The May Fair Day sale at NWA J36 saw an entry of 210 cattle forward in all sections. All classes were a competitive trade with buyers looking for additional stock to take advantage of the current abundant grass situation.
Beef Breeding Cattle
The May Fair sale of breeding bulls saw a top price of £1820 for a pure bred 14 month old Limousin from RH & C Ayton Ltd, Abbeystead with a mature pedigree Limousin bull from PR Escolme, Gatebeck achieving £1600.
A pedigree Aberdeen Angus heifer in-calf to a pedigree Aberdeen Angus bull from Norbreck Genetics Ltd, Cockerham made a final bid price of £1100. A pair of 12 month old pedigree Limousin bulling heifers from TW Bell, Keswick sold for £1000.
Bulling heifers from Norbreck Genetics Ltd sold to £910 for Fleckveih with others at £880. The draft of British Blue x in-calf heifers due to a Limousin bull from TLB & J Knowles, Selside sold to £1150 with others at £1120.
The sale of cows with calves sold to a top price of £1620 for a Limousin x cow with Limousin heifer calf at foot from E Rossall, Preesall. A Limousin x heifer with Limousin bull calf from GM Strong, Penrith sold at £1560. An entry of predominantly older cows with calves at foot sold to £1410 for a Limousin x from JA Airey, Kendal with others generally £1050 - £1200.
The next sale of beef breeding cattle is Thursday 13 June to include the annual prize show for cows and heifers with calves at foot.
Store Cattle
The sale comprised of predominantly younger cattle today which sold to a top price of £1065 for a British Blue x steer from J Turnbull, Meathop with others £825 for a Limousin x from GC & GW Taylor, Crook. Heifers sold to £800 for a Limousin x from MW & MR Black, Staveley with younger sorts £650 - £750.
Native bred cattle sold to £850 for Aberdeen Angus x steer from G Cuthbertson, Kendal with yearling steers achieving £800 for Luings from JW & TE Sharp Ltd, Lyth and £770 for Aberdeen Angus x from PJ Onions, Arkholme. Hereford heifers sold at £765 from GM Redmayne, Ings with Aberdeen Angus x £685 from JW & TE Sharp Ltd.
A small number of young bulls were forward selling to £740 for a 7 month old Limousin x from RT & Me Sutton, Stainton.
Cast Cows
Cull cows sold to a top price of 134.5p/kg for a Limousin x from CI Briggs, Ambleside and GD Tyson, Millom. Other beef cows generally 118p/kg – 130p/kg. Dairy cows sold to 124.5p/kg for a heavy Holstein Friesian from C Preston, Millom, well fleshed dairy cows achieved 118p/kg – 122p/kg with parlour sorts 100p/kg – 115p/kg depending on type and quality.
Top grossing dairy cow was a Holstein Friesian from C Preston, Millom selling for £988 with beef cows to £907 for an Aberdeen Angus x from RJ & J Gardner, Kendal.
OTM heifers sold to 159.5p/kg (£752) for a British Blue x from M Kitching & Smith, Kirkby Stephen with dairy heifers to 137p/kg (£743) from RA & E Edmondson, Kendal.
Calves
There was a smaller show of Calves this morning, which saw a real show of Continental calves forward. Beef bred bulls regularly sold between £350 and £385, with a smashing Limousin bull calf topping at £400 from CM & CS Chappelhow, Clifton Dykes. Blue Bulls peaked at £350 from WR Clarke & Partners, Yealand Redmayne, with other strong types to £330 from RA & E Edmondson & Son, Leven Bridge. Blue Heifers saw a lift in trade this morning. A top of £315 was seen from WB Winder & Co, Broughton in Furness. Other stronger types sold between £280 and £305. Native calves were in strong demand at J36 today, R Morris Eyton & Son, Whicham topped the trade with an Aberdeen Angus bull selling to £305.
Dairy bred bulls were in strong demand, with 4 buyers around the ring looking for all types. The better end sold £105 plus, with HJ Robinson & Son, Preston Patrick selling to £125 with others to £115 from R Morris Eyton & Son. Medium types were £70+ plus. All dairy-bred bulls average £88.20.