ per head: CD&RF Kitching (BBx) 1368, F&B Smith (Limx) 1338, RT&J Critchley&Sons (Blondex) 1313

p/kg: F&B Smith (Limx) 245.5, RT&J Critchley&Sons (Blondex) 234.5

Heifers

£ per head: F&B Smith (Limx) 1572, J Baines (Limx) 1495,1488, EW&Jr Parkinson (BBx) 1403, BL&R Lund (BBx) 1366

p/kg: F&B Smith (Limx) 266.5, EW&JR Parkinson (BBx) 257.5, J Baines (Limx) 256.5, SD Bennett (Limx) 249.5

Prime Cattle (over 30 mos)

Overall Average                                   av.106.78p/kg                     £619.35

Top prices £ per head and p/kg

£ per head: RE Ayrton&Son (B&W Hfr) 781

p/kg: RE Ayrton&Son (B&W Hfr) 116.5

Cast cattle a sharper trade for an increased show. A good entry of very heavy dairies with the most around the 107-112p/kg and anything slightly easier on the weight and good meat 112-118p. The trade continues to pay well for plain , lean cows which are less plentiful and not far behind on price with steakers 110p and the others 80-105p.

Overall Average                                   103.71p/kg           £619.35

Black & White                      to 117.5p/kg                        av.102.84p/kg

Jersey                                     to 90.5p/kg

Ayr                                          to 100.5p/kg

MRI                                         to 106.5p/kg

Dan Red                                 to 90.5p/kg         

Limx                                       to 127.5p/kg                       

Saler                                       to 118.5p/kg                        av.118.5p/kg

Top Prices (£ per head or p/kg)

B&W:

£ per head: AL Dean&Son 968,962,909,898,857,855, M&R smith 939, JD Taylor&Son 900, JR Wellock 887

p/kg: JR Wellock 117.5, A&CL Gray 114.5, M&R Smith 112.5,110.5, CN&SA Harrison 109.5, AL Dean&Son 109.5,109.5,108.5,108.5,

Other Dairy

£ per head: N&SA Fort (MRI) 586, C Watson (Ayr) 558, CN&SA Harrison (Dan red) 525, JSS Verity (Jer) 489

p/kg: N&SA Fort (MRI) 106.5, C Watson (Ayr) 100.5, JSS Verity (Jer) 90.5, CN&SA Harrison (Dan Red) 90.5

Contx

£ per head: Beeston Hall Farm (Saler) 794,735, MD Parkinson & Son (Limx) 733

p/kg: MD Parkinson (Limx) 127.5, Beeston Hall farm (Saler) 118.5,118.5.

MATURE BULL

Overall Average                                   111.32p/kg           £1090.92

Top Prices £ per head and p/kg

£ per head: F reeday&Son (Lim) 1132, JP&KE Hartley (AA) 1050

p/kg: F reeday&Son (Lim) 118.5, JP&KE Hartley (AA) 104.5

3,067 Prime Sheep comprising 2,747 Prime Hoggs, 320 Cast Ewes & Rams

Sheep were dearer on the week by some margin, with the sale levelling at 242p/kg or £103.89 per head. All classes were very good to sell as an increased attendance of buyers were all keen to secure supply, hill bred lambs looking every bit as well sold as lowland types.
The smart lambs were the dearest we have seen for some time. Per Kilo: some 44 pens of lambs sold for 300p or more, topping at a wonderful 390p were the reserve champion lambs from Joanne Andrews, Easingwold with a pen of 5 Beltex weighing 41kg sold for joint top price per head of £160 each to GJ Cropper for his Sanderson’s Butchers in Baxenden. The same vendor made 338p (38kg £128.50) and 331p (44kg £146) in a run of 29 lambs to average 330.59p or £139.76 each.
Walter Parkinson of Garstang was next in line at 366p and 353p (36kg at £132 and £127) and JE Burrow made 350p (40kg £140) with a trailer full of lambs averaging over £131 each.
Michael Hall from Airton made 347p and joint top price of £160 per head selling to Vivers Scotlamb. Thomas Hartley, Pendle made 347.6p (42kg £146). Paul Simpson, Bolton by Bowland had a good run of 93 lambs to top at 334.3p/kg with 9 Beltex at 35kg selling for £117, and the whole run averaged 37.9kg 315.2p or £119.63 each.
In todays monthly prize show for pens of 5, Brian Lund from Walshaw was awarded championship and his lambs were secured by George Cropper at £136 for his Sandersons Butchers Shop.
Other leading prices per head for smart sorts were £152 from Michael Hall to GJ Cropper and £150 from WA,VJ&JA Towler to Vivers Scotlamb. In total 345 Beltex crosses averaged 302p/kg. 

