Hexham and Northern Marts weekly sales reports

With a much needed fall of rain through the week, a good crowd of over 50 buyers were assembled for the start of the sale as thoughts turn to grazing cattle for the pastures of northern England and further-a-field.

The older cattle offered at the start of the sale saw trade maintained at the previous week’s level with both the best steers and heifers now consistently achieving prices in the upper reaches of £1,500 per head.Topping the sale jointly this week were two distinctly different bullocks from Northumberland and County Durham. The first was a cracking Limousin Bullock with continental style and shape from father and son Jeff and Ian Temple, Low Hall, Ingoe, which at 20 months scaled to £1,580 leading the pen from this home which saw six similar types average £1,520 per head. At the same price was another hefty Aberdeen Angus bullock at the same age and the leader of the second consignment this month from Messrs Metcalf, Fairley, Kiln Pitt Hill, Consett. A great native breed beast with weight and depth this one ticked all the boxes for the many branded beef schemes offered across the country and was one of five steers to average £1,472 per head. The family also sold seven heifer sisters to the steers and these levelled at £1,402 per head on the day.

An outstanding show of forward continental cross heifers were presented and these peaked at £1,560 for another sublime Blonde d’ Aquitaine cross at just 16 months from Messrs Walker, Houselope Grange, Tow Law, who saw their four come back at £1,457 throughout. Limousin ladies were also sought after and these peaked at £1,520 for a pure bred red heifer at 22 months from Messrs Dodd, West Grange, Milbourne, who sold four to average a worthy £1,445 per head. Charolais too sold well to complete the continental trio on the day and these peaked at £1,500 for a hefty, Lily white lady from noted breeders Messrs Campbell, Thrunton, Alnwick.

A great show of cattle from 11 to 17 months of age were forward and whilst lesser types met a little resistance at the ringside, the best offerings continue to attain a premium here at Hexham. Messrs Crammond, Armond Carr, also flew the flag for Tow Law on the day and topped this class with a great Limmy bullock at £1,570 and an average of £1,316 for two steers and three heifers traded. Messrs Swallow, Dukesfield Hall, brought yet another well-bred, well presented run down from Hexhamshire to Tyne Green and these peaked at £1,460 for a thumping Limousin cross heifer at just 13 months of age and the run of ten, all very similar came back at £1,227 across the board. At the same tariff was another super heifer from John & James Gilson, Heugh Farm, Quebec, County Durham, and with their best bullock chasing at £1,440, the father and son farming and contracting team averaged a well-deserved £1,289 for five sold.

Similarly, the youngest class of calves; those at ten months of age and younger appeared to be a ‘trade of two halves’ as the best end saw a lift in the week and yet rougher wintered sorts of which there were a greater number than previously seen, looked easier to buy in comparison.

Those at the top of their game were rewarded for size, shape and special care afforded to their cattle over the winter and this class was topped by Andy Thompson, East Unthank, Haltwhistle, with lead prices for both steers and heifers. His cracking Limousin cross heifer rattled up to a noteworthy £1,360 and outshone a steer brother (increasingly the case as the cattle trade for both store and finished animals finds a new level) that changed hands at £1,290 from the same south Tyne holding of renown. Messrs Thompson sold one heifer and four steers to average a commendable £1,149 for cattle at ten months old.

Andrew Proctor made another trip from Swarland Old Hall down the A1 and west along the A69 to benefit greatly through the Hexham ring with his best Limmy heifer calf, a sweet sort in the same age bracket that cashed at £1,270. With an older sort selling equally well and a bullock completing his box full on the day, Andrew travelled home with a smile on his face returning £1,226 on average.

Not many native breed cattle are sold at this younger age but special mention must go to the lead Angus sold in this class from David Wilkinson, New Rift, and the short travelled steer which climbed to £1,165 to cap a great day for the Acomb-based producer. With another at £1,145 and his lead heifer at £1,040, David averaged a commendable £981 for four steers and eight heifers sold on the day and a departure from selling later in the year which certainly paid dividends.

A more mixed show saw the better end continue at recent rates and leaner, harder types ideal for the grass looked easier to buy against those seen earlier in the month. The entire steer entry returned at £1,111 per head whilst heifers levelled at £1,057 and both vendors and purchasers left the market content with the days trading on an even keel.

Into the month of May sees the welcome return of a show sale ‘proper’ at Hexham when both vendors and purchasers will be able to attend the pre-sale show following the relaxation of government guidelines and direction from The Livestock Auctioneers Association.

Leading prices;

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Limousin x steers – £1560 Berwick Hill, £1510 & £1500 Low Hall, £1490 Berwick Hill, £1480 Low Hall & Berwick Hill, £1460 Berwick Hill, £1410 Settlingstones, £1410 High Trewitt, £1340 Settlingstones & Berwick Hill, £1330, £1320 & £1290 Settlingstones, £1250 Berwick Hill.

