HEXHAM & Northern Marts, at their final store sale of the month of January, offered a super quality entry for the time of year of 302 predominantly beef bred cattle which sold to great rates with all classes dearer on the week.

The sale peaked at £1,450 for forward steers and £1,405 for heifers in the same bracket, whilst mid-range sorts topped at £1,255 and £1,330 respectively. The youngest class saw the greatest rise and these scaled to £1,150 for steers and £990 for heifers. The entire sale returned an average of £1,107 throughout, comprising the steer entry at £1,135 and heifers levelling at £1,066 ensuring all consignors were delighted with their days trading.

A strong show of older cattle set off at a pace and were noticeably sharper on the week for a more mixed offering which peaked at £1,450 for a heavyweight purebred Charolais cross bullock at 20 months from Ken sisterson, Newlands Haugh, who sold 11 to return £1,344 for his pen full.

Father and son team George Snr & Jnr Herdman, Lunns House, County Durham, followed with their best Limmy Bullock at £1,445 and their top heifer which climbed to £1,370 to average a pleasing £1,376 and £1,336 for four and three sold respectively. The lead heifer on the day was however, a £1,405 smasher; a Limmy cross lady from Messrs Watson, Bothal Park, who brought their ‘tailend’ offering which sold exceptionally well to average £1,151 at 18 months of age for three steers and nine heifers from the Morpeth-based family.

As was the case last week, both Geoff Ogle, Blackburn, and Messrs Bousfield, Low Stokoe, sold cracking Limousin cross steers on the day; the Slaley offering topping at £1,440 and averaging £1,383 for five sold, whilst the cattle from Falstone peaked at £1,410 for a pair and averaged £1,406 for three.

Angus cattle again sold well and several consignments were sought after on the day. Messrs Watson, Holywell Farms Ltd., topped at £1,390 for a powerful, forward bullock and averaged £1,200 for eight bullocks by the black bull. Mark Featherstone, Allendale Farm, topped the heifer offering at £1,380 and his Angus cross sorts; two steers and two heifers returned at £1,317 to complete a great days trading for the High Westwood-based operation.

Cattle in the 11-17month age bracket also found a new level and peaked at £1,330 for the lead pair of Limousin heifers from noted local breeders Messrs Nixon, Stotsfold, who sold 13 with their usual trademark style that were anything but ‘unlucky’ to average a mighty £1,185 for the Hexhamshire family. It was the heifer entry of this section that rallied the most on the day with other super Limousin cross bred examples selling to £1,290 from Messrs Ridley, Allenshields, and to £1,210 from Messrs Longlands, Rusheylaw. Steers peaked at £1,255 for a super type and yet another Angus cross beast to ring the bell on the day from William Hall, New Houses, Hallington, whilst continental types sold for £1,180; this one a Limousin cross from Rusheylaw with another by the Limmy sire selling well at £1,165 for noted North Tyne producers Alan & John Dixon, Chirdon.

Renewed interest in the youngest class of cattle was highly spirited and these at ten months and younger peaked at £1,150 for an impeccable Charolais cross steer from Sarah May Iveson, Cooper House, Kibblesworth. Next in the rankings were the aforementioned duo of father and son teams from Hexham Mart heartland; Messrs Longlands, Rusheylaw, and Messrs Dixon, Chirdon, both of whom scaled to £1,100 for cracking Blue cross bullocks at ten months, both to regular purchasers at the Hexham ringside. Willie & Mark Longlands sold seven well-bred cattle to return £1,077 throughout, whilst Messrs Dixon sold six to level at £1,020 throughout.

Demand across all classes remains strong at Hexham with buyer interest from near and far; If you have cattle to sell, kindly contact our team of auctioneers who are ideally placed to advise on how best to market your stock and will be delighted to discuss your requirements.

Leading prices;

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Limousin x steers – £1445 Lunns House, £1350 Duddo Hill, £1265 Bothal Park.

Limousin x heifers - £1210 & £1205 Bothal Park.

Simmental x steers - £1250 & £1220 Stoop Rigg.

Simmental x heifers - £1160 Broomfield.

Angus x steers -£1260 Stoop Rigg, £1220 Hallington New Houses.

Angus x heifers - £1300 Stoop Rigg.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers – £1440 & £1430 Blackburn, £1420 Lunns House, £1410 Low Stokoe, £1400 High House, Blackburn & Low Stokoe, £1370 East Uppertown, £1365 Blackburn, £1360 High House, £1340 Lunns House & Eat Uppertown, £1330 Halton Red House, £1300 Lunns House, £1295 Old Ravensworth, £1280 Blackburn & East Uppertown, £1260 Bothal Park, £1250 Halton Red Hose, £1240 Duddo Hill.

