Prime Cattle (under 30 mos)

The New year opened with a large show of clean cattle and a solid trade if slightly less than closing 2020 values. Champion at the January Prime Show was a 545kg Limousin cross heifer presented by Mesrs F&B Smith of Masongill which joined Robert Pearson of Ralph Pearson wholesale Butchers in Bradford for 269.5p/kg or £1469. Reserve was the Male Champion a 590kg British Blue cross steer from CD&RF Kitching of Threshfield which sold to Mesrs Pearson for 261.5p/kg or £1543. Underbidder James Robertshaw accounted for the second prizes in both sections the heifer a 565kg Limousin cross from Mesrs Kitching at 262.5p/kg or £1483 and the steer, a Limousin from F&B Smith which weighed 565kg and made 260.5p/kg or £1472, both for sale at Robertshaws Farm Shop, Thornton. The feeling amongst retailers with High Street shops was to hold off, use up and monitor any further restrictions in the immediate short term but trade proved resilient with volume users looking fill fridges after a fortnight of interrupted supply.

Bullocks –              1st & Reserve CD&RF Kitching           2nd F&B Smith                      3rd CD&RF Kitching

Heifers –                1st & Champion F&B Smith               2nd CD&RF Kitching             3rd CD&RF Kitching

Steers

465-560kg                                             to 258.5p/kg                        av. 231.40p/kg

560kg+                                                   to 261.5p/kg                        av.237.23p/kg

Heifers

400-480kg                                             to 238.5p/kg                       

480kg+                                                   to 269.5p/kg                        av. 246.55p/kg

Top Prices £ per head and p/kg

Steers

£ per head: JM Townsend (BBx) 1572, CD&RF Kitching (BBx) 1543, 1495, (Limx) 1510,1479, TK Drinkall (BBx) 1485

p/kg: CD&RF Kitching (BBx) 261.5, 255.5, (Limx) 248.5, F&B Smith (Limx) 260.5, JM Townsend (BBx) 249.5, S&P Scriven (BBx) 248.5

Heifers

£ per head: CD&RF Kitching (BBx) 1559, 1551, (Limx) 1483, 1470, F&B Smith (Limx) 1469, DJ Bailey (Limx) 1404, S&P Scriven (BBx) 1387

p/kg: F&B Smith (Limx) 269.5, JH&SM Mason (BBx) 265.5, CD&RF Kitching (Limx) 262.5, 262.5, (BBx) 258.5, S&P Scriven (BBx) 254.5    

Cull Cow Prices

Cast cows opened up as predicted with a strong trade. Finish was in short supply with heavy dairies nudging 120p and the steaking cows 110p.

Overall Average                                   105.34p/kg                                           £693.52

Black & White                      to 119.5p/kg                        av. 104.64 p/kg

Brown Swiss                         to 108.5p/kg                        av.108.5p/kg

Hefd                                       to 108.5p/kg                       

Top Prices (£ per head or p/kg)

B&W:

£ per head: S&PE Bowker&Son 959, M&R Smith 953, S&PE Bowker&Sons 890, M&R Smith 781, GB Moorhouse 738

p/kg: S&PE Bowker&Son 119.5, 113.5, JM Smith&Son 113.5,109.5, M&R Smith 111.5, 108.5, JP&KE Hartley 102.5

Other Dairy

£ per head: CN&SA Harrison (Brown Swiss) 711,678

p/kg: CN&SA Harrison (Brown Swiss) 108.5,108.5

Native

£ per head: R&E Pollard (Hefd) 477

p/kg: R&E Pollard (Hefd) 108.5

1,757 Prime Sheep comprising 1,545 Prime Hoggs, & 212 Cast Ewes & Rams

Sheep numbers were tight countrywide today with some finishers now seeing no rush to sell lambs with Brexit put to bed, and the snow fall and icy conditions certainly had an effect by holding some sheep off the market. The result was a full ringside of purchasers all keen and they produced an overall selling average of 255p/kg (SQQ 264p) equating to a whopping £111.39 per head.

