Mart report from the week beginning 18 Sep

Limousin Heifers: £1203.50 & £1158.24 Flotterton. 207.5p & 190.5p Flotterton. Charolais Heifers: £1108.26 & 196.5p Flotterton. Angus Heifers: £997.34 & 166.5p Billerley.

OTM. Nice entry of cows this week that would be slightly easier on the week. Top grossing cow came from Kirkley Hall selling for £1183.55.

Limousin: £1183.55 Kirkley Hall, £1040.40 Featherwood, £990.86 & £933.68 Chesters, £791.69 Featherwood, £791.09 Chesters. 148.5p Kirkley Hall, 147.5p & 145.5p Chesters, 127.5p Featherwood, 121.5p East White Hill, 119.5p Chesters. Limousin (Bull): £997.82 & 110.5p Kingswood. Angus: £1118.88 & £1055.70 Featherwood, £1053.27 West Shields, £950.02 East White Hill, £935 West Shields, £924.30 Billerley, £866.25 & £848.32 West Shields, £826.98 Billerley, £814.34 Flotterton, £811.63 Kingswood. 129.5p & 127.5p Featherwood, 126.5p East White Hill, 124.5p (x2) & 120.5p West Shields, 118.5p Billerley, 116.5p Flotterton, 115.5p West Shields, 107.5p Kingswood. Hereford: £826.73 Chattlehope. Hereford (Bull): £821.24 Chattlehope.

Prime sheep and lambs.

At the weekly sale of prime lambs, Hexham and Northern Marts had another good entry (1669). Although there was plenty of weight about, trade was level throughout and the average returned was exactly the same as last week with the average per head slightly up.

Top price was for Beltex x lambs from Low West House at £95 and 215.9p.

Texel x: £87 Nunwick, £85 Nilston Rigg & Watch Currock, £84 East Newham (x2) & Little Swinburne, £83 & £82.50 Loadman, £82 Little Swinburne (x2) & Middle Heads, £81.50 St Oswalds, £81 East Uppertown, Nunwick & Watch Currock, £80.50 Little Swinburne, £80 St Oswalds, Nunwick, Thockrington, Nilston Rigg, Little Swinburne & West Shields (x2), £79 Nunwick, Watch Currock & Low West House, £78 East House, Thornbrough, Nunwick (x2) & East Newham, £77.50 Humber Hill & Halfway House, £77 Highford, Aydonshields, Nunwick, Burntongues, Nilston Rigg & Little Swinburne (x2), £76.50 Middle Heads, £76 East House, Bensons Fell, Loadman, Thockrington, Nilston Rigg & Middle Heads. 200p East House & Little Swinburne, 192.5p Highford, 190p East House, 188.4p Nunwick, 187.5p Fell Lane, 186.4p (x2) & 186.1p Little Swinburne, 184.8p Watch Currock, 183.7p Nunwick, 183p Little Swinburne, 182.6p (x2), 181.4p & 178.1p East Newham, 177.2p St Oswalds, 176.3p Highford, 175.6p Low West House, 175p Aydonshields, 174.4p Thornbrough, 173.3p Low Staples, 172.7p Loadman, 172.6p St Oswalds & East House, 171.8p Thornbrough, 169.8p Springwell Cottage, 169.1p St Oswalds, 168.8p Moss Barns (x2) & Watch Currock, 168.1p Watch Currock, 167.3p Nunwick, 167.1p Burntongues, 166.7p East Uppertown, St Oswalds & Nilston Rigg, 165.9p Fell Lane, 165.3p East Uppertown, 165p Salmonswell, 164p Loadman & Springwell Cottage. Dutch Texel x: £82, £74 & £71.50 (x2) North Cocklake. 190.7p, 166.3p (x2) & 160.9p North Cocklake. Suffolk x: £80 (x2) & £79 Thockrington, £77 Thockrington & Old Town, £76.50 Lunns House, £75 Holling Hill, Thockrington (x3) & Nilston Rigg, £74 Middle Heads, £73.50 Old Town, £73.20 Humber Hill, £73 Holling Hill & Lunns House, £72.50 Sillywrea, £72 The Peels & Woodlands Hall, £71.50 & £69 Lunns House. 163.6p The Peels, 159.1p Humber Hill, 158.5p Salmonswell, 156.8p & 155.4p Lunns House, 152.3p Broadgates, 151p Middle Heads & Sillywrea, 150p Woodlands Hall & Thockrington (x2), 148.1p Thockrington, 147.8p Broadgates, 147.1p Nilston Rigg, 147p Old Town. Beltex x: £95, £89.50, £89 & £85 Low West House, £84 Highwood, £81 & £80 St Oswalds, £78 Fell Lane, £77 Low West House, £75.50 Highwood. 215.9p, 211.9p & 203.4p Low West House, 200p Fell Lane, 195.1p St Oswalds, 193.2p Low West House, 190.9p Highwood, 188.4p St Oswalds, 175p Low West House, 164.1p Highwood. Charollais x: £74 & 176.2p East House. Hampshire x: £73.50 Low Staples. Mule: £71.50 North Cocklake, £70.50 Bulls Hill, £68.50 North Cocklake, £65 Bulls Hill, £64.50 Broadgates & Thornley Hall, £62.50 Bulls Hill. 155.7p North Cocklake, 150p Thornley Hall, 149p North Cocklake, 148.8p Bulls Hill, 143.3p Broadgates, 141.3p Bulls Hill.