British Blue x steers – £1460 Berwick Hill.

Angus x steers – £1450 Lowfield, £1340 Stoop Rigg, £1120 Ogle Dene.

Simmental x steers – £1410 & £1370 High Trewhitt, £1290 Greencarts.

Limousin x heifers - £1520, £1400 & £1350 West Grange, £1340 Lunns House, £1175 Raggetsyke, £1130 Lunns House, £1070 Ogle Dene.

Charolais x heifers – £1230 East Fourstones.

Angus x heifers – £1380 Stoop Rigg, £1260 Thrunton.

Hereford x heifers – £1160 West Shields.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers – £1580, £1540 & £1510 Low Hall, £1410 Settlingstones, £1370 High Trewhitt, £1360 Settlingstones, £1325 Lunns House, £1320 West Grange, £1310 Greencarts, £1220 & £1160 High Trewhitt, £1080 & £1060 Midgeholme.

Charolais x steers – £1300 Broomfield, £1285 & £1200 High Trewhitt.

British Blue x steers – £1150 Ogle Dene, £1090 Midgeholme, £1075 Woodwell House.

Angus x steers – £1520, £1460 & £1400 Fairley, £1390 Delight Farm & Fairley, £1380 Stoop Rigg & Fallowfield, £1370 Delight Farm, £1180 Ogle Dene (x2), £1170 Delight Farm.

Simmental x steers – £1530 Fairley, £1370 & £1360 Satley, £1260 Broomfield, £1190 Greencarts, £1180 & £1100 Broomfield.

Hereford x steers – £1280 East Fourstones, £1185 Wheat Hall.

Limousin x heifers - £1510 West Grange, £1320 Settlingstones, £1310 Ogle Dene, £1290 & £1150 Lunns House, £1100 Raggetsyke.

Charolais x heifers – £1500 Thrunton, £1260 Grange Farm, £1160 Broomfield, £1080 & £1040 Grange Farm.

British Blue x heifers – £1020 Woodwell House.

Angus x heifers – £1450 (x2) & £1410 Fairley, £1400 Fairley & Stoop Rigg, £1380 Fairley & Stoop Rigg, £1370 Fairly & Stoop Rigg, £1360 Fairley, £1340 & £1320 Stoop Rigg, £1110 Lowfield, £1060 Woodwell House.

Simmental x heifers – £1200 Broomfield.

Blonde x heifers – £1360 Houselope Grange.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers – £1570 Armond Carr, £1480 Fallowfield, £1440 Heugh Farm & Rising Sun, £1395 Holly Hill West, £1380 Shitlington Hall, £1370 Brokenheugh, £1360 Fallowfield, £1350 Holly Hill West & Rising Sun, £1340 Fallowfield, £1330 Shitlington Hall Old Ravensworth & Grange House, £1325 Holly Hill West, £1300 & £1280 Fallowfield, £1260 Brokenheugh, Quarry House (x2) & Rising Sun, £1250 Brokenheugh, £1235 Heugh Farm, £1230 Shitlington Hall & Grange House, £1220 Shitlington Hall, Armond Carr, Quarry House & Holly Hill West, £1200 Quarry House, £1195 Greyside, £1180 Heugh Farm & Rising Sun, £1150 The Laws, £1140 Brokenheugh, £1130 Greyside, £1125 Hole Farm, £1120 Old Ravensworth &

Raggetsyke, £1110 Brokenheugh, Grange House, Low Staples & Rising Sun, £1100 Hole Farm & Rising Sun (x2), £1095 Woodhouse & Greyside, £1090 Low Staples & Agars Hill, £1085 & £1075 Rawfoot, £1060 Low Staples & Lowfield, £1050 & £1045 High Alderheads, £1035 & £1005 Gleedlee, £1000 Lowfield (x2) & Woodhouse, £995 North Cocklake, £980 Gleedlee.

Charolais x steers – £1450 East Fourstones, £1380 Satley (x2), £1360 Fallowfield, £1340 Satley & Wheat Hall, £1310 Satley, £1290 Wheat Hall, £1220, £1200 & £1170 Grange Farm, £1160 East Fourstones, £1140 Grange Farm, £1100 Low Staples, £1070 & £1050 Grange Farm.

British Blue x steers – £1210 Woodhouse, £1155 Rawfoot, £1150 & £1140 Woodhouse, £1110 Rawfoot (x2), £1070 Woodhouse, £1055 & £1020 Rawfoot, £1005 Woodhouse, £980 Rawfoot.

Angus x steers – £1290 Rawfoot, £1200 Elilaw, £1185 Old Town, £1160 East Butsfield, £1150 Elilaw & Old Town, £1145 New Rift, £1120 Old Town, Elilaw & Rawfoot (x2), ££1115 & £1100 Elilaw, £1095 Old Town, £1080 New Rift, £1070 East Butsfield, £1060 & £1055 Elilaw, £1050 East Butsfield & Ogle Dene, £1030 Elilaw & Rawfoot, £1020 & £1000 Elilaw, £980 Lowfield.