Mule and Masham Wethers topped at £116 for a pen of 10 weighing 58kgs from EP&JM Hutchinson Faceby, Messrs Taylor Bros of Rathmell made £113.50 of a pen of 24 Mules weighing 49kg, and GW Thackray Harewood was up at £110.50. Other sample prices had 44kg at £103 from WA,VJ&JA Towler a price equalled by JK Wilson & Son for the same weight. 41kg Mules made £99 from W Mason & Son, whilst RH&EA Close has 42kg mules at £99 and 42kg Mashams at £102.50. RJ Ashworth had 43kg Mules at £97. PD Bowdin Oughtershaw had 38kg Mashams at £90. J Baines 40kg at £92 and 42kg at £95, J&C Wright 45kg at £103. Overall Mules av £103.53 per head, the live mart at Skipton definitely worth a look for those that have Mules and Mashams to sell.

Other hill bred lambs were a sharp trade, with Ellis Bros first into the ring selling 52kg Swales at £105 and 48kg Swales at £104. Cheviots sold to £124 from J Bosworth, Easy Cares to £89 from J&J Garnett, AJ Mason 34kg Swales £74.50, RH Close 37kg Dalesbred £84.50, 36kg Dalesbred £83 and 35kg Swales £77, D breaks 38kg Swales £86, TJ Howarth 36kg SBF £84.50. Lightweight horned lambs 200p/220p.

Lowland Lambs over 52kg – These took a good lift in price today, a lot seeing £10 to £15 per head more on the week to average £122.05. HB Atkinson topped the section at £138 for Beltex selling to Brayton Farmshop. A run of excellent heavy fed lambs from EP&JM Hutchinson were up to £134 for 53kg selling to Knavesmire Butchers, others at £129 £127 £126 £125(x2) and £124(x4). RA&E Smith Acaster sold 53kg Texels to £134 purchased by Robertshaws Farmshop, TH Mellin sold 62kg Texels at £126, J Baines 56kg Texles £125 and G Thornton Knaresborough made £124.50 of 54kg Texels.

46kg to 52kg Lowland Lambs – This weight range had some outstanding prices and a range average of £119.88 for Continentals. WA,VJ&JA Towler Clitheroe made £160 of 50kg Beltex to Knavesmire Butchers, JS Eddleston £152 of 48kg Beltex to Brayton Farmshop, HB Atkinson £140 of 48kg Beltex to Vivers Scotlamb, EP&JM Hutchinson £137 of 48kg Continentals to Kendalls Farm butchers who also bought 50kg at £136 from G Thornton, 50kg at £134 from Ellis Bros, and PW Simpson made £132 of 49kg to Knavesmire Butchers.

36kg to 45kg Lowland Lambs – It was the reserve champion lambs from WA,VJ&JA Towler that topped the market today at £161 (412p 39kg) when purchased by Knavesmire Butchers in York, closely followed by the champions from Ellis Bros at £160 (41kg 390p) selling to the judge Will Rathmell for Brayton Farmshop. Messrs Atkinson Felliscliffe presented an excellent run of lambs today, selling a pen of 15 at 39kg £140, others at £134 and £130 (325p and 319p) and a pen of 16 at 36kg making 353p or £127 each.
A lot of nice 42kg to 45kg Texel Mules today £110 to £120. Beltex lambs averaged a wonderful 299p/kg.

32kg to 35kg Lowland Lambs – top price in this weight were £100 (34kg 294p) from DN&D Capstick of Bolton by Bowland, followed by Menwith Pigs of Fewston who sold 35kg at £94.

Ewes on fire with medium ewes really setting the pace. More required with a full ringside of buyers to take large quantities all actively bidding for all classes of goods. Mules sold to £103.50 from FG Throup, Silsden Moor. Meat Mediums £85-£90 and lean Mules £70-£80. White faced ewes sold to £143.50 from JA Gibson & Sons followed at £137.50 from the same vendor. Heavies £115+ with smart Heavies £130+ with not many about today. Medium white faced ewes either side of £100. Lean White faced ewes £80-£85. Swales sold well with no massive fed ewes in but still top prices of £73.50 for some meat ewes from FG Throup, Silsden Moor. £67.50 from JC&JA Throup, Silsden Moor. Meat swales all £60+ with lean ewes in the £50’s and plain in the £20-£30 region. Goats sold to £101.50 from D Gray, Silsden.

