SKIPTON Auction Mart’s monthly Saturday sale of stirks, weaned calves and young store cattle attracted another strong entry of 232 head.

It included 67 Continental and native breed bulls selling to highs of £620 for Limousin entries (average £522) and £550 for Shorthorn (average £466).

Steers topped at £880 for an Aberdeen Angus, with a breed average of £640, while Herefords were also popular, selling to £720 (average £565). Limousin steers again performed well, with another high of £720 (average £586).

Heifer prices peaked at £800, again for an Angus, averaging £526, with Simmental selling to £740 (average £478), Limousin to £690 (average £496) and British Blue to £680 (average £609). The pick of the 14 breeding cattle on offer was a Hereford cow with Limousin calf at foot, which made £1,100.

Sixty breeding and store sheep, and goats were also among the mix. A Zwartble ewe and lamb made £230, while a nanny goat and kid achieved £160.

Also on the agenda was the September Agri-Trader sale of machinery, implements, vehicles, builders’ plant, stone and timber, reclaim and salvage - 645 lots in total. In the machinery section, top price of £1,080 fell to an IW sheep trailer, with a cattle trailer also making £1,050.

Because of the success of its Saturday sales, the auction mart will now catalogue and ballot entries prior to sale. Entries will close on the Monday prior to each sale, so the deadline for the next sale on Saturday, October 11, is October 5.