Lamb prices are at their prime with record figures (From Craven Herald)
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Lamb prices are at their prime with record figures
6:53pm Thursday 8th December 2011 in Countryfile By Lindsey Moore
Pictured with the 2011 Skipton Christmas primestock supreme champion heifer are, from left, CCM chairman Anthony Hewetson, exhibitors John Mellin and Clare Cropper, and buyer James Robertshaw, of Keelham Farm Shop, Thornton, with his son Harley
Skipton Auction Mart’s fourth annual Lingfield Christmas primestock shows and sales produced exceptional trading levels, with an all-time record price for the supreme champion prime lambs.
In the butchers’ cattle classes, the supreme championship fell to a 16-month-old British Blue-cross heifer, first prize winner in the young handlers class, from Christmas show debutants Clare Cropper and John Mellin, of Mill House Farm, Long Preston.
Their 500kg title winner sold for £5.10 per kg, or £2,550, to James Robertshaw, of Keelham Farm Shop in Thornton, Bradford.
The supreme champion prime lambs came for the third time in four years from James Garth & Son, of Birk Knott Farm, Keasden. Their Beltex-cross trio, also first prize Continental-cross trimmed lambs, 39kg or less, and lowland champions, sold for a mart record price of £690 to Dunbia Foods, Preston.
The champion trio of Pietrain-cross-Large White prime pigs was shown by James Middleton, of Amerdale House, Arncliffe, and sold at 202p/kg, or £182 per head, to John Summers Family Butchers, of Clayton, Bradford.
John and Clare picked up a further trophy for their first prize Limousin bullock, the best home-bred animal. It sold for £1,609, or 270.5p/kg, to James Dewhirst, buying on behalf of Stanforths Butchers, Skipton. In addition, they were responsible for the first prize other Continental-cross steer, which became another Keelham Farm Shop acquisition at £1,422, 249.5p/kg.
Reserve champion in the beef section was the first prize British Blue-cross bullock and male champion from father and son Matt and Ben Townsend, of Barnside Hall Farm, Laneshawbridge.
It sold for £1,538, 287.5p/kg, to Preston-based Bowland Foods’ buyer Geoff Nutter, on behalf of Stephen Hallsworth Butchers, Whalley, who also acquired the first prize Limousin-cross heifer and reserve female champion from TWH Farming, of Raven Farm, Stirling, for £1,519, 341.5p/kg.
