CALVES & WEANLINGS 

NWA Lancaster saw all the calf pens full today, with a large ring side of new and existing buyers from throughout the Northern Counties, Midlands and North Wales. Strong weanable bull calves sold to £535 for a Charolais x from WG Farms Ltd, Cockerham. Closely followed by a pair of Hereford x bulls from TE&M Kidd, Ellel with Simmental x selling to £490 from S Ayrton, Thurnham. Strong rearing calves were in keen demand, selling to £470 from Wallbank Farms Ltd, Over Wyresdale with others at £435 from AW&AM Park & Son, Ellel and £430 from RT Halhead, Cockerham. Strong native bred calves sold to £410 from returning vendors Lawson Farm Ltd, Cockerham with Hereford to £400 from TE&M Kidd, Ellel. Younger rearing calves sold to £400 for British Blue x from Wannops Farm Ltd, Morecambe, with others at £380 from JP&C Robson, Garstang and £340 from H&CC Pickervance, Kirkham.
A large entry on younger native sired bull calves saw Aberdeen Angus sell to £315 from Lawsons Farm Ltd, Cockerham with Hereford x from J-CH-JG Bland, Carnforth selling at £280, £275 and £270. Heifer calves sold to £420 for a well reared British Blue x from AW&AM Park & Son, Ellel. Charollais x sold to £405 from WG Farms, Cockerham and Simmental x also achieved £405 from S Ayrton, Thurnham. Younger rearing calves sold to £380 for British Blue x from Wannop Farm Ltd, Morecambe with others at £370 from H&C Pickervance, Kirkham, £355 from JP&C Robson, Kirkham and £350 Wallbank Farms Ltd, Over Wyresdale.
Native sired calves sold to £255 for a Hereford x from J-CH-JG Bland, Carnforth, Aberdeen Angus’s achieved £240 from W&G Cornthwaite & Sons, Garstang and T&CM Kelsall & Sons, Chipping.
A very small number of dairy bulls were forward, a well reared Swedish Red and White from WG Farm, Cockerham achieved £245, with young rearing calves selling to £112 for a Black and White from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale.
A small entry of weaned calves and stirks saw Holstein Friesian and Swedish Red and White steers sell to £440 from I Richardson, Catforth. Hereford x steers sold to £670 from TE&M Kidd, Ellel. British Blue x steers were £515 from C Preston, Millom who also sold Black and White bulls at £450.

CAST CATTLE

Once again NWA Lancaster has proved itself to be the leading Lancashire market for cull cows, with an overall market averaged today of 207.1p/kg for 107 sold.
A small number of beef cows forward today sold to 249.5p/kg for a Simmental x from JE&AC Clarke & Son, Melling. Closely followed by a Limousin x from EJ&P Burrow, Storth achieving 239.5p/kg. Other heavy well flesh beef cows were regularly 220p/kg-230p/kg, with keen interest in those suitable for feeding. Top grossing beef cow today was a Simmental from JO&P O Connell, Mellow achieving £1973 with Barlow Bros, Croston close behind with a Simmental at £1897, with another at £1739 from AJ&AC Clarke & Son, Melling.
Heavy well fleshed beef cows sold to 244.5p/kg for a Norwegian Red and White x from EW&R Towers, Hornby who also sold both Fleckvieh and Montbeliarde at 234.5p/kg. Holstein Friesian sold to 229.5p/kg from WN&D Smith & Sons, Cockerham. Heavy well fleshed dairy cows were regularly 215p/kg-225p/kg, with mediums 185p/kg-200p/kg and the leaner parlour sorts 140p/kg-160p/kg, depending on quality and type.
Top grossing diary cow today was a Holstein Friesian from R&A Jolleys, Cabus achieving £1668 closely followed by T Taylor, Woodplumpton achieving £1665.
Heifers sold to 254p/kg for a Limousin x from JH Atkinson & Partners, Selside who sold other 249.5p/kg, with 244.5p/kg achieved for a Limousin x from EJ Ward and Son, Nether Kellet. OTM dairy heifer sold at 237.5p/kg for a Holstein Friesian from H Wight & Son, Kendal who sold other 234.5p/kg from R&E Ladds, Kendal and SW&K Metcalfe & Son, Whittington. Top grossing OTM heifer was a Holstein Friesian from H Wright, Kendal at £1762.
OTM steers sold to 279.5p/kg and £1850 for a British Blue x from J&MM Cliffe, Forton with Holstein Friesian steers selling to 244.5p/kg and £1784 for R&A Jolleys, Cabus.
We have a large ring side of buyers competing for all classes and types, with 120 required each week to satisfy demand.

STORE CATTLE

Lancasters weekly store cattle sale saw an increase in number with 234 cattle going through the main ring, with the main of the cattle on offer today being 20 months and under. The bigger older end was again in high demand with regular vendor L Parson & Sons, Levens hitting top spot this week with a 23 month old Limousin steer at £1920. Local vendor K&DE Woodhouse, Ellel saw his quality run of cattle top at £1760 for a pair of 24 month old British Blue steers, with the British Blue steers from J&JM Walmsley, Pilling at £1760. There are always plenty of customers for native cattle at Lancaster with Aberdeen Angus steers to £1810 for a pen of four from TC Whiteside & Son, Pilling with others from the same village at £1780 from J&JM Walmsley. A trio of Simental steers sold at £1800 from EJ&PE Burrow, Storth. Charolais steers saw SW&K Metcalfe, Whittington to £1760. Blonde steers to £1520 from C&AJ Woodhouse, Bootle. Dairy bred steers saw a boost in trade today with a fresh face ring side, toping at £1380 from EE Thornton & Sons, Heaton for a ring full of five. Not far behind was R&E Ladds, Kendal at £1340 also for a pen of five with Montbeliarde steers at £1360 from MJ Waller, Lupton.
Heifer stores saw EJ Hodgson, Lambrigg sell a pair of Limousins to £1700, with other Limousin heifers to £1620 from RW&SE Suddell, Garstang. Charolais heifers sold to £1700 from SW&K Metcalfe, Whittingham. Also selling Charolais heifers were EJ Ward & Son, Nether Kellet achieving £1550 for a pen of four. Aberdeen Angus heifers sold to £1660 from TJ Robinson, Milnthorpe who also had other Aberdeen Angus heifers at £1550. K&DE Woodhouse, Ellel continued their good day selling at Lancaster with a pair of British Blues to £1580, with WT Eastham, Goosnargh also selling British Blue heifers to £1570 for a ring full of six.
Younger grazing type steers today saw an animated trade, with the grazing men out in full force. 15 month old British Blue steers sold to £1280 from JA&ME Mawson, Orton with others from the same home at £1240. R&J Parkinson, Preesall sold 12 month Simental steers to £1200, this homealso sold 12 month old Shorthorn heifers to £1140, with others 12-14 month old heifers at £1120.
Venders are urged to take advantage of the current cosmic trade and enter cattle with confidence for Lancaster next Friday.