DAIRY-BRED youngsters were prominent among the 80-strong turnout at Skipton Auction Mart’s weekly Monday rearing calf sale.

They met with the strongest trade of the day, with extra interest at the ringside forging the overall average to almost £72 per head, with a black and white high of £145 for a bull calf from Elslack’s John Rushton.

Continentals again traded well, with a wide selection of buyers taking all grades to a good price. They averaged £257.80 per head overall, with the day’s leading price of £410 falling to a British Blue-cross bull calf from Gargrave’s Colin Whitelock. Native youngsters averaged £153.30 per head.

Attention now turns to Skipton’s summer rearing calf show this Monday, with classes for all breeds and some top-notch youngsters expected to create avid interest at the ringside.