Hexham and Northern Marts held their first sale of store cattle in the month of May, which under normal circumstances would have included the annual May prize show of store cattle. However in the interests of customer safety and to combat against the spread of Covid-19, the company took the sensible decision to cancel the prize show and concentrate solely on the safe and efficient execution of the sale of cattle, under strict government guidelines, which was considered a resounding success.

A keen ringside bid well for all classes and the sale peaked at £1315 for a simply sublime Limousin cross steer at 17 months of age, only the second beast to be consigned to this centre by Ben Cowton, Low West House, Tow Law, County Durham.

Heifer trade peaked at £1280 for a similarly superb Limousin cross lady at just 14 months of age, which was the lead female in a fantastic run of 44 extremely well-bred yearling types, from noted producers also based near Tow Law; Messrs Rochester & Murray, Glebe Farm, Butsfield. This was the lead consignment of the day and the one that caught everyone’s eye, with return purchasers and new buyers vying to take home some of the sought after Lim-cross-Blue and Blue-cross-Lim genetics which have been the career-long focus of father and son Ashley & John Murray now ably assisted by the next generation Hannah Murray. The family's bullock trade peaked at £1290, the second highest steer price of the day for a pair of Blue crosses with bags of shape and style that ensured the entire consignment were easily sold from beginning to end. The consignment was evenly split with 22 steers returning at £1149 the same number of heifers averaging £1064, both representing a significant increase on the year.

Another consignment of note produced by a dedicated three-generation team was that from Messrs Renton, Highlaws, that saw a cracking load of 15 Limmy bullocks, bred from the family’s own pedigree stock at 12-13 months, peak at £1255 and average £1184 for the renowned Morpeth based producers.

With spring grass spurred on by a welcomed drop of rain this week, buyers were indeed keener for all classes with a number of vendors remarking on increased averages on the year which was not expected in the current climate; testament indeed to the live auction system as a sound method by which to market your store cattle and Hexham in particular as the leading centre in the region through which to conduct such business. Entries for the annual May Term sale of store cattle next week and the dedicated May sale of native breed types the following week are invited and should be made to the mart offices on 01434 605444 by 10.30am each Monday.

10 Months and Under

Charolais steers- £990.00 Newbiggin Farm.

Charolais x steers- £995.00 West Nubbok.

Charolais x heifers- £720.00 Hills Farm.

Limousin steers- £1110.00,£1055.00 Glebe Farm, £1015.00 Burnbank, £965.00 Morley Hill,£925.00, £900.00,£890.00, £885.00 Burnbank.

Limousin heifers- £1000.00 Glebe Farm, £865.00,£835.00 Burnbank.

British Blue steer-£900.00 Willimoteswick,£840.00 Lee Hall.

British Blue heifer-£910.00 Glebe Farm.

Angus x steer-£855.00 Parkside.

11-17 Months

Limousin steers- £1255.00,£1220.00,£1200.00,£1195.00 High Highlaws, £1180.00 Brownsleazes, £1175.00 Throstle Nest Farm, £1140.00 Glebe Farm, £1130.00 High Highlaws, £1125.00,£1200.00 Throstle Nest Farm.£1110.00 Glebe Farm.

Limousine heifer- £1280.00,£1170.00,£1110.00,£1090.00 Glebe Farm, £1080.00 Heugh Farm, £1075.00 Heugh Farm, £1070.00 Morley Hill £1070.00, £1050.00 (x2) Dukesfield Hall, £1010.00 Heugh Farm.

Charolais steers-£930.00 Newbiggin Farm.

Charolais x steers- £1065.00,£1045.00 West Shields, £1015.00 Throp Hill, £1010.00 West Shields,£960.00 Harewalls Farm.

Charolais x heifers- £1135.00 New Houses,£800.00 Newbiggin Farm.

British Blue steers- £1290.00,£1270.00,£1250.00,£1170.00,£1160.00,£1145.00,£1135.00 (x2),£1130.00 Glebe Hall,£1040.00,£1035.00 Kingside.

British Blue heifers- £1150.00,£1060.00,£1025.00 Glebe Hall,£945.00 Morley Hill, £900.00 Low West House.

Blonde d’Aquitaine steer-£1170.00 Brownsleazes.

Blonde d’Aquitaine heifer £1040.00 Brownleazes.

Angus x steer- £1095.00 Elilaw,£1030.00 (x2) Barrasford, £1020.00,£990.00 Elilaw, £980.00 (x2),£970.00,£960.00 (x3) East Butsfield.

Angus x heifers-£990.00,£950.00,£890.00 (x2) East Butsfield.

Longhorn x steer- £1100.00,£1010.00 Broomfield Farm.

Dairy Shorthorn steer-£800.00 The Sneep.

Cattle 17-22 Months

Limousin steers – £1315.00 Low West House (Cowton),£1205.00 White House Farm,£1160.00 Broomfield Farm, £1160.00 Heugh Farm, £1150.00 White House Farm, £1105.00 High Alderheads, £1095.00,£1030.00,£1025.00,£1000.00 Settlingstones.

