HEXHAM & Northern Marts held their May term sale of store cattle and offered a catalogue of 672 head of store cattle and suckled calves.

Following a super sale last week, the highs experienced in terms of both quality on show and the values attained were rarely replicated on this day although the upper reaches of the trade for the best of forward cattle were maintained. This was no more evident than in the run of outstanding Limousin cross steers and heifers from 18-22 months consigned by Willie Woodman, Great Chesters, who followed on from his tremendous run of Charolais sired beast last week with 30 steers and heifers that were a sight to behold. A pen of five sublime bullocks peaked at £1,760 and a tremendous red heifer scaled to £1,740 and with another at £1,700; both being purchased by a noted consignor of show calves to this centre to put to the bull. Mr Woodman enjoyed a great day’s trading to average £1,673 for 14 steers and 16 heifer sisters representing a phenomenal rise on the year.

The quality of yearling cattle on offer failed to match the great sorts presented seven days earlier however, the best end sold well peaking at £1,450 for a cracking red Limmy cross bullock from Messrs Athey, High Loveladyshield, Alston. Heifers peaked at £1,320 for a great Limmy sort from John & Simon Robson, Low Horton, Blyth, as did the top of the female offering from Messrs Athey. A very level run of well-bred sorts were sent east along the A69 by Graeme Clarkson, Elrington Hall, and the Haydon Bridge-based breeder saw a level trade for his 16 steers sold in well-batched lots which topped at £1,320 and averaged £1,134 per head.

The youngest class of cattle continue to look a good trade in comparison to their older counterparts and the best of these at ten months and younger still attract plentiful bidding. Steers at this age topped at £1,205 for a trademark top type from Dennis & Stuart Charlton, Whiteside, and with another at £1,200 and their lead heifer at £1,110, the Roman Wall-based father and son saw six steers and four heifers return at £1,040 per head. John Nevin, Parkside, showed his annual run of Limousin and Angus calves from the hillsides of Allendale and was well-rewarded for his efforts. Limousin steers topped at £1,200 and their Angus stablemates rattled to £1,125 and with only one heifer in the run, the load sold well at £1,103 throughout with the greatest competition for the calves by the black bull boding well for the monthly native breed sale next week.

Another Alston-based consignor; John Walton, Farnbury, brought a smart packet of heifers late in the day and faired well non-the-less topping at £1,105 for a smart Limousin cross bred heifer and scooping £1,053 across the board for five sold at just ten months of age.

As numbers ease, buyers remain eager for grass cattle and warm, wet weather surely will prompt a spurt of growth in the pastures. Offices on 01434 605444.

Leading prices;

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Limousin x steers – £1760 & £1710 Great Chesters, £1380 Settlingstones, £1345, £1330, £1280 & £1260 White House, £1170 Settlingstones, £1120 White House.

Charolais x steers – £1420, £1350, £1340, £1300 & £1220 Hepscott Manor.

British Blue x steers – £1360 High Trewhitt.

Angus x steers – £1420 Fairley, £1210 Redesmouth.

Limousin x heifers - £1740, £1700, £1660, £1650, £1640 (x2), £1610 & £1600 Great Chesters, £1040 Midgeholme.

Charolais x heifers – £1360 Hepscott Manor, £1060 New Houses.

Angus x heifers – £1190 Buteland, £1090 Bankfoot (x2) & Redesmouth, £1080 Fairley, £1040 Buteland.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers – £1700 & £1570 Great Chesters, £1460 Berry Edge, £1450 Tarset Hall & Troughend (JW), £1310 Settlingstones & Hepscott Manor, £1300 Tarset Hall, £1230 Dovecote, £1220 High Trewhitt & Low Horton, £1200 & £1190 Settlingstones, £1170 High Trewhitt, £1160 Settlingstones, £1045 & £1000 Dovecote.

Charolais x steers – £1740 Great Chesters, £1300 Hepscott Manor, £1050 Harnham Hall.

Angus x steers – £1380 & £1370 Fairley, £1250 Redesmouth, £1150 Redesmouth & Buteland.

South Devon x steers – £1000 Bingfield Combe.

Limousin x heifers - £1510 West Foreshield, £1450 Burmoor, £1310 Berry Edge, £1300 & £1220 Middle Heads, £1200 Tarset Hall, £1150 Low Horton, £1100 Fairley, £1050 & £1020 Low Horton, £980 Broadgates.

Charolais x heifers – £1300 Hepscott Manor.

British Blue x heifers – £1500 & £1190 Hepscott Manor, £1080 Buteland.

Angus x heifers – £1400 Fairley, £1370 Buteland, £1300, £1250 & £1170 Fairley, £1020 Buteland.

South Devon x heifers – £970 Bingfield Combe.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers – £1450 High Lovelady Shield, £1345 Thornton Tower, £1320 Hammershield & Elrington Hall, £1310 Cowburn Rigg, £1300 High Lovelady Shield, £1285 Cowburn Rigg, £1270 West Foreshield, £1260 Heugh Farm, £1255 Midgeholme, £1245 Thornton Tower, £1240 Midgeholme, Heugh Farm (x2) & Elrington Hall, £1230 Tarset Hall, £1225 & £1220 West Kirkheaton, £1190 West Kirkheaton, Brokenheugh & Thornton Tower, £1185 Broadgates, £1180 & £1175 Midgeholme, £1170 West Kirkheaton, £1160 Brokenheugh, Thornton Tower & White House Matfen & High Lovelady Shield, £1150 West Foreshield, Barrasford Green, Thornton Tower & Linacres, £1140 & £1135 Low Middleton, £1130 Brokenheugh, Thornton Tower, Low Middleton & Tarset Hall, £1125 Brokenheugh, £1120 Tarset Hall, £1115 Prospect Grange, £1105 Hammershield, £1100 Hammershield, Elrington Hall, Cowburn Rigg & Burmoor, £1090 Parkside, Elrington Hall & Tarset Hall (x2), £1085 Elrington Hall, £1080 Barrasford Green (x2), Elrington Hall, Chesters & Burmoor, £1075 Barrasford Green.