Limousin x heifers -£1405 Bothal Park, £1370 Lunns House, £1345 High House, £1340 & £1300 Lunns House, £1290 Halton Red House, £1285 Stotsfold, £1265 Allenshields, £1240 & £1230 Old Ravensworth, £1200 & 1185 Bothal Park, £1110 Mickley Moor.

Charolais x steers – £1450, £1390, £1370, £1360, £1320 (x2) & £1290 Newlands Haugh.

Charolais x heifers - £1265 Broomfield, £1200 & £1195 Springwell, £1140 Little Harle, £1120 Springwell, £1110 Little Harle.

Saler x steers - £1260, £1240 & £1200 Duddo Hill.

Simmental x steers - £1335 Stoop Rigg.

Angus x steers – £1390 Church Farm, £1340 Allendale Farm, £1280 Church Farm, £1270 Allendale Farm, £1250 & £1240 Hallington New Houses, £1235 Springwell, £1225, £1210 & £1200 Church Farm.

Angus x heifers – £1380 & £1280 Allendale Farm, £1180 & £1145 Stoop Rigg.

Beef Shorthorn heifers - £1195 Blueburn.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers –£1180 Rusheylaw, £1165 Chirdon, £1160 Grindon Hill, £1155 & £1100 Salmonswell, £1090 Woodlands & Salmonswell, £1085 Salmonswell, £1080 Grindon Hill, £1070 Salmonswell.

Limousin x heifers – £1330 Stotsfold, £1290 Allenshields, £1275 Stotsfold, £1210 Rusheylaw, £1195 Allenshields, £1170 Stotsfold, £1145 Allenshields, £1135 Salmonswell, £1120 Stotsfold, £1110, £1100 & £1090 Grindon Hill, £1080 Stotsfold & Grindon Hill.

British Blue x steers – £1140 Rusheylaw.

British Blue x heifers - £970 Mickley Moor, £950 Rusheylaw.

Charolais x steers -£1100 Springwell, £1080 & £1050 Woodlands.

Charolais x heifers - £980 Cooper House, £970 Broomfield.

Saler x steers - £1040 West Shields.

Simmental x steers - £1100 Chirdon.

Angus x steers -£1255 Hallington New Houses, £1140 Springwell, £1010 Church Farm.

Cattle 10 months and under

Limousin x steers – £1085 Salmonswell, £1000 & £990 Dyke Nook, £970 Demesne Farm, £965 Baal Hill & Dyke Nook.

Limousin x heifers - £985 Dyke Nook, £965 Baal Hill.

British Blue x steers – £1100 Rusheylaw & Chirdon, £1000 Windy Hill.

Charolais x steers - £1150 Cooper House, £990 Demesne Farm.

Charolais x heifers - £990 Cooper House (x2)

Angus x steers - £1070 Hedley Park.

A large show of 829 cast ewes & rams met a stronger demand for a poorer show in the week.

Topping the sale at £152 was a Beltex x ewe from Messrs NG, KM & JG Beveridge, Low West House.

Suffolk ewes topped at £135 again from Low West House.

Mule ewes topped at £103 from J & A Moralee, Hard Riding.

Horned ewes sold to £81 twice from Messrs K Smith & Son, East Greenridge, & Mr M Charleton, West Raw. Messrs Smith also sold a pen of 30 Swales to £78.

More ewes wanted, contact Jack (07739 440457).

Texel x – £138 Crowhall, £136 The Laws & Butterknowes, £134 St Oswalds, £130 Stotsfold & Prospect Grange, £128 Hard Riding & Broomhope, £126 Butterknowes, £120 East Butsfield, £118 Hard Riding & Broomhall, £116 East Barnwell, £114 St Oswalds & Low West House, £112 St Oswalds & Whitchester, £110 Shaftoe Moor & West Raw, £108 St Oswalds.

Suffolk x – £135 Low West House, £115 East Barnwell, £112 Grange House, £104 Low West House, £99 High Knitsley & Morrowfield, £97 Blackburn, £96 Causey Burn.

Beltex x - £152, £140, £132, £128 & £118 Low West House.

Leicester - £115 Broomhope, £112 Intake.

NC Cheviot – £80 Sillywrea.

Cheviot x - £112 Whitchester.

Cheviot Mule - £90 Low Struthers.

