Calves & Weanlings

The number of calves has been less this week in all local markets with Lancaster having an entry of 46 forward. Strong calves and weanlings were met with big demand and eagerly bid for with younger calves on milk meeting a sticky trade, as many purchasers are worried about the spiralling cost of rearing calves. Plenty of those strong calves sold in the region of £400 with a run of bull calves from Lawson Dairy Limited, Cockerham stealing the headlines selling Simmentals to £425 and British Blues to £420 and £390. A run of calves from AJ & AJ Gibons, St Michaels saw Limousin bull calves to £400 and British Blue bulls to £400 and £385 with heifers selling to £350. Aberdeen Angus bull calves sold to £400 from Barber Farms, Claughton on Brock. Younger rearing calves on milk regularly selling between £200-£260. Next weeks sale to include 20 Charolais bulls and heifers 2-4 months old. 

Dairy Cattle
The fortnightly sale of dairy cattle at North West Auctions Lancaster once again saw a fast and competitive trade for all classes and types. With new customers in attendance from throughout the northern counties. Alongside strong local support. New calved cows sold to a top price of £2120 for a red and white second calver been Ghyllsaide Cynthia Red 48 from Messrs France Brothers, Littledale. Today's sale included the final part dispersal of Holstein Friesian cows on behalf of B Mallinson & Son, Levens. Freshly calved fifth lactation cows sold to £1900 with others at £1620. Mid lactation cows sold to £1580 with others regularly £1400 to £1500. Mid lactation heifers sold for £1720.
The sale concluded with a consignment of young stock on behalf of Messrs Sharp, Millom. Bulling heifers sold to £1140, £1120 and £1020 (3). Yearling heifers sold to £980 with keen interest in all classes of young stock with 8-month-old heifers selling to £1700. The next sale of dairy cattle in on friday 29th July which will include the milking portion dispersal of Fleckvieh and British Friesain cows and heifers on behalf of J Scott & Co, Cartmel.

Store Cattle
Store cattle numbers in market are tight nationwide with Lancaster enjoying another buoyant trade with an overall market average of £1244 per head. Shorthorn steers from GR&A Foy, Conder Green topped the market at £1700. A pen of three Charolais bullocks from R&EA Gardner, Kendal sold to £1660 with other Charolais bullocks to £1500 from EE Thornton & Sons, Heaton and £1490 from C&B Lowther, Over Wyresdale. British Blue bullocks peaked at £1550 from RC Billingotn & Son, Claughton on Brock. Dairy bred bullocks sold to £1490 for a couple of Fleckviehs from J Lamb, Old Glasson with plenty of strong bullocks selling over £1400.
The heifer trade peaked at £1480 for a British Blue from B&J Preston, Caton with Limousin to £1460 from Pilling Hall, Pilling with other Limousin heifers to £1440 from R&S Mitchell, Ellel. A pen of four Aberdeen Angus heifers from J&JM Walmsley, Pilling sold to £1390.

OTM Cattle
The weekly sale of cast cows and OTM cattle had an entry of 69 forward selling to an overall market average of 172p/kg with a large proportion of dairy cows forward including many plain parlour cows. British Blue cast steers sold to 249.5p/kg from GR&A Foy, Conder Green with Aberdeen Angus cast steer to 244.5p/kg from B&J Preston, Caton or £1581. Limousin OTM heifers sold to 239.5p/kg from W Garnett & Son, Milnthorpe. Beef cows peaked at 211.5p/kg for Stabilisers from A Dixon & Son, Selside with plenty more selling around the 200p/kg mark peaking at £1763 and £1593. Dairy cows saw Friesians sell to 199.5p/kg at 10 year old from Pilling Hall, Pilling. Plenty of well fleshed dairy cows sold in excess of 190p/kg. Dairy cows peaked at £1565 from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale with others to £1550 and £1537 from PW&JM Norris & son, Hornby. Plenty of dairy cows sold in the region of £1400.