WITH 21 Prime cattle on show – comprising of 18 clean cattle - under 30 months- and three cast cattle - Monday’s trade at Skipton Auction Mart proved a shade firmer, with heavy U grade type cattle demonstrating a particularly good trade.

Ralph Pearson of Bradford was the leading buyer at this week’s Prime Cattle sale, accounting for all the leading gross prices and the two highest by weight prices.

The leading steer at £2048 (284.5p/kg) was a 720kg Limousin presented by Hargreaves Farms of Walton le Dale. The leading heifer, a 620kg Limousin from Charles and Richard Kitching of Threshfield, sold at £1876 (302.5p/kg).

Messrs Kitching also featured in the leading prices by weight, with a 560kg Blonde heifer at 309.5p/kg (£1733) and a 620kg Limousin at 302.5p/kg (£1876).

The day’s top steer was a 580kg Limousin at 303.5p/kg (£1760), sold by S and NV Jowett from Queensbury and purchased by their local farm shop, Robertshaw’s in Thornton.

Milk price and scarcity continues to hold cast cattle prices up with the only entries beef breeds.

Two natives averaged 162p/kg and a Limousin cross topped at 186.5p/kg. The overall average landed at 171.17p/kg (£1032.75).

A good show of 41 rearing calves also stepped forward, with the best blue bulls selling at £420-£495; top price for these going to Andrew and Louise Ayrton of Eastby.

Medium blue bulls hit £330-£400, with the smaller and lesser coloured goods at £220-£290. The top price for a heifer calf was a Blue from JR Wellock, Eshton, selling at £400 – nicely above the average of £286.

Mediums sold at £300-£365 and smalls £220-£280. Angus bulls sold to a top of £360 from A&SL, Throup, Silsden. Smaller bulls - of 3 to 4 weeks old – sold at £245-£275 and the top price for Charaollais X bulls was achieved by GD&A Midgley of Halifax, topping at £405.

Adding to the positive news for cattle trade, Saturday’s sale (June 11) demonstrated a record day for a Saturday at CCM Auctions, with the monthly Sale of Stirks, Weaned Calves and Young Store Cattle. In a tremendous showcase, 274 young feeding cattle ran through the ring, including 15 feeding bulls, four breeding cattle and 255 steers and heifers, with large runs from regular consignors.

49 Black and White bullocks sold, with trade improved for these goods. The stronger, nine to ten month old goods sold at £510-£585, with some good head bullocks from D Reay, Bradford selling as high as £650.

The younger, six to seven month old goods reached £315-£400. Dairy bred Blue bullocks and Heifers met a competitive audience ringside, with best end of six to eight month old goods selling for £670-£740, and five to seven month old goods - just slightly smaller but still having frame and flesh - selling £570-£690. Blue heifers were good to sell again, with the five to seven month old goods at £655-£700 for the best end and £560-£620 for the sweeter end.

It was great to see a large show of Natives put forward, including Suckler bred Angus heifers going for £600-£710 and dairy bred Angus heifers at £450-£535 for the five to seven month old goods with flesh. Angus Bullocks all sold at £510-£625. Suckler bred Limousins sold to £730 from TB Moorhouse, Dacre and Suckler bred Limousin heifers sold to £705 from A Wainwright, Sheffield.