Last updated 13:41, Thursday, 08 May 2008

CARLISLE

Monday May 7

TOTAL FORWARD 220 prime cattle, bulls and cows, 3312 prime sheep

Once again bulls met a great trade with 72 coming forward Mr Steven Illingworth of Howgillside sold a Limousin bull for 174.5p purchased by Mr Mike Atkinson. Messrs McDowall of Culroy sold eighteen outstanding bulls to average 152.72p and topped at 173.5p purchased by Mr Mike Atkinson. Messrs Retson & Son of Gardrum bulls topped at 169.5p for a Limousin cross purchased by Mr Mike Atkinson. Mr Steven Illingworth sold the top priced Charolais bull for 853kg 158.5p £1352.01 purchased by Mr Charles Kirkpatrick.

A smaller show of 39 prime cattle were forward due to the bank holiday. Messrs Errington of Beck House Farm sold a British Blue cross bull for 740kg 159.5p £1180 purchased by Mr Alan Jones.

Trade was tremendous with nice Cheviot and Texel hoggs making £30 plus over the weight. Mule hoggs making £25 over the weight.

Spring lambs were all 180p to 220p with a top price of 227.10p for Suffolk lambs from Messrs Hewson of Burgh Head Farm purchased by Mr Robert Skelton. Top price per head was £100 for Texel lambs from Messrs Gribbon of Waterside purchased by Mr Robert Skelton.

Hogg trade was brisk with nice Cheviot and Texel hoggs making £30 plus over the weight. Mule hoggs making £25 over the weight.

Cast ewes and rams were dearer with best Continental and Suffolk ewes £50 to £70 nice Mule ewes were £40 to £45 and meaty horned ewes were £20 to £35.

LEADING PRICES

BULLS – Limousin, 174.5p Howgill Side. Overall, Charolais £1352 Howgill Side. Shorthorn, £1196 Parton Farm. British Blue, £1114 Cardew Hall.

BULLOCKS – British Blue, £159.5p Beck House Farm. Blonde, £158.5p Street House. Limousin, 154.5p Street House. Overall, British Blue, £1180 Beck House Farm. Blonde, £1092 High Knells.

SPRING LAMBS – Per head, Texel £100 Waterside Farm. Suffolk, £96.50 Parton Farm. Charollais, £81 Braithwaite Hall. Dorset, £67 Zetland.

Per kilo, Suffolk, 227.10p Parton Farm. Texel, £217.40p Waterside Farm. Charollais, 190.50p Springfield Farm, Jacob, 171p Zetland. Dorset, 167.50p Zetland.

HOGGETS – Per head, Beltex, £99, £88.50 Ainstable Hall. Texel, £90.50 Winterhope Farm. Cheviot, £81.50, £79.50 Bloan Farm. Suffolk, £78 Broomhills. Charollais, £76.50 Kilnclose. Greyface, £73.80, £72.70 Sykehead. Blackface, £70.50 Street Head. Swaledale, £56.50 Lane Head. Herdwick £54.80 Burnthwaite.

Per kilo, Beltex, 202p, 198.10p Ainstable Hall. Texel, 181p Winterhope. Cheviot, 174p Dundraw. Suffolk, 164p Shatton Lodge. Charollais, 159.8p Fieldhouse. Blackfaced, 158.5p Owlethurst, 158p Fieldside. Swaledale, 153.1p Sykehead. Greyfaced, 152.7p, 152p Sykehead. Herdwick, 148.10p Burnthwaite.

CAST EWES & RAMS – Suffolk, £70 High House. Texel, £65.50 Aspatria Hall. Mule, £44.50 Hudscales. Swaledale, £35.50 Housenrigg. Blackface, £31.50 The Wynd.