Simmental x steers - £1360 & £1320 Satley.

Saler x steers - £980 West Shields.

Fleckvieh steers – £1035 West Shields.

Hereford x steers – £1030 West Shields, £1000 Wheat Hall.

Limousin x heifers - £1460 Dukesfield Hall & Heugh Farm, £1410 East Matfen, £1400 Dukesfield Hall, £1340 Swarland Old Hall, £1290 Armond Carr, Old Ravensworth & East Matfen, £1265 & £1260 Dukesfield Hall, £1250 Armond Carr, £1195 Willimoteswick, £1190 Grange House & East Matfen, £1170 Greyside, £1150 Quarry House, Dukesfield Hall & Greyside, £1140 Brokenheugh, £1130 Heugh Farm, £1125 Greyside, £1120 Old Ravensworth, £1110 Greyside, Willimoteswick & New Acres, £1105 Greyside, £1100 Brokenheugh (x2) & Kingswood, £1095 Greyside, £1090 Rusheylaw & Kingswood, £1085 Dukesfield Hall & Willimoteswick, £1070 Old Ravensworth & Greyside, £1065 Kingswood, £1060 Rusheylaw, Greyside, Agars Hill & New Acres, £1055 North Cocklake, £1050 Cornhills, £1045 Greyside, £1040 Baal Hill, £1030 & £1010 Hole Farm, £1000 Lowfield, £995 North Cocklake & Salmonswell, £990 Rusheylaw, Kingswood, East Matfen & Salmonswell, £980 Lowfield, Round Meadows & New Acres.

Charolais x heifers – £1150, £1090, £1075 & £1065 East Fourstones, £1055 Wheat Hall, Grange Farm & East Fourstones, £1050 Wheat Hall, £1025 East Fourstones, £990 Grange Farm, £980 & £960 East Fourstones.

British Blue x heifers – £1405, £1375, £1200 (x2), £1070, £1050 & £1020 Woodhouse, £1020 Rusheylaw.

Angus x heifers – £1150 & £1120 Old Town, £1040 New Rift, £1000 Lowfield (x2) & East Butsfield, £990 Old Town, £985 New Rift, £980 West Shields, £940 East Butsfield & New Rift, £920 Lowfield.

Simmental x heifers – £1010, £1005 & £990 Wheat Hall.

Bazadaise x heifers – £1150 Rusheylaw.

Blonde x heifers – £1560, £1520 & £1390 Houselope Grange.

Cattle 10 months and under

Limousin x steers – £1290 East Unthank, £1250 Brokenheugh, £1170 Rusheylaw, £1120 Greyside, £1120 East Unthank, £1090 Baal Hill, £1080 Brokenheugh & The Laws, £1075 East Unthank, £1070 High Alderheads & Swarland Old Hall, £1030 & £980 Agars Hill, £970 The Laws, £960 & £950 Round Meadows.

Charolais x steers – £890 Wheat Hall.

British Blue x steers – £1060 Rusheylaw (x2), £900 East Unthank.

Angus x steers – £1165 & £1050 New Rift, £915 & £900 Ricknall Mill.

Hereford steers – £760 Angerton Broom House.

Limousin x heifers - £1360 East Unthank, £1270 Swarland Old Hall, £1155 Agars Hill, £1080 Willimoteswick, £1010 The Laws, £1000 Agars Hill, £980 Agars Hill & Kingswood, £940 Kingswood.

465 Cast Ewes met another extreme trade for all classes to average £119.84.

Topping the trade was the last ewe in the ring, a Texel ewe at £208 from M/s KG & A Young, Harbottle West Cottage, selling to SS Meats Ltd.

A trio of Texel ewes sold to £200 from M/s T Common & Son, Low Ardley.

A pair of Suffolk x Ewes sold to £166 from up the A1, M/s S Henderson & Sons, Demesne Farm, Felton.

A pen of five Mules topped at a staggering £153 from Mr RFS Newall, Low Barns.

A pen of eight Blackface ewes sold to £126 from J&D Longlands Ltd, Tone Hall.

Cast Rams sold to another good trade topping at £188 for a pair of Texel’s from M/s FB Davison & Son, Millview.

Blackface rams topped at £164 for a pair from Tone Hall.

Texel Ewes- £208 Harbottle Cottage, £200 Low Ardley, £195 Great Tosson, £188 Rusheylaw.

Texel Rams - £188 Mill View, £172 Broomfield, £168 Mill View & Redesmouth, £160 Felton Demesne.

Texel x Ewes - £178 Tenter House, £168 Black Callerton, £166 Highford, Broomfield & Hackford, £164 Thornley Pit House & