HEXHAM & Northern Marts, at their first sale of the bonfire month of November, offered a sound catalogued entry of 481 head of store cattle and suckled calves.

A useful show sold to a similar level of trade as seen previously, despite a smaller crowd at ringside with a number of buyers opting to take advantage of the window of good weather and conclude tillage operations at home.

The best end of forward sorts continue to sell at a premium and this week, were topped by a fabulous, black Limousin cross heifer from Willie Patterson, Halton Red House, which was one that would easily fulfil one of two specific destiny’s – either that of a high end suckler herd replacement or as the produce offered over a bespoke butchers counter. At 18 months of age, the sleek, black heifer displayed all the style and shape synonymous with the Red House herd and topped the sale at £1,430. The three similar sorts sold by W R Patterson on the day averaged a noteworthy £1,366.

Bullocks also sold well and these were dominated by the second run from local producer and merchant of high repute Geoff Hubbuck, Rising Sun, Hexham. A cracking run of outstanding Limmy cross bullocks at 18 months topped at £1,390 twice, followed by two more separate lots at £1,380. The entire offering from Rising Sun were highly sought after from start to finish and levelled at £1,306 for 18 belting bullocks sold.

Although not a specific native breed sale, a nice entry of Angus cattle were forward and the best of the trade was had by Cornsay breeder John Carpenter, Rare Dene. John sold well grown bullocks to £1,290 and heifer sisters to £1,270, averaging £1,232 for six and two sold on the day.

A useful run of Angus cross heifers, bred on the heather hills of the Otterburn Army ranges, were brought forward by John Armstrong, Grasslees, and these peaked at £1,170 for an upstanding ¾ bred black lady, with the pen of 14 by a registered ‘Rawburn’ sire selling well to average £1,070 throughout at 16-18 months.

A small offering of younger, spring-born suckled calves were presented and topped at £1,000 for a shapely Limousin cross steer calf from Andy Thompson, East Unthank, Haltwhistle, and a young Angus cross from Messrs Watson, Holywell Farms, sold at £850.

With the second ‘Bellingham’ sale taking place next week, these sorts sold to encouraging average of £805 throughout. Entries are invited for the special sale next week, which will include a dedicated section for such spring-born suckled calves as well as the usual classes of store cattle.

Leading prices;

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Limousin x steers – £1150 Greencarts.

South Devon x steers – £955 Coalburns.

Angus x steers – £1040 Meldon Lane House.

Limousin x heifers - £1230 Barrasford Green, £1080 Spittalshield, £1070 South Farm.

Charolais x heifers – £1060 High Trewhitt, £1040 Little Harle, £965 Highfield.

British Blue x heifers – £970 South Farm.

Angus x heifers – £1180 Meldon Lane House.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers – £1390 (x2) & £1380 (x2) Rising Sun, £1350 Blackburn, £1340 Berry Edge & Blackburn, £1330 & £1320 (x3) Rising Sun, £1315 Blackburn, £1310 & £1300 Rising Sun, £1290 Blackburn & Rising Sun, £1280 Rising Sun, £1270 Berry Edge (x2) & Rising Sun, £1250 Highwood, £1245 Shitlington Hall, £1240 Blackburn & Shitlington Hall, £1235 & £1230 Shitlington Hall, £1220 Berry Edge & Rising Sun, £1215 Cheviot, £1210 Shitlington Hall & Rising Sun, £1185 Highwood, £1170 Rising Sun, £1145 Highwood, £1135 High Trewhitt, £1120 Cheviot, £1110 Highwood & Shitlington Hall, £1100 Cheviot, High Trewhitt & South Farm, £1085 East White Hill, £1050 Little Harle, £1020 Little Harle & Grasslees, £1000 Highwood & High Trewhitt, £990 Little Harle, £980 Church Farm, £970 Ogle Dene, £960 Grasslees, £950 Little Harle, £940 Cheviot & Spittalshield, £920 Alndyke, £900 Ogle Dene.

Charolais x steers – £1265 Rare Dean, £1250 & £1240 Edlingham Newtown, £1230 Rare Dean & Edlingham Newtown, £1215, £1205, £1190 (x2), £1175, £1160 (x2), £1150 & £1120 Edlingham Newtown, £1050 & £1000 (x2) High Trewhitt, £970 New Houses, £900 Ogle Dene.

British Blue x steers – £1220 & £1030 Highwood.

