THE privilege of consigning the first prime cattle champion of 2022 at Skipton Auction Mart fell, as it also did at the 2021 opener, to North Craven father and son hill farmers, Francis and Andrew Smith, of Lodge Farm, Masongill, above Ingleton.

They took the New Year title with their first prize 520kg Limousin-x heifer acquired last October from fellow North Craven beef farmers, Austwick mother and son, Janet and James Huck, and further improved on the farm, before returning to their regular selling venue, where the victor made top by-weight price of 333.5p/kg, or £1,734, to Phil Gregory, of D&A Gregory & Sons Butchers in Bacup.

The reserve champion, a 560kg Limousin-x heifer consigned by RT&J Critchley & Sons, of Hutton, will also go on sale at the same retail shop in St James Square when again claimed for 313.5p/kg, or £1,756 by Mr Gregory, who added a third entry to his shopping list.

The same two vendors also accounted for the best placed steers, the first prize male, a 565kg Limousin-x from the Smiths making 317.5p/kg, or £1,794, when sold to show judge Anthony Swales for Knavesmire Butchers in York, with the Critchleys’ second prize steer, a 555kg Limousin-x, getting away at 308.5p/kg, or £1,712, to Robertshaw’s Farm Shop in Thornton. Both purchasers took home a brace each.

Once again, the volume buyer was Ralph Pearson Wholesale Butchers in Bradford, snapping up 15 of the 28 under 30-month clean cattle on offer. Their haul included the top gross price steer and heifer, the former a 605kg Brtish Blue-x from Threshfield brothers Charles and Richard Kitching, at £1,806, the latter a 630kg Blue-x from the Baines family in Gisburn at £1,780.

The turnout produced very good retail demand for handier weighted smart sorts, while at the latest Monday market this week wholesale demand was on the move again, with much of the under 30-month entry of 17 head 600kg and upwards, all but three again falling to Ralph Pearson Wholesale Butchers.

These included the leading gross price of £2,067, or 268.5p/kg, for a 770kg Limousin-x steer from Ben Townsend, of Laneshawbridge, along with the top price heifer, a 620kg Blonde-x from the Critchleys at £1,721, or 277.5p/kg.

With lighter cattle still good to sell, the top steer was a 545kg British Blue-x from the Jowett family in Queensbury at 285.5p/kg, or £1,556, the Kitchings accounting for the best price per kilo heifer, a 605kg Bazadaise-x, at 279.5p, or £1,691, both again going to Pearsons. The mart-based Barkers Yorkshire Butchers also claimed a brace.

Cull cow trade is steadily picking up, with dairies among the 23-strong entry comfortably 125p/kg and upwards, the best 140p/kg-plus. Natives were similarly good to sell with the very heavy thick cows 130p/kg-plus and cows in prime condition 140p/kg. A single first-cross British Blue cow made 145.5p/kg, or £1,266, producing an overall section average of 124.98p/kg, or £896.18, a nice rise on the week.

Among the 2,314 prime sheep were 1,813 hoggs and while this was a smaller turnout on the week the mechanics of supply and demand contrived to create a better trade than expected with numbers generally 30% tighter around the country and trade looking fairly reasonable at an overall selling average of £115.67 per head, or 262.5p/kg.

Handy and lightweight sheep, short of requirements, sold well, with smart lambs a straight trade without seeing the high prices of recent weeks, and butchers type heavies a good trade, while commercial heavies proved dearer than expected. Mules and nice horned wethers were a similar trade on the week, again exceeding expectations.

The Hutchinson family, from Faceby, was again to the fore, heading the prices across several weight ranges and breeds, their Beltex pens topping the day’s trade at £157 per head and 362.8p/kg. Two Texel lambs donated anonymously in aid of the local Luke Mortimer Charity made £155 and £125.

The 501 cast sheep saw cull ewes – more are required – meet a nice trade, weight again selling well, with a top price of £190.50 for Texels from John and Alison Spensley, of Thorlby, the section averaging £100.51. Cast rams averaged £116.98.

The same morning’s weekly rearing calf sale saw 64 head produce a nice trade throughout, with top call of £410 falling to a Blue-x bull from P&RM Sutcliffe, of Queensbury.