CCM Auction’s, Skipton summarises weekly trade
With a larger entry of 3,348 head at Skipton Auction Mart’s weekly prime sheep sale, lowland breeds again sold well, easily maintaining the previous week’s rates. (Mon, Feb 6)
Heavy hoggs of all breeds, 622 in total and weighing 46kg to 52kg, found a ready ringside, averaging 188p/kg, while hoggs over 52kg averaged £102.85 per head.
A much-increased entry of cast sheep did not dampen trade, with 2nd quality types selling particularly well.
Cull ewes averaged £78.37 each, headed at £133.50 by a pen from John and George Stapleton, Skipton, with cast rams selling to a high of £118.50 from Kevin Marshall, Otley, and to an average of £84.13.
In the 30 to 48-month prime cattle classes, the overall selling average was 131.87p/kg, top performers being two black and whites from Malcolm Swires, Haverah Park, Harrogate at £1,112, 142.5p/kg, and £946, 130.5p/kg.
Cull cows averaged 122.56p/kg, with 10 achieving four figures and peaking at £1,478, 189.5p/kg, for a British Blue from H&S Maudsley, Rathmell. A mature bull from the Oddacres pedigree Limousin herd of John and Claire Mason at Embsay made £1,620.
Rearing calves peaked at £405 for a British Blue-x bull calf from DL Leeming Ltd, Burnt Yates, Harrogate, heifer calf prices headed at £330 by another British Blue-x from AP Lumb, Oakworth. The overall average was £173.
The store cattle section at the fortnightly sale (Wed, Feb 1) saw many heifers aged 18 months and upwards top £1,000, achieving an overall average of £833.
Heading the heifer prices at £1,480 was a British Blue-x from Craven Cattle Marts’ chairman Anthony Hewetson, Bank Newton, who sold 10 of his 40-strong consignment at £1,000 or more.
Mr Hewetson also performed well with 11 store bullocks, including a British Blue-cross at £1,190, top price in both breed and section, and two further top prices – a Blonde- x at £935 and a black & white bullock for £910. He also had the top price pen of three British Blue-x bullocks at £910 per head.
Best of the Limousin-x heifers at £1,280 came from Jeff Pickles, Chapel le Dale, while the top price pen of three of more heifers – four Limousin-x from WA, VJ & JA Towler, Grindleton – each made £1,130.
The pick of the younger heifers aged around 10 months sold at £850 to £950, with good commercial types achieving £750 to £850. In fact, few made under £700.
An improved entry of 10 to 12-month-old bullocks was also in keen demand, easily maintaining recent rates and averaging £834.
Young bulls peaked at £1,200 for a British Blue-x from Stephen Horsfield, Hebden Bridge, one of his five £1K+ entries, which also included the top price Blonde-x at £1,060.
JM Wilson & Son, Beckwithshaw, had the top price pen of young bulls, three Limousin-x knocked down for £1,030 each. Bulls averaged £871