ANOTHER solid turnout of over 500 head at Skipton Auction Mart’s fortnightly Wednesday cattle fixture comprised predominantly 433 feeders, along with 81 breeders. (June 23)

All breeding cattle traded well into four figures, Ashfield Farms in Lothersdale arriving with their opening consignment of cubicle-housed heifers with calves at foot, which sold to a ready audience of regular buyers. Top price in the run at £2,100 was a 2018-born Limousin heifer with Limousin bull calf, going to a regular purchaser of Ashfield heifers.

Joey and Helen Drinkall staged the first portion of a dispersal sale of their excellent commercial Angus cows from Anglezarke, Chorley, many with shapely Angus calves at foot, which attracted buyers from both near and far. Trade was solid, with a number of outfits just short of £2,000 reflecting the growing interest in Angus cattle at Skipton.

The second part of the Drinkall dispersal is at the next fortnightly sale on Wednesday, July 7, to be supplemented by a further dispersal sale of 60 British Blue and Limousin cows with Limousin calves from Silsden Moor’s Simon Bennett.

Trade for 75 young feeding bulls was very good, those aged 10-12 months averaging £1,326, assisted by a high-quality pen from Andy Rigby, of Slaidburn, which topped at £1,670, with under 10 months Limousin-x from the same home making £1,690. From Catlow, T Robinson & Sons, sold August, 2020, Limousins at £1,350 and same year October-born bulls at £1,340. Similar trade was reflected in the commercial bulls, with all away at £1,100 to £1,350.

Trade, too, was robust for 47 beef feeding cows, top call of £1,260 falling to a 51-month-old Aberdeen-Angus from David Preston in Stainforth, followed by a ten-year-old Limousin from the Hawes-based Blades family at £1,250. Prices of £1,000 upwards were seen for cattle carrying flesh, with no shortage of customers for lean cows.

There was a generally strong trade for 311 store bullocks and heifers, with native entries again selling to usual premium four-figure prices, steers fetching up to £1,270 for large and fit goods from Jeff and Judith Throup on Silsden Moor.

British Blue bullocks, notably dairy crosses, were subject to fierce bidding, with an overall average of £1,201 and a top of £1,480 from DT&LA Houseman & Sons, of Darley. Blue heifers were also competitively sought, priced peaking at £1,330 from Giggleswick’s Janet Ewin-Newhouse.

Limousin heifers sold well, the strongest end making £1,390-£1,470, up to a section high of £1,480 for some cracking shaped 12-14 month goods from David and Laura Coar in Darwen. Limousin bullocks sold to £1,305 from Bishop Thornton’s Andrew Fawcett, with Ken and Lynne Throup, of Silsden Moor, responsible for the £1,050 top price black and white bullock.

Episode 8 of The Farming Country Podcast from CCM is now live, again airing the latest news, views and interviews from the heart of the Dales. It can be accessed via the direct link on the home page at www.ccmauctions.com or via social media channels.