Last updated 10:25, Thursday, 16 October 2008

OPEN AGAIN: The High Gillerthwaite Camping Barn in the Ennerdale Valley

MITCHELL’S sale of primestock on Wednesday, last week, saw a much increased entry of cast cows.

There were new buyers and lower grade cows were certainly very dear against the national market.

Meaty cows however were rather cheaper. Continental cows sold to a top price of 114.5p/kg for a Limousin-cross cow from Messrs J & D Hodgson, Parsonage Farm, this was bought by Les Fell of Settle.

Dairy bred cows sold to 103.5p/kg for a Holstein from I R & J M Fearon, Frizington Hall, and was bought by Cleveland Meat Co Ltd.

A small entry of commercial grade prime cattle sold a top of 143.5p/kg for a Limousin heifer from Richard Vickers, Mosser Heights, bought by Michael Atkinson, Ripon.

Prime bulls were all Friesian bred and sold to 131.5p/kg to Messrs Bowe, Hunday Farm bought by Tom Bradley, Egremont.

TOP PRICES – Prime Heifers – Limousin – 143.5p Mosser Heights; 140.5 Brow Top; Friesian – 112.5 Annfield;

Prime Bullocks – Friesian – 133.5p, 129 (x2) Springfield

Prime Bulls – Friesian – 131.5p, 125.5 Hunday; 129.5, 127.5 Millom Castle.

Cast Cows – Limousin-cross – 114.5p Parsonage Farm; 109.5 (x2) Shatton Lodge; 96.5 Crooklands; Belgian Blue-cross – 113.5p, 93.5 Arkleby Hall; 96.5 Brow Top; Friesian – 103.5 Frizington Hall; 102.5 Burton House; 99.5 Woodside; 98.5 Arkleby Hall; Aberdeen Angus – 89.5p Askhill; Charolais bull – 105.5p Crooklands; Limousin bull – 89.5p Whitestones

AVERAGES – Cattle – Premium grade: max 143.5p/kg ave 141.8p; Prime: max 133.5p/kg ave 126.3p; Commercial: max 101.5p/kg ave 101.5p.

Bulls – Prime: max 131.5p/kg ave 128.5p.

SHEEP

There was a reduced entry of prime lambs, understandable against a falling national market. As always export type lambs were in tremendous demand. Heavy lambs were also rather dearer but lightweight and standard lambs were less money.

Heavy lambs averaged 122p/kg selling to a top of 162.2p/kg (£73) for Texel-cross from Messrs A & J Clark, Cherry Tree House, and bought by Tony Harrison, butcher Cockermouth. Mr Harrison also bought the top price lambs per head, at £80, again for Texel lambs and these being produced by Frank Hindmoor, of Thistleton Farm. There were also fewer ewes in the market, but with the usual buyers in attendance trade showed little difference.

TOP PRICES – Prime Lambs – Texel – £80, 72.50, 70.50 Thistleton; 73.50 Millom Castle; 73 Cherry Tree; 66.50, 66 Millstone Moor; Charollais-cross – £54 Scalesmoor; 53.80 Riggingill; Suffolk – £56 Millom Castle; 55.80 Low House; 55 Brigham; 51.80 Westray; Herdwick-cross – £48 How Hall; 45.50 Jenkin; 45 Elva Plain; Mule – £45.50 High Side; 44.80 Terrace Farm; 44 Mosser Heights; 44 Tortolocate.

Lightweight Lambs – Herdwick-cross – £32 Briarbank.

Cast Ewes – Texel – £48.50, 43.50 A J Clark, Cherry Tree House; 45.50 M/s R A Rawling, Overcroft; 44.50 T S & S M Park, Millom Castle; Half Bred – £41.50, 39.50 Hartley Farming, Prospect House; Suffolk -£41.50 B Burrough, Waites Farm; 38.50 T S & S M Park, Millom Castle; Mule – £41.50 D C Fisher, Sands Close.

Rams – Texel – £49.50 Ashburner Ltd, High House; 47.50 B W Hewitson, Shatton Lodge; Zwartble – £37.50 T Roper, Reitfontein.

Best ever at Autumn show

THE Annual Autumn Prize Show and sale of store cattle drew one of the largest and best ever entries of feeding cattle yet seen at the Lakeland Livestock Centre, Cockermouth.

