Calves and Weanlings

The Lancaster weekly sale of calves and weanlings had an improved entry of 79 forward selling to a continued strong trade with a younger entry of calves. The consignment of Continental heifer calves led the way today from WG Farms, Cockerham selling Charolais to £375 with British Blues to £370. Bull calves peaked at £355 for Limousins from JM & MH France & Son, Littledale. Bull calves from Wannops Farm, Heaton with Oxcliffe twice sold to £350 twice for Angus and Charolais followed by £345 for Angus Bull calves from A Pickthall, New Hutton. Plenty of beef bulls and stronger beef heifers were selling over the three hundred mark. Native heifers were a sharper trade today selling Angus heifer calves to £270 from Wannops Farm, Heaton with Oxcliffe and £260 from A Pickthall, New Hutton. Black and white weanlings sold to £285 and £210 from RT Halhead, Cockerham. Younger black and white rearing calves sold to £85 from Tomlinson Bilsbrow Ltd.

Store Cattle

The Lancaster Store sale boosted a larger entry this week of 286. Forward, short-keep store cattle continue to be a very good trade with more long term cattle forward in the market today. These continue to look well sold but slightly easier trade with many purchasers cautious of the expensive winter ahead, but prices are still more than a month ago. Best cattle continue to sell over £1400 topping at £1440 for a Charolais bullock from Cowell and Moore, Woodplumpton. The consignment from DE & SM Moorhouse, Natland saw Charolais bullocks to £1430 and British Blues to £1410. Native bred cattle continue to meet plenty of demand with Angus bullocks selling to £1360 and £1340 from L Parson and Sons, Levens with Hereford bullocks to the same price from J Prest and Son, Bay Horse, with plenty of bullocks selling in excess of £1200. All bullocks forward averaged £1,033. Heifers sold to a top of £1330 from M Shepherd & Son, Pilling with British Blues whom sold others to £1210.
Dairy bred stores saw black and white heifers selling to £1220 from MD Shorrock, Goosnargh with black and white bullocks selling to £1210 from L Parsons and Sons, Levens.

Cast Cows and OTM Cattle

Lancaster Auction continues to boast one of the best cast rings in the local area with a good number of 133 forward selling to the usual buyers plus new buyers ringside. The overall market average was 123p/kg. Beef cows from Ballacutchel Farms, Isle of Man led the way selling to 209.5p/kg whom sold Limousin bulls to 191.5p/kg. The bulls sold to a top of £1590 and £1574. Angus cast steers sold to £1292 from PR Holt, Thornton Cleveleys. OTM dairy heifers regularly sold between 160p/170p/kg selling to a top of £1122 from W & G Cornthwaite & Son, Claughton on Brock, £1105 from J & O Galbraith, Son, Endmoor and £1102 H Wright & Son, Kendal.
Beef cows sold to a top of £1137 for South Devons and £1120 for Shorthorns from JE & AC Clarke & Son, Melling. The very best dairy cows sold in excess of 125p/kg with plenty of cows selling around the 120p/kg mark.