Heavy Lambs were in great demand all day, the overweight category (52kg+) averaged £118.39, with top price heavies being £139 for 59kg Texels from EP&JM Hutchinson, Faceby selling to Countrystyle Farmshop and Kitchen, Lancaster. The same vendors sold 60kg Texels at £136 to Lancashire Direct Halal Meat Suppliers, and 62kg at £135 to Joe Bosworth.
Messrs Hutchinson’s consignment of 72 lambs included 8 pens over £130 and averaged £131.47. JE Burrow, Hanlith sold 54kg Beltex at £138 to Knavesmire Butchers in York, whilst Joanne Andrews, Easingwold made £132 of 53kg to Hartshead Meat Co.
 

Commercial lowland export weights found a price range of 235p to 265p with Texel Lambs in the 36kg to 45kg range averaging 249p against a Texel Breed average of 241p. 

Hill bred sheep were up a gear again, Mules peaked at £117 each from GW Houseman selling to Swaledale Foods in Skipton, with Mules also to 229.8p from JA&JH Hewetson, Bank Newton to Scotbeef Ltd. Mashams sold to 225.5p from Steve Dorey of Newark.  Mules and Mashams averaged 219.7p.
Horned lambs sold to 226p twice, 225p and 221p from AM&E Hartley, Pendle, with Steve Dorey also making 225p. Cheviots topped at 250p from K&M Berry, Skipton with AE Stubbs & Son, Northwich making 236.5p. 

A mixed show of ewes lacked quality heavy types, with fewer prices £120-£130, but the next grade were a shade easier on the week. Mules were a good trade with best sorts £90 to £103, and best horned ewes in the £60’s/£70’s topping at £82.50 from ML Kayley, Halton West. 

Monthly Prize Show – Results

Pen of 5 Cont x
1^st BL Lund, Walshaw 43kg £136 to GJ Cropper
2^nd JM Andrews, Easingwold 41kg £160 to GJ Cropper
3^rd JE Burrow, Hanlith 40kg £140 to Vivers Scotlamb

Pen of 5 Suffolk x
1^st J&C Wright, Airton 55kg £114 to Worsley Wholesale
2^nd J&C Wright, Airton 50kg £110 to Farmers Fresh.

Pen of 10 Horned Lambs
1^st W Mason & Son, Appletreewick 43kg £89.50 to Scotbeef

Pen of 10 Other Hill Bred
1^st J Greenwood, Addingham 44kg £96.50 to A Atkinson. 

Prime Hoggs – Overall Average £103.89 per head or 242.1p/kg            

32.1kg to 35.9kg to 334.3p/kg         av 234.8p/kg         or £80.82 per head

36.0kg to 45.5kg to 390.2p/kg         av 247.1p/kg         or £102.26 per head

45.6kg to 52.0kg to 347.8p/kg         av 234.8p/kg         or £113.86 per head

52.1kg and over   to 255.6p/kg         av 214.4p/kg         or £118.39 per head

Beltex average £123.91 per head or 302.2p/kg

£ per head: £160 £152 JM Hall; £160 £146 £144 JM Andrews; £146 TM Hartley; £144 Thwaite Bros; £142 £140 £139 JE Burrow; £139 PW Simpson;

p/kg: 390.2p 338.2p 331.8p JM Andrews; 366.7p 352.8p W&J Parkinson; 350.0p JE Burrow; 347.8p JM Hall; 347.6p TM Hartley; 334.3px2 PW Simpson;

Suffolk average £102.73 per head or 227.9p/kg

£ per head: £119 P&A Riley; £114 £110 J&C Wright; £112 CH&C Fearnley; £108.50 £106 RG Church; £108 S Dorey; £106 G Bell;

p/kg: 244.2p FA Holmes; 238.1p S Dorey; 234.5p S Terry; 233.8p 231.1p DR&FE Wallbank; 230.9p RG Church; 230.5p K&J Marshall;

Texel average £106.32 per head or 240.4p/kg

£ per head: £150 WA VJ JA Towler; £145 EP&JM Hutchinson; £145 SD Bennett; £139 £136 £135x2 EP&JM Hutchinson; £134 R&N Carlisle; £134 JE Burrow;

p/kg: 341.7p HB Atkinson; 326.1p WA VJ JA Towler; 322.2p EP&JM Atkinson; 312.2p CD&RF Kitching; 307.3p PW Simpson; 297.6p D Asquith;

