Friday 2nd April 2021

Calves, Weanlings and Stirks

Lancaster’s weekly sale of calves had a slightly smaller entry due to the Good Friday. The trade however certainly was an extremely Good Friday, with a 12-week-old British Blue bull selling to £600 from J & G Thornley, Kirkham. Cracking Angus bull calves from the same home sold to £500 and £470. Also selling to the £470 mark was an Angus bull calf from David and Eileen Wallbank, Over Wyresdale. Charolais bull calves from JE&S Seedall, Mellor sold to £480, others selling to £380 from WG Farms, Cockerham. A cracking young British Blue bull calf from Richard and Claire Barbour, Claughton-on-Brock sold to £370. Plenty of continental bull calves selling in the mid to late £300’s. The heifer calf trade peaked at £450 for a British Blue from J&G Thornley Kirkham. Angus heifer calves peaked at £370 from JE&S Seedall, plenty of strong continental heifer calves selling in excess of £300.
Just a handful of stirks from Sam Webber, Redrock sold to £610 and £540 with Angus heifers.

Cast Cows and OTM Cattle

Bank holiday weekend certainly did not affect the cast cow trade, although there was slightly less forward with 87 sold. The current trade is exceptionally strong and we advise vendors to take advantage of this. A strong overall market average of 144 p/kg was achieved. Leading the way was OTM heifers and steers; a British Blue heifer from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale sold to 219 p/kg or £1635 and Beef Shorthorn cast steers sold to 219.5 p/kg from DR Preston, Caton. The best OTM black and white heifers sold to 197.5 p/kg, these type of cattle are in strong demand at the moment with grass day fast approaching. Ten-year-old Limousin cows from TR Prickett, Hutton Roof sold 194.5 p/kg twice, topping at £1310. Plenty of well fleshed beef cows selling in excess of 170 p/kg.
Dairy cows twice sold to 164.5 p/kg, firstly from Lawsons Dairy, Cockerham and then from Lawsons Farm, Cockerham. Plenty of dairy cows easily sold between 155 – 160 p/kg. Far too many dairy cows selling in excess of £1100 to mention, with the best in excess of £1200. They peaked at £1236 from WN & D Smith & Sons, Cockerham; £1223 from L Burrow & Sons, Lower Tatham; £1223 from SW & K Metcalfe & Sons, Whittington and £1207 from Lawson Dairy, Cockerham. Friesian cast bulls sold to £1439 from RW Bainbridge & Son Whittington.

Store Cattle

The fast pace of Lancaster store ring continues, all sizes of cattle met huge demand with trade well beyond many vendors expectations, an impressive market average of £1151 was achieved. A cracking pair of Beef Shorthorn bullocks from EW & CR Clegg and Sons, Stalmine taking the top spot at £1460. Other native bullocks saw a pen of four Angus’ at £1410 from J Hesketh, Hutton and also a pen of three Angus bullocks with a FJ &R Coar, Cow Ark. Continental bullocks peaked at £1410 for a Limousin from TW Nelson & son, Stainton. Other Limousin bullocks sold to £1390 from J Lamb, Old Glasson and British Blues bullocks to £1360 from GE Turner, Inglewhite.
The heifer trade sold to £1430 with a cracking Angus from BW and LM Kirkby, Wennington others from the same home selling to £1380. A pair of British Blue heifers from FI&ME Little, Kendal sold to £1370 with other British Blue heifers to £1340 from PF Lee, Over Wyresdale.
Dairy bullocks saw Flekviehs sell to £1410, £1380 from J Prest & Son, Bay Horse and Montbeliardes selling to £1340 from J & JM Walmsley, Pilling.