Valentines’ day sees sparks fly in all three rings at Lancashire leading cattle market.

CALVES - Calves and weaned stirks to £1570.

Today’s sale saw a decrease in numbers but another phenomenal trade.
Rearing calves sold to £590 for seven week old British Blues from Pickervance Farms, Kirkham with British Blues at the same age to £570 from Wallbank Farms, Over Wyresdale. Aberdeen Angus cross bull calves sold to £560 from T Foley, Bolton with the youngest sorts to £500 for British Blues from C&J Smith, St Michaels.
Heifer calves sold to £510 and £500 for British Blue from Pickervance Farms, Kirkham with Aberdeen Angus cross close behind at £450 from Wallbank Farms. Endless stronger heifers were £400 or more.
Weaned stirks sold to new highs of £1570 for a British Blue bull from AJ&DA Wilkinson, Out Rawcliffe. Other seven month old dairy bred British Blue bulls sold to £1100 from TD&A Gardner, Great Eccleston. Freshly weaned stirks sold to £750 for British Blue bulls from E&J Redmayne, Winmarleigh with Hereford to £600 from this consignment. Three very sweet British Blue heifers at three months old sold to £740, £680 and £600 from JM&MH France, Littledale with Aberdeen Angus at the same stage to £600 from I Richardson, Catforth.
There has been no better time to support the live sale ring, with prices achieved far stronger than farmgate prices. Contact Will on 07506283587 with enquires.

STORE CATTLE

Leading sale averages:

DE&SM Moorhouse 4x £2255
H Chapman & Son 4x £2232
J Lamb 4x £2232
O Butler 4x £2180
SH&LE Birkett 5x £2170

A fast-paced store cattle sale saw steers to £2380 for a Limousin from DE&SM Moorhouse, Natland with other Limousin to £2350 from H Chapman & Son, Middleton and Simmentals to the same price from J Lamb, Glasson and SH&LE Birkett, Carnforth. Endless pens of well grown steers were £2100 plus, with longer term feeding steers £1700 to £2050, and younger grazing types £1220 to £1500.
Heifers peaked at £2350 for a beef Shorthorn from EW&CR Clegg, Stalmine closely followed by a pair of Charolais at £2300 from WA Hodgson, Whinfell. Other pens of stronger heifers were £1800 to £2050, with mediums £1600 to £1800 and younger grazing heifers £1100 to £1300.
Several feeding bulls forward saw the strongest to £2780 for a British Blues from AJ&DA Wilkinson, Out Rawcliffe with sixteen month olds to £1440 from V&S Fitzell, Much Hoole.

OTM / CAST CATTLE

Cull cow trade continues to raise to previous unseen levels, with the best beef cows to 304.5p/kg and £3038 for a Charolais from GJ&G Billington, Garstang, Shorthorns to 289.5p/kg from A&V&A Thornton, Cockerham and British Blue cross to £2119 from EW&A Bradshaw, Stalmine. Other beef cows were regularly 250p/kg to 270p/kg. Heaviest well fleshed dairy cows sold to 249.5p/kg and £2008 from D Fox & Co, Bay Horse with others at 244.5p/kg and £1919 from I Atkinson & Son, Warton. Other mediums were 220p/kg to 240p/kg and £1200 to £1500, with the lighter weight and leaner dairy cows generally 130p/kg to 170p/kg and £850 to £1100.
OTM heifers sold to 354.5p/kg and £2002 from A&V&A Thornton, Cockerham. Other beef heifers sold to 239p/kg and £1884 for a Stabiliser from A Dixon & Son, Selside with diary heifers to 289p/kg from AT Burrow & Son, Gressingham and £1665 from Messer Handley, Haversham.
OTM Beef steers sold to 304p/kg and £1827 from A Kirkby & Co, Pilling with black and white steers to 269.5p/kg and £1985 from MS&G Mason, Kirkby Lonsdale.
Cull bull sold to 304.5p/kg and £3115 for a Limousin from J Gerrard & Son, Cockerham with others to 294.5p/kg from MS&G Mason, Kirkby Lonsdale and £2547 from JW Thwaites, Tebay.