COCKERMOUTH

Wednesday May 7

Top grade cattle were certainly in great demand with extra butchers around the ring this week. Once again Thomas Tyson, East House, sold the pick of the market with two heifers at 184.5p/kg and 181.5p/kg (£994.62) both of which were purchased by Mark Lindsay, Cockermouth. John Hodgson, Brigham sold heifers to 165.5p/kg purchased by Felltop Meats of Mungrisdale. Prime bullocks were sold to a top of 149.5p/kg for a Limousin X from Michael Park, Millom Castle, which sold for £1,009.13 to Les Fell of Settle. A smaller entry of bulls were a very similar trade on the week selling to a top of 144.5p/kg for a Belgian Blue X from Mick Scott, Torpenhow, which made £867 and was purchased by Tom Bradley, Egremont. Mr Bradley also purchased the top priced Friesian bull at 127.5p/kg again from Millom Castle.

A nice show of spring lambs met a keen inquiry selling to £100(200.00p/kg) for a 50kg Suffolk X Lamb shown by M/s JA & CM Brown, Park House Fm purchased by Mr Tony Harrison, Cockermouth. Top pence per kilo 213.4p/kg(£87.50) went to a pen of 41kg Rouge X Lambs also shown by M/s J Charlton & Sons, Birks Fm purchased by Mr M Lomax, Milnthorpe. Spring Lambs overall average 192.9p/kg with more numbers required urgently for customers. Prime hoggs met a brisk demand with all classes firmer on the week, top price of the day 181.5p/kg(£70.80) went to a pen of 39 Kg Cheviot Hoggs shown by M/s J&SD Wood, Croft House Fm purchased by Welsh Country Foods Ltd, Anglesey. Butcher Hogs sold to £84.50(165.7p/kg) for a pen of 51kg Texel Hoggs shown by Mrs A Roper, Rietfontein purchased by Mr Tony Harrison, Cockermouth.

LEADING PRICES

HEIFERS – Limousin X 184.5 East House; Charolais 129.5 Isel Old Park;

BULLOCKS – Limousin X 149.5 Millom Castle

BULLS – Belgian Blue 144.5 Mid Farm; Friesian 128.5 Millom Castle.

SPRING LAMBS – Suffolk X 100.00 M/s JA & CM Brown, Park House; Suffolk 96.50 M/s A&C Park, Seaview; Texel X 86.50(x2) Mr T Scott, Hilltop, Mr R Sunderland, Station Rd; Rouge X 89.50(x2) M/s J Charlton & Sons, Birks Farm; Charollais X 85.50 M/s A&C Park, Seaview.

PRIME HOGGS – Charollais X 74.50 Mrs EM Edmondson & Sons, Scar Green; Herdwick 68.20 M/s T Hindmoor & Son, Thistleton; Texel X 84.50 A Roper, Rietfontein; Cheviot 70.80 M/s J& SD Wood, Croft House; Jacob X 69.50 J N&A M Lister, Cockley Gill Fm; Mule 67.20 M/s J N &A M Lister, Cockley Gill Fm.

CAST EWES – Texel 79.00 R W Gott, Burton House; Suffolk 70.50 R Stamper, Towncroft; Cheviot 69.00 T I Bradley, Ghyll House; Bluefaced Leicester 66.50 K M & K M Mawson, Bailey Ground; Bleu Du Maine 65.50 Thomsen Estates, Scalegill Hall; Mule 54.50 M/s Lister, Foxhouses.

RAMS – Half Bred 56.50 M/s Hodgson & Son, Coneygarth; Texel 50.50 M & W Richardson, Gatesgarth; Bluefaced Leicester 45.00 R J & J H Emmott, Wythop Hall.

DUMFRIES

Wednesday May 7

TOTAL FORWARD 40 Prime Cattle, 39 Prime Lambs, 765 Prime Hoggs, 203 Cast Ewes & Rams.

Plainer show. Best sorts keenly sought.

