NWA J36 held its fortnightly sale of cattle which saw 684 head of cattle forward with both new buyers and sellers in attendance from the Northern Counties, Wales and the North East. A feature of today’s sale was the second prize show and sale of suckler calves which saw a catalogued entry of 453 sell to a fast and competitive trade with buyers keen to secure stock from this noted sale and from this renowned stock rearing area.

The pre-sale show was kindly judged by Mr J Little, Penrith who had 23 calves presented before him in three show classes and he awarded the Championship rosette to a 7 month old British Blue x steer from TW Gorst, Crook with the Reserve Champion being a 6 month old British Blue x steer from NA & J Temple, Ulpha. Exhibitors must be complemented on the quality of cattle presented at today’s show and sale.

Beef Breeding
There was just a single outfit forward at today’s sale being a Hereford x heifer with an Aberdeen Angus x bull calf selling at £1040 from WT Whitaker & Son, Nether Kellet.

Cull & OTM Cattle
An entry of 53 cows were forward at today’s sale with well finished and heavy cows selling to a premium, topping at 144.5p/kg for a Limousin x from R Keith, Grange over Sands with British Blues selling to 134.5p/kg from JM Harrison, Broughton in Furness and Shorthorns to 129.5p/kg from K Wrathall Ltd, Seathwaite. The top grossing beef cow today was £988 for a Beef Shorthorn from K Wrathall Ltd.

A larger entry of dairy cows were forward today selling to 134.5p/kg for a Friesian from R & A Galbraith, Crooklands with Holsteins selling to 124.5p/kg from JM Barton & Son, Lupton and crossbreds to 111.5p/kg from RG & AJ Clarke, Endmoor. The top grossing dairy cow was £968 from R & A Galbraith, Crooklands.

OTM heifers sold to a top price of 199.5p/kg for a Limousin x from L & M Preece, Kirkby Lonsdale with Herefords selling to 179.5p/kg from GM Redmayne, Ings. Top grossing OTM beef heifer achieved £1035 from GM Redmayne. OTM diary heifers sold to 154.4p/kg for a Fleckvieh from R & J Dodgson, Natland and a Montbeliarde from Lawkland Hall Farm Partnership, Austwick. Top grossing OTM dairy heifer achieved £922 from R & J Dodgson, Natland.

Cull bulls sold to 117.5p/kg and £925 for a Belted Galloway from R Gibson & Son, Kendal with 18 month old Holstein Friesian bulls selling to 119.5p/kg from W Beck and Son.

Store Cattle
Today’s top priced steer was a Simmental x from MJ Shepherd, Newbiggin which achieved £1020 with a Limousin x from RJ & J Holden, Silecroft selling at £1000. Native sired steers sold to £950 for Aberdeen Angus x from MJ Shepherd, Newbiggin with other Aberdeen Angus x achieving £940 from J Walling & Son, Windermere. Dairy bred steers sold to £700 for Holstein Friesian from RL & J Crowe, Rusland. Store heifers sold to a top price of £960 for a Limousin x from MJ Sheperd, Newbiggin who sold Aberdeen Angus x at £940. Charolais x heifers from JE Hadwin, Mansergh sold at £930 with Limousin x from the same home at £890. Younger store heifers sold to £840 for Limousin x from TW Nelson & Son with British Blue x selling to £800 from PW Clarke, Crosthwaite.

Suckler Calves
Suckled calves experienced fast bidding from start to finish with a top price of £990 achieved for a Charolais x steer from H Morgan, Stalmine, closely followed by N A & J Temple, Ulpha selling a British Blue x at £960 and TW Gorst, Crook selling at British Blue x at £950. Other strong well-bred steers generally selling at £850 - £920 with a smart 6 month old black Limousin x steer from MW and M Hodgson, Cartmel Fell achieving £900 which was also achieved by CI Briggs, High Wray also selling a Limousin x. Charolais x steers sold to £890 with the pick of the annual consignment from Messrs Procter and Waring, Colton with other Charolais achieving £870 from AG & ME Clarke, £860 from R & BJ Cleasby, Broughton in Furness and £850 from TM & D Dobson, Crosthwaite.

Native sired steers sold to £890 for a trio of Aberdeen Angus x from M Allen, Yealand Conyers with other Aberdeen Angus x £830 from TM & D Dobson, Crosthwaite. An entry of 40 Saler x steers from NP & CE Buckley, Staveley sold to £810 with others regularly £770 - £800. Hereford x steers sold to £710 from JE Higgs, Howgill with others £690 from J Scott and Co, Cartmel. All suckled steers today averaged £788.

Suckler heifers sold to a top of £920 for British Blue x from HR & KA Hodgson, Barbon with others achieving £910 from TW Gorst, Crook. Limousin x heifers sold to £870 from Messrs Hodgson, Windermere with Charolais x selling to £860 from TM & D Dobson, Crosthwaite. All suckled heifers today averaged £683.

41 suckler bred bulls sold to a top price of £940 for a Limousin x from Messrs Hodgson, Windermere who sold others at £900. British Blue x bulls sold to £850 from J & T Hunter, Dent with Charolais x from MJ Waller, Lupton selling to £810. An entry of predominantly younger bulls sold to £700 for Limousin x from HM Hodgson, New Hutton with Blonde selling to £680 from CR Alderson & Son, Kirkby Stephen and Charolais x to £650 from GJ Ibbetson, Roeburndale West. Hereford x bulls sold to £580 from R J & J Gardner, Kendal. All suckler bulls forward today averaged £657.

Calves
136 calves and stirks were forward at today’s sale which saw a top price of £420 achieved for a British Blue x bull calf from HJ Robinson & Son, Preston Patrick who sold others at £380 with younger British Blue bull calves selling to £375 from A Pickthall, New Hutton and £370 from DR & C Galbraith, Grayrigg. 19 British Blue bull calves today averaged £300. Limousin x bulls from G C L Stephenson Ltd, Kirkby Lonsdale sold at £310. Native sired bull calves sold to £320 from AK & BM Robinson & Son, Arkholme with others at £300 from Lawkland Hall Partnership and £295 from A Pickthall, New Hutton. Hereford x bull calves sold to £245 from J Hornby & Son, Stank. Heifer calves saw British Blue x sell to £310 from Lawkland Hall Farm Partnership with others at £305 from HJ Robinson & Son. Limousin x heifers sold to £290 from TW & CA Long, Ulverston. Native sired heifers saw a top price of £295 achieved for Aberdeen Angus x from CM & CS Chapplehow, Appleby with others at £290 from JAH Walton & son, Kirkby Stephen. Hereford x heifers sold to £180 from J Hornby & Sons, Stank.

Dairy bull calves sold to a top price of £178 for a Friesian bull calf from CM & CS Chapplhow, Penrith with other stronger rearing calves regularly £120 - £150 with all sold today averaging £96.

Stirks
The popular stirk sale saw 40 forward and continuing to sell to the recent high rates with a top price of £790 achieved for a pen of 5 Aberdeen Angus x steers from JM Jackson, Carnforth with Limousin x steers selling to £680 from R Townley & Sons, Lancaster and younger British Blue x steers to £525 from Messrs Young, Lindale. Heifer stirks sold to £630 for a British Blue x from R Morris-Eyton & Son, Whicham with Simmental x selling to £580 from AR & BJ Thompson, Selside and Limousin x to £540 from R Townley & Son, Lancaster and Aberdeen Angus x to £530 from the same home.

Bull stirks sold to £420 for a young British Blue x with Holstein Friesian bulls selling to £385.