Limousin heifers – £1080.00 Bingfield, £1065.00 Low Staples, £1045.00 Dene Farm, £945.00 Broomfield Farm, £920.00 Lunns House, £880.00,£870.00 Low Staples.

Charolais steers- £1010.00 Harewalls Farm.

Charolais heifers-£1110.00 Low Burradon.

Charolais x steers- £1155.00, £1090.00 New Houses.

Charolais x heifers-£1070.00, £990.00 (x2) New Houses.

Blonde d’Aquitaine-£1230.00 Brownsleazes.

Angus x steers- £1230.00,£1160.00,£1155.00,£1090.00 (x2),£1020.00 Fairley Farm.

Angus x heifers- £ 1090.00,£990.00 (x2) Fairley Farm.

Simmental x steers- £1050.00 Broomfield Farm.

Simmental x heifers- £950.00 Broomfield Farm.

Hereford x heifers- £1080.00 Broomfield Farm.

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Charolais heifers –£1125.00, £1020.00 Low Burradon.

Limousin steers – £1170.00 Paradise Farm, £1160.00,£1100.00,£1100.00,£1090.00 White House Farm.

Limousin heifers -£1045.00, £1010.00 Lunns House.

British Blue steers – £990.00 Woodwell House Farm.

British Blue heifers - £945.00 Woodwell House Farm.

Angus x steers -£1200.00 (x2) Fairley Farm.

Angus x heifers –£1065.00 New Houses, £990.00 Acton.

South Devon-£1150.00 Bingfield Combe.

Store Sheep

Cast Ewes

Lean ewes met a very strong trade with all purchasers keen for sheep.

Heavier ewes were a lot harder to cash in line with national trend.

Topping the sale was a Texel Tup from M/s JB+N Harrison, Colepike at £112.

Texel - £112 Colepike, £98 & £82 Millfield Demesne/

Texel x – £100 Crook Dene, £96 Cooper House, £92 Woodlands, £90 Errington Red House, Huntlaw Cottage, Whitehouse Farm Centre, East Uppertown, Aydonshields (x2), Kellah, Harewalls & Chapel House, £88 Lee Hall, £87 Waterford, £86 Matfen High House, £84 Whitehouse Farm Centre, £80 Whitehouse Farm Centre, Crook Dene, Crescent Farm, West Shields & Millfield Demesne.

Suffolk - £89 Huntlaw Cottage, £76 Allenheads Farm.

Suffolk x – £82 Longshaws, £81 Woodlands, £80 Huntlaw Cottage & Colepike.

Leicester - £80 East Unthank.

Zwartbles - £71 Cragiehall Bungalow.

Cheviot – £72 Millfield Demesne.

Cheviot x – £64 Gairshield & Low Struthers.

Mule – £76 Broom House, £74 Stone Stile, £72 Errington Red House & Kellah, £70 Warksfield Head & Woodlands, £69 Middle White Hill & Low Struthers, £68 Matfen High House & Great Chesters, £66 Grindon Hill, Kellah & Crescent Farm, £65 High Yarridge & Harewalls.

Blackface – £68 Gairshield, £64 Warksfield Head, £60 Hotbank (x2) & Kellah, £52 East White Hill, £50 Warksfield Head.

Swaledale – £51 Acton, £50 Harewalls, £49 Sanders Close, £48 Crook Dene & East Unthank, £47 The Laws, £44 Harwood Shield.

Jacob - £39 Whitehouse Farm Centre.

Crossbred - £71 Whitehouse Farm Centre.

Store Hoggs

Smaller Hoggs again met strong demand for the end of the season show.

Heavy Hoggs were harder to place topping at £86.00 for the stronger hoggs from the regular consigner GA Ogle, Blackburn.

Please note the opening sale of Ewes and Gimmers and Hoggs with lambs at foot has been moved to Tuesday 12th May. Entries by 10 am Thursday 7th May to Mart main Office or 01434 605444 or Auctioneer Jack Walton on 07739 440457.

Texel x – £86 Blackburn, £85 Lough Green, £80 East Uppertown, Cooper House, Mickley Moor, Lough Green (x2), Blackburn, Aydonshields & The Bridges, £78 Lough Green & High Yarridge (x2), £76 Warksfield Head & Lough Green, £75 Aydonshields, £74 High Yarridge & Middle Heads, £72 Cheviot.

Suffolk x – £73 The Bridges, £65 Cooper House.

Charollais x – £69 Broom House.

Cheviot x - £68 & £66 Amerside Law.

Mule – £72 Warksfield Head, £68 Allenheads Farm, £66 High Yarridge, £64 Great Chesters.

Blackface – £76 Great Chesters, £70 Great Chesters, Amerside Law & Gairshield, £69 Hotbank, £60 Hotbank & Amerside Law.

Swaledale - £50 Allenheads Farm & East Unthank.

Herdwick – £55 Gairshield.