Limousin Heifers to 180.5p, 175.5p, from D&R Cornthwaite, Balgrayhill to Galloway Quality Meats and Nith Hotel, Glencaple, 175.5p Snade, Dunscore to Haining Bros, 164.5p Backburn, Annan to R Johnstone & Sons, 164.5p Snade, Dunscore to Border Meats. Top Gross Heifer £1042.88 Marwhirn.

Prime Lambs keenly bid for, selling to a top of £93 for 47Kg Suffolk X from Messrs C Kennedy, North Cowshaw. Top Price of 212.5p or £90 for 44Kg Charolais from Mr G Scott, Annandale. Overall Lamb average was 191.1p

Prime Hoggs trade very dear for well fleshed hoggs selling to £83.50 twice for texel crosses from BQ Farms and Nether Locharwoods. Top price per Kg was 179.5p of £71.80 for 40 Kg Blackface Hoggs from Mr W J Fisher, The Mark. Overall Hogg average was 152p a rise of 12p on the week.

Cast Ewes & Rams smaller show trade good for all classes

LEADING PRICES

HEIFERS – Limousin 180.5p, 175.5p D&R Cornthwaite, Balgrayhill, 175.5p Snade, Dunscore.

PRIME LAMBS – Suffolk £93 North Cowshaw. Texel £87Castlefairn. Charolais £92 Annandale.

HOGGS – Light Hoggs (25.5-32Kg) Top 138.1p av 132p: Blackface £44.20 Meikleholm. Cross £33.50 Carswaddan.

Standard Hoggs (32.1-39Kg) Top 176.8p av 153.5p: Blackface £67.20 The Mark. Texel £59.50 East Raffles. Cross £59.50 Edingham. Suffolk £54.50 Barbuie. Cheviot £54 Pencloe

Medium Hoggs (39.1-45.5) Top 179.5p av 159.6p: Texel £72.50 East Raffles. Blackface £71.80 Mark Farm. Cheviot £71.50 Upper Rigg. NCC £70 Edingham. Cross £69 Upper Rigg. Half Bred £64.50 Marwhirn. Suffolk £52.50 East Polquhirter.

Heavy Hoggs (46Kg + over) Top 170.4 av 141.2p: Texel £83.50 BQ Farms. Half Bred £80.50 Marwhirn. Suffolk £76.50 Lanarkland. Cross £73.50 Upper Rigg

CAST EWES & RAMS – Suffolk £76.50 Druidhall. Texel £58.50 Waterside. Cross £49.50 Millantae. Cheviot £43.50 Upper Rigg. Blackface £42.50 Carswaddan. Zwarble £40 Little Fenwick. Cheviot £32.50 Glenjaan.

Rams, Texel £43.50 Waterside.

LONGTOWN

Thursday May 1

TOTAL FORWARD 85 prime cattle, 4570 prime hoggs, 66 spring lambs and 2139 cast ewes & rams.

Lightweight cattle were in very short supply. All heavyweight sorts were forward. Top price of 176.5p for a Limousin bullock from Messrs Blaylock, Hallburn to Messrs Nattrass, Carlisle, others to 173.5p The Gill, 172.5p Hallburn, 170.5p Hallburn & Dashwellgreen, 169.5p Dashwellgreen, The Gill and The Beck, 168.5p Houghton House & The Gill. Belgian Blue bullocks to 166.5p Hallburn, 163.5p Beckhall, 161.5p Toppin Castle. Blondes to 166.5p Toppin Castle.

Limousin heifers to 171.5p Hallburn, Belgian Blues 170.5p Gardrum.

Spring lambs were sold at recent rates and were short of buyers requirements. The sale was topped at £88 for Charollais lambs from Messrs Atkinson, Gill and to 200p/kg from Mrs. J. Marshall, Hermitage. Suffolks to £82.50, £80 Lands, Other Texels £86 Gill, £80 Hermitage.

