SKIPTON Auction Mart’s Wednesday fortnightly cattle sales continue to go from strength to strength, with another tremendous entry of classy livestock at the latest fixture.

A total of 842 head were successfully sold, including almost 300 suckler-bred young bulls and 555 strong store cattle, supplemented by a nice selection of yearling stores.

Strong averages throughout demonstrated the quality on offer, with several pens of three of more heifers of particular note. John Brewer, of Bleasdale, sold a pen of four Limousin heifers at £1,500 each, while the annual consignment of heifers from the Mason family in Appletreewick sold to high of £1,350 per head for six top-notch Charolais-cross.

Anthony Hewetson, of Bank Newton, presented the top price pen of five Limousin-cross bullocks, knocked down at £1,300 each, while at the younger end, Seth Blakey, of Bolton-by-Bowland, sold five ten-month-old Charolais-cross bullocks for £1,020 each.

Bullocks and heifers averaged £1,022 per head overall, among them 187 Limousin heifers averaging £1,04, 56 Charolais heifers at £1,076 and 93 Limousin bullocks at £1,122. Respective native breed averages were £841 for bullocks and £809 for heifers.

Young bulls sold to a Continental-cross average of £953, with a native average of £799. Walshaw’s Brian Lund presented the section-topping £1,250 British Blue-cross entry, with Procters Farm in Slaidburn sending out the top-priced pen of four Limousin bulls, which made £1,145 each.

The 18 breeding cattle forward also sold well and to a high of £2,000 for a pedigree Limousin heifer with pedigree Limousin bull calf at foot from Phil Summers, of Clayton, Bradford.

Skipton next fortnightly cattle sale on Wednesday also features Craven Champions Day, the annual show of sale of steers and heifers with show potential. Many are likely to be suitable for the 2015 commercial beef show circuit.