Report and Newsletter - 2nd August 2024
Lancaster Auction Mart: Sale of Prime Lambs, Cast Sheep & Breeding Sheep. Monday 29th July 2024.
Prime Lambs
A quality entry of well finished lambs were forward as requested, with an overall market average of 316p/kg. Today’s sale peaked at £192 for a heavy weight Suffolk cross lambs from EW & A Bradshaw, Stalmine. Other heavy weight well bred lambs were regularly £150 to £165 (310p/kg to 330p/kg). The best first cross lambs sold to £154 for Texel cross from KA Purtill, Wigan with other heavy weights £140 to £148, standards weights £130 to £140 and several pens of lighter weight lambs generally achieving £105 to £115. The sale topped at 388p/kg for a pen of Texel cross lambs from M Coxhead, Longridge with other well finished pure and ¾ bred lambs £130 to £150 and best first cross 315p/kg to 330p/kg.
Additional buyers were in attendance today, keen to source lambs from Lancaster Auction, vendors are encouraged to present sheep with confidence. Gates are open for weighing from 7.30am, with the sale commencing at 10.30am.
Prime Lambs Top Prices: Suffolk: £192 The Old Stable, £128 Middle Lee Farm. Texel: £169 Botton Hall Farm, £164 Hill View Farm, £164 Bensons Farm, £163 Hill View Farm, £161 Botton Hall Farm, £160 Cock Hall Farm. Beltex: £159, £150, £144, £140 Oak Aveune. Dutch Spotted: £155, £145, £142, £140 Myerscough Hall, £134 Oak Aveune. Continental: £148, £143, £140 Bensons Farm. Charollais: £134 Myerscough Hall, £124, £116, £114 Jacksons Farm. Hampshire: £126, £119 Castle O Trim.
Cast Sheep
A much planer show of cull ewes were forward today, with an overall average of £98 achieved. The sale peaked at £154 for Texel cross ewes from H Birkett & Son, Overton with other medium cross bred ewes generally £130 to £140 and lighter weighs £115 to £125. Mules sold to £110, with others £95 to £105. Pure hill ewes sold to £94 for Cheviots. Just a handful of rams forward saw Suffolks sell to £150.
Cast Ewes Top Prices: Texel: £154 North Farm, £139 Hill View Farm, £138 Botton Hall Farm, £134 Bensons Farm, £127, £123 Greenwoods. Mule: £110, £100 North Farm. Cheviot: £94 Greenwoods.
Cast Ram Top Prices: Suffolk: £150 The Old Stable.
Breeding Sheep
The opening sale of breeding sheep saw local and travelled buyers in attendance, all keen to secure additional and replacement stock. The sale commenced with breeding rams which saw Texel cross Charolais shearlings sell to £500 from S Mason, Kirkby Stephen with others selling to £400 from J Bargh, Morecambe. Ram lambs sold to £250 for Texels from S Roberts, Clitheroe. The annual consignment of double vaccinated Mule shearlings from Paul and Sophie Casson (DJ Casson & Son, Slyne) sold to £225 twice, with a further eight pens at £218 to £220. Other Mule shearlings sold to £190 from M Bowman, Kirkby Stephen. All Mules forward averaged £215. A keen interest in proven sheep, saw MG&J Parker, Wennington sold their annual consignment of draft four crop Mules to £165 with others at £160, with three crop Mules sold to £158 from S &J France, Over Wyresdale. Texel cross ewes sold to £155 from KA Purtill, Wigan with other continental ewes generally £140 to £150.
The next sale of breeding sheep at Lancaster Auction Mart is the annual show and sale of ewes and shearlings, plus the Lancaster Lads sale of breeding rams on Wednesday 21st August. Entries for this sale close on Friday 2nd August.
Breeding Ewe Top Prices: Mule: £165, £160 Lodge Farm, £158 Kays Farm, £158 Wath Farm, £158 Kays Farm, £155 Pilling Hall Farm. Texel: £155 Oak Aveune, £155 Wath Farm, £152, £148 Oak Aveune, £145 Stonehead, £140 Oak Aveune. Blue Texel: £150 Oak Aveune. Suffolk: £140 Stonehead.
Gimmer Shearlings Top Prices: Mule: £225 (x2), £220 (x4) Beaumont Gate. Texel: £172 High Hallbeck, £130, £120, £105 Long Barn.
Lamb Ramb Top Prices: Texel: £250, £180 Siddows Farm.
Shearling Ram Top Prices: Texel: £500 Cairn Cottage, £400 Cottam Farm, £350 Cairn Cottage. Suffolk: £300 Cairn Cottage.