The hoggs were sold to a full ring of buyers with the best well fleshed hoggs the dearest trade of the season so far to average 148.6p. The sale topped at 185.8p for a pen of Texel hoggs from Messrs. Harrison, Sykehead. Top price per head was £82.50 for Texels from Messrs J P Fisher, Smalmstown. Other Texels to £78.80 Snade, Suffolk x £79.50 Smalmstown & South Croft;

Lightweight well fleshed hoggs were also keenly sought after and upheld recent high rates.

The cast ewes and rams attacted more buyers as a result all classes were up £5.00 per head to average £44.02 overall. Top was £82.50 for Texel ewes from Crookholm,

LEADING PRICES

BULLOCKS – Limousin 176.5p Messrs Blaylock, Hallburn. Belgian Blue 166.5p Hallburn. Blondes 166.5p Toppin Castle.

HEIFERS – Limousin 171.5p Hallburn. Belgian Blues 170.5p Gardrum.

SPRING LAMBS – Charollais £88 Messrs Atkinson, Gill. Suffolks £82.50, £80 Lands. Texels £86 Gill.

HOGGS – Texel 185.8p Messrs. Harrison, Sykehead, Per head, £82.50 Messrs J P Fisher, Smalmstown. Suffolk x £79.50 Smalmstown & South Croft. Cheviots £72.50 North House. Charollais £71.20 Balker Farms. Halfbreds £81.50 Butterdales. Greyfaces £67.80, £65.80 Sykehead. Blackfaces £77.20, £69.20, £68.20 Smalmstown. North Country Cheivots £77.20 Sykehead & Broomhills. Swaledale £54 Sockbridge Hall. Herdwicks £63.50 Cardewlees. Leicesters £56 Copperthorns. Cambridge £63.20, £62.20 Kirkwood Farms.

Lightweight, Beltex 173.5p Messrs Mitchinson, Highgreenhill. Cheviots £58.50 Messrs Bell, Bloch. Suffolk x £50.80 Graystale; Texels £51.20 Hallrule Mill, £46.80 Settereth Park; Greyfaces £52.80, £46.50 Clonrae; Blackfaces £53.80 Clonrae; North Country Cheviots £48 Streethead; Swaledales £47.80 Settereth Park.

CAST EWES & RAMS – Texel £82.50 Crookholm. Suffolks £71.50 Loughrigg. Beltex £72.50 Ainstable Hall. Suffolk x £73.50 Roadside. Halfbreds £69.50 Maxton. Bleu de Maines £73.50 Roadside. Charollais £71.50 Roadside. North Country Cheviots £65.50 Winterhope. Leicesters £62.50 Boghall. Cheviot Mules £66.50 Winterhope. Greyfaces £55.50 Winterhope. Dorsets £48.50 South Lodge. LLeyns £48.50 Guards, £46.50 Glebelands.

Hill ewes, £49.50 Blackfaces Teinside. Cheviots £48.50 Blackburn & Butterdales; Swaledales £43.50 Coombe Crags, Knells. Herdwicks £26.50 Butterdales.

Rams, Texel £71.50 Loughrigg. Suffolks £70.50 Lands. Charollais £56.50 Newry. Leicesters £54.50 Mallsgate. Beltex £64.50 Roadside. Blackfaces £49.50 North Farm. Swaledales £50.50 Knells. Zwartbles £61.50 Cleughbrae. Goats £29.50 Ballyclare.

AVERAGES – Steers, Heavy to 176.5p (155.9p). Heifers, Heavy to 171.5p (146.2p). Hoggs Light to 173.5p (134.5p). Standard to 181.6p (146.9p). Medium to 185.8p (150.9p). Heavy to 158.2p (138.6p). Shearlings to 155.7p (93.9p). Lambs, Standard to 197.2p (189.5p). Medium to 200.0p (178.8p). Heavy to 186.9p (176.2p). Ewes Light to £49.50 (£28.07). Heavy to £82.50 (£50.07). Cast Rams £71.50 (£48.30).

