RCairncross

Last updated 01:00, Thursday, 25 October 2007

MITCHELL’S held a combined afternoon sale of Swaledale and Bluefaced Leicester breeding rams. A good entry of Swaledale rams was put before the prize sale judge, Anthony Hartley of Tuner Hall Farm, Seathwaite. In a very tight championship class, he made the following awards:-

Swaledale Rams – Shearling – 1, and champion M/s T W Bell, Hilltop; 2, M/s Folder, Wescoe. 2 Shear - 1 M/s Bennett, Hollins; 2, M/s Cockbain & Sons, Rakefoot. Aged – 1, and reserve champion, W & P A Walton & Son, Low Kinmont; 2, M/s T W Bell, Hilltop.

Swaledale rams 500 M/s Lightfoot, Gillside.

In the Bluefaced Leicester section Eddie Wills, Oldscale, Wythop kindly acted as master judge and a small but nice quality entry of show sheep was placed before him. He made the following awards:-

Bluefaced Leicester Rams – Shearling – 1, M/s Folder, Wescoe; 2, W & P A Walton & Son, Low Kinmont; Ram Lamb – 1, and champion R J & A Y Armstrong, Terrace Farm; 2, amd reserve champion R W & J H Emmott, Wythop Hall Farm.

Bluefaced Leicester rams 460 R J & A Y Armstrong, Terrace Farm.

* MITCHELL’S sale of prime cattle found all classes harder to sell than expected, perhaps due in some part to the relaxation in FMD restrictions, allowing far more stock to be sold on the markets. Benson Hewitson, Shatton Lodge showed the pick of the prime cattle selling a heavy Limousin bullock to 123.5p/kg (£791.64) purchased by Les Fell of Settle. Steers averaged 110.61p/kg, which under the circumstances was not too bad. An increased entry of prime bulls sold to 117.5p/kg given to John Hind, Low Moor End by Tom Bradley of Egremont. Dairy bulls sold to a top of 102.5p/kg given to L Tyson & Sons, Gate House for a Montbeliarde bull.

Prime Heifers – Belgian Blue 109.5 Dean Farm; Limousin 107.5 (x2) Moorside.

Prime Bullocks – Limousin 123.5 Shatton Lodge.

Prime Bulls – Limousin 17.5 Low Moor End; Montbeliarde 102.5 Gate House; Belgian Blue 100.5 Mid Farm; Charolais 96.5 Isel Old Park; Friesian 89.5 Frizington Hall.

In the cast cow section, cows were actually up 5p/kg on average. Continental cows topped at 74.5p/kg to Hartley Farming Co, Prospect House for a Continental cow purchased by Andrew Finch of Preston. Dairy cows topped at 53.5p/kg for a Montbeliarde X from T & D Langcake, Isel Old Park.

Cast Cows – Simmental heifers 77.5 Waterloo; Limousin cow 74.5 Prospect House; Simmental cow 69.5Waterloo; Charolais cow 67.5 Waterloo; Limousin bullock 57.5 Central Stores; Montbeliarde cow 53.5 Isel Old Park; Friesian cow 51.5 Millom Castle; Aberdeen Angus X bullock 50.5 Central Stores.

Averages: Premium cattle sold to 123.5p/kg, average 109.2p/kg; prime cattle sold to 100.5p/kg, average 99.1p/kg; commercial cattle sold to 86.5p/kg, average 86.5p/kg. Premium bulls sold to 117.5p/kg, average 110.1p/kg; prime bulls sold to 100.5p/kg, average 98.5p/kg; commercial bulls sold to 89.5p/kg, average 84.4p/kg.

* MITCHELL’S Auction Co Ltd had forward 1,950 prime lambs, cast ewes and rams last Wednesday. All classes of lambs overall average was 80.3p/kg, which is 25p/kg below last year’s price at £10.50 per head on a 42kg lamb. It is now felt that consumers should help their industry by “buying British” and support one of the last industries we have. Local butcher, Tony Harrison, Cockermouth purchased the top price lambs at £45 (95.7p/kg) for a pen of 47kg Texel lambs shown by local farmer Ronnie Stamper, Towncroft, Dearham. Cast ewes met a brisk inquiry selling to £53.80 for a pen of Texel ewes shown by T Jackson, Noran Bank purchased by M Lomax, Milnthorpe.

