Sales round-up: Shades of Spring sale, breeding cattle and sheep, Belted Galloways

Barwise bull beats all at Skipton

A SENIOR bull claimed the male and supreme championship at Skipton's annual offering of Belted Galloways before going on to top the entry at 6,000gns.

This was the sole entry from Carolyn Fletcher's Barwise herd, Appleby-in-Westmorland, in the shape of three-year-old Barwise Ergo. Sired by Maybeck Dundee, which also sired the 15,000gns Barwise Jamboree, Ergo is out of the Barwise Jigsaw daughter Barwise Ermina. It sold to Alana Clark, Dalbeg herd, Carrbridge.

The reserve male, from Mick and Clair Handley, Slaidburn, was Croasdale Vernon which was next at 5,300gns when sold to G.D. Herdman, Alnwick. It is by Whisky Galore and out of Croasdale Rhianna, the 2023 Royal Highland Show champion.

J. and Z. Kirk, Dumfries, paid 4,600gns for the Mochrum Gideon-sired Bowland Mr Gladiator from Robert Taberner and Hannah Grummett, Clitheroe. It is out of Barwise Miss Mandy.

Hitting 4,400gns was a cow and calf outfit from the Oliver family's Off The Wall herd, Great Whittington. Selling to Paul Atkinson, Sweetwell herd, Briercliffe, Mochrum Fern changed hands with its April-born bull calf by Hockenhall Horatio.

Messrs Taberner and Grummett welcomed a further 3,900gns for the reserve female, Bowland Luna, an 18-month-old Mochrum Colonel daughter bred from Higherhouse Lilibet. It sold to Richard Peel, Foulridge.

Making 3,800gns when sold to T.H. Vickers, Brampton, was the female champion, Monochrome Lexus, by Fernyford Oscar from Jonathan and Vicky Clowes, Ikeston.

Matching that 3,800gns was Newfield Maui, a Poplar Waymark son from Messrs Parsons, Giggleswick, which sold to Leckie Farm Partnership, Whitchurch.

Averages – Bulls, £4,330; heifers, £3,187; cows with calves £2,857.

Auctioneer: Craven Cattle Marts.

Exceptional demand at Exeter

FRESHLY-calved entries met exceptional demand at Exeter's dairy sale, but it was autumn-calving pedigree Holstein cows from Chris and Helen Ford's Quantock herd, Bridgwater, that topped the entry at £3,400 twice.

The run from Messrs Ford included 24 for more than £3,000, as 53 cashed in to average £2,816.

A fresh heifer form Michael and Caroline Smale's ongoing Glebewin dispersal, Launceston, reached £3,200, while Iran, Caroline and Jess Tapp, Tiverton, sold a third-calver at £3,000.

Stu Winzer, Totnes, sold a consignment of 20 fresh cows and heifers to £2,900 for a Montbeliarde heifer.

The entry of 130 in-calf heifers peaked at £2,650 for pedigree Willsbro-bred heifer from Les and Tracy Rockett, Bridestowe, with their daughter, Abi Marshall, selling another at £2,550.

Frome's Richard Hawker sold 10 heifers to a top of £2,600 twice and averaged £2,380, while Taylor Farming, Bridestowe, sold 20 heifers to £2,550 twice and averaged £2,000.

A dispersal consignment of 90 British Friesian grazing-type heifers due August to October from E. and D.G. Stevens, Gloucester, sold to £2,500 and averaged £1,880.

Auctioneer: Kivells.

Winters' wonders at Bentham

ENTRIES from James Winter, Appleby, headed up the show and sale of hoggs with lambs at foot at Bentham, where a top price of £800/outfit was paid for the first-prize pen of Mules.

Messrs Winter sold the second-prize pen of Mules for £450, a price matched by their first-prize pen of Suffolks.

The first and second-prize pen of Texels, from John Stapleton, Skipton, made £440 and £430, respectively.

Mike Kay, Stockport, donated a Cheviot Mule hogg with Texel-sired lamb, which was sold numerous times, raising a total of £2,200 in aid of Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

Auctioneer: Bentham Auction Mart.

Breeding cattle record at Welshpool

SUPER Saturday proved to be just that at Welshpool as a new centre record of £13,200 was set for a commercial cattle outfit, with a total of six outfits making £10,000.

Setting the record was a British Blue cross cow and calf from M.M. and R. Morris, Pen-y-Bont, who sold further outfits for five-figure prices and a total of 34 units to average £8,341.

Hitting £11,500 was a British Blue cross cow and calf from I.P. and E. Jones, Cerrigydrudion, who sold 17 to average £5,664.

Averaging £6,273, the run of 38 from G.L., J.S. and A. Howells, Pentrecwrt, peaked at £9,000 for a British Blue cross cow and calf.

Auctioneer: Welshpool Livestock Sales.

Shades of Spring sale hits £11,700

A DUTCH Spotted ram lamb from Stephen Fee's Tullynagowan flock, Enniskillen, headed up the Shades of Spring online sale of pedigree sheep at £11,700.

The January-born Tullynagowan Jamboree is a son of Hotspur Hitman and out of Kilroot Electric, a Challoch Bearskin daughter, making Jamboree a full brother to this year's Balmoral champion, Craigdoo Iconic.

With Mr Fee retaining a half share, the remainder sold in a two-way split to Messrs Henderson, Favour Royal flock, Lisnaken, and Messrs Richardson, Drumart flock, Tandragee.

The Balmoral male champion Dutch Spotted, Craigdoo Jackpot from P. and O. Grant, Co Down, sold to Messrs Bowen, Brecon, for £4,000. This lamb is by Kirkinriola I'm the Man and out of Craigdoo Irresistible.