An excellent catalogue entry of 537 head included an excellent entry of show cattle, which were presented to the judge,Jonathan Townley of Clapham. His prize championship award went to Messrs Walker, Beechcroft, for a Continental bullock which eventually sold for £1,050. Reserve championship honours were given to Ian and Reg Millard, Old Hyton, whose first prize Limousin bullock made £1,100.

Trade for all classes of cattle was dearer than recent sales and the extra numbers on the catalogue ensured many new faces around the ring.

Earlier a small entry of rearing calves sold to a very similar trade to recent sales. This sale also included a beef herd reduction on behalf Peter and Jane Mitchinson, Ryhola Meadow, who presented an excellent run of cows and calves topping at £1,250 for an aged Limousin cow and bull calf.

Prize Winners – Any other breed bullocks – 1 & champion – M/s Walker, Beechcroft £1,050 to David Barker, Scarborough; 2 M/s Walker, Beechcroft £825 to Geoff Bowe, Bothel Parks.

Any other breed heifer 1 M/s Walker, Beechcroft £835 to David Barker, Scarborough; 2 A T Sharpe, Holmecroft £885 to R Matterson, Stonecroft;

Limousin bullocks – 1 and reserve champion – I & R Millard, Old Hyton £1,100 to Geoff Little, Greenhill; 2 J Capstick & Son, Whicham Hall £1,020 to David Barker, Scarborough;

Limousin heifers 1 I & R Millard, Old Hyton £642 to John Bowling, Wigan; 2 A G & K F Nicholson, Swinside End £815 to J Townley, Clapham.

Any breed bulls – 1 M/s Armstrong, Terrace Farm £832 to David Barker, Scarborough; 2 M/s Armstrong, Terrace Farm £738 to David Barker, Scarborough.

Rearing Calves – Belgian Blue bulls – £300, 275, 270 Fairladies; Belgian Blue Heifers – 190 (x2) Fairladies

Feeding cows – £745 Robinson Place; 578 Mill Farm (Noble);

Cows & Calves – 1,250, 1,150, 1,140, 1,060 (x2) Ryhola Meadow.

Limousin bull – £900 Ryhola Meadow

Store Bullocks – Limousin – £1,100 Old Hyton; 1,020, 828 Whicham Hall; 935, 892, 888, 882 Eastlands; 925, 920, 918 Rosemoutn; 900, 885 (x2), 835 Holmecroft; 888, 865, 832 Riggingill; 832 Ewanrigg Hall; Belgian Blue – £1,050, 825 (x2), 775, 738 Beechcroft; 935, 745, Parkside; 722 Hall Santon; Charolais – £742 Askhill; 702, 698 Sandwith; Montbeliarde – 792, 742 Ewanrigg Hall; Aberdeen Angus-cross £732 Stoneyhowe; 698 Thomsen Estates;

Store bulls – Limousin – £832, 738, 668 Terrace Farm; Friesian – 705, 688 Midtown; 582 Harrington Parks;

Store heifers – Belgian Blue – £835, 795 Beechcroft; 785, 765, 718 Crossfield Road; 742 Home Farm; Limousin – £885 Crossfield Rd; 868, 738 Broom Farm; 815 Swinside End; 802 Strawberry How; 755 Rosemount; Blonde – £805, 682 Crossfield Rd; Charolais – £705, 698 Stoddah; Simmental – £652 High Beckcote.

The store lamb ring saw a higher than anticipated entry of store lambs, even though some vendors were unable to reach the market due to flooding in West Cumbria on the morning of the sale. Trade for all classes of lambs met their best level of the season with buyers for both best quality lowland bred lambs and also and the increasing numbers of hill lambs, which were very good to sell.

Store Lambs – Texel – £41.50 Punderland; 41 Crookdake; 40.50 Mireside; 40 Cockley Gill; 38 Dyke Croft; Charollais-cross £39.20 Sea View; 35.50 Lanefoot; Suffolk – £38 Mireside; 36 Sea View; Cheviot – £37.50 Rannerdale; 31.50 Lanefoot; Texel-cross-Swaledale – £28.80 Stockhow Hall; Cheviot-cross-herdwick £29 Rannerdale; Texel-cross-Herdwick £30.50 Jenkin; 28.50 Cockley Gill; Mule £32 Hope Farm; 27 Bleawath; Herdwick £28 Tenter Hill; 26 Briarbank; 22 Wallend; Swaledale £23 Mireside; 18.20 Lanefoot; 17 Ashness.