HEXHAM & Northern Marts held their weekly sale of store cattle which included the second, special ‘Bellingham’ sale of spring-born, suckled calves.

A smaller entry of store cattle sold to similar rates as seen previously, although the best end of quality sorts are becoming scarce. Heifers peaked at £1,380 for a strong and shapely Limousin cross from Alan Ogle, Comb Hill, Slaley, with another at £1,350 selling for Messrs Dodds, High House, Milbourne.

Forward steers topped at £1,295 for a hefty type; a big Limousin cross steer at 24 months from John Urwin, Dovecote, Morpeth, whilst Alan Ogle completed a super days trading with his best bullock selling to £1,290.

Leading store cattle prices;

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Limousin x steers – £1295 & £1260 (x2) Dovecote, £1225 Greencarts, £1220, £1200 & £1180 Dovecote, £1105 Tosson Glebe, £1100 Dovecote, £1055 Greencarts, £1000 Tosson Glebe, £940 High Warden.

Angus x steers – £1100 Tosson Glebe.

Simmental x steers – £1270 Greencarts.

Limousin x heifers - £1175 Westburnhope, £1055 South Kirkheaton.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers – £1290 Comb Hills, £1250, £1200 & £1180 Lunns House, £1060 Thornton Tower, £1050 Lunns House, £1040 South Kirkheaton, £1000 Thornton Tower.

Charolais x steers – £1175 Edlingham Newtown, £1170 Hartburn Grange, £1155 & £1055 Edlingham Newtown, £1015 Hedley West.

Angus x steers – £1245 & £1020 Rosebrough, £980 Intake.

Simmental x steers – £1260 & £1150 Chesterwood.

Beef Shorthorn x steers – £990 High Warden.

Limousin x heifers - £1380 Comb Hills, £1350 Milbourne High House, £1255 Comb Hills, £1220 South Kirkheaton & Milbourne High House, £1180 Milbourne High House, £1120, £1105, £1090, £1040 (x2) & £1020 (x2) Westburnhope, £995 Kirkley March, £990 South Kirkheaton, £980 Kirkley March, £960 High Warden, £950 South Kirkheaton, £940 Kirkley March, £935 High Warden, Kirkley March & Thornton Tower, £930 Kirkley March & Thornton Tower, £915 Thornton Tower, £895 Kirkley March.

Charolais x heifers – £1010 Hartburn Grange, £995 Tosson Glebe, £950 Hartburn Grange.

Angus x heifers – £1080 Grasslees, £1040 Rosebrough, £1030 Hedley West, £930 Rosebrough.

Simmental x heifers – £1025 & £1000 Bavington Hill Head.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers – £1220 Comb Hills, £1125 Whiteside Haltwhistle, £1050 Thornton Tower, £1000 Thornton Tower & Barrasford Green, £980 High Warden, £975 & £940 Thornton Tower, £920 Barrasford Green (x2), £905 Thornton Tower, £900 Thornton Tower (x2) & Barrasford Green.

Charolais x steers – £1100 & £1035 Edlingham Newtown, £1020 Hartburn Grange.

Angus x steers – £1000 Partridge Nest, £980 Rosebrough, £950 Partridge Nest, £900 Acton.

Limousin x heifers - £1000 Whiteside Haltwhistle, £965 The Tofts, £960 Thornton Tower & Whiteside Haltwhistle, £950 The Tofts, £940 & £900 Whiteside Haltwhistle, £895 Thornton Tower.

Charolais heifers – £1030 Rosebrough.

Angus x heifers – £930 & £850 Partridge Nest.

Cattle 10 months and under

A good catalogue of over 450 spring-born, suckled calves were presented for the second 'Bellingham' sale and the best of these sold to the same levels seen in October, however with many sheds now filled and the quality largely exhausted, lesser types were harder to place.

Steers sold to £1,160 twice, the first a Limmy cross steer from Dennis and Stuart Charlton, Whiteside, with another selling to the same money from Roly Carr, Little Bavington. Messrs Charlton also topped the heifer classes at £1,135 for a similarly well-bred sister to the sale topping bullock. A super run of well-farmed calves were brought forward by the Watson family, Baal Hill, Weardale, and these sold to a steady trade throughout. Steers peaked at £970 and heifers topped at £850 to average £873 for 13 and nine sold respectively.