Penrith

Wednesday May 7

TOTAL FORWARD 76 Spring Lambs, 2,841 Prime Hoggs & 961 Cast Ewes & Rams.

Another large turnout of sheep met a tremendous demand from the usual company of customers, with prices for all classes showing further increase in values.

Prices peaked at 235.00p/kg for Continental Lambs from Mr J Winter, Clickham, purchased by Mr A Slack, Stoneriggs. These lambs were also the top price per head in this section.

Hoggs fetched a top price of 196.00p/kg for continentals shown by Mr JJ Lawson, Kirkland Green, bought by Greyhound Hotel, Shap.

Top price per head was £104.00 for Continentals presented by Mr J Armstrong, Highrigg, sold to Mr Robert Skelton.

LEADING PRICES

SPRING LAMBS – Continental £94 Clickham; £92, £87.50, £85.50 Beck Farm. Suffolk £93 Midtown (Strong); £89, £88, £87 Staingills.

PRIME HOGGS – Continental £104 Highrigg; £98, £93 Kirkland Green; £92 Cotegill. Suffolk £93.50 Hall Bank; £93 Highrigg; £89 Nixon Terrace.Cheviot £92 Luham; £89 Honeypot; £86.50, £85 Sockbridge Hal. Dorset £90 Saughtree Gate; £77.50 Hall Bank; £61, £50 Ellonby Hall Bungalow. Mule £79.50, £79, £78 Waterside House; £79 Hole House (Sibson). Cross-Bred £77.50 Kelmore Hills; £75 Crosby Hall; £72.50 Waterside House; £68 Gill Head. Swaledale £77 & £72 Hole House (Sibson); £70 Arngill House; £70 Burns Farm. Scotch Blackfaced £75, £74 Luham; £74.50, £72.50 Highrigg. Masham £73 & £66.50 Low Borrow Bridge. Herdwick £70 Gillside; £61, £60 How Hall; £61, Howtown Hotel. Kendal Rough £66.50, £60.50 Low Borrow Bridge; £65 Cotegill. Zwartble £57 Stephens Gate. Jacob £57 Stephens Gate.

CAST EWES & RAMS – Continental £75.50, 74.50, £71 Drapstown; £75.50 Moyadam Park. Suffolk £75 Grassknop Farm; £69 Shire Hall; £67.50 Drapstown; £66.50 Low Howgill. Bluefaced Leicester £63 High Green; £47.50 Goodlie Hill Cottage; £40 Kentmere; £40 Town Head (Barker). Cheviot £59 Skelling; £58 Hill Top (Bell); £54 Slakes Farm; £49 Brackenslack. Mule £58.50 & £50 Moyadam Park; £53 Whitehead Hill Farm; £51.50 Limetree. Half-Bred £56 Moyadam Park. Kendal Rough £48.50 Raisgill Hall; £43.50 Lankaber. Masham £48 Shire Hall; £42.50 High Harberwain. Friesland £43.50, £42 Langwathby Hall. Swaledale £42.50 The Cottage (Bell); £41.50 Lankaber; £38.50 Sleddale Hall; £37 High Green; £37 Town Head (Barker). Herdwick £36 Beechcroft.

WIGTON

Tuesday May 6

TOTAL FORWARD 216 prime cattle & 53 bulls, 322 prime hoggs, 153 Spring Lambs & 18 ewes.

Another good trade with averages increasing again to level just short of 160p per kilo.

The top price of the day was 196.5p per kg paid to for a Limousin Heifer which was shown by Messrs R E Miller, West Farm, Aspatria and purchased by Lindsay’s Butchers, Cockermouth. The top price per head for heifers was £1160.70 for a Limousin cross shown by GN & DM Bowe, Bothel Parks, Bothel.

Steers sold to per 181.5 kg which was paid to Ashburner Ltd., High House, Sandwith, Whitehaven. The top price per head for Steers was £1256.13 which was paid for a Charolais cross to D A Harrison, The Old Vicarage, Westnewton.

