UNITED KINGDOM-CATTLE MARKETS IN THE NORTH.
CARLISLE
Monday March 9
TOTAL FORWARD 173 prime cattle, 2818 prime sheep.
Trade for cows and bulls being good through out. Prime cattle being cheaper on the week.
Mr Alan Irvine of Topping Castle sold the top priced Limousin heifer for 176.5p to Mathers. Mr Steel of Steely Farm sold a Limousin Bull for 164.5p to Charles Kirkpatrick. Mr Houston of Gretna House Farm sold a Charolais bullock for £1290 to Charles Kirkpatrick.
Bulls met a sharper trade with M/s Common & son of Crossdyke Farm sold 3 Limousin bulls to average 179.16p per kilo and topped at 180.5p and 179.5p both bought by Mr Mike Atkinson. M/s Bell of Farbroom sold a Limousin bull for 177.5p to Birbeck. M/s Wilson of Lamplugh Hall Farm sold a black and white bull for 162.5p to Bill Howard. Mr Ewing of Drumbretton sold a Limousin bull for 908kg at 159.5p £1448.26 to Mike Atkinson.
A smaller show of prime sheep were forward to a magnificent trade for all breeds & weights. Suffolks, Texels and Cheviots were regularly £38 to £45 over there weights regardless of size. Mule hoggs were regularly £32 to £37 over and Swaledale hoggs were in the 170 pences. Top price per head was £112 for Beltex hoggs consigned by M/s Fisher of Laird Laugh Farm and purchased by Robert Skelton. Top price per kilo was 239p for Beltex hoggs consigned by M/s Wharton of Snade Farm purchased by Steven Stoddart. An overall sale average of 186.31p per kilo £83.86 per head. Highlights of the sale included M/s Fisher of Lairdlaugh’s consignment of 40 lambs averaged £96.11 and 219.31p per kilo. M/s Hetherington of Old Hall consigned 47 Suffolk hoggs to average £95.22. M/s Hunter of Stoneraise sold 206 Mule hoggs and averaged £80.06 at 178.6p 44.73 kilo.
Cast ewes had another bonanza trade, said by many to be the dearest seen at the centre for some time. Big Suffolk and continental ewes regularly exceeded the £100 mark. Mule ewes were £65 to £75.
LEADING PRICES
BULLOCKS – Charolais £1290 Gretna House Farm. Bazadaise £1259 Gelt Hall Farm. Limousin £1140 Durdar Farm.
BULLS – Limousin 180.5p Crossdyke Farm. Charolais 168.5p Gretna House Farm 168.5p South Farm. Holstein 162.5p Lamplugh Hall Farm. Per head, Limousin £1448 Drumbretton. Charolais £1381 Gretna House Farm.
HOGGS – per head, Beltex £112, £106.50 Lairdlaugh. Rouge £107.50 Snade Farm. Texel £106 Kirkbarrow. Suffolk £105.50, £104 Williamsgill. Charollais £97.50 Mirk Booths. North Country Cheviot £88.80, £86.30 Kirk Barrow. Mule £85.80, £82.80 Stoneraise Place. Swaledale £72.80 Hill Top Farm. Berrichon Du Cher £78.80 Kilnclose Farm. Blackfaced £68.80 White House.
Per kilo, Beltex 239p, 230p Snade Farm. Texel 237p Mealrigg House. Cheviot 200p Parkhouse. Charollais 195p Mirkbooths. Suffolk 195p Kilnclose Farm. Swaledale 175p Stoneraise Place. Greyfaced 183p Stoneraise Place. Blackfaced 176p Leigh Croft. Berrichon Du Cher 177p Kilnclose Farm.
CAST EWES & RAMS – per head, Texel £109..50 Longhrigg. Suffolk £109.50 Williamsgill, £109.50 Gill Farm. Charollais £106.50 Dockray Hall. Greyfaced £75.50 Fern House. Swaledale £49.50 Wolfhills. Rough Fell £61.50 Low Northsceugh. Halfbred £96.50 Dockray Hall.
Rams, per head, Charollais £105.50 East View. Beltex £91.50 West View. Texel £84.50 Low House.
COCKERMOUTH
Wednesday March 11
Prime cattle were only marginally cheaper on the week despite a falling national trade. John Bowe, Hunday sold the pick of the heifers with a Limousin at 169.5p/kg purchased by Keswick Game and Fine Meats. Prime bullocks topped at 167.5p/kg again for a Limousin from Messrs Craghill, Hemplands, purchased by Les Fell of Settle. Prime bulls were a good trade once again selling to a top of 159.5p/kg for a Limousin X from Willie Roberts, Townhead, purchased by Tom Bradley, Egremont. Black and White bulls sold to 134.5p/kg to Messrs Wilson, Grange Farm, again purchased by Tom Bradley.
