Reserve champion, 2,100gns
BLUEFACED Leicesters met a 100% clearance at the small but selective offering at Hereford, where the reserve champion led the entry at 2,100gns.
That was the first prize aged ewe from young breeder Oscar Elcock, Wantage. The daughter of a Clywd ram sold to J.R. Lewis and Son, Norton. Bred from a Home Farm Blues ewe, it scanned with a single.
The champion, a shearling ewe from Tudor Harris' Bonvilston flock, Cardiff, followed on at 2,000gns. Selling to the judge, David Kear, Kittle, served to S4 Kirkstead, it is by a Church Farm ram and out of a Mynach ewe.
Bonvilston gimmers sold well, with B. Nicholls, Parracombe, forking out 1,300gns, 1,000gns and 950gns. Dearest was a Leadburnlea daughter, scanned in-lamb to the Kirkstead ram, while the 1,000gns sale was a daughter of the Espley ram and the 950gns was by the Leadburnlea.
Aged ewes also reached 850gns, when Messrs Nicholls paid for one carrying twins, from Messrs Elrock, who, in turn, paid 350gns for the dearest ewe lamb from Messrs Harris.
Averages – 2 aged ewes, £1,548.75; 3 ewe lambs, £311.50; 16 shearling ewes, £767.16; 2 breeding rams £131.26.
Auctioneers: Hereford Livestock Market.
Limousin leader at Pateley Bridge
IT was the champion from the pre-sale show that topped the trade at the show and sale of feeding bulls at Pateley Bridge.
Judged by Liam Rodney, a Limousin from W. and R. Verity, Middlesmuir, sold for £2,680, with the same home selling the third-prize bull for £2,580. The second-prize bull from D. and F.J. Fleming and Sons, Ramsgill, sold for £2,580, as bulls cashed to average £1,997.45.
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Heifers levelled at £1,929.44 and hit £2,380 for a Limousin from E. and A.M. Simpson and Son, Heathfield, who also topped the steers at £2,320 with a Limousin as steers averaged £1,875.85.
Cast cows sold to £2,013 and 330p per kg for a British Blue from J.H. and J.A Graham and Sons, Lofthouse.
Auctioneers: Barnard Castle and Teesdale Farmers Auction Mart.
Texel-bred gimmers top Tercrosset sale
FOUR females broke the £1,000 mark at the New Year Sensations online sale of gimmers, from the Whiteford family's Tercrosset flock, Brampton, where a top price of £1,200 was paid for a Texel gimmer.
Leading the way when sold to Anne MacPherson, Croy, was the gimmer scanned with a pair to Logiedurno Topgun, with Ms MacPherson paying a further £1,100 for a three-quarter Texel, also scanned with a pair, this time to Tercrosset Thumper.
Selling to Messrs Jones, Builth Wells, was a Texel carrying two to Tercrosset Thumper.
Another three-quarter Texel, this time scanned with twins to Craddock Gee Whizz, sold to Messrs Jardine, Canonbie.
Messrs Dodd, Lockerbie, paid £980 for a black Beltex x Texel carrying twins to Thackwood Handsoff.
Two Texels sold to Messrs Wilkinson, Cumbria, for £960, the first scanned a pair to Thackwood Handsoff and the second a pair to Craddock Gee Whizz.
Averages: 50 shearling gimmers, £752.20.
Auctioneers – Harrison and Hetherington.
Penrith Bonanaza sees Blue bullock beat all
A BRITISH Blue from Blair Dufton, Huntly, ruled supreme at the Penrith Bonanza show and sale of store cattle when it claimed the champion ticket as well as top price of £3,220.
The 20-month-old steer sold to D. Barker, as bullocks sold to average £2,135.
In reserve was Limousin bullock from D.W. and T.A Bell, Penrith, which sold for £2,650 to the judge, J. Kitching.
Averaging £2,071, heifers peaked at £2,895 for a Limousin from the Strong family, Hesket Newmarket, as Messrs Strong sold 12 heifers to average £2,718.
Dairy-bred cattle sold to £2,165 and £2,065 for black and white bullocks from H.W. and J. Birkbeck, Kirkby Stephen.
Auctioneers: Penrith and District Farmers Mart.
Active buyers boost Darlington trade
AVERAGES were well up on the year, thanks to 50 active buyers at Darlington's New Year show and sale of store cattle.
Topping the trade at £2,420 was a nine-month-old Limousin steer from R.A. and S. Wearmouth, Long Newton, while the champion and reserve entries both sold for £2,400 apiece.
Judged by Anthony Tindale, taking the champion ticket was a Limousin bullock from W.A. Dinsdale and Son, Grinton, which sold to M. Robinson and Sons, Staindrop, while reserve was a British Blue steer from K.O. Stones, Marrick, which sold to Upper Coton Farms, Northampton.
Young bulls sold to £2,360 for a Limousin from G.C. and K.J. White and Son, Barnard Castle, while heifers hit £2,300 for a Limousin from D.J. Lister, Irton.
Cast cattle sold to £3,217 or 366p/kg for a British Blonde from P. Weightman and Sons, Easington.
The entry of 540 store hoggs levelled at £113.34, having peaked £178/head from James Burns, Coquet Close, followed at £171/head from E.W. Grieves, Whinney Hill.
Averaging £126/head, feeding sheep sold to £230/head for a pair of Texels from C. Jackson, while in-lamb ewes hit £270/head for Zwartbles from Y.L Simmons, Bishop Auckland.
Auctioneers: Darlington Farmers Auction Mart.
Third Calver tops Market Drayton offering
DAIRY cattle met a strong trade, with eight selling for more than £2,750 at Market Drayton, where a top of £3,220 was paid for a third calver from Ray Brown and Partners, Holmes Chapel.
Heifers peaked at £2,900, from D.I. Ball and Son, Sandbach, who sold another for £2,500.
A second calver from L.F. Horton and Sons, Northwich, made £2,850.
Heifers from Richard Bown, Worcester, reached £2,820, £2,800 and £2,780.
Ray Brown and Partners also sold a heifer for £2,820, with a heifer from Messrs Horton making £2,750.
The sale saw 32 fresh calved heifers average £1,951 with 14 cows at £1,864.
Auctioneers: Gwilliam Richards with Barbers Auctions.
Tonbrook Holstein herd dispersed
DESPITE the recent drop in milk price, the dispersal of the Parry family's pedigree and classified Tonbrook Holstein herd, from Monmouthshire, met a pleasing demand at the sale held at Sedgemoor.
Leading the entry at 2,250gns was a cow by the Luster bull that calved its second in December.
Autumn-calved cows reached 2,250gns, while other freshly calved cows sold to 2,200gns on more than one occasion.
The sale cashed in to average £1,602, which included older, three-quartered and faulted cows.
Auctioneers: Greensdale Tayor Hunt.
