THE intensity of seasonal cattle trade currently being experienced at Skipton Auction Mart was underlined at the latest fortnightly Wednesday midweek sale, with some outstanding prices, including new highs, seen across all sections among another solid turnout of 535 head. (March 1)

For example, breed averages for 322 stores were the strongest seen to date this Spring, bullocks selling to an overall Continental-x average of £1,348, natives £1,145 and black and whites £1,094, with respective heifer averages of £1,229, £1,176 and £1,200 - all achieved at a regular fortnightly sale with an entry of mainly commercial type feeding cattle.

British Blue bullocks, mainly dairy-cross, sold to £1,710 from Williamson Bros, Ulverston, other strong types making £1,460-£1,560, while dairy Blue heifers peaked at £1,700 from JG Hall & Son, Gargrave, the strongest Blue heifers £1,490-£1,550.

Limousin bullocks traded to a top of £2,000 from Fair Place Farm, Cowling, while black and white bullocks peaked at £1,190 from father and son, Keith and David Downs, Skipton, with Brian Kaye, Sheffield, just behind at £1,180, other strong feeding bullocks making £1,095-plus.

Native cattle met a serious trade ringside, with 42 Aberdeen-Angus bullocks successfully sold, from seven-month-old grazers to two-year-old feeders, top call of £1,480 again going to Williamson Bros. Increased demand for native heifers saw 30 Angus average £1,166, with a breed high of £1,760 from Heather Whittaker, Halifax, while five vendors sold Angus heifers from £1,350-£1,400.

Suckler-bred feeding goods were regularly away at £1,600-plus for strong short-term cattle, with suckled calves a nice trade once again, plenty of the better end making £1,080-£1,280. Heifers were a very similar trade, with £1,000-£1,200 seen for smart yearlings.

A tremendous overall selling average of £1,313 per head, the highest ever seen at Wednesday sales, was achieved among the beef feeding cows, with trade sharp throughout. Short-keep cows have lifted in line with the prime trade, a British Blue from Les Driver, Oakenshaw, topping at £2,120, plenty of others away at £1,600-£1,800. The section entry of 39 head included a pair of Limousin stock bulls from Richard Greenwood, Bradley, selling to £2,200, with bulls levelling at £2,040.

Strong trade for 170 young feeding bulls was maintained, under ten-month-olds averaging £1,172, with May-born Charolais leading the way at £1,640. Bulls under 12 months averaged £1,352, the best of those a March-born Limousin at £1,690, while 12 months and over bulls reached prime values, a number making £1,800-plus, a pure-bred December-born Limousin leading the way at £1,960. Section averages were: Continental-x £1,361, natives £872, black and whites £1,570 A nice trade for a handful of breeding cattle saw Andrew Haggas, Otterburn, make £2,550 with a Limousin cow second calver with one-month-old bull calf at foot, while a run of in-calf British Blue heifers due May to the Limousin again from JG Hall & Son sold to £2,200 and averaged £2,175. The mart reports more customers are asking for in-calf cattle and outfits.