CULL cows were again a strong trade at Skipton Auction Mart’s latest weekly Monday sale, the 14 head on offer selling to an overall four-figure average of £1,129, or 159.87p/kg.

Black and whites from the Dean family, Threshfield, traded to £1,518 top gross, or 168.5p/kg, top call per kilo of 171.5p falling to another from JSS Verity, Clitheroe, whose run of three sold to £1,185, supplemented by a Jersey at £1,011, or 148.5p/kg. Alan and Emily Middleton, Beamsley, also sold a black and white at £1,089, 146.5p.kg.

Meat dairy cows regularly sold at 155-165p/kg, the leaner end making 140-150p/kg and plain cows 125-135p/kg. Native cows sold to highs of 183.5p/kg and £1,477 for a trio of Aberdeen- Angus, from Alistair Lawn, Skipton. The mart says more cull cows are required ringside with an increased audience eagerly awaiting.

The weekly rearing calf sale saw 20 head – many more could have been sold to vendors’ advantage - trade to a solid top of £460 for a British Blue-x bull from Colin Whitelock, Gargrave, with the best Blue bulls making from £420 upwards. Medium Blue-x bulls made £380-£410, the younger thick calves selling at £350 upwards, the Blue-x bull section averaging £419. The same vendor also headed the Blue-x heifer calf prices at £375 twice, these averaging £357, all heifers selling from £330 upwards.

Of the natives, Angus bull calves sold to £370 from the Bowker family, Earby, others at the best end away at £300 upwards, with younger models selling at £260-£280.

A reminder to potential exhibitors and vendors that Wednesday, February 7, is the entries deadline for the annual Craven Champions store cattle with show potential highlight a week later