Simpson Blue bull charges to 4,900gns top price at Skipton
Seven pedigree and pure-bred bulls featured among the turnout at Skipton Auction Mart’s latest fortnightly Wednesday cattle sale. It was a five-year-old British Blue from Bernard Simpson, of Pateley Bridge, that proved the real eye-catcher when selling locally for 4,900gns to Frankland Farms in Rathmell.
The bull, Littlebank Isaac, has proved a great servant to Mr Simpson and the only reason it came to market is that he is retiring from suckler calf production. He purchased the extremely well muscled and mobile young bull for 3,300gns as a three-year-old two years ago when it stood supreme champion at Skipton’s annual ‘Blue Wednesday’ show and sale.
Isaac was bred in North Craven by husband and wife, Richard and Wendy Maudsley, who run their Littlebank pedigree herd, established in 2003, at Rathmell, near Settle. It is by the Belgian AI sire, Imperial De L’Ecluse, out of the Gitan du Ptit Mayeur daughter, Littlebank Diva, from one of the Maudsleys’ best breeding lines – the same family has bred bulls to 9,000gns.
Back at Skipton, Limousin bulls sold to 2,600gns for a 2016-born pure-bred from the Laverock herd of John Richardson in Laverock Bridge, Kendal, while Charollais bulls topped at 2,400gns for another 2016 entry from the Stoneyland herd of R&D Ashworth in Blackrod, Bolton
The bulls were among a total of 113 beef breeding cattle penned for sale, All of the cross-bred entries sold well into four figures, with British Blue-cross heifers doing best. Those with Blue-cross heifer calves at foot made up to £2,650, while others with either Limousin-cross heifer or bull calves sold up to £2,400 and £2,350.
Another solid turnout of 914 head was consigned at the fortnightly fixture, which also attracted 811 feeding cattle - 216 young bulls, 66 beef feeding cows and 528 bullocks and heifers.
There was again keen demand for feeding bulls from buyers seeking to keep their pens fully stocked. Bulls under 10 months averaged £1,025 per head, with a brace of November-born British Blue-crosses from John and Gill Huck, of Hubberholme, the pick of the trade at £1,300 each.
Bulls 11-to-12 months averaged £1,002, with another top of £1,300 from Alan Lodge, of Malham Moor. Heading the pen prices with a trio of £1,150 per head Limousin-cross bullocks were TH&K Wood, of High Birstwith. Overall section averages were £1,021 for Continental-cross and £1,018 for native cattle.
Store cattle trade was surprisingly good given the numbers turned out countrywide of late. The best of them easily maintained trade on the fortnight, while additional buyers looking for yearling cattle to graze produced trade a shade dearer.
Store bullocks sold to a high of £1,250 for an Aberdeen-Angus from Martin Tyson, of Skyreholme, closely followed at £1,230 for a Limousin-cross from Fair Place Farm in Cowling. The top price pen of four Saler bullocks from Town Head Farm in Grassington each made £1,210.
Andy Rigby, of Slaidburn, was the standout performer in the store heifers with five Limousin-crosses all making four-figure prices and selling to a section high of £1,480. John Brewer, of Bleasdale, topped the pen prices with three Limousin-cross at £1,200.
A large entry of 66 beef type feeding cows met a fast selling trade, with nice sorts all easily topping four figures, though the leaner end appeared the best sold, with prices generally £750-£850. Prices peaked at £1,300 for a Limousin-cross from Ned Simpson, of Pateley Bridge, while Austwick’s James Ogden followed up at £1,240, with the section producing an overall selling average of £930.46.