Calves
The Christmas Show of Calves saw a strong entry forward with quality present throughout. Judging was kindly undertaken by Alasdair Prickett, Farleton who awarded the Championship rosette to a British Blue heifer from JC Hodgson, Dent which later sold for £360. Beef calves were keenly bid for topping at £480 for a Limousin x bull from B Wilson, Crosthwaite. Stronger bulls were generally selling between £280 and £340, with younger sorts £210 to £270. Heifers were easily sold with farmers looking for suckler replacements. Limousin x and British Blue calves were nicely selling at £260 to £320, with younger milk calves £180 to £220.
Dairy bulls sold to £170 for Holstein Friesians from T & J Pritt, Millom. Young Shorthorn calves to £105 from Messrs Robinson, Old Hutton. Dairy bulls averaged £43 to include a large number of young black and whites.
Cast Cows
Cull cows sold to a top price of 124.5p/kg for a Limousin x from JE Read, Hutton Roof who sold a Hereford x at 119.5p/kg. Top priced dairy was 109.5p/kg from RG & J Clarke, Endmoor. Meated dairy cattle generally were 78p/kg to 90p/kg, with leaner parlour sorts 65p/kg to 75p/kg.
A cast bull from SJ & M Richardson & Son, Lupton sold at 114.5p/kg and was also the top grossing OTM at £956.
Don’t forget last sale of all classes of cattle for 2018 is Thursday 20th December. VENDORS MUST ADVISE THE OFFICE OF ENTRIES.
Dairy
North West Auctions held its Christmas Prize Show and Sale of Dairy Cattle which saw a quality entry of cattle forward, with the judging kindly and ably undertaken by Bob and Pam Miller, Claughton on Brock. The Championship rosette was awarded to the first prize cow, Milnthorpe Pegwire Vall 2, from W Garnett & Son, Ackenthwaite, bred from 6 generations of VG/Excellent cows and giving 45l fresh on to her 2nd lactation; she sold for a final bid of £2000. Other cows sold to £1750 from JM Barton & Son, Lupton.
Heifers achieved a top price of £2100 for a pedigree heifer from PW & D Swindlehurst, Underbarrow. A Friesian type heifer from R & J Dodgson, Natland caught the eye of several bidders and sold for a final bid of £1850. In-calf mature cows, due January to a Limousin bull, sold to £920 from T & J Pritt, Millom.
Heifers sold to £2100, averaging £1740, cows to £2000 averaging £1480 and in-calf cows to £920 averaging £900.
Beef Breeding Cattle
The herd dispersal of Highland cattle on behalf of MS & RH Davies, Hambleton, attracted a large crowd of bidders keen to secure breeding stock. A top price of £580 was achieved for in-calf cows with £410 paid for cows with calves. Heifer stirks achieved £340.
Store Cattle
The sale of store cattle saw several returning faces ringside, keen to secure replacement stock. All types sold to full value with many buyers leaving short of requirements.
Steers sold to £780 for Limousin x from MW & MR Black, Staveley with others £680 to £740 for younger wintering sorts. Suckler steers sold to £720 for British Blue from I & AJ Armer, Burneside. Dairy bred steers sold to £700 for Fleckvieh from GM Strong, Penrith.
Heifers achieved £770 for Blonde x from GM Strong. Suckler heifers sold to £630 with younger sorts £520 to £600.