Mule average £91.31 per head or 216.2p/kg

£ per head: £117 GW Houseman; £108 £100 S Dorey; £108 JA&JH Hewetson; £107 AJ Taylor; £106 RG Church; £100 AE Stubbs; £100 CT Akrigg;  

p/kg: 229.8p JA&JH Hewetson; 227.3p CT Akrigg; 226.3p G Bell; 225.0p 222.2p S Dorey; 221.1p AM&E Hartley; 221.1p JE Burrow; 220.0p J Drinkall;

Charollais average £102.66 per head or 250.6p/kg

£ per head: £116 FA Holmes; £109 £106 W&J Parkinson; £108 F Webster; £99 KJ Marston; £96 RKR Wood;  

p/kg: 276.2p FA Holmes; 259.8p 247.7p  W&J Parkinson; 251.2p  F Webster; 247.5p KJ Marston; 240.0p RKR Wood;

Masham average £94.68 per head or 222.9p/kg

£ per head: £103 £92.50 £91.50 £70 S Dorey;

p/kg: 225.6p 223.9p 223.2p 170.7p S Dorey;

Swaledale average £76.33 per head or 202.3p/kg

£ per head: £94 CT Akrigg; £89.50 £83 £82 W Mason & Son; £88 JW Sayer; £86 J&V Blakey; £79 DE&CP Sayer; £74 JM&S Tennant; £74 J Cheetham;

p/kg: 214.6p 202.9p JW Sayer; £212.8p 210.3p 208.1p 204.2p W Mason & Son; 209.8p J&V Blakey; 200.0p J Cheetham; 198.6p DE&CP Sayer;

Lonk average £99.12 per head or 222.5p/kg

£ per head: £103.50 £99.50x3 AM&E Hartley; £99 S Dorey; £96.50 J Greenwood;

p/kg: 226.1px2 225.0p 211.1p AM&E Hartley; 225.0p S Dorey; 219.3p J Greenwood;

Cheviot average £87.93 per head or235.1 p/kg

£ per head: £109 £87.50 £82.50 AE Stubbs; £97.50 £83 K&M Berry;

p/kg: 250.0p 224.3p K&M Berry; 236.5p 229.2p 213.7p AE Stubbs;

White Faced average £100.43 per head or 210.7p/kg

£ per head: £103 £97.50 JG Senior;

p/kg: 216.7p 206.0p JG Senior;

Suffolk to £86.50, Texel to £134.50, BFL to £61.50, Mule to £102.50, Lleyn to £87.50, Swaledale to £73.50, Herdwick to £55.50, Dalesbred to £82.50, Beltex to £82.50, Kerry Hill to £93.50.

Top prices:

Lowland: £134.50 T Charnley; £125.50 S Asquith;

Mule/Masham: £102.50 R&E Pollard; £98.50 GT Booth;  

Horned: £82.50 ML&JE Kayley; £73.50 K Lister & Son; £73.50 G&MA Lawn;

Hill: £87.50 J Attey; £61.50 N Heseltine;  

Cast Rams average £73.91

Suffolk to £98.50, Texel to £102.50, Swaledale to £58.50, Dalesbred to £68.50, Cheviot to £83.50, Beltex to £97.50, Down to £84.50.

Rearing Calves to £300 (36)

B&W av £53 Cont av £244 Native av £160

A disappointing small entry today but it was expected due to the number of vendors not calving late December and in January around the festive period. More calves are needed week on week out with purchasers travelling distances to buy calves more are needed regularly.

Blue Heifers take the lead at £300 for a heifer off of Mr G.B Moorhouse closely followed behind at £295 for a Bull and Heifer off of The Dinsdale Brothers. Some nice smart bulls sold today Just touching £300 in and around that £250. Black and Whites sold well to avg £53 and top at £82 for a smart sort off of Mr Ayrton. Black and Whites saw new vendor David Graveston from Gisburn amongst the leading prices with Andrew Ayrton of Eastby.

More purchasers expected next week wanting Native calves please call Kyle Hawksworth for him to inform you on Buyers Requirements. 07538539077

Bull Calves

Brit Blue x (Av £241) to £295 Rainhall Farm;                                                               

Flekvieh (Av £80) to £100 C Watson;

Charollais (Av £240) to £240 JC Marshall;                    

Black & White (Av £53) to £82 RE Ayrton & Son;                       

Heifer Calves       

Simmental x (Av £) to £                                                    

Ab Angus (Av £160) to £160 CJ&DD Drake;                                                  

British Blue (Av £258.7) to £300 GB Moorhouse;

Skipton Auction Mart
Gargrave Road
Skipton
North Yorkshire
BD23 1UD

Tel 01756 792375

Jeremy Eaton 07740 780481
Ted Ogden 07855 958211
Kyle Hawksworth 07538 539077