For more details on Prime & Cast Sheep trade ring either of our auctioneers, Ted Ogden (Lambs) on 07855 958211 or Kyle Hawksworth (Ewes) on 07538 539077.
Wishing you a very happy and prosperous New Year and we look forward to seeing you at Skipton in 2021.

**NEW YEAR SALE OF STORE HOGGS & BREEDING SHEEP – WEDNESDAY 13TH JANUARY 2021 – ENTRIES TO THE MART OFFICE BY 4pm THIS WEDNESDAY PLEASE**

Monthly Show

Cont x                   

1st & Champion    Ellis Bros 41kg £160 Brayton Farm Shop

2nd & Reserve       WA VJ JA Towler 39kg £161 Knavesmire Butchers

3rd                           HB Atkinson 48kg £140 Vivers Scot Lamb

Down x                 

1st                            EP&JM Hutchinson 50kg £118 Scotbeef Ltd

2nd                           EP&JM Hutchinson 55kg £124 JE Medcalf Ltd

Mule

1st                            EP&JM Hutchinson 58kg £116 Scotbeef Ltd

Prime Hoggs – Overall Average £111.39 per head or 255.04p/kg          

32.1kg to 35.9kg to 294.1p/kg         av 234.6p/kg         or £81.26 per head

36.0kg to 45.5kg to 412.8p/kg         av 266.7p/kg         or £109.24 per head

45.6kg to 52.0kg to 320.0p/kg         av 246.5p/kg         or £119.33 per head

52.1kg and over   to 252.8p/kg         av 218.6p/kg         or £122.05 per head

Beltex average £126.15 per head or 299.3p/kg

£ per head: £161 £160 WA VJ JA Towler; £160 £134 Ellis Bros; £152 JS Eddleston; £140 £134 HB Atkinson; £137 EP&JM Hutchinson;

p/kg: 412.8p 320.0p WA VJ JA Towler; 390.2p Ellis Bros; 359.0p 352.8p 325.0p 319.0p HB Atkinson; 320.5p 316.7p JS Eddleston;

Texel average £113.10 per head or 253.6p/kg

£ per head: £138 HB Atkinson; £136 G&G Thornton; £134 RA&E Smith; £134 £129 EP&JM Hutchinson; £129 MP Jennings;

p/kg: 320.0p DN&D Capstick;; 295.2p 290.7p 281.0p JR Crabtree; 289.0p J Baines; 287.2p JJ&D Cowking; 278.2p JM&VJ Howard;

Suffolk average £110.82 per head or 238.5p/kg

£ per head: £124 £123 £23. £118 EP&JM Hutchinson; £121 JR Crabtree; £118.50 P Hargreaves; £117 J&C Wright;

p/kg: 263.5p G Beresford; 250.0p P Hargreaves; 247.8p GW Thackray; 243.9p D Breaks; £243.8p PD Bowdin;

Charolais average £116.47 per head or 242.3p/kg

£ per head: £127 EP&JM Hutchinson; £120 D Breaks; £120 £119 £118.50 £117.50 GW Thackray; £119 J Metcalfe;

p/kg: 258.7p 250.0p 245.5p 244.4p GW Thackray; 250.0p JJ Beckwith; 244.9p D Breaks; 224.5p J Metcalfe;

Mule average £103.53 per head or 228.6p/kg

£ per head: £116 EP&JM Hutchinson; £113.50 Taylor Bros; £110.50 GW Thackray; £109 TA Robinson; £107 J Baines; £104 J&C Wright; £103.50 D Breaks;

p/kg: 241.5p W Mason; 235.7p RH&EA Close; 235.1p GW Thackray; 234.1p JK Wilson; 234.1p WA VJ JA Towler; 231.6p Taylor Bros; 231.1p J&C Wright;

Swaledale average £79.83 per head or 208.5p/kg

£ per head: £106 £105 Ellis Bros; £88.50 D Breaks; £86 W Mason; £77 RH&EA Close; £74.50 AJ Mason; £68 Ashfield Farms;

p/kg: 220.8p Ellis Bros; 220.0p RH&EA Close; 219.1p AJ Mason; 210.7p D Breaks; 209.8p W Mason; 203.0p Ashfield Farms;