Prime Lambs – Texel 45 R Stamper, Towncroft; Berrichon 38 W Skelton, Bayshore House; Bleu Du Maine 38 T T & G E Hodgson, Woodside; Suffolk 37.50 M/s Brown, Willows; Charollais X 36.80 J Charlton & Sons, Birks Farm.

Cast Ewes - Texel 53.50 T Jackson, Noran Bank; Charollais 46.20 D & L D Norman, Kirkland House; Suffolk 35.50 P & J D Bowe, Schoose.

Rams – Texel 40.20 P & J D Bowe, Schoose; Lleyn 33.50 W Gate & Son, Home Farm; Charollais 40.20 P & J D Bowe, Schoose.

* MITCHELL’S finally managed to hold their two-day sale of Herdwick breeding sheep on October 19 and 20. The first day consisted of Herdwick breeding sheep together with crossing rams. The Herdwick draft ewe sale drew the largest crowd of prospective purchasers seen for many years. Buyers had travelled to Cockermouth as far away as Cornwall, West Wales and Northern Scotland. This ensured spirited bidding for all classes of sheep and produced the best sheep sale of the season so far. All age groups showed a considerable rise of last years trade. Herdwick ewes topped at £45 per head to David Bland, Westhead Farm, Thirlmere, who also won championship honours in what was probably the strongest show line up yet seen at this sale. The judge was Gowie Grave from Drigg. However the highlight of the sale were the gimmer lambs which averaged an amazing £34.61 with great demand from both within and outside of the county. Many more Herdwick sheep could have been sold on the day and several buyers who had travelled a long distance failed to purchase the they needed. It was the same story on the tup ring. There were less rams on offer this year and consequently demand was the strongest of the season. Trade topped at £370 for Texel shearlings from W & M Nixon, Bridekirk Hall. Once again demand exceeded supply and far more tups could have been sold on the day.

Prize Awards – Herdwick ewes, 1 and champion, M/s Bland, Westhead; 2, W S Jackson, Nook Farm; Herdwick gimmer shearlings, 1, Mrs D Richardson, Howegill; Herdwick gimmer lambs, 1, and reserve champion, P Naylor, Bowderdale; 2, P Naylor, Bowderdale.

Prices – Herdwick ewes 45 M/s Bland, Westhead; Herdwick gimmer shearlings 40 G Tyson, Skelsceugh and Mrs D Nicholson, Lorton Park; Herdwick gimmer lambs 38 R Clark, Stone Ends.

Texel Rams – 370 W & M Nixon, Bridekirk Hall; Texel ram lambs 200 M Stockdale, Crosshow and M/s G Wilkinson, Arkleby House; Suffolk ram lambs 210 D J & A Trafford, Springfield; Cheviot rams 225 M/s T W Bell, Hilltop.

The second day of the sale consisted of a very large entry of registered Herdwick rams sold under the auspices of The Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association. The usual high quality entry of tups was presented to the judges, Mrs Elizabeth McKinney and Glen Wilkinson. The championship award was given to Stanley Jackson, Nook Farm, Borrowdale, whose 2 Shear tups made up to 1,300 guineas. Aged rams peaked at 1,000 guineas to David Bland, Westhead, however the highlight of the day was the top priced Herdwick shearling from Anthony Hartley, Turner Hall, who topped the trade at 2,000 guineas. The overall trade for commercial rams was substantially less than the previous year due in part to the difficult trading circumstances this season.

Prize Awards – Herdwick rams – Aged, 1, S Jaeban, Forth House; 2, S A Folder, Briarbank; 2 Shear, 1, and champion, W S Jackson, Nook Farm; 2, A Hartley Ltd, Turner Hall; Shearling, 1 and reserve champion, M Potter, Ulcatrow; 2, A Hartley Ltd, Turner Hall.

Prices – Shearlings 2,000 A Hartley Ltd, Turner Hall; 2 Shears 1,300 W S Jackson, Nook Farm; Aged 1,000M/s Bland, Westhead.