A STRONG turnout of 80 prime cattle at Skipton Auction Mart’s weekly Monday fixture incorporated 24 under 30-month entries, which met with a ready trade and saw regular vendors and buyers again to the fore.

Malcolm Metcalfe, of Baldersby Park, put forward the top-price per head Limousin-cross bullock at £1,390, with a by-weight high of 246.5p/kg for another Limousin-cross from Ben Townsend, of Laneshawbridge, who also presented the top gross price £1,344 heifer, another Limousin-cross.

All three fell to Keelham Farm Shop, who yet again proved the most prolific buyers of prime cattle at Skipton when snapping up 13 entries in total, which will as usual be prepared for sale at its two shops in Skipton and Thornton.

Another regular butcher buyer, Saltaire’s Dick Binns, went to 257.5p/kg when acquiring the top price by weight Blonde-cross heifer from Carleton’s James Drake, while Simon Barker, of Stanforths Butchers, picked up three cattle.

Six over 30-month clean cattle peaked at £772, or 126.5p/kg, for a black and white heifer from the Houseman family, who trade as Church Farm Enterprises at Burton Leonard. It fell to Preston’s John Thompson.

Fifty cull cows were also on parade, selling to an overall average of £624.43 per head, or 93.27p/kg. Of the beef-bred entries, Limousin again led with way with a per head high of £1,178 for a submission from C Lumb & Son, of Barkisland, Halifax, while John and Alison Spensley, of Thorlby, topped by weight at 171.5p/kg.

Broughton’s Jeremy Taylor headed the black and white prices with £835 and £782 entries, with a class by-weight peak of 102.5p/kg from Mark Stapleton, of Addingham.