British Blue x bull calf sells for £400 at Skipton

Brothers Shaun and Peter Sowray, of Bowes Green Farm, Bishop Thornton – the reigning dairy and rearing calf title holders in Craven Cattle Marts’ Stockperson of the Year Awards – added another calf championship to their tally at Skipton Auction Mart’s October show on Monday.

The Sowrays, who sell more than 100 calves a year at Skipton, secured the title with their first prize British Blue-x-Limousin bull calf, by a sire acquired from John Swales at Bagby, Thirsk. The 42-day-old victor headed the show prices at £400 when joining Derek Taylor, of Burton Leonard, a regular buyer of quality calves at Skipton, notably Sowray youngsters.

 The top-priced British Blue heifer calf at £375 was presented by Church Farm Enterprises, of Burton Leonard who also headed the prices at £145 in the black and white bull calf class. Limousin bull calf prices also peaked at £375 for an entry from Tony Swires, of Stainburn, Otley.

Best of the Continental heifer stirks came from Ken Browes, of Sutton-in-Craven, who also presented the top-priced Limousin heifer calf at £310. 

The reserve champion, 32-day-old first prize Limousin bull calf from Calderdale’s Stephen Hitchen, of Ing Head Farm, Ludendenfoot, then sold for £290 to Robert Foster, of Bramham.

Averages: British Blue bull calves averaged £332, heifer calves £375, Limousin bull calves £245, heifer calves £208. The overall selling average was £154 per head (CCM Auctions)