CALVES AND STIRKS

The weekly sale of calves at Lancaster Auction had an entry of 84 forward selling to a busy ring of buyers which saw all calves eagerly bid for. The sale today included the summer show of calves under 56 days old, kindly sponsored by Semex UK. There was a big demand for top quality calves selling to a top of £620 for a Simmental bull calf from JR Newsham & Son, Conder Green with others from this consignment selling to £445, £440, £405 and £400. British Blue bulls peaked at £575 from J&G Thornley, Roseacre. Other noted prices from British Blue bull calves were £495 from Wannop Farms, Heaton with Oxcliffe with others selling to £475, £465 and £445 from JH Sanderson & Family, Catforth. Charolais bull calves always meet plenty of demand at Lancaster selling to £520 and £505 from TM Townley, Over Wyersdale and £500 from Wannop Farms, Heaton with Oxcliffe. Limousin bull calves peaked at £400 from AJ & AJ Gibbons, Out Rawcliffe with Angus bull calves to £380 and £370 from TM Townley. Dairy bull calves sold to £395 from JR Newsham & Son, with Montbeliardes. Black and white bull calves peaked at £130 from Wallbank Farms with others to £120 from C&J Smith, St Michaels.
The consignment from J&G Thornley led the heifers, selling British Blues to £435 and Angus to £360, Plenty of British Blue heifer calves regularly selling to the mid £300.
Another successful stirk sale at Lancaster today saw well grown yearling cattle in strong demand and eagerly bid for, yearling Angus bullocks peaked at £820 from R&J Parkinson, Preesall with 11 month old British Blue bullocks to £780 and £770 from MD Close & Son, Arkholme. Plenty of yearling grazing type of bullocks easily selling in excess of £700. Well grown heifers were in plenty of demand with yearling Charolais selling to £790 and £780 from EE Thornton & Sons, Heaton. Simmental heifers peaked at £700 from J&CW Metcalfe & Son, Quernmore. 10 month old Black and White bullocks peaked at £550 from G Rollinson, Manchester, with 6 month old Black and White bulls to £450 from Hannah Kent, Cockerham.

STORE CATTLE

Store cattle saw an increased entry of 288 go under Gary’s gavel today, top of the leader board was GR & A Foy, Conder Green with a superb example of a British Blue steer, this was well fort for and finished at £1590. Not far behind was regular vendors EW & CR Clegg & Sons, Stalmine with two Angus steers selling at £1580. Also breaking the £1500 barrier was GR & A Foy with Shorthorns, who also sold Friesians to £1180. Other Friesians from R Gregory, Garstang sold at £1130, followed by £1110 from TH Wensley & Son, Kirkham. A cracking pair of Limousin steers from T & M Halhead, Priest Hutton sold to £1430. A smart pair of Stabilisers steers from David Preston, Caton sold at £1200.
Making the heifer trade today was EW & CR Clegg & Sons, Stalmine with a pair of Shorthorns at £1390. Not far behind was TE JS & SA Curruthers, Underbarrow with a trio of smart Limousin at £1150. British Blue heifers from MJ Waller, Lupton saw a top price of £1270 with others from T Robson & Sons, Ingleton at £1250 for a pen of three. Angus heifers today saw no let up in trade topping at £1210 from SW&K Metcalf & Son, Whittington, with other Angus heifers at £1200 from CE & MA Hewitt, Forton. B&J Preston, Caton sold a pen of four Angus heifers to £1180. Hereford heifers saw a pen for SW&K Metcalfe, Whittington at £1230, Others sold to £1160 from M Shepherd & Sons, Pilling.
Vendors are advised to make use of the current strong trade and enter cattle with confidence for next week sale.

OTM CATTLE

Lancasters weekly sale of OTM cattle saw 111 go through the bottom ring, a plainer show was seen this week with the majority being straight out of the parlour. The upcoming bank holiday making no difference to the Lancaster trade. Topping the trade today was JA & R Geldard, Lower Levens with a Stabiliser cow at £1510.85, other beef bred cows from T & M Halhead, Priest Hutton saw Angus’s to £1413 or 189.5p/kg, with other Angus cows to £1382 from JH Woof & Son, Oxenholme. Limousin cows from TA Chapman & Son, Helsington sold to 197.5p/kg. A Bazadaise cow from BD & PM Gill & Son, Ingleton sold at 189.5p/kg. Dairy bred cows today saw well meated Friesians from AT Burrow & Son, Gressingham to £1234.31, with others at £1191 from the same good home. Also breaking the £1100 barrier was J Bargh & Son, Heaton-with-Oxcliffe at £1189.65, with Montbeliardes from Wannops Farm, Heaton-with-Oxcliffe at £1153.45. OTM heifers at Lancaster today saw Friesians from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale at £1094.95, with others to £1051 from J Bargh & Son, Heaton-with-Oxcliffe. Just a handful of cast steers today saw Friesian at £1271.75 from EW & CR Clegg, Stalmine.