BUSINESS was brisk at Skipton Auction Mart on primestock Monday, with demand for quality animals still high.

A smaller show of retail cattle met an animated trade with lightweights back up in price, ranging from 295p to 320p/kg. Heavier cattle were short of requirements and in the 260p to 297p range.

E&M Townley & Son, Clapham, sold a 525kg heifer at 319.5p/kg (£1,677) to Knavesmire Butchers for their retail shop in York. The same purchasers made it a clean sweep of the four top kilo prices with RT&J Critchley & Son, Hutton, selling a lovely 530kg heifer at 317.5p/kg £1682, F&B Smith, Ingleton, 308.5p for a 580kg bullock (£1795), and Messrs Townley a 540kg bullock at 303.5p/kg (£1,638).

JW Stockdale & Son, Burnsall, had the leading gross sale at £1,926 when their 715kg bullock made 269.5p to R Pearson Wholesale Butchers of Bradford.

Messrs Critchley also made £1,799 with a 605kg heifer selling to the mart-based Barkers Yorkshire Butchers.

A tidy show of cull cows saw the best fleshed Black & Whites sell to 137.5p from RD Metcalfe & Son, Brearton, (£1,072), and top gross from Brian Moorhouse, Bell Busk at £1,153 or 136.5p. The best of the rest were in the 120p/kgs, and leaner sorts either side of 100p/kg, with an overall average of 120.7p/kg.

A total of 3,677 prime sheep, including 3,266 hoggs and 411 cast ewes and rams saw good trade.

Lamb averages were up by some margin due to strong demand, especially for the light and handyweight lambs. Mediums were also generally better, while smart heavies continue to do well selling to the retail trade. Commercial mediums and heavies were similar on the week.

Over 52kg weight category averaged £6 up on the week, with top sale price at £164 for 55kg and £160 for 60kg from EP&JM Hutchinson, Faceby, to Knavesmire Butchers.

Simon Bennett, Silsden.

In the 46kg to 52kg, Paul Simpson, Bolton by Bowland, topped in the lump with 47kg Beltex at £180 (383p).

The top sale price per head in the 36kg to 45kg range was £188 from Samantha Asquith, Otley, selling 42kg Beltex at 442pkg to Knavesmire Butchers.

PW Simpson, Bolton by Bowland, fetched £178 or 423p of 42kg Beltex; JE Burrow, Kirkby Malham, had £170 for 45kg Beltex; EP&JM Huthcinson made £170 of 45kg Beltex.

Another nine pens went in the £160s, with six pens making 400p or more.

Lambs under 35kg saw JJ Garnett, Draughton, make £111 for 35kg, while Cheviot Wether Lambs from A&K Kiernan, St Michaels, topped the breed prices at £140.

Cull ewes sold to a similar trade today with heaviest Mules fetching £120-£135.50. The top prices went to S&PE Bowker & Sons, Earby, and R&E Pollard, Colne. what prices??

Cull ewes averaged £103.45, Cast Rams £119.67.

Thirty-eight rearing calves saw solid trade for all classes. Black and Whites topped at £300 from G Hayton & EC Stocks, Bolton Abbey, for a 12-week-old pure British Friesian.

A young Angus bull sold at £220, with a Hereford bull from JR Wellock, Eshton selling at £280.

Continentals met a flying trade with Limousin bulls selling to £510 from G Hayton & EC Stocks for one out of a pure Friesian at 12 weeks of age. Blue bulls topped at £450 from P&RM Sutcliffe, Queensbury with other nice rearing Blues with size at 5/6 weeks of age making £370-£400 and younger rearing sorts £300-£350.

Angus heifers sold to £265 with Blue heifers selling to £350 from P&RM Sutcliffe. Limousin heifers sold to £310 from G Ayton & EC Stocks.