Prime sheep numbers continue to hold up well each week with over 1,700 in the market on Wednesday. Prime hoggs set off quietly and grew dearer as the day went on. Medium weight lambs averaged nearly 171p/kg.. Best butchers lambs were once again in great demand selling to a top of 218.18p/kg. This was for Texel lambs produced by Bill Skelton, Rook Farm and sold at £96 each to Richard Wilson, Egremont. However the best trade of the day was for lightweight and other hill lambs which were considerably dearer on the week. Pure Herdwick hoggs sold to a top of £73 per head and pure Swaledale hoggs were close behind at £69 per head. Lightweight lambs at just over 30kgs met tremendous competition. A very similar entry of prime ewes were an outstanding trade with ewes continuing to grow dearer by the week. Plain lightweight ewes were like gold dust, whilst heavy ewes continue to hit high prices.
LEADING PRICES
PRIME HEIFERS – Limousin 169.5 Hunday.
PRIME BULLOCKS – Limousin 167.5 Hemplands; Charolais 149.5 Galemire; Friesian 131.5 Ribton House.
PRIME BULLS – Limousin 159.5 Townhead; Friesian 134.5 Grange Farm.
AVERAGES: Premium Grade Cattle sold to 169.5p/kg averaged 159.1p/kg; Prime Grade Cattle sold to 131.5p/kg averaged 129.0p/kg Commercial Grade Cattle sold to 107.5p/kg averaged 107.5p/kg. Premium Grade Bulls sold to 159.5p/kg averaged 157.0p/kg Prime Grade Bulls sold to 134.5p/kg averaged 127.5p/kg.
PRIME HOGGS – Beltex 97 Kelmore Hills; Texel 105 Stargill; Suffolk 89 Langfauld; Cheviot X 85 Cragg House; Charollais 74 Kelmore Hills; Mule 79.50 Kelmore Hills; Texel X Herdwick 75.50 Grange Grassings; Herdwick 73 Bowderdale; Swaledale 69 How Hall.
LIGHTWEIGHT LAMBS – Texel 52 High Nook; Cheviot 57.50 Galemire; Herdwick 47.50 Cragg House; Swaledale 47 High Nook; Charollais 50 Dancing Gate.
CAST EWES – Texel 89.50 Blennerhasset; Suffolk 83.50 Blennerhasset; Half Bred 77.50 Midtown Farm; Rouge 73.50 Birks Farm; Mule 64.50 Parsonage Farm; Charollais 57.50 Plumbland Mill; Lleyn 56.50 Netherclose; Berrichon 53.50 Middlegill; Bluefaced Leicester 50.00 Terrace Farm; Cheviot 49.50 Galemire; Herdwick 44.50 Gorawood; Swaledale 41.50 Grange Farm;
RAMS – Texel 89.50 Netherclose; Charollais 86.50 Row Brow; Bluefaced Leicester 65.50 Beck Grange; Swaledale 56.50 Grange Farm; Herdwick 53.50 Yew Tree.
DUMFRIES
Wednesday March 11
TOTAL FORWARD 53 Prime Cattle, 1245 Prime Hoggs, 574 Cast Ewes & Rams
Prime Cattle: Butchers sorts were sharper although trade in general was steadier.
Bullocks averaged 158.9p (288.9 D/W at 55 per cent). Heifers averaged 161.6p (293.8 D/W at 55 per cent).
Heavyweight Limousin Heifers peaked to 195.5p from D & R Cornthwaite, Balgrayhill Lockerbie to M/S Fraser Butchers Stranraer. Lightweight Limousin Heifers topped at 192.5p Balgrayhill Lockerbie to Border Meats Lockerbie. Top Gross Heifer £1036.15 Balgrayhill.
Limousin Bullocks peaked at 187.5p Balgrayhill Lockerbie to M/S Fraser Stranraer and Galloway to 157.5p High Creoch Gatehouse to PR Duff & Son Wishaw. Top Gross Bullock £1115.63 Balgrayhill.
Very mixed show of Hoggs for quality but met an excellent trade with quality sorts from 180-205p. Top price at 205p from 43Kg (£88) Beltex Crosses from J Muir & Son, Cleughbrae. Top Price per head was £88.50 for a pen of Suffolk Crosses from Mr A McKune, Townhead. The overall sale average 175.4p.
Cast Ewes & Rams, trade exceptionally dear and similar to last week.
LEADING PRICES –
HEIFERS – Heavyweight, Limousin 195.5p D & R Cornthwaite, Balgrayhill Lockerbie. Charolais 169.5p, 168.5p Townhead Parkgate.
Lightweight, Limousin 192.5p Balgrayhill Lockerbie.
BULLOCKS – Limousin 187.5p Balgrayhill, Lockerbie. Galloway 157.5p High Creoch Gatehouse.
HOGGS – Light Hoggs (25.5-32Kg) Top 188p av 155.4p - NCC £60 Hastingshall. Cheviot £54.50 Riggheads. Blackface £51 Meikle Larbrax, £51 Corsebank. Texel £50.50 Dalhanna, £50.50 Meikle Larbrax.
Standard Hoggs (32.1-39Kg) Top 205p av 180.6p: NCC £80, £75 Cleughbrae. Texel £77.50 Dalhanna. Cheviot £76.50 Riggheads. Blackface £72.80 Craigdarroc