Dalesbred average £81.45 per head or 223.1p/kg

£ per head: £84.50 £82 RH&EA Close; £79 PD Bowdin;

p/kg: 228.4p 227.8p RH&EA Close; 231.5p PD Bowdin;

Lleyn average £109.40 per head or 233.6p/kg

£ per head: £112.50 £97 West Berwick;

p/kg: 234.4p 225.6p West Berwick;

SBF average £85.03 per head or 232.4p/kg

£ per head: £86 D Breaks; £84.50 TJ Howarth;

p/kg: 234.7p TJ Howarth; 226.3p D Breaks;

Cull Ewes average £81.62

Suffolk to £109.50, Texel to £143.50, Mule to £103.50, Lleyn to £111.50, Swaledale to £73.50, Zwartable to £76.50, Cheviot to £90.50, Beltex to £111.50, Lonk to £83.50, Dalesbred to £44.50,

Top prices:

Lowland: £143.50 £137.50 JA Gibson;

Mule/Masham: £103.50 FG Throup; £97.50 JE Naylor;  

Horned: £83.50 SW&JE Ryder; £75.50 GW Thackray;

Hill: £111.50 R&A Jennings; £90.50 JA Drake;  

Goats to £101.50

Cast Rams average £78.88

Texel to £131.50, BFL to £76.50, Beltex to £104.50, Zwartable to £80.50.

72 Rearing Calves to £435

Show Results:

Blue Bull                1st JP&KE Hartley                 2nd JP&KE Hartley

Blue Heifer           1st JP&KE Hartley                 2nd JR Wellock                      3rd J Gooch

Lim Bull                  1st G Pickersgill

Lim Hefier             1st G Pickersgill

Other Cont Bull    1st Al Dean & Son

Other Cont Hfr     1st AL Dean & Son

B&W                       1st G Pickersgill

Champion – JP&KE Hartley                               Reserve – JP&KE Hartley

Calves a good trade throughout with the show judged by regular purchaser Robert Foster who placed JP&KE Hartley with Overall Champion yet again. Mr Foster then went onto back his judgment and buy the first prized Blue Bull (Champion) at £435. JP&KE Hartley also got the second prize Blue Bull selling at £405. Percy, Janet and James Bolland of Dykelands, Airton sold at 6 and half week Blue Bull calf at £410. Young Blue bulls, £240-£280 Mediums £330-£400 with best end £400-£435.Lim Bull from G Pickersgill & Sons, Hawksworth selling at £400. Blue Heifers sold to £310 from JP&KE Hartley for the days Reserve Champion to Mr J Brown of Thirsk. Young blue heifers £200 with mediums either side of £280 with frame for potential cow makers selling the best. AA Bull calves sold to £300 from JC&DJ Marshall & Sons. Younger Angus selling in the £240-£260 region. Angus heifers topped at £220 selling to L Brown of Halifax with other younger Angus selling either side of £160. Flek Bulls sold to £300 with as usual a cracking run from C Watson, Horton in Craven.

Bull Calves

Limousin x (Av £400) to £400                           G Pickersgill                                                          

Brit Blue x (Av £326) to £435                           JP&KE Hartley                                                     

Aberdeen Angus (Av £229) to £300 JC&DJ Marshall   

Simmental (Av £235) to £260                          Al Dean & Son     

Fleckvieh (Av £180) to £300                             C Watson                                              

Black & White (Av £93) to £145                      G Pickersgill                          

Heifer Calves       

Aberdeen Angus (Av £176) to £220 J Gooch                                                                                                 

Simmental (Av £265) to £265                          AL Dean & Son;                                   

British Blue (Av £231) to £310                         JP&KE Hartley                                     

Limousin (Av £198) to £250                              G Pickersgill                                          

CONTACT DETAILS

Skipton Auction Mart
Gargrave Road
Skipton
North Yorkshire
BD23 1UD

Tel 01756 792375

Jeremy Eaton 07747 780481
Ted Ogden 07855 958211
Kyle Hawksworth 07538 539077