North West Auctions held its first Autumn Prize Show and Sale of Suckled Calves which saw all classes and types sell to a fast trade with calves finding new homes throughout the Northern Counties, the Midlands, Wales and Scotland.

The show was kindly judged by Mr W Miller, Aspatria who awarded the Championship rosette to a 9 month old British Blue steer from TW Gorst, Crook with the Reserve Champion rosette going to M & D Hatton, Broughton in Furness showing a 10 month old Limousin x heifer. The bull class was won by JM Kelsall & Son, Quernmore showing a 6 month old Limousin x.

The sale peaked at £1100 for the Champion with other steers selling to £980 for a Blonde x from MJ Whitworth, Bolton le Sands, British Blue x to £970 from HR & KA Hodgson, Barbon. Limousin x sold to £950 from TW Gorst, Crook and Charolais x to £890 from RH Thexton, Sedbergh. Aberdeen Angus x steers sold to £870 from Messrs Hodgson, Patterdale. Well grown steers generally were £860 - £950. 6 month old – 8 month olds achieved £770 - £850 with the youngest steers generally £620 - £720.

Heifers sold to £940 for a Limousin x from M & D Hatton, Broughton in Furness with others £880 from SJ & M Richardson & Son, Lupton, British Blue x £880 from CR Alderson & Son, Kirkby Stephen, Charolais x £770 from RH Thexton, Sedbergh. The strongest heifers generally sold at £780 - £850, 6 month old – 8 month old heifers sold at £680 - £750, with younger heifers £550 - £640.

Young bulls sold to £940 for Charolais x from C & S Dickinson, Ulverston who sold others at £910. Limousin x sold to £900 from JM Kelsall & Son, Quernmore. Blonde x £880 from HM Hodgson, New Hutton who also sold Simmental x at £800. Aberdeen Angus x from G Metcalfe & Son sold to £700.

All vendors must be congratulated on the quality of cattle presented at today’s sale.

Store Cattle

Store heifers sold to a top price of £1050 for a Beef Shorthorn x from J Hayton & Sons, Barrow in Furness who sold others at £1040 and £1030. Younger heifers sold to £810 for Limousin x from S Kellet & Sons, Pilling with Hereford x £790 from T Smith, Pennington and Aberdeen Angus x £710 from GM Strong, Penrith.

Steers sold to £990 for Limousin x from SW & A Hoggarth, Broughton in Furness with others £940 from S Kellet & Sons, Pilling. Aberdeen Angus x steers from R Cowin & Sons, Mansergh sold to £915 with British Blue x from RJ & R Holden, Millom achieving £900. Younger steers sold to £860 for British Blue x from TW Nelson & Son, Stainton with Aberdeen Angus x £850 from JE Wightman, Lupton. Dairy steers sold to £920 for Fleckvieh from R Cowin & Sons, Mansergh who also sold Norwegian Red x at £890 and Holstein Friesians sod to £780 from SW & A Hoggarth, Broughton in Furness.

Calves

There were 108 calves forward with all types selling to another strong trade at J36. British Blue bulls led the way with a top of £425 at just (1m & 12d) from A Pickthall New Hutton with other Blue bulls selling to £380 from JW & TE Sharp, Lyth. All Blue Bulls forward averaged £312. A run of Limousin bulls from G C L Stephenson sold to a top of £360 with others to £300. Native bred bull calves were well bid for, with the run of Angus calves from MJ & K Ayrton selling to a peak of £300, with others from the same good home selling to £290 twice.
Heifer calves were again easily sold at J36. The wonderful run of British Blue heifers from A Pickthall sold to a top of £350 with other Blue heifers from Messrs Sowerby selling to £315.

Black and white calves were the trade of the day with new buyers in the Market making sure all black and white calves were well bid for. Lawkland Hall’s run of calves topped at £172 with MJ & K Aryton selling their best to £152. All black and whites averaged £86.

There were 50 stirks on offer, with well grown stirks selling to a nice trade. WR Clarke, Cinderbarrow sold Aberdeen Angus bullocks to £770 with British Blues from the same home selling to £750.

Beef Breeding Cattle

Just two outfits were forwards today, selling to a competitive trade with a 12 year old British Blue cow and 6 week old Limousin steer calf from DJ Clarke, Underbarrow selling at £1580 and a 5 year old Aberdeen Angus x cow with an Aberdeen Angus x bull calf achieving £1200 from J Stott Jnr, Stainton.

Cull Cows and OTM Cattle

As farmers look towards laying their cattle in, another large entry of cows were forward at today’s sale. Beef bred cows sold to 169.5p/kg for a British Blue x from A Hodgson & Son, Outgate with others selling to 139.5p/kg for a Blonde x from J Twigge, Lindale. Dairy cows sold to 127.5p/kg for a Holstein Friesian from WH Kitching & Son, Sedgwick.

OTM heifers sold to 191.5p/kg and £1164 for British Blue x from JW Robinson & Son, Farleton with dairy heifers selling to 164.5p/kg and £758 from CM & CS Chappelhow, Penrith. OTM steers sold to 197.5p/kg for Aberdeen Angus x and £1196 for British Blue x from JW Robinson & Son, Farleton.

Cull bulls sold to 139.5p/kg and £1326 for a British Blue from S Procter, Selside.

Dates for Your Diary

Thursday 15th October – Fortnightly sale of all classes of cattle
Thursday 29th October – Second Autumn Prize Show and Sale of Suckled Calves