Charolais x steers – £1260 Woodlands, £1230 & £1205 Newbiggin, £1200 Brokenheugh, £1190 Newbiggin, £1180 Redsteads, £1140 Harewalls & Newbiggin, £1130 & £1110 Newbiggin, £1090 Harewalls, £1060 & £1050 Redsteads, £1040 & £1030 Harnham Hall, £990 Woodlands, £975 East Flass.

British Blue x steers – £1300, £1200 & £1140 West Kirkheaton.

Angus x steers – £1290 Barrasford Green, £1180 Buteland, £1170 Parkside, £1155 Kirkley House, £1150 Buteland (x2), £1145 Barrasford Green, £1140 Buteland, Parkside & East Butsfield, £1135 Buteland & East Butsfield, £1130 Parkside, £1120 Buteland, £1110 Barrasford Green, £1105 Parkside, £1100 (x2) & £1085 Buteland, £990 Bank Top & Barrasford Green.

Hereford x steers – £1120 & £1100 Buteland, £940 Woodlands.

Limousin x heifers - £1320 Low Horton , £1175 & £1170 High Lovelady, £1160 Midgeholme & West Foreshield, £1150 West Foreshield, £1145 High Lovelady, £1140 Low Middleton, £1105 Wingates South, £1100 Brokenheugh & Tedcastle, £1090 Little Swinburne, £1070 West Foreshield (x2) & Low Middleton, £1050 West Foreshield & Greenchesters, £1040 High Lovelady & Thornton Tower, £1035 Wingates South, £1030 Wingates South, Farnbury & Middle Heads, £1020 West Kirkheaton, £1010 Tedcastle & Burmoor, £1000 Heugh Farm, Hammershield, Wingates South & Tanfield Lane, £995 Little Swinburne, £990 Little Swinburne (x2) & Low Middleton, £980 Linacres.

Charolais x heifers – £1160, £1090 & £1075 Newbiggin, £1000 Woodlands, £990 Newbiggin & Redsteads, £980 Newbiggin.

Angus x heifers – £1100 (x2), £1080 & £1065 Buteland, £1050 East Butsfield (x2), £1020 Buteland, £1000 Parkside, £980 Buteland.

Cattle 10 months and under

Limousin x steers – £1205 Whiteside, £1200 Parkside & Whiteside, £1125 Parkside, £1100 Whiteside, £1080 & £1060 Brokenheugh, £1030 Wydon, £1020 West Foreshield, £1005 Greenchesters, £990 & £980 Whiteside, £970 West Foreshield & Whiteside.

Angus x steers – £1125 Parkside.

Limousin x heifers - £1110 Whiteside, £1105 Farnbury, £1100 Tedcastle, £1050 Farnbury, £990 & £970 Whiteside.

A reduced entry of Cast Ewes and Rams met a stronger trade than expected as many centres report significant reductions.

Tups met a strong trade topping at £188 from M/s W Walton & Sons, Ogle Castle, selling to SS Meats.

Top price in the ewe section went for £168 from M/s M Johnson & Son, Halfway House, selling to Mr H Bennison.

Mules met strong interest selling to a top of £124 for a pen from M/s JR Robinson & Son, Warksfield Head.

Blackfaces sold to £112 twice from Warksfield Head and M/s W&JA Longlands, Rusheylaw.

Texel Rams - £188 Ogle Castle, £182 Mickley Moor, £178 East Butsfield, £164 Mickley Moor.

Texel Ewes – £165 Shaw Wood.

Texel x Ewes – £168 Halfway House, £148 Ogle Castle, £140 Halfway House, Nunwick & Chesters, £138 North Cocklake, £136 Warksfield Head, £132 Rye Hill, £130 East Butsfield, £128 Dalton Hill Head & Chesters, £120 Nunwick, Stone Hall & Mickley Moor, £118 West Edmondsley, Acton & Hareshaw Allotment.

Suffolk x Ewes – £126 White House Matfen, £116 Hareshaw Allotment.

Leicester Ewes- £128 Whitchester.

Cheviot Ewes – £118 Hareshaw Allotment.

Cheviot Mule Ewes – £130 Nunwick.

Mule Ewes – £124 Warksfield Head, £123 Stone Hall, £122 Wingates South, £120 East Butsfield, Broomhall, High Barns & East Knitsley, £118 High Barns & North Cocklake, £117 Whitchester, £116 Ravensworth Grange.

Aberfield Ewes - £116 (x2) & £112Whitchester.

Blackface Ewes– £112 Rusheylaw & Warksfield Head, £104 Wingates South, £98 Warksfield Head.

Swaledale Ewes – £100 Round Meadows, £96 Loadman.

A very strong show of hoggs sold to another great trade selling to a top of £172 for a pen of five Suffolk’s from M/s W Walton & Sons, Ogle Castle.

Texel x – £158 Rusheylaw, £150 Rye Hill, £148 Mickley Moor.

Suffolk x – £172 Ogle Castle, £158 Ravensworth Grange.

Mule – £146 Ogle Castle, £140 South Colwell, £134 East Knitsley, £118 East Butsfield.

Blackface – £148 & £140 Stell Green.