J36 Rural Auction Centre: Weekly Sale of Prime Lambs & Cast Sheep, Tuesday 30th July 2024.
Prime Lambs
1016 prime lambs were forward, with an overall market average of 312p/kg achieved for lambs ranging from 27kg to 54kg. Best bred lambs sold to £172 from ST&SE Allen, Tebay with others to £171 from RM&JL Whitton, Cartmel. Other heavy lambs both pure and cross bred were regularly £150 to £165. Standard weights sold to £143, with others achieving £135 to £142. Light weight lambs sold to £127 for Beltex cross, with other better bred light weight lambs frequently £110 to £120.
Today’s sale peaked at 366p/kg for Texel cross lambs from ST&SE Allen, Tebay with other well finished better end lambs regularly 320p/kg to 330p/kg. First cross lambs were regularly 310p/kg to 320p/kg. Several pens of under finished lambs were 295p/kg to 305p/kg, depending on breed and quality. Vendors are encouraged to ensure lambs are well finished to achieve maximum returns at the weekly prime market.
Prime Lambs Top Prices: Continental: £172 Hillcroft, £160 Hill Top Farm, £159 Stockdale Farms, £158 Low Croft, £154 Crosscrake Farm, £153 Hyning Home Farm. Suffolk: £171 Aynsome Manor Farm, £158 Heathwaite Farm, £147 Green Close Farm, £145 Heathwaite Farm, Moss Head, £143 Roundthwaite. Texel: £170 Bendrigg Farm, £169 Spital Farm, £166 Oak Fold, Head House, £161 Head House, £156 Oak Fold. Charollais: £160 Redbank Farm, £149 Aynsome Manor Farm, £148 Yak Leaf, £144 Redbank Farm, £137 Foulshaw Farm, £136 Redbank Farm. Beltex: £139 Old Woodhouse, £127 Hillcroft, £110 Old Woodhouse. Herdwick: £157 Paddock Cottage, Dorset: £132, £130 Biggarsbank. Mule: £133 Greaves Farm. Lleyn: £132 Low Foulshaw. Dales: £101 Roundthwaite. Zwartble: £123 Birks Farm.
Cast Sheep
Another increased entry of local farmer cull ewes was forward today, for what perhaps could be described as a show of predominately medium type sheep. The best pure breds sold to £288 for Texels from T&CM Kelsall & Sons, Chipping with a further eleven pens at £246 to £268. Medium pure breds were £195 to £210. The best heavy cross bred ewes sold to £192 from WS Burrow Ltd, Silverdale with others at £190 from RHM&S Boyren, Ulverston, with the better end £175 to £185. The best mediums sorts were £140 to £160, with lighter weights finding a keen interest for grazing at £90 to £110.
Cheviot Mules sold to £172 from WS Burrow, Silverdale with RF Mules to £168 from S Procter, Selside and NC Mules £154 from T&CM Kelsall & Sons, Chipping. Other heavy end Mules were regularly £140 to £150. Stronger mediums sorts were £132 to £138, with the leaner end £90 to £110. Pure hill ewes sold to £192 for Cheviots with Herdwicks to £117. A large number of leaner recently weaned Swaledales were £55 to £70, topping at £88.
Continental rams sold to £192 with others regularly £140 to £170. Pure hill rams sold to £101 for Herdwicks, with others £92 to £98.
Cast Ewes Top Prices: Texel: £288 £262 £246 Brown Brook, £268 High Aulthurstside Farm, £196 Cantsfield, £192 Gibraltar Farm. Cheviot: £192 £172 £124 Gibraltar Farm, £127 Westmorland Chapel Farm. Leicester: £185 Hillcroft. Suffolk: £182 High Biggarsbank, £168 £157 Lan House Farm, £152 Moss End Farm, £122 Lane House Farm, £118 Turners Farm. Continental: £180 Cinderbarrow Farm, £174 Westmorland Chapel Farm, £158 £119 Dunningwell Farm, £134 Low Barns Farm, £117 Underhelm Farm. Mule: £168 High Biggarsbank, £154 Brown Brook, £152 Bradley Farm, £150 Arklid Farm, £148 Gibraltar Farm, £145 Cinderbarrow Farm. Beltex: £168 £127 Holgate Caravan, £136 Old Woodhouse, £116 £96 Lane House Farm. Masham: £146 Mosergh Farm. Herdwick: £108 £88 £80 Underhelm Farm, £50 Archer Hill. Swale: £88 £84 Middale Farm, £88 £62 Hillcroft, £76 £48 Roundthwaite. Zwartble: £86 Lane House Farm. Rough: £80 £68 Archer Hill. Dales: £78 £70 Brown Brook.