Mule – £103 Hard Riding , £98 Morrowfield, £96 West Raw, £94 Broomhope, £93 Intake & Broomhall, £92 East Butsfield, £91 Moss Kennels, The Laws, East Haydon & West Shields, £89.50 Stobbilee, £89 Lilswood, East Barnwell & Lynup Hill, £88 Crowhall.

Blackface – £81 East Greenridge& West Raw, £80 Harsondale, £79 West Shields, £76 Hotbank, £85 Tenter House & Broomhall.

Swaledale – £78 East Greenridge, £68 Comb Hills & East Greenridge, £67 The Laws.

Herdwick - £53 West Shields.

Cast rams sold to £131 for a Texel from Mrs. BD Milburn Butterknowes. Bluefaced Leicester topped at £130 from Messrs JRD & JA Short, Ouston.

Texel - £131 Butterknowes, £126 High Baulk, £118 Butterknowes, £100 Thornley Hall.

Suffolk - £112 East Butsfield, £97 Sillywrea.

Leicester - £130 Ouston, £108 Intake, £104 Broomhope.

Cheviot - £111 Sillywrea.

Herdwick - £55 Comb Hills.

Store hoggs sold to extreme rates, once again, with an overall average of £95.50 for all breeds, 31 pens (178 hoggs) sold over £115.

Topping the sale at £158 was a pure Texel ewe hogg from Messrs J & A Moralee, Hard Riding.

A pair of Beltex wether hoggs sold to £138 from Aly Dixon, Garden Field.

A tremendous pen of 24 Suffolk x hoggs sold to £128.50 from Messrs JB Cowan & Co, Morrowfield.

Hill hoggs continued to sell very well to a top of £114 from Mr D Collingwood, Intake.

Vendors are urged to take advantage of the Hexham ring with more wanted for next week.

Texel - £158 & £138 Hard Riding.

Texel x – £137 & £136 Butterknowes, £135.50 Blackburn, £130 Butterknowes, £128 Low Garth, £127 Paxton Dene & Butterknowes, £125 Little Swinburne & Butterknowes, £124 Butterknowes, £123 Nunwick & Waite Farm, £119 Grange House & Parkside, £118.50 Little Swinburne & Allenheads, £118 Catreen & Little Swinburne, £117.50 Allenheads, £116 Hill Top, Thockrington & Lynup Hill, £115 Allgood & Glendue & Cowden Burn, £113 Moorlaws & Holly Hill West, £111 Paxton Dene & Holly Hill West, £110 Thornley Hall & Little Swinburne, £109 Thockrington, £108 Garden Field & Low Garth, £107.50 Normans Riding, £106 Catreen, £105 Butterknowes, Ochrelands & Hownsgill.

Suffolk x –£128.50 & £120.50 Morrowfield, £114 Thockrington, £111 Blackburn, £109 Hill Top, Lunns House & Garden Field, £105 Lunns House, £103.50 Cooper House & Hownsgill, £103 Morrowfield, £102 Haggwood.

Beltex x - £138 Garden Field, £130 Low Garth, £125 Hownsgill, £117 Garden Field, £107 Woodwell House, £106 Hownsgill.

Leicester - £95.50 Spittalshield.

Mule –£116 & £110 East Butsfield, £105 Shitlington Hall, £100 Hill Top & Linriggs, £96 Intake, £95 The Deans.

Blackface – £96 Prospect Grange, £92 & £89 Cowden Burn, £84 Moorlaws.

Swaledale - £114 Intake, £110 Ouston, £89 Intake, £87 Ouston.

Clean cattle dearer on the week. More needed next week.

Angus x Heifers - £1224.55 & 206.5p Middle White Hill.

Charolais x Heifers - £1499.63, £1411.43, £1384.66, £1336.10 & £1296.68 Flotterton

233.5p, 232.5p & 229.5p (x2) Flotterton.

Limousin x Heifers – £1385.60 & 216.5p Flotterton.

Another good entry of cows this week despite the snowy weather. A poorer show of cows on the whole but trade maintained last week’s rates and maybe even a touch dearer.

The better well fleshed cows, once again, selling tremendously well with two Limousin cows breaking the 200ppkg barrier from Mr JW Smith-Jackson, High Town, selling to 207.5p and 203.5p. Plenty of very lean sorts exceeding the 125ppkg mark once again.

Please call Drew on (07854361967).

Angus – £958.42 & 138.5p Little Swinburne.

Angus Bull - £1095.45 & 100.5p Buteland.

Angus x - £1272.82 & £1195.75 Flotterton, £1186.65 West Shields, £1175.07 Flotterton, £1085.00 Newbiggin

189.5p & 149.5p Flotterton, 146.5p & 143.5p West Shields, 143.5p & 138.5p Flotterton.