Cast ewes and rams. Texel x: £72 & £65 Old Town. Mule: £49.50 Old Town.

On Friday Hexham & Northern Marts at their weekly sale sold 250 head of store cattle and suckled calves. As seen elsewhere trade has indeed eased as a result of reduced finisher returns however the best end of cattle remain in demand.

The sale peaked at £1125 for a big Blue cross bullock at 18 months from Michael Swanson, Haggwood, Hexhamshire and this one was followed by two at £1100; a Limousin cross steer at 18 months from Andrew Ellis, Thrunton Lowfield and a Pure bred Charolais steer from John & Edward Campbell, Rosebrough, both noted consignors from the Alnwick area.

A smart offering of charolais cross heifers were presented by a number of consignors and these sold well on the day peaking at £1075 from Messrs Longlands, Tone Hall followed by another similarly well-bred type from James Herdman, Edlingham Newtown. These two renowned producers of charolais cross store cattle averaged £1025 for 8 and £999 for 18 respectively.

Cattle 17 – 22 months.

Charolais x steers: £1100 Rosebrough, £1095 Haggwood, £1070 Colwell Hill, £1030 Thrunton Lowfield, £1010 Haggwood. Charolais x heifers: £1070 Edlingham Newtown, £1070 Low Staples, £1020 Edlingham Newtown, £970 & £950 Colwell Hill, £900 Rosebrough. Limousin x steers: £1100 Thrunton Lowfield, £1075 Low Staples, £1060 Colwell Hill, £1050 Colwell Demesne, £1030 Colwell Demesne & Colwell Hill, £1020, £1015 & £1010 Colwell Demesne, £1000 Thrunton Lowfield, £980 Colwell Demesne, £920 Hindley, £900 East Newham. Limousin x heifers: £980 & £915 Edlingham Newtown. British Blue x steers: £1125 Haggwood, £1040, £1030 & £950 New Rift. Simmental x steers: £995 Thrunton Lowfield. Simmental x heifers: £1070, £1040, £1035, £960 & £915 High Fotherley. Angus x steers: £1070 Colwell Hill, £1020 Billerley, £920 (x2) Hindley. Angus x heifers: £960 Billerley. Hereford x heifers: £865 Greenfield. Saler x steers: £860 Hindley.

Cattle 11 – 16 months. Charolais x steers: £1050 & £940 Tone Hall. Charolais x heifers: £1075 & £1070 Tone Hall, £1060 (x2), £1045 Edlingham Newtown, £1035 Edlingham Newtown & Tone Hall, £1030 Tone Hall, £1020 Edlingham Newtown & Tone Hall, £1000 Edlingham Newtown (x2) & Tone Hall, £995 & £975 Tone Hall, £940, £910 (x2) & £900 Edlingham Newtown. Limousin x steers: £1095 Thrunton Lowfield, £1065 & £1010 Holly Hill West, £940 High Alderheads, £880 West Haydon. Limousin x heifers: £1040 Holly Hill West, £1000 Cowburn Rigg, £925 Holly Hill West, £915 China Hall, £910 Cowburn Rigg, £870 Low Staples. Simmental x steers: £995 Thrunton Lowfield. Simmental x heifers: £960 & £950 High Fotherley. Angus x steers: £1035 Billerley, £915 Partridge Nest, £905 Billerley, £900 Billerley & Hindley. Saler x heifers: £985 & £880 East Newham.

Breeding cattle.

Cows with calves at foot. Limousin: £1320, £1300 & £1080 West Deanraw. British Blue: £1580 West Deanraw.

In calf cows. Angus: £900 (x2) West End Town.

Store sheep and cast ewes.

An increased show of cast sheep this week that was made up of a lot more leaner hill types. Trade would reflect the national trend of the week and would be slightly easier than last week. M/s Lewis Forster & Son, West Nubbock had the top three pens on the day selling Texel Ewes to £126.