Angus x steers – £1290, £1270, £1260, £1210 & £1160 Rare Dean, £1140 Meldon Lane House, £1000 (x2) Church Farm, £990 & £980 Meldon Lane House, £970 Brass Castle, £945 Meldon Lane House, £940 Redshaw, £935 Ogle Dene.

Simmental x steers - £1190 & £1180 Greencarts, £1160 Highwood.

South Devon x steers – £980 & £960 Coalburns, £955 Brass Castle.

Blonde x steers – £1350 Rising Sun.

Limousin x heifers - £1430, £1370 & £1300 Halton Red House, £1290 Wingates South, £1265 Yatesfield (x4), £1235 Elrington Hall, £1230 Lunns House, £1200 Wingates South & Barrasford Green, £1145 Barrasford Green, £1130 Elrington Hall, £1090 Lunns House & South Farm, £1080 Lunns House & Grasslees, £1060 South Farm, £1050 Yatesfield & South Farm, £1040 Little Harle, £1030 Lunns House, £1010 Yatesfield, £1000 Yatesfield, Grasslees & Riding Hills (x3), £995 Low Staples & East Newham, £990 Little Harle, £980 South Farm & Elrington Hall, £975 East Newham, £970 Grasslees, £960 Barrasford Green.

Charolais x heifers – £1370, £1355 & £1200 (x2) Whins Farm, £1080 High Trewhitt, £1060 South Farm, £1055 High Trewhitt, £1030 Whins Farm & Little Harle, £940 New Houses.

British Blue x heifers – £905 Woodwell House.

Angus x heifers – £1270 Rare Dean, £1170 Grasslees, £1145 Yatesfield, £1130 Rare Dean, £1110 (x2) & £1055 Grasslees, £1050 Yatesfield, £980 Grasslees, £935 Middle White Hill, £910 Redshaw & East Newham, £900 Barrasford Green, £890 Redshaw & Middle White Hill.

Simmental x heifers – £1060 & £960 South Farm.

Hereford x heifers – £890 & £830 East Fourstones.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers – £1230 & £1160 Stotsfold, £1135 Rusheylaw, £1125 & £1100 Stotsfold, £1080 (x2) & £1065 East White Hill, £1060 Stotsfold, £1055 & £1045 East White Hill, £1040 Highwood & Spittalshield, £1030 Spittalshield & Stotsfold, £995 Spittalshield, £920 Low Staples, £875 The Tofts.

Charolais x steers – £980 & £900 Harnham Hall.

British Blue x steers – £1200, £1130, £1075 & £1050 Rusheylaw.

Angus x steers – £1040 Church Farm, £985 & £870 Harnham Hall.

Limousin x heifers - £1080 & £1020 Little Harle, £1010 Little Harle & East White Hill, £990 Little Harle, £950 East White Hill, £940 East Newham & Elrington Hall, £920 & £905 East White Hill, £870 Little Harle.

Charolais x heifers – £840 Highfield.

British Blue x heifers – £1145 & £990 Rusheylaw.

Angus x heifers – £910 East Newham, £860 Middle White Hill, £855 Highfield.

Cattle 10 months and under

Limousin x steers – £1000 & £870 East Unthank, £855 East Unthank & Nilston Rigg, £850 East Unthank, £845 Nilston Rigg, £835 East Unthank, £810 Spittalshield.

Angus x steers – £850 Church Farm.

Limousin x heifers - £760 Spittalshield.

Hexham and Northern Marts held their Annual Prize Show and Sale of Native Beef Breeding Cattle, which was kindly sponsored by Tynedale Insurance.

Prior to the sale, the show was judged by John Armstrong, Grasslees, Elsdon, and he made his awards as follows –

Native Heifer or Cow with calf at foot

First Prize M/s Foley Bros., Mirlaw House.

Native In Calf Heifer or Cow

First Prize RJ Dyson, Puncherton.

A small but select entry sold on a steady trade to a limited ringside of buyers, peaking at £2,400 for the first prize outfit, selling to Clive Nixon, Stotsfold.

The six-year-old in calf cow from M/s Dyson sold for £1,200 to Andrew Davison, Alndyke.

Leading prices –

Heifers with Calves at Foot

Limousin - £2200 West Wharmley, £2050 Tosson Glebe, £1850 Mirlaw House.

Angus - £2400 Mirlaw House.

British Blue - £2200 Mirlaw House.

Charolais - £1460 Moorgair.

Cows with Calves at Foot.

Angus - £2300 Mirlaw House.

In Calf Cows

Luing - £1200 Puncherton.