Cast Ram Top Prices: Texel: £192 Cantsfield Hall, £165 Crosscrake Farm, £140 Millriggs, £86 £85 Ackenthwaite Farm. Herdwick: £101 £96 £95 Millriggs. Continental: £67 Greenlands.
J36 Rural Auction Centre: Early Breeding Sheep Sale & Fortnightly Sale of Store Lambs. Thursday 1st August 2024.
Breeding Sheep
The early season sale of breeding sheep saw a large crowd of local and travelled buyers in attendance, all keen to secure stock. The sale commenced with breeding rams which saw a top price of £400 for a Suffolk shearlings from RA&L Hodgson, Patton. Breeding ewes sold to a top price of £190 for a pen full of one crop North Country Mules from M&YS Barker, Halton who sold others at £182 and two crops to £175. Mixed two and three crop Mule ewes from JB&AH Coates, Cowin Bridge sold to £168, with full mouthed correct Mules from S Proctor, Selside to £152. Texel cross 2 to 3 crop ewes sold to £222 from JB&AH Coates, Cowin Bridge, with other two crops to £200 and £219 from M&YS Barker, Halton. Other cross bred ewes were generally £160 to £180. Several consignments of shearlings were forward from regularly vendors, with buyers keen to secure replacement stock to keep the flocks young. A consignment of North Country Mules from DJ Casson & Son, Slyne sold to £232 with other from this consignment to £225. Other Mule shearlings saw a pen sell to £200 from R Falshaw & Son, Gisburn and £190 from H&B Wharton, Penrith. Cheviot Mule shearlings sold to £225 from J Stott Jnr, Crosscrake with others at £215 and £208. The next
sale of breeding sheep is on Saturday 24th August, being the annual price show and sale of breeding ewes and gimmer shearlings.
Shearling Tup Top Prices: Suffolk: £400 Patton Hall
Breeding Ewes: Texel: £222 Longlands, £200 Halton Park Farm, £190 High Biggarsbank, £190 Halton Park Farm. Mule: £190 Halton Park Farm, £168 Longlands, £152 High Biggarsbank. Charolais: £105 Bouthwaite Farm.
Gimmer Shearlings Top Prices: Mule: £232 Beaumont Gate, £200 Shuttleworth Hall. Cheviot Mule: £225 Kingsland. Dorset: £198 Corney Hill Farm. Texel: £165 High Biggarsbank.
Store Lambs
A competitive ring side of buyers saw all classes and types of store lambs sort after, with 1618 lambs selling to a market average of £99.85. The strongest store lambs were regularly selling at £115 to £122, with a top price of £130 achieved on two occasions for a pen full of Texel cross from RI Dixon, Low Newton and Cheviot cross from HE&MJ Henderson, Dent. Medium keep Continental lambs were regularly £105 to £112, with a top price of £114 achieved for a pen full of Texel cross from DC D & JD Tayor, Skelsmergh. Suffolk lambs sold to £114.50 for a ring full from AT Threlkeld Ltd, Ulverston and H&JE Watson, Ulverston, with other at £110 from TGT&PJ Strickland, Helsington. Mules are now coming forward in greater numbers selling to £106 from H Cook, Witherslack with other at £103 from RI Dixon, Low Newton and £100 from Messrs Hodgson, Windermere. Longer keep lambs of all breeds were regularly £86 to £95, with buyers keen to secure level well draw batches of lambs.
Next sale is on Thursday 15th August, with a large entry required to fulfil local and travelled buyers requirements.
Store Lambs Top Prices: Cheviot: £130 Nun House, £98.50 Lane House Farm, £97 Ashstead, £91 Lane House Farm. Texel: £130 Low Newton Farm, £127 Garnett Folds, £126.50 High Borrowbridge, £124.50 Longwell, £124 Mint View, £121 Marsh House Farm. Charollais: £126, £112 Hollins Farm, £107.50 Bowkerstead Farm, £100.50 Barker Knott. Beltex: £116, £115 Leighton House. Dutch Spotted: £115 Sedbergh Road. Suffolk: £114.50 Bowkerstead Farm, £114.50 New Close, £110 Grate Farm, £105.50 Sunny Brow, £101 Marsh House Farm, £95 Grate Farm. Mule: £106 Moss Howe Farm, £103 Low Newton Farm, £100 High Borrans Farm, £89 Ashstead, £89 High Borrans Farm. Cheviot Mule: £91.50 Barket Knott. Continental: £84 Lodge Bank Farm. Zwartble: £71.50 Lane House Farm.
