WITH a shortage of heifers reported at some centres, Gisburn Auction's entry of 30 milkers took some finding, but, in general, attracted enthusiastic bidding and some very respectable prices.

David and Sue Graveston took the championship with a locally-bred pedigree heifer, which sold for £1,620 to the judge Paul Mason.

And their reserve champion sold for £1,220 to Hill and Davies, of Rossett.

Pete Dakin’s first prize non-registered heifer sold at £1,500 to T Pickup and Martin and Jane Bristol's pedigree heifer sold to J Walton, of Wrea Green, for £1,460.

There were 10 heifers between £1,200 to £1,400 which seems to be the bench mark for perfectly good and well shown heifers.

In-calf heifers made up to £960 for the Middletons, of Wigton, and calves made to £390 for Richard Corbett.

Many customers were swapping calves and culls to maintain cow numbers and there was a great entry of 148 culls with dairy culls making to 119p p/kg and premium topping at 159p p/kg.

The breeding bull section proved popular, with a pedigree Aberdeen Angus bull selling for £1,050.

There was a good trade for spring lambs, with bigger numbers forward, averaging 257p p/kg and topping at 310p p/kg for a pair of 39kg or £121 per head from M Hewitt, Settle.

Best hoggs topped at 250p p/kg from RJ Lambert, of Wigglesworth, and there was fantastic trade for ewes, with horned ewes to £80 per head, common bred types still fetching £91 and plain tups £109 per head.