KEELHAM Farm Shop and Stanforths Butchers were again the main buyers at Monday’s weekly prime cattle sale at Skipton Auction Mart when each acquired four of the 12 under 30-month entries on offer.

Skipton-based Stanforths paid the day’s top gross price of £1,306, or 219.5p/kg, for a Limousin-cross steer from Threshfield’s Charles and Richard Kitching, while Keelham, with shops in Skipton and Thornton, went to 238.5p/kg, the leading by-weight call, or £1,263, when acquiring a 460kg British Blue-cross steer sold by Malcolm Metcalfe, of Baldersby Park.

Cast cattle trade was a shade easier on the week, with the turnout of 52 cull cows containing a high percentage of worn dairies, though these were comparatively good to sell, with most achieving 65p to 75p/kg and others carrying finish making 92p to104.5p/kg.

Cull cows averaged £568 per head, or 90.62p/kg overall, with a Limousin entry from D and J Isherwood, of Kildwick, heading the trade at £806, or 113.5p/kg. The pick of the black and whites was a £789 entry from Paul Bolland, of Airton, with JA Knowles, of Feizor, leading the native prices with a £699 Hereford cow.

A brace of mature black and white bulls from Alan Throup, of Silsden, and Arthur Beecroft, of Fewston, made £877 and £848 respectively.

Meanwhile, the countdown is on to Skipton's much-anticipated 2016 pedigree beef show and sale season.

It starts on Wednesday, with the annual show and sale of British Blue breeding cattle and a prize sale of British Blue-sired store cattle.

Next up on Wednesday, May 4, is a new sale for native cattle, followed by a two-day Limousin show and sale on Wednesday, May 10 and Thursday, May 11 and the Ling Fields Beef Cattle Fair on Wednesday, May 25.