Cheviot ewes from M/s RS Conley & Son, Barrasford Green sold to £65

More cast sheep needed for next weeks sale.

Texel x: £126 West Nubbock, £94 Black Callerton, £89 Hetherington, £84 Colwell Hill, £81 Nunwick, £78 Black Callerton & Amos Hill, £76 Nunwick & Cockhall, £75 Bridgeford & Hackford, £74 Hackford, £73 Bridgeford, £72 Merryshields, £70 Nunwick, Hetherington (x2) & Cockhall. Suffolk x: £82 Merryshields, £73 Middle Coldcotes. Cheviot: £65 & £55 Barrasford Green, £54 Low Struthers. Mule: £65 West Nubbock, £64 Warksfield Head, £61 East Butsfield, £57 Amos Hill & West Nubbock, £55 Hackford, £54 Buckshot, £52 Hetherington, High Fotherley & Burnbank, £51 East Butsfield & Bridgeford, £50 Colwell Hill, Black Callerton & Partridge Nest. Blackface: £65 Rookland, £57 West Nubbock, £54 Little Swinburne Cottage, £53 Penpeugh, £48 Carrick, £47 Hole Farm, £46 Cleughfoot & West Nubbock, £45 Burnbank, £44 Black Callerton & Laings Hill, £43 Carrick, £42 Broomhall, £41 Warksfield Head. Swaledale: £43 Hackford, £41 West Nubbock, £34 Stobby Lea & Ouston, £32 Hackford, £31 Buckshot, £30 Waterloo & Ouston. Shetland: £38 Low Struthers. Crossbred: £122 West Nubbock, £108 West Nubbock, £66 Hetherington.

Store lambs.

Hexham Auction Mart held its weekly store sale of 3628 catalogued store sheep. Trade on the week would be slightly easier but on reflection a good price compared to primestock sales in the latter part of the week. Longer keep lambs in demand and met a good trade as did Mule lambs once again at Hexham.

Sale topped at £89, twice, for Dutch Texel lambs from Mr B Storey, Woodhead, Haltwhistle.

M/s D&I Wallace, Bridgeford, Bellingham brought a lovely run of lambs to sell to £71.50

Mule lambs very easily sold and topped at £67.50 from M/s JRD & JA Short, Ouston Farm. Two other pens broke the £60 barrier with M/s W&PF Walton, Penpeugh selling lambs to £65.50 and M/s Weatherson, Edges Green to £62.50.

Cheviot lambs from Mr DD Henderson, Low Struthers sold to £56.50.

Texel x: £70 Ridley Stokoe, £69.50 Ridley Stokoe & Merryshields, £69 Red House, £68.50 Ridley Stokoe, £68 Greenchesters, £66.50 Merryshields, £66 Ridley Stokoe, Cooper House & Felton Demesne, £65.50 Felton Demesne, £64 Crops Hall, Stonecross, Burnbank, Brinkburnhope, Cooper House & Felton Demesne, £63.50 South Gunnerton, £63 Cowbyre & Hamburn Hall. Dutch Texel x: £89 (x2), £82 & £80 Woodhead, £71.50 Bridgeford, £70 Aimshaugh. Suffolk x: £68 Merryshields, £67 Heatherslaw, £66.50 Merryshields, £66 Felton Demesne, £63.50 Low Struthers, £60.50 Heatherslaw. Charollais x: £58 Middle Heugh. Beltex x: £71 Middle Coldcotes, £64 Stobby Lea, £63 Stanton Town Head & The Shank, £62.50 Stanton Town Head, £60 Stobby Lea. Zwartbles x: £58 Newbiggin Hill. Cheviot x: £56.50 Low Struthers, £48.50 Edges Green, £46 Carlcroft, £44.50 Grasslees. Mule: 67.50 Ouston, £65.50 Penpeugh, £62.50 Edges Green, £59.50 High Lovelady Shield, £59 Old Police House, £57.50 Penpeugh, £54.50 Allotment, £54 Penpeugh, Edges Green & White House Birtley. Blackface: £43 Old Police House, £42.50 Grasslees. Jacob: £44.50 Kingswood. Crossbred: £60 Riding Farm, £59 Stone Hall, £54 Riding Farm.

Breeding sheep.

Mule gimmers.

Hexham and Northern Marts held their Annual Prize Show and Sale of Mule Shearlings with an entry of 2478 head.

The prize show was expertly judged by John Midgley, Unclebywold, Kirbyunerdale, York who had twenty one great pens in front of him from the noted usual consignors.

After a very difficult task and giving all pens due consideration he awarded the champion pen to M/s RW&K Telford, Branton Eastside for the second year in succession to their outstanding pen of ten bred from the Blackface Ewe and not reared lambs and sold at £190 to the judge, John Midgley.

