Calves and Weanlings
A much improved calf trade was see this week, especially for a lot younger show of calves on offer in which more could have been sold with the fifty forward being well bid for. Beef calves sold to a top of £350 for a one month and one day old British Blue bull from RT Halhead, Cockerham. This was followed by others to £345 twice from J & G Thornley, Kirkham and £340 from T & CM Kelsall & Son, Chipping, with plenty more easily selling in excess of £300 at a month old. Beef heifers sold to three hundred pounds on a number of occasions. A larger entry of dairy bull calves in the market today were met by fresh faces ring side and looked very well sold in which more where required. Holstein Friesians at three and a half month old sold to £405 from JR Newsham and Son, Conder Green with Montbeliarde selling to £395 from the same home. A seven week old Fleckvieh bull calves sold to £305 from JK & B Birkett & Son, Morecambe. Eight week old Holstein bull calves sold £150 from JE & J Pye & Son, Quernmore. One to two week old grazing type dairy bull calves sold to £60, £55, £52 and £50 three times and averaged just shy of forty pounds.
Store Cattle
The heat was on in the store cattle ring at Lancaster as all forward average a very impressive £1205. The annual consignment from Jim Clark, Preston never fails to disappoint with Aberdeen Angus sired bullocks this year selling to £1690, £1680 and £1600 at 22 month old, with heifers from the same home achieving £1470. In what was a cracking day for Aberdeen Angus bullocks at Lancaster, a pair sold to £1580 from L Parsons & Sons, Leven, followed by a pen of three Aberdeen Angus bullocks to £1500 from J Oddie & Son, Balderston. Hereford bullocks sold to £1440 from Hipshow Farm, Kendal. Continental steers this week sold to £1530 from CF Hoggarth & Son, Burneside followed by British Blue bullocks to £1490 from K&DE Woodhouse, Ellel and £1470 from R&DM Rossall & Sons, Pilling. Other noted Continental bullock prices were £1440 for a pair of Limousins from EJ Ward & Sons, Nether Kellett followed by £1330 for a pair of Charolais from R&EA Gardner, Briggster and £1400 for Charolais from AG Stafford, Out Rawcliffe.
Limousin heifers topped the market today, selling to £1480 from HR&KA Hodgson, Barbon followed by a pair of British Blue heifers to £1430 from K&DE Woodhouse, Ellel whom sold others to £1380. British Friesian bullocks sold to £1190 from EJ Ward & Sons, Nether Kellett followed by £1180 from JT&GV Dobson, Grindleton.
OTM Cattle
The OTM and cast cattle trade just gets hotter and hotter at Lancaster, as the 108 forward sold to a staggering overall market averaged of 170p/kg or £1070 per head. OTM steers led the way today as British Blues sold to 241p/kg from T&E Burrow, Slyne. This was closely followed by OTM Charolais heifers selling to 239p/kg or £1520 from EW&A Bradshaw, Stalmine. Young Limousin cows sold to 234.5p/kg or £1407 from B&SE Carter, Ellel with others from the same home selling to 219p/kg or £1374. Beef cows sold to a top of £1646 from GR&A Foy, Conder Green with a Beef Shorthorn. Plenty of beef cows were regularly selling in excess of the 200p/kg mark. OTM dairy heifers sold to 214.5p/kg or £1480 from AT burrow & Son, Greasingham. Plenty of OTM dairy heifers regularly selling in the region of 200p/kg. The best dairy cows today regularly sold in the region of 180p/kg. Dairy cows sold to an impressive £1385 from J&G Thornley, Kirkham followed by £1363 from AW&AM Park & Son, Ellel, £1340 from H&A Stephenson, Tunstall and £1308 from DW&E Cottam, Kendal with many more cows easily selling in excess of the £1200 mark.