British Blue x - £1143.58 & 153.5p East Uppertown.

Charolais - £1157.47 & 141.5p Newbiggin.

Limousin x -£1386.10 & £1233.21 High Town, £1106.25 Stotsfold, £1097.42 Kirkley Dam, £1071.92 Thornton Towers, £1058.02 High Town, £1056.02 Halton Red House

207.5p, 203.5p & 150.5p High Town, 149.5p Thornton Towers, 148.5p Kirkley Dam, 147.5p Stotsfold, 145.5p Thornton Towers, 141.5p East Uppertown & Chirdon.

Hereford x - £1089.10 & £975.13 Little Swinburne, £903.84 Middle White Hill

134.5p Middle White Hill, 134.5p & 129.5p Little Swinburne.

Simmental x – £1073.80 & 147.5p Stotsfold.

A reduced entry this week due to snowy weather. All classes a real trade and the average up 20p on the week and an overall average per head of £118.68.

Top price was £140 from Dave Brodie, Chesters, who’s pen of 42 Texel x hoggs averaged £128.21. Texel x also topped the ppkg with High Baulk selling to 315.0p.

Texel x – £140 Chesters, £132 Corneyside & Chesters (x2), £130 Corneyside, Ingoe Low Hall (x2), Chesters (x2) & Great Chesters, £129 Baal Hill (x2) & Chesters, £127 New Dotland, Corneyside, Ingoe Low Hall (x2), Chesters (x2) & Aydonshields, £127.50 New Dotland, £127 Ingoe Low Hall, £126.50 Rare Dean, £126 High baulk, Lough Green & Chesters, £125.50 Baal Hill & Matfen High House, £125 Matfen High House, Errington, Corneyside (x2), Ingoe Low Hall & Low Staples, £124 Ingoe Low Hall & West Shields, £123.50 New Dotland, Matfen High House & Ingoe Low Hall, £123 High Alderheads & Palm Strothers, £122.50 Ingoe Low Hall, £121 Errington, £120.50 Great Bavington, £120 High Alderheads, Palm Strothers & Great Chesters, £119 Lough Green, Lunns house (x2) & West Shields

315.0p High Baulk, 313.5p Blackburn, 312.5p Errington, 309.5p & 309.4p Corneyside, 307.5p High Alderheads, 303.6p New Dotland, 302.5p Errington, 302.4p West Shields, 302.3p Great Chesters, 300.0 Lough Green, 297.7p Ingoe Low Hall & Chesters, 297.6p Corneyside, 295.5p Ingoe Low Hall, 290.0p & 289.0p East Newham, 287.5p Palm Strothers, 287.2p Ingoe Low Hall, 286.7p Baal Hill, 284.4p Aydonshields, 284.2p East Newham, 282.1p Corneyside, 281.7p Bingfield Combe, 281.3p Blackburn, 279.6p 279.5p & 279.1p Palm Strothers, 279.1p Great Chesters, 278.6p High Alderheads & Bingfield Combe, 277.5p Errington, 276.3p Tenter House, 276.2p Bingfield Farm, 275.0p High Baulk, 273.8p Bingfield Farm, 273.3p Baal Hill & Bingfield Combe, 273.2p Blackburn (x2), 272.5p High Alderheads, 270.9p Great Chesters.

Suffolk x – £138 Steel Hall, £130 Baal Hill, £129 Rare Dean (x2) & Lunns House, £128 Steel Hall, £126 New Dotland, £122 & £121 Great Bavington, £120 Luns House, £119.50 Baal Hill, £119 Steel Hall

275.9p Steel Hall, 273.8p Bingfield Farm, 270.7p Steel Hall, 268.8p Lunns House, 268.2p New Dotland, 265.6 Baal Hill, 264.4p Steel Hall, 262.5p New Dotland & East Newham, 261.5p Steel Hall.

Charollais x - £126.50 & £117 Steel Hall

265.9p Steel Hall.

Mule – £123 New Dotland, £119.50 & £115 Great Chesters, £110 Blackburn, West Shields & Evistones

265.9p Baal Hill, 261.4p Great Chesters, 254.8p New Dotland, 254.3p Great Chesters, 252.4p Tenter House, 250.0p Blackburn.

Cheviot Mule - £115 & 267.4p Bingfield Combe.

Blackface -£120 & £119 Great Chesters, £110 Evistones, £109.50 New Dotland, £109 Tenter House

260.9p Great Chesters, 254.7p New Dotland, 242.9p Great Chesters.

Swaledale- £100 Evistones

228.2p Baal Hill.