The reserve champion pen was awarded to Alan and Peter Forster, Lowes Fell for their pen out of the Blackface Ewe and not reared lambs and sold at £178 also purchased by John Midgley.

With a packed ring of buyers present including new purchasers to the Hexham ring, trade was buoyant from start to finish and well above vendors expectations. The average for Mule Shearlings was up by £15.47 on 2018.

Prize show.

10 Mule Gimmers Ex Blackface Ewe NRL. 1st: Branton Eastside. 2nd: Lowes Fell.

10 Mule Gimmers ex Blackface Ewe RL. 1st: Rennington South. 2nd: Rennington South.

10 Mule Gimmers ex Swaledale Ewe NRL. 1st: Prize Light Birks. 2nd: Stotsfold.

Champion Pen: M/s Telford, Branton Eastside.

Reserve Champion Pen: M/s Forster, Lowes Fell.

£192 & £190 (X2) Branton East Side, £182 Edlingham Newtown, Whitechapel (x2) & Branton East Side, £180 Tenter House & Rennington South (x2), £178 Lowes Fell, £175 Rennington South & Branton East Side, £172 Whitechapel, £170 Edlingham Newtown & Pitland Hills, £168 Edlingham Newtown, Lowes Fell & Black Callerton, £162 Black Callerton, £160 Rennington South, Broomhall, Broomhill (x2) & Croft Cottage, £158 Tenter House, Edlingham Newtown & Rennington South (x2), £155 Lowes Fell, Rennington South & Thornton Tower, £152 Newbiggin, Ouston, Light Birks, Thornton Tower (x3) & Stotsfold, £150 Coatyards, Newbiggin, Whiskershiel, Broomhill, Flotterton, Whitechapel, Thornton Tower (x2), Stotsfold, Moss Kennels, Croft Cottage & Whitchester, £148 Light Birks, Whiskershiel, Britchcombe & Greystone House, £145 Halton Red House, Light Birks, Broomhill, Camphill, Stotsfold & Britchcombe Farm.

Cheviot mule gimmers. £155 West Mill Hills, £150, £146 & £132 Flotterton, £130 West Mill Hills.

Suffolk & Suffolk x gimmers. £150 Edlingham Newtown & Flotterton, £142 Tenter House, Middle White Hill & Halton Red House, £140 & £135 (x3) Flotterton, £130 Felton Demesne, £125 Middle White Hill & Flotterton.

Texel x gimmers. A tremendous show of Texel x gimmers forward. Buyers bid strongly throughout the class resulting in a highly successful sale for all vendors selling to a top of £230 from Halton Red House. Eighty nine fantastic gimmers from John Davison, Lough Green topped at £215 and averaged a whopping £186.52

£230 Halton Red House, £215 Lough Green, £210 Halton Red House, £195 Light Birks, £185 Lough Green, £182 Light Birks & Lough Green, £180 Penny Hill, £178 Halton Red House, £175 Light Birks, Stotsfold, Lough Green (x2) & Penny Hill, £172 Lough Green, £170 Pitland Hills, Light Birks & Lough Green, £168 Stotsfold, £165 Burn House & Halton Red House (x3), £162 Stotsfold & Penny Hill, £160 Burn House, Newbiggin, Hagdon Moor, Broomhall & Halton Red House (x3), £158 Tenter House, Thornton Tower, West Wharmley (x3) & Halton Red House, £155 Newbiggin, £152 Wallhouses, £150 Tenter House & Newbiggin, £148 Bowes House, £145 Hagdon Moor (x2) & Stotsfold.

Other gimmers. Texel: £196 & £192 West Wharmley, £160 High Shipley. Beltex: £190 & £145 Steeley Farm, £142 Wesley House, £140 Steeley Hall & Breckon Hill (x2), £138 & £135 Breckon Hill. Beltex x: £200 Hagdon Moor.

Mule stock ewes. Included in the sale were 220 Stock Mule Ewes from M/s WC Drydon & Son, West Deanraw and 85 from M/s TN Myers & Son, Frolar Meadows selling to a top of £120 from West Deanraw.

Dispersal on behalf of M/s WC Drydon & Son.

Mule. 1crop: £120 & £115. 2 crop: £120, £119 & £118.

Dispersal on behalf of M/s TN Myers & Son.

Mule. 1 crop: £96. 2 crop: £76. 3-4 crop: £108, £103, £90, £85, £84 & £80.

Mule Ewes: 1-3 crop. £80 Greystone House, £75 East Fourstones

Other Ewes. Texel Ewes: £120 High Shipley. Texel x Ewes: £160 & £150 Halton Red House.