Store Cattle

There was 200 store cattle forward this week that sold to a better trade than expected. Leading the way this week was GH Speak, Eccleston selling Angus bullocks to £1220. This was closely followed by heifers selling to £1210 for Charolais from JA & LR Wilson, Millom and Limousins from S Kellet & Sons, Pilling. The £1200 mark was achieved numerous times with British Blue steers from R & DM Rossall & Son, Pilling, M Shepherd & Son, Pilling and also for Angus Steers from S Kellet & Son, Pilling. There was plenty of cattle selling in the £1100 mark. All bullocks forward this week averaged £1006.

There are more buyers in the market now looking for cattle they can graze this summer.

OTM Cattle

The weekly sale of Cast Cows had an entry of 74 forward in which all types have been a sharper trade with an overall market average 117p/kg. Leading the way this week was Simmental OTM Heifers from EJ Ward & Sons, Nether Kellet. OTM Bullocks sold to 174.5p/kg or £1097 from British Blues from JT & U Garth, Ellel. Young beef cows sold to 164.5p/kg and 161.5p/kg for Limousins. Older beef cows saw South Devons sell to 154.5p/kg from Lucas Breeding, with Limousin cows selling to the same price from T & S Blades, Arkholme. Beef cows sold to a top of £1181 per head for Herefords from EW & A Bradshaw, Stalmine.

Dairy cattle saw OTM Heifers sell to 149.5p/kg for Black and whites from CG Birkett, Carnforth with young Friesian cows selling 139.5p/kg from JR Handley, Milnthorpe. Plenty of well-fleshed dairy cows sold between 117.5p/kg and 121.5p/kg. Top price dairy cow per head was a Fleckvieh selling to £1157 from EW & RM Towers, Hornby with black and white cows selling to £983 from JH Towers & Sons, Tunstall.

Cast Bulls sold to a top of 159.5p/kg or £1716 for Limousins from EJ Ward & Sons.

Calves and Stirks

Lancaster hit a century today in the calf and stirk ring with an entry of exactly 100 forward. Leading the way with the calves was J & G Thornley, Rossacre, selling British Blue bulls to £425, £405 and £395. This was closely followed by Wallbank Farms selling British Blue bulls to £375 and £335 with Angus bull calves from the same home selling to £315. All British Blue bull calves sold to an average of £348. Heifer calves saw British Blues sell to a top of £290 from J & G Thornley with Limousin heifers selling to £240 from WN & D Smith & Son, Cockerham.

Weaned black and white bull calves sold to £138 and £130 from J & M Kitching, Brookhouse. Younger black and white calves on milk sold to £105 from CG Birkett, Carnforth and £88 from RH & RA Fawcett, Burton. Plenty of black and white bull calves in the seventies and eighties. Black and white calves sold to an average £63 more than other local centres.

A few bull stirks on offer this week saw five month old British Blues sell to £505 from RE & P Miller, Barnacre with Angus’ selling to £420 from IT Richardson, Catforth.