A BUSY monthly Saturday livestock sale day at Skipton Auction Mart saw 240 head of cattle, 244 breeding and store sheep and a number of goats go under the hammer.

In the sheep ring, the star turn was the dispersal sale of the Brimar Flock of registered Zwartble sheep for Margaret Watkinson, of Sessay, when the sale ring was packed to capacity with friends and breeders.

A leading price of 650gns was achieved twice - first for a shearling ewe by Gillhall Wonka, sold with two lambs at foot, followed by another Gillhall Wonka shearling with twin ewe lambs. Both were purchased by Raymond Heigh, of Bentham.

Also investing in new bloodlines was Issy Hartley, of the Pendle flock, based in Roughlee, who secured a three-shear ewe with twins for 620gns, while a four-shear ewe with two ewe lambs at foot sold for 560gns to S Preston, of Hainworth, Keighley. Mrs Watkinson’s 16 ewes with lambs at foot averaged £410.31 per head.

Commercial sheep with lambs were good to sell and found a very ready market, while a modest entry of 19 store goats and kids sold to a complete clearance.

Stirks and weaned calves again traded well, with the 56 bulls entered selling to a high of £655 for a British Blue (breed average £536), while 112 steers peaked at £880 for an Aberdeen Angus, with the 57 heifers selling to a high of £1,140 for a Shorthorn. The 15 breeding cattle forward sold to £1,300 for a Hereford cow with Hereford calf at foot.