GISBURN'S fortnightly Saturday sale saw an astounding trade for ewes, with pen after pen attracting a starting bid of £100.

There were plenty of store hoggs forward, with Texel gimmer hoggs, from T Metcalfe, of Clayton, selling for £122.

Breeding sheep numbers were similar to last sale (389), with smart Texel hoggs with twin Texel lambs topping at £208 from JP Barnes, of Sawley, and Beltex ewes with single Beltex lambs making £205 for R Fitton, of Worlsey.

While it is still too early for increased throughput in cows with calves, local breeders Messrs Aspin achieved £815 with a young bull in the six to nine section, Ian Townson sold a nine-month Limousin steer for £1,160 and Stephen Pearce topped the heifers with a 21-month British Blue at £1,140.

The next Saturday sale is on April 16 and will be followed by a new native store cattle show and sale on Saturday, April 30.

Gisburn’s weekly Thursday prime cattle sale achieved good results, with heifers making to 246p p/kg (£1,332) from RW Longton, of Hatton, and bulls to 209p p/kg (£1,334) from S and PJ Scrivin, of Elslack.

Cull cows saw an enthusiastic trade and a good show of some well-finished dairy cull cows saw J Holden and Sons, of Clitheroe, selling to 123p p/kg (£963).

There were also 244 rearing calves and stirks forward and Alan Bowker, of Cowling, sold a trio of Blue bulls for £518.

Others to top the £400 mark included David Shuttleworth at £520 twice, W Hesketh & Sons, £425, £530 and £432 and WH and JW Hartley also at £432. Trade for the 35 Blue heifers came from as far afield as Preston to Carlisle and prices were between £300 and £398.

Simmentals were also good to sell and Alec Simpson topped the bulls at £425 closely followed by David Mattinson and David Shuttleworth both at £420. There is to be a special sale of Hereford rearing calves next Thursday, April 14.