KEELHAM Farm Shop was again the most prolific buyer at Skipton Auction Mart’s weekly Monday prime cattle sale, securing eight of the 12 under 30-month entries on offer for its two shops in Skipton and Thornton.

Their acquisitions included the highest priced p/kg, a 515kg Limousin-cross heifer at 251.5p from Simon Bennett, of Silsden Moor, along with the top gross price 655kg Limousin-cross steer from Paul Baines, of Trawden, at £1,512, or 227.5p/kg.

Among other purchasers were Stanforths Butchers in Skipton, and Calderdale wholesale butchers J&E Medcalf, who open a new processing facility this weekend.

A total of 34 cull cows were also forward for sale and these traded to an overall selling average of £649.42 per head, or 102.58p/kg.

The leading per head price of £999 fell to a black and white from Ashley Thwaite, of Hellifield, with a by-weight top of 139.5p/kg for another black and white from Edward Fort, of Silsden.

In the sheep ring, much tighter numbers countrywide had the desired effect on trade, raising the selling average of the 2,776 prime lambs forward to 148p/kg, or £65.10 per head.

The day’s leading per head price of £94 fell to a Texel pen from Spiros Spyrou, of Hebden Bridge, with a by-weight top of 225p/kg for a Beltex pen from John and Judy Garnett in Draughton.

A total of 364 cast ewes and rams were also among the mix, the former averaging £44.42 per head, with the leading price falling to a £102.50 Texel pen from R Long, of Airton. Rams averaged £51.75 each.