The top price for Bulls was 171.5p per kg for a Limousin Bull which was shown JG & M Little, Greenhill Farm, Wigton. The top price per head was £1151.49 paid to for a Bazadaise shown by B J Harrison, Beck Farm, Wheyrigg.

Just when you thought the hogg trade was finished a blinder was pulled out of the bag today !! Averages of 167.99p pr kg tell the story.

Top price of £80 per head was paid for Texel Hoggs shown by R & RA Pattinson, Low Longthwaite. Top price of 187.60p pr kg was paid for Cheviot Hoggs shown by M/S R & M Carr, Richmond Plains, Sebergham.

The first good offering of spring lambs selling to a strong market with 26 pens of lambs selling for £100 or more and 6 customers averaging £100 per head. The best price ranges for 40-44 kgs to suit the most customers, however the best lambs today per head was £121 for 48 kgs Texel from T & EA Todd, Tiffenthwaite. In general 200p per kg was achieved with ease throughout the sale and very few lambs selling below 190p.

Top price per head of £121 was paid for Texel lambs shown by T & EA Todd, Tiffenthwaite Farm these also made top price of 252.10p pr kg and were purchased by RJ Harrison.

HEIFERS – Limousin 196.5 183.5 West Farm. Charolais 175.5 Clea Mire. Blonde 158.5 Westnewton Hall. British Blue 175.5 Mechi.

STEERS – Limousin 181.5 High House (Ashburner). British Blue 175.5 Greenhill. Blonde 166.5 Allerby Hall. Charolais 165.5 158.5 Crosby House Farm. Aberdeen Angus 170.5 Honeypot. Montbeliarde 143.5 Galemire House. Devon 149.5 High Aketon. Shorthorn 137.5 Galemire House. Holstein Friesian 137.5 Micklethwaite Farm.

BULLS – Limousin 171.5 & 169.5 Greenhill Farm. British Blue 162.5 & 157.5 Haltcliffe Bridge. Charolais 161.5 Clea Mire. Bazadaise 148.5 Beck Farm. Holstein Friesian 136.5 East Woodside. Ayrshire 127.5 Skiprigg. Montbeliarde 126.5 Uldale Hall. Aberdeen Angus 126.5 Skiprigg.

AVERAGES STEERS: LW 144.50 (144.50) MW 175.50 (157.27) HW 181.50 (158.55). HEIFERS MW 160.5 ( 157.2) HW 196.50 (159.92) . BULLS MW 164.50 (133.27) HW 171.50 (142.33).

HOGGS – Per Head, Texel £80 Low Longthwaite. Cheviot £77 £75.50 & £72.50 Richmond Plains. Suffolk £69 Howbeck Lodge. Mule £68.50 Howbeck Lodge. Swaledale £53 Uldale Hall.

Per Kg, Cheviot 187.60 184.10 184.00 Richmond Plains. Texel 181.80 Low Longthwaite, 181.60 New Godderthwaite. Suffolk 156.80 Howbeck Lodge. Mule 142.70 Howbeck Lodge. Swaledale 127 Uldale Hall.

AVERAGES SW 187.60 (174.08) MW 184.10 (171.02) HW 160.40 (144.79) OTHERS 171.60 (149.32)

LAMBS – Per Head, Texel £121 & £115 Tiffenthwaite Farm. Suffolk £109 Loughrigg. Beltex £110 & £100 Abbey Cowper. Charollais £103 Loughrigg.

Per Kg, Texel 252.10 & 239.60 Tiffenthwaite. Beltex 232.50 Loughrigg. Suffolk 228.30 Cardew Hall. Charollais 226.20 & 215 Steel (Lessonhall).

AVERAGES SW 215.80 (206.65) MW 238.10 (206.94) HW 252.10 (205.67) OW 134.48 (134.48)

EWES – Texel £51 Mechi. Lleyn £40 Norman Farm. Mule £29 Uldale Hall.