Store Cattle

The weekly sale of Store Cattle saw big cattle a slightly easier trade as many companies begin to implement weight restrictions. Leading the way today was British Blue bullocks from J Prest & Son, Bay Horse selling to £1210 who also sold Limousin bullocks to £1200. Angus bullocks sold to a top of £1200 from R Townsend of Freckleton, Simmentals also achieved £1200 from R Escolme, Bay Horse. Plenty other bullocks sold in the mid to late eleven hundreds. The heifer trade was twice topped at £1090 for Angus’ from J Hesketh, Hutton and L Parson & Son, Levens. Charolais sold to £1080 from D Clark, Preston Patrick. Dairy bred bullocks topped at £1020 from Montbeliardes from H Birkett & Son, Overton. Fleckvieh sold to £1070 from J Moorhouse & S Richardson, Grange-over-Sands. Black and whites sold to £900 from L Parson & Sons. Plenty of black and white bullocks sold in the eight hundreds.

OTM Cattle

There was a smaller entry of Cast Cows and OTM Cattle forward this week which saw all types in strong demand for a busy ring of buyer at Lancaster in which more are needed to meet the strong demand. Leading the way today was OTM British Blue steers from RH & RA Fawcett, Burton selling to 169.5p/kg. Limousin cows sold to a top of 161.5p/kg and 157.5p/kg from AE Atkinson & Son, Endmoor. This was closely followed by beef cows from AS & D Parker, Nateby Young dairy cows topped at 151.5p/kg for Black and Whites from AW & AM Park & Sons, Ellel with other young cows selling to 144.5p/kg from H Halhead & Son, Nether Kellet. Best young black and white cows sold in the mid to late 130p/kg. Top price beef cow per head was £1251 for a British Blue from ST Birkett & Son, Carnforth. Dairy cows sold to a top of £1072 for Montbeliardes from EW & RM Towers, Hornby and Friesians to £1011 from J & O Galbraith & Son, Endmoor.

Cast bulls twice sold to a top of 124.5p/kg with an Angus bull from RR & M Bamber, Kendal selling to £1272.

There was an overall market average of 126p/kg.

Calves and Stirks

There was a record entry of 209 of Calves and Stirks forward at Lancaster today consisting of 59 calves and 150 stirks. The stirk trade saw plenty of demand for good quality and well-grown types. Leading the way today was NJ Strickland & Son, Whinfell saw yearling British Blue heifer sell to £780 and yearling Charolais heifers to £765. Yearling Angus bullocks sold to £750 and £700 from A & E Clarkson, Thurnham. Other yearling Angus bullocks sold to £710 from R & J Parkinson, Preesall. Yearling Limousin bullocks sold to £680 from MJ & K Ayrton, Thurnham with British Blues to £670 from JE Harrison, Greenhalgh. Plenty of other beef bred yearling cattle easily passed the £600 mark. Yearling black and white bullocks sold to £505 from R & J Parkinson with younger black and white bullocks selling to £460 from J & A Jolleys, Cabus.

Calves were a slightly easier trade today as a depressed price of finished cattle begins to filter through. British Blue bulls sold to a top of £330 from Cornthwaite Moors Ltd, Hambleton and £320 from J & CW Metcalfe & Son, Quernmore who also sold British Blue heifers to £310. Plenty of beef bull calves sold between £265 and £300. Black and white calves sold to a top of £128 from T & CM Kelsall & Sons, Chipping.

Breeding Sheep

The early sale of Breeding Ewes, Gimmer Shearlings and Breeding Rams saw a buoyant trade throughout the sale with plenty of interest ringside. North West Auctions were honoured to welcome ITV’s Phil Vickery from This Morning to film part of the sale. As part of the filming Phil Vickery had a go at auctioneering and achieved the top price of the day of £380 for a Texel Shearling ram from Sam Blease, Carnforth purchased by WM Pye, Ashton with Stodday. A big thank you goes to our customers and staff for their patience during filming. The rest of the consignment from Sam Blease achieved £300 each.

Breeding females were in plenty of demand with Mule shearlings selling to a top of £145 from M & YS Barker, Halton with other Mule Shearlings to £140 from JW & SE Drinkwater, Quernmore. All Mule shearlings forward averaged £128.73. Texel one crop ewes sold to £130 from GH Bell, Kirkby Lonsdale with one crop ewes selling to £122 from EI, EA & TW Wilson, Grange-over-Sands with all Mule ewes forward averaging £116. There were no pens of breeding sheep under £100 today.