A TREMENDOUS run of cattle, just shy of 300 head in total, featuring multiple breeds, was on parade at CCM Skipton’s latest monthly Saturday sale of stirks, weaned calves and young store cattle, a strong audience ringside looking for numbers, with good grazing cattle and Aberdeen-Angus in notable demand.

Among the Angus, bullocks sold to £1,030 from NP&DJ Darwin, Sheffield, grazing bullocks making £800-£915, plenty of others at £700-£800, just the younger end at £550-£650. Angus heifers sold to £980 from J Hickman, Micklefield, a large run of 12–14-month-old grazing heifers from RD Shaw, Sheffield, selling to £820.

Suckler heifers also met strong trade, a Limousin from Howard Barker, Fewston, topping the day’s prices at £1,170, other continental bullocks and heifers attracting solid prices, Charolais bullocks selling to £925 from S Heather, Royton, other heifers regularly away at £650-£800.

Black and white bullocks traded to £740, again from the South Yorkshire Darwins, all other black and white grazers making £480-£660. Dairy Blue bullocks sold to £890 from RW&HR Barker, Darlington, plenty of stronger pens of 7–10-month-olds making £780-£880, next grade 6/7-months-old cattle £600-£700. Blue heifers sold to £920 for yearlings from Ian Dodson, Sowerby Bridge, grazing heifers with frame away at £700-£800, softer heifers £600-£720, next grade growing heifers upwards of £510.

The 24 bulls forward saw buoyant trade for all classes, peaking at £1,000 for a Limousin, again from Ian Dobson, a price matched by a Shorthorn steer from V Hawksworth, Luddendenfoot, while an in-calf Shorthorn claimed £1,040, pipped at £1,060 for an in-calf Simmental, both from Brian Kaye, Sheffield.

Of the sheep and goats, ewes with lambs at foot sold to £150, a Boer-x Billy making £198. The next Saturday livestock sale is scheduled for April 27, along with the opening ‘Grass Day’ show and sale of stirks, again timed to coincide with the annual cattle turnout, for which entries close on Monday, April 22.