Messrs Borlase, Watton at Stone, paid £4,800 and £3,000 for the top-priced Blue Texel and Badger Face Texel. The Blue leader was the Drumard Ed-sired Knockmult Koala, the Balmoral Show champion from Russell Millen, Co Londonderry.

Best Badger was Knockmult Glitter, a Little Whisker Easy Rider daughter ,also from Mr Millen, which was reserve champion at Balmoral.

Two Dutch Spotted females realised £2,500 apiece. First up, when sold to Messrs Joyce, Clogher, was Binnian Josie, a Greenfield Ice Cold-sired lamb from A. Trainor, Co Down.

Messrs Issac, Cefn Coch, paid £2,500 for Messrs Grant's shearling ewe by Woodview Hudson, Craigdoo Impressive.

Averages: 18 head, £2,400; 8 semen lots, £145.

Auctioneer: Harrison and Hetherington.

Blue leads breeding cattle at Darlington

BREEDING cattle sold to a top of £4,500 at Darlington when that price was paid for a four-year-old British Blue with one-month-old Limousin calf at foot from W. Tindale, Shadforth.

Two outfits followed at £4,000 – one from J. Sisterson, Consett, and another from M. Gallon, Wheatley Hill.

Leading the native entry at £2,700, was a Beef Shorthorn heifer with calf from G.L. Riby, Bridlington, who also sold an in-calf Shorthorn heifer for £1,950.

Bulling heifers hit £1,900 twice from R.C. Bramwell and Sons, Horsley.

Auctioneer: Darlington Farmers Auction Mart.

Bosahan's best hits 7,300gns

SIMMENTAL heifers from the 20^th anniversary of the Bosahan herd from P.J. and B. Olds, Falmouth, headed up the offering of pedigree breeding cattle at Exeter.

The entry of 18 reached 7,300gns for Bosahan Radiant Miss Natalie, a 27-month-old Vale Royal Hamish daughter bred from the Kinclaven Infusion-sired Bosahan Missie Miss Natalie VG87. It joins Russell and Jessica Steer's Rushlade herd, Devon, having run with Ranfurly Pheonix.

Close behind on 7,000gns when sold to Messrs Roberts' Darceys herd, Shropshire, was Bosahan Rosella Ingrid Venus, a Kinclaven Infusion daughter which had also run with Ranfurly Pheonix. It is out of Boshana Ingrid Venus Ex93.

Steve White, Tirley herd, Cheshire, paid 5,200gns for the Knockreagh Immanuel-sired Bosahan Libra Star ,which had also run with the Ranfurly bull.

The polled 18-month-old Bosahan Rhapsody Clover led the maiden heifers when sold to Messrs Roberts for 4,500gns. It is by Dirnanean Apostle and out of Bosahan Nifty Kenna Clover VG87.

Matching that were two bulls, Bosahan Raleigh and Bosahan Spitfire, which both sold to commercial herds.

The sale of South Devon bulls reached 6,000gns for Godworthy Astar 36 from R.C. Burrough and Son, Axminster.

Kevin Finch, Northamptonshire, received 4,800gns and 4,500gns for two of his Pytchley bulls, while the Tully Partnership, Brixham, sold one from their Waddeton herd for 4,400gns.

Auctioneer: Kivells.

Dairy cattle hit £3,900 at Penrith

ALL classes of dairy cattle improved £300-£400 on the month, as cattle reached an all-time high at Penrith where 15 sold in excess of £3,000.

Trade peaked at £3,900 for a Montbeliarde cross Ayrshire cross Holstein Friesian heifer from C. Dent, Kirkby Thore. Selling to H.M. Dent, Darlington, it was giving 37 litres daily. The run of 11 freshly-calved ProCross heifers from Messrs Dent averaged £3,200.

Elsewhere, Messrs Williamson, Appleby, sold second-calvers giving 35 litres to £3,200 and averaged £2,850 for five.

R. Forrest and Son, Appleby-in-Westmorland, sold a two-week calved heifer giving 35 litres to Messrs Pugh, Hereford, for £3,100.

Pure-bred Jerseys peaked at £1,900 for a third-calver from J. and A.G. Nicholson, Keswich, matched by a heifer from Mr Hitchen, Halifax.

In-calf cattle peaked at £2,640 for British Friesian heifers from H. Noble and Son, Penrith, with bulling heifers to £1,760 for a 14-month-old Montbeliarde cross Swedish Red cross Holstein Friesian from Messrs Dent, who sold 24 to average £1,594.

Auctioneer: Penrith and District Farmers Mart.

Breeding cattle to £5,000 at Barnard Castle

WELL-BRED cattle were in demand at the sale of breeding cattle through Barnard Castle, where a heifer with heifer calf from G.T. and E. Atkinson, Winston, topped at £5,000.

The first prize entry from D. and S. Teasdale and Son, Copley, realised £4,600.

Store cattle peaked at £3,200 from Young Farmer overwintering competitor, Oliver Barker, Coatham Munderville, whose Limousin heifer also achieved the best daily liveweight gain of 1.54kg and the best profit margin of £1,040.

Champion overwintered calf was a heifer from Caitlin Dent, Lartington, which realised £2,250, while the reserve, a bullock from Daisy Todd, Bishop Auckland, made £2,040.

Champion store calf was a heifer from J.W. Dent and Sons, Lartington, which realised £2,200 as heifers averaged £1,745.

Bullocks averaged £1,791 having sold to £2,180 for a Blonde from D.A. and A.M. Gill, Marwood.

Averaging £1,807, the 69 feeding bulls peaked at £2,450 for the first prize entry, a Limousin from D. Dargue and Son, Ettersgill.

Auctioneer: C. and D. Auction Marts.