CONSIDERING the main calf show took place last week at Skipton Auction Mart there was, nevertheless, a nice show of rearing caves forward on Monday with two top prices of £500 from PJ JE & JW Bolland, Airton, for a Blue bull while the other top price was a Limousin bull from G Pickersgill & Sons, Hawksworth. (Monday, March 25).

Other strong Continentals at six to eight weeks old sold at £450 to £490. Angus bulls made £200 to £280 with younger crossed models less. Black and White bulls sold at £90 to £125 for stronger rearing models with young crossed calves £22 to £40. Blue heifers sold at £220 to £360.

Prices for bull calves were: Limousin x (Av £481) to £500 - G Pickersgill & Sons. British Blue x (Av £352) to £500 - PJ JE JW Bolland. Aberdeen Angus (Av £161) to £280 - Rainhall Farm. Hereford (Av £82) to £85 - KF Farming. Black & White (Av £89) to £125 - KF Farming.

Among the heifer calves forward, Aberdeen Angus (Av £160) made to £160 - E&E Metcalfe. Hereford (Av £47) to £70 - KF Farming and British Blue (Av £263) to £360 - RL Wright & Sons.

Calf sales are every Monday at the mart at 10.30am.

Of the cull cows brought forward on Monday there was a lighter show than expected but trade was no different.

The overall average was 179.5p/kg or £996. Black & Whites made to 169.5p/kg (av 154.6p/kg). MRI made to 179.5p/kg and Limousin x made to 145.5p/kg.

Top prices for dairy were £ per head: £1,259 A&J Carr; £735 ID&JC Briggs. P/kg: 169.5p A&J Carr; 134.5p ID&JC Briggs; For Continentals prices reached £937 per head (p/kg: 145.5p) from M&J Shoesmith.

Cattle sales at Skipton Auction Mart are every Monday at 11:30am.

The Easter Monday market on April 1 includes the April show and sale of prime hoggs, show and sale of dairy cattle, youngstock and in-calf heifers. There is also an Easter show and sale of ewes with lambs at foot.