Lancaster Auction Mart: Sale of Calves, OTM's & Store Cattle. Friday 2nd August 2024.
Calves & Weanlings
A reduced show of calves forward at Lancasters weekly sale, due to many people being busy with seasonal jobs, while the weather allows. Todays high was £565 for a Charolais bull from J&G Thornley, Kirkham with others from this home at £530. Native sired bulls sold to a top of £500 for an Aberdeen Angus from J&R Waller, Killington. The strongest bull on offer today all reached £500. Heifers topped at £740 for a Charolais again from J&G Thornley, Kirkham with much younger British Blue rearers from RT Halhead, Cockerham reaching £325. Weanling sold to a top of £600 for a pair of Friesian from TD&A Gardner, Larbreck, with all other stirks forward achieving maximum returns.
Many more cattle are needed for next weeks sale. Please remember to inform Will or Andrew of entries to help with advertisement.
Heifer Calves Top Prices: Charolias: £520 Kays Farm, £470 Derby Lodge Farm. British Blue: £325, £315, £305, £290 (2), £270 Norbreck Farm, £305 Bank End Farm. Angus: £310, £120 Hallbeck.
Bull Calves Top Prices: Charolais: £565, £530, £510 Derby Lodge Farm. Angus: £490, £470, £435, £430 Walkers I’th Fields.
Bull Stirk Top Prices: Friesian: £600 (2) Larbreck Hill Farm. Angus: £500 Hallbeck.
Store Cattle
Another fast and furious Friday here at Lancaster, with just short of 200 going through the ring. Top of the league table today and well deserved for the quality of cattle he bought in, was David Preston, Caton with a brute of a Limousin steer at £1940. Not far behind was regular Lancaster supporter SH&LE Birkett, Nether Kellet with a pair of British Blue steers at £1900 and a pen of three at £1780. Aberdeen Angus steers topped at £1860 from Pilling Hall, Pilling. Other Angus steers sold to £1770 from EE Thornton, Heaton for a pen of four, with this home also selling a pen of four Friesians at £1500. Dave Preston continued his good day selling Charolais steers to £1880 and Hereford steers to £1640 and £1560. A pair of Simmental steers from DJ&MC Platts, Caton sold to £1840. There were plenty of steers today in the £1500 to £1660 region. Younger steers saw plenty of trade with Charolais steers to £1370 at 13 months old from AVA Thornton, Cockerham. A consignment of Angus steers at 14 months old from JW Thwaites, Tebay topping at £1210, with many more 14-16 months old steers round the £1150 to £1200 mark. Store heifers were easily as good to sell this week, with a sale average of £1225. Hitting the headlines today was WM&JE Shuttleworth, Barbon with a Limousin at £1860. British Blues sold to £1760 from SH&LE Birkett, Nether Kellet, who also had a pen of four at £1700. JM Haddow, Milnthorpe sold a trio of Charolais heifers to £1710. Angus heifers sold to £1480 from MJ Waller, Carnforth with younger Angus heifer at 14 months to £1230 from JW Thwaites, Tebay. If you have store cattle, OTM or calves to sell, please contact one of our auctioneers or fields officers who will happily help with marketing advise to get your full value for your cattle.
Store Bullocks Top Prices: Limousin: £1940, £1760 (x2) Ellers Farm, £1680 North Farm, £1660 Carlingwha, £1640 Elston Old Hall Farm. British Blue: £1900, £1780 Stubb Hall Farm, £1740, £1660 Greenlands Farm, £1520 Thornton Barn Farm, £1510 Lower Castle O Trim. Charolais: £1880, £1700 Ellers Farm, £1380 Windy Hill Farm, £1370 Little Crimbles. Angus: £1860 Pilling Hall Farm, £1770, £1720 Downlands Farm, £1680 North Farm, £1660 Carlingwha, £1660 Downlands Farm. Simmental: £1840 Greenbank Farm, £1380 Hall Bank. Saler: £1680 North Farm. Hereford: £1640, £1560 Ellers Farm, £1380 Hornby Bank, £1380 Hall Bank, £1360 Ellers Farm, £1360 Savick Brook Farm. Friesian: £1500 Dowlands Farm, £1300 Plumpton Hall Farm, £1200 Benson Hall, £1060 Thornton Barn Farm, £1020 Elston Old Hall. Meuse-Rhine-Issel: £1220, £1180 Littlewood Hall Farm. Continental: £1010 St Cathertines. Other: £1090 Bradley Farm.
