Store Cattle

The annual Christmas show of Store Cattle had seven cracking pairs of cattle forward for our judge Graham Lloyd, Northwich who we thank for this time and expertise. The first prize rosette and the Tom Owen Memorial Trophy for the best pair of steers was awarded to a cracking pair of Limousins from M & L Preece, Kirkby Lonsdale which later went onto sell for the days top price of £1480, purchased by RT Owen. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our vendors and purchasers for all their support throughout the year.

The Christmas show always attracts a real quality entry of Store Cattle with this year no different, seeing all types on offer selling to a sharper trade. Limousin bullocks sold to £1350 from TJ Lloyd, Settle and £1210 from H Chapman & Son, Middleton. Shorthorn steers topped at £1260 from PM & ST Entwistle, Abbeystead. Angus bullocks this week peaked at £1190 from R Escolme, Bay Horse. It was great to have plenty of pens of strong well-fleshed Continental and Native bullocks easily selling around the £1200 mark. There was a total of 57 steers selling for £1100 or more. Limousin heifers sold to a top of £1200 from M & L Preece, closely followed with Angus heifers at £1170 from G & ME Woodhouse & Son, Ellel.

Dairy bullocks sold to a top of £1040 for Montbeliardes from Cowell & Moore, Woodplumpton. Black and whites sold to £960 from WR Clarke, Pilling. Other pens of strong dairy bullocks sold in excess of the £900 mark.

All bullocks forward today sold to a market average of £1042 with heifers averaging £944.49.

OTM Cattle

There was an entry of 99 cast cows forward that saw all classes of cows 8-10 pence dearer on the week with an overall market average of 109.64p/kg. Best beef cows sold between 140-160p/kg with best dairy cows selling between 120-130p/kg. Once again, OTM heifers were in strong demand at Lancaster and good to sell. Cast bulls saw Herefords sell to £1180 with TK Robinson & Son, Old Hutton for a Hereford. Next week is the last sale of the year with strong demand for all types.

Calves & Stirks

Lancaster Auction had it’s annual Christmas show and sale of calves which attracted a bumper entry of 158. There was a cracking show of calves for our pre-sale judges Raymond and Mark Easterby and Mya Priestly who we thank for their time and expertise. They awarded the Championship rosette to the first-place British Blue bull calf at 1 month and 9 days from David and Eileen Wallbank, Over Wyresdale. This much-admired bull calf went on to sell for £470. It was a successful day for this couple who were second prize in the beef bull class with another British Blue selling to £405. They swept the deck scooping all places in the heifer class with the first prize heifer also winning Reserve Champion selling to £350. In the dairy bred bull class, WN & D Smith took the honours with a Holstein Friesian bull at 1 month and 23 days selling to £150, with them also receiving the 3rd prize rosette selling to £145.

There was some great consignment of calves on offer today with British Blue bull calves from J & G Thornley, Kirkham selling to £430 and £415. As well as having a successful day in the show ring the Wallbank Family also had British Blue calves to £410 and £395. Charolais bull calves topped at £400 from TM Townley, Over Wyresday with Charolais heifer calves selling to £345. British Blue heifer calves topped at £365 from J & G Thornley. There was plenty of good quality British Blue calves selling between £340 and £400. Angus calves sold to a top of £335 from T & CM Kelsall & Sons, Chipping closely followed by £310 from DJ Clarke Farming, Barnacre. Plenty of young beef calves sold in the early to mid-two hundred.

Best Black and white bull calves sold in excess of the £100 mark with rearing bull calves regularly selling between £60 and £90. Weanling Angus heifers sold to £310 from RE & P Miller, Barnacre.