Leading suckled calf prices;

Limousin x steers – £1160 Whiteside Haltwhistle & Little Bavington, £1095 & £1075 Halton Red House, £1070 Little Bavington, £970 & £950 Baal Hill, £940 Little Bavington & Crowhall, £930 Chesters, Halton Red House & Beamwham, £920 Nilston Rigg, Halton Red House & West Wharmley, £915 Baal Hill, £910 Nilston Rigg & Baal Hill (x2), £900 Willimoteswick (x2), Dyke Nook & Baal Hill (x2), £890 Beamwham, £880 Willimoteswick (x2), £870 & £860 Nilston Rigg, £850 Willimoteswick, Dyke Nook, Baal Hill (x2) & Beamwham, £845 Chesters, £840 Hole Farm & Pitland Hills, £835 Chesters & Burnbank, £830 Dyke Nook & Pitland Hills, £820 West Wharmley (x2), £810 Nilston Rigg (x2) & Greenchesters, £800 Hole Farm, Pitland Hills, Harlow Bower & Low House.

Charolais x steers – £890 West Wharmley, £870 Shilmoor (JC), £840 Cooper House, £800 & £770 Cooper House.

Angus x steers – £880 Acton, £840 Birtleyshield, £810 Low Eals, £800 (x3) Lee Hall, £790 Birtleyshield, £770 Acton, £765 Lee Hall, £760 Acton & Braidley, £755 Five Oaks, £750 Lee Hall & Pottsdurtrees.

Hereford x steers – £690, £660 & £650 Needless Hall, £645 Three Farms.

Limousin x heifers - £1135 Whiteside Haltwhistle, £895 Beamwham (RD), £880 Willimoteswick, £850 Little Bavington, Baal Hill & Pitland Hills, £845 Whiteside Haltwhistle, £840 Willimoteswick & Harlow Bower, £830 Halton Red House, £820 Willimoteswick & Nilston Rigg, £810 Baal Hill & Harlow Bower, £805 Dyke Nook, £800 Nilston Rigg & Baal Hill, £790 Nilston Rigg & Harlow Bower, £780 Nilston Rigg, £765 Lee Hall, £760 Nilston Rigg, West Wharmley & Pitland Hills (x2), £755 Monkseaton, £750 Dyke Nook (x2), £745 Pitland Hills & The Boat, £740 Hole Farm.

Charolais x heifers – £810 Baal Hill, £750 West Wharmley (x2), £730 Cooper House.

Angus x heifers – £800, £750 & £740 Lee Hall, £650 Crowhall.

Beef Shorthorn x heifers – £620 Looking Flatt.

Hereford x heifers - £640 Needless Hall.

A large but mixed show of cast ewes met a ring full of buyers.

All types continue to sell well with all classes easily handled.

Topping the sale at £120 was a trio of Texel ewes from M/s RR Reay & Sons, West Moorhouses.

Mules topped at £89 for a big ewe from Mr JW Watson, South Clarewood.

Blackfaces sold to £71 from M/s A Murray & Son, Stell Green.

Hexham can handle all breeds and classes and more continue to be wanted. Contact Jack on 07739440457.

Texel - £116 Great Tosson.

Texel x – £120 West Moorhouses, £109 West Moorhouses & Hawksteel, £108 West Rackwood & West Grange, £102 Great Tosson, £100 Stone Hall, £94 South Clarewood, £92 Watch Hill & West Moorhouses, £90 Camphill & Broomhall, £88 Townshields & Grange Farm, £87 Watch Hill, £86 Normans Riding & South Clarewood, £85 Whittingham Grange & Hedley Park.

Suffolk - £106 Sillywrea.

Suffolk x – £108 West Rackwood, £103 East White Hill, £99 Rare Dean, £98 West Grange, £94 Whittingham Grange, £92 Broomhall, £88 Milbourne Town Farm & Temon Farm, £87 South Clarewood.

Beltex - £86 High Warden, £84 Great Tosson.

Charollais x - £119 & £92 Great Tosson.

Bleu D’Maine x - £110 Sillywrea.

Leicester - £113 Glebe Farm, £90 Errington Red House, £88 Glebe Farm.

Cheviot x– £84 Sillywrea, £72 Falstone Farm, £70 High Yarridge.

Mule – £89 South Clarewood, £87 Rare Dean, £84 East White Hill & Whittingham Grange, £83 Errington Red House, £82 West Moorhouses, £81 Watch Hill, £79 Normans Riding, £78 West Rackwood, East White Hill & Low Brunton, £77 Rare Dean.

Blackface – £71 Stell Green, £70 Greenleas, £69 Quickening Cote, £65 Felton Demesne, £63 The Steel, £61 Greyside & Felton Demesne, £60 Carrick, Townshields, Gairshield, Stell Green & Pundershaw.

Swaledale – £60 Harwood Shield, £59 Broadgates, £56 Colwell Hill, £54.50 & £54 Harwood Shield, £53 Colwell Hill.

Jacob – £56 Esh Hall