Store Heifers Top Prices: Limousin: £1860 Barbon Fell House, £1310 Hall Bank, £1070 Higher Hud Lee Farm, £1050 The Bungalow. British Blue: £1740, £1700 Stubb Hall Farm, £1340 Barbon Fell House, £1290 Parrox Hall Farm, £1010, £900 Higher Hud Lee Farm. Charolais: £1710, £1600 Viver Mill Farm. Angus: £1480 Carlingwha, £1310 Elston Old Hall, £1230 Eskew Beck, £1070 Higher Hud Lee Farm, £1050 The Bungalow, £980 Eskew Beck. Hereford: £1380 Carlingwha, £930 Ellers Farm. Fleckvieh: £1170 Bull Bank Farm. Meuse-Rhine-Issel: £940 Littlewood Hall Farm.
Store Bull Top Prices: Limousin: £1040 High Lane. Friesian: £920 High Lane.
OTM Cattle
A good entry of 80 OTM cattle were forward today, which all sold to their full potential. Topping the pence per kilo today was a OTM Charolais heifer from J Miller, Brock at 269.5p/kg and grossing £1617. Fleckvieh OTM heifers reached 264.5p/kg from R Packham, Kendal.
OTM steers reached 264.5p/kg for a Friesian from A Kirkby & Co, Pilling with an Aberdeen Angus from T&E Burrow, Slyne reaching 254.5p/kg with this grossing £1710.
W&JE Shuttleworth, Barbon sold the top price pence per kilo cow at 239.5p/kg for a Limousin with this grossing at £1657. AE Atkinson & Son, Kendal sold the top grossing cow at £1696 for a Limousin.
Dairy cows reached 191.5p/kg for a Friesian from R&E Ladds, Kendal with this home also topping the gross prices again with a Friesians at £1595.
OTM Cow Top Prices: Limousin: 239.5 Barbon Fell House, 229.5 Stubb Farm, 221.5 Cobble Hey Farm, 219.5 High Tenement Farm, 191.5 Kays Farm. Charolais: 224.5 Cobble Hey Farm. British Blue: 221.5 High Tenement Farm. Shorthorn: 217.5, 209.5 Cobble Hey Farm. Simmental: 214.5 Littlewood Hall Farm. Angus: 199.5 Netherbeck Barn, 199.5 High Tenement Farm. Hereford: 191.5 Birkland Barrow, 187.5 Singleton Park, 174.5 Birkland Barrow. Friesian: 191.5, 187.5 Benson Hall, 187.5 Docker Hall, 184.5 Richmond Hall, 179.5 Greenalls Farm, 174.5 Hole Of Ellel. MRI: 161.5 Littlewood Hall Farm.Montbeliarde: 181.5 Holme Head. Dairy Shorthorn: 179.5, 164.5 Docker Farm. Fleckvieh: 174.5 Docker Hall.
OTM Heifer Top Prices: Charolais: 269.5 Thornlea. Fleckvieh: 264.5 Docker Hall, 184.5, 164.5 Docker Farm. Shorthorn: 239.5 Thornlea. Friesian: 237.5, 229.5 North Farm, 224.5 Elm Tree Farm, 219.5 Kiln Hall, 219.5 West Hall, 171.5 Docker Hall. Dairy Shorthorn: 179.5, 174.5 Docker Farm.
Cast Steer Top Prices: Friesian: 264.5 Gulf Farm. Angus: 254.5, 234.5 Throstle Grove Farm, 209.5 Bainsbank Farm. Charolais: 209.5 Cottam Farm.
Cast Bull Top Prices: Charolais: 259.5 Thornlea. Fleckvieh: 209.5 Netherbeck Barn. Ayrshire: 174.5 Newsham Hall Farm.
Next Week's Upcoming Sales
Monday 5th
Lancaster: 10:30am Weekly Sale of Prime Lambs & Cast Sheep
J36: 9am-4pm Machinery Viewing
Tuesday 6th
J36: From 9am Online Machinery Sale concludes 1pm Weekly Sale of Prime Lambs & Cast Sheep
Wednesday 7th
J36: 9am-4pm Machinery Collection
Thursday 8th
J36: 10am Fortnightly Sale of Calves
10:30am Fortnightly Sale of OTM/Cast Cattle
11:15am Fortnightly Sale of Stirks & Store Cattle
Friday 9th
Lancaster: 10:15am Weekly Sale of Calves, and OTM/Cast Cattle
11am Fortnightly Sale of Dairy Cattle
11:15am Weekly Sale of Store Cattle
J36: 9am-4pm Machinery Collection
Sunday 11th
J36: 11am North West Texel Breeders Club Annual Show & Sale of 271 Texel Rams & Females
