Four show classes for 2020 and 2021-born suckled calves, judged by Stephen Lofthouse, of Grewelthorpe, produced a Kirklees double when Chris Bamforth, of Hey Knowle Farm, Slaithwaite, won two of them with home-breds, both, like many others on the day, achieving four-figure selling prices, His first prize 2021 Limousin-x steer made £1,060, his red rosette 2020 British Blue-x heifer £1,040.

Doing better at £1,340 was the first prize 2020-born steer, a 16-month-old Limousin-x from Ribble Valley brothers Peter and Edward Fox, of Fox Farms in Withgill, the remaining show class for the best 2021-born heifer falling to Sandra Blades, of Hill Top Farm, Carnforth, with a Limousin-x away at £920, bettered at £960 by the third prize winner from the same home.

The midweek bovine bounty produced a 450-strong feeding cattle entry, among them 365 store bullocks and heifers. Continental store bullocks met a straight trade, the Hall family from Gargrave selling a brace of black Limousin-x at £1,350, while a pair of Charolais-x from Nicholas Pinder of Coniston Cold, was close behind at £1,340 each.

Generally, older bullocks were mainly £1,200-plus, with the strongest dairy/beef-x entries approaching £1,200 up to the mid £1,200s, the next grade of decent framed types generally £1,080 to £1,150 and long-term sorts £900-£1,050.

Young suckler-bred bullocks were a nice trade, many annual customers present seeking cattle to farm on. Limousin/Blue crosses with that extra spark of carcass suitable for the retail sector could make £950-£1,050 at seven to ten-months-old, the next grade £800-£920. Charolais bullocks attracted a good amount of interest, calves in the six to seven-month-old age range generally away in the mid to late £800s, odd ones sneaking over £900.

Of the store heifers, good trade was in evidence for older short-keep sucklers suitable for the retail market or quality wholesale use. Continental heifers with shape, flesh and a decent sized frame commanded £1,200-£1,400, the Nelson family in Bordley making £1,480 and £1,350 with two 17-month-old Limousin-x, the Fox brothers again chipping in with £1,420 for another Limousin-x at the same age.

Like the bullocks, suckler-bred heifers found an excellent enquiry, the best end of 2021-born entries peaking at £1,050 for a six-month-old Limousin/Blue-x from Mirfield’s George Fleetwood.

The 39 young feeding bulls incorporated the first seasonal turnout and a decent entry of Spring-born Continental calves, with crept calves in forward condition getting away at £1,100-£1,240, this for the highest priced 2021-born entry, a Limousin from SJ&CJ Handley, of Westhouse, Carnforth, with smaller, shapey bulls generally £950-£1,000.

At the older end, a run of autumn bull calves from James and Deborah Ogden in Austwick confirmed continuing interest in high health status cattle when selling to £1,540 twice, £1,360 and £1,340. Bulls over 12 months sold to £1,590 for a Limousin from Ian Pratt, of Hebden Bridge, and with a good trade prevailing the mart is advising potential vendors to consider bringing out strong Spring calves, as well as Autumn-born bulls, as purchasers seek to keep pens full.

A mixed entry of 46 beef feeding cows and bulls saw buyers competing well for the better end, D Wallbank, of Oakworth, taking top price of £1,180 with a British Blue.

Pedigree beef breeding cattle sold to a top of 2,000gns for one of two Limousin bulls consigned by Tim Vickers, of T&K Vickers, who run the Meadowmist herd at Ladyhills Farm, Wintringham, near Malton. The March, 2029, Lodge Hamlet son, out of a home-bred dam, joined John Beckwith in Gargrave.

Of the other breeding cattle, Wharfedale’s Brian Church, of Askwith, made £1,650 with a January, 2020, Aberdeen-Angus bull claimed by Dacre’s Ian Moorhouse, while a Limousin heifer with Hereford calf at foot achieved £1,400, with £1,360 seen for both a Blue heifer and her Hereford calf and a Simmental cow with Limousin calf.