THE 379 feeding cattle forward at Skipton Auction Mart’s latest fortnightly Wednesday midweek sale comprised 91 young bulls, 31 beef cows and 257 store bullocks and heifers. (March 30)

Trade for medium bulls was back up again for the middleweights, assisted by some good runs of Continentals, strong types hitting £1,500, the middle cut £1,300-£1,420, and creep fed lightweights £950-£1,050. The section produced a Continental-x average of £1,115 and £803 for natives.

Feeding cows were in solid demand, reflecting a very good abattoir trade. An exceptional British Blue made £1,880, other Continentals away at £1,300-£1,450 if carrying finish, with lean cows £700-plus. The best natives saw a Hereford claim £1,430, while a three-year-old Saler cast bull made £1,500. The feeding cow average was £1,096.

With store cattle numbers light and retail quality prime trade on the up a nice trade was seen throughout, the Duerden family heading down from Lindal-in-Furness in the South Lakes with a lovely run of nine-month-old retail quality bullocks that peaked at £1,600 for a June-born Parthenais-x, others selling well into four figures. Overall, there was an excellent enquiry for bullocks up to 12 months.

Of the older bullocks, a 22-month-old Limousin-x from the Bolton Abbey Heseltines did well at £1,560, while an Aberdeen-Angus at the same age from Chris Wellock, of Halton East, claimed £1,540, with 35 Angus bullocks of all ages forward levelling at £1,135, the section producing an overall average of £1,143 for Continental-x and £1,029 for natives.

Younger heifers up to a year old were equally as good to sell, with DM White, of Hebden, making £1,400 with a ten-month-old Limousin-x. Older retail quality types were the trade of the day, with buyers keen. F&A Walmsley, of Blackburn, took £1,550 and £1,530 with May, 2020, Limousin-crosses, while Chapel-le-Dale’s Jeff Pickles sold similar age Limousins at £1,540 and £1,400. Heifers sold to an overall Continental-x average of £1,137, natives £860.