Strong cattle trade at Carlisle

Harrison and Hetherington’s weekly cattle sales at Carlisle saw a strong trade across stores, calves and commercial dairy cattle last week.

A small offering of 289 calves saw a full ringside of buyers ensuring all classes were dearer on the week

Black and white calves were in great demand, but it was the continentals that topped the trade at £510 for a British Blue bull calf from M and B Fletcher, Round Bush, Annan.

Native bred calves with named sires were also well sought after topping at £385 twice for Aberdeen Angus bulls from W Wood and Son, Groundy Croft, Drigg.

Limousin bulls hit £500 for an entry from Crossrigg Farm, with Holstein Friesian bulls seeing £245 twice for an offering from Roundbush Farm.

Among the heifers, a Limousin from Southenby Hall found a new home at £490, and a British Blue put forward by South Lough House went for £440.

Commercial dairy cattle

Carlisle’s weekly sale of commercial dairy cattle also saw a strong attendance with cattle selling to £2,020 for a British Friesian from Calvo.

Holstein Friesians from Linstock Castle also sold at £1,850 and £1,820, with an Ayrshire from Plumpton Foot Farm selling for £1,780.

Store cattle and weanlings

Despite what is traditionally a quiet period for cattle marketing Harrison & Hetherington sold 656 head of stores and weanlings.

A small entry of good quality store cattle were submitted to a large attendance of

buyers with all classes of stock maintaining recent high rates. Leading prices included a £1,210 call for a Limousin steer from Greengill and a £1,110 bid for a heifer of the same breed from Low Fauld.

A mixed show of 192 weaned calves were forward with a good ringside of buyers ensuring a good trade though out. A Limousin bull from Cowranside Farm went for £1,170, a Charolais steer from Edge sold for £1,040 and a Blue Grey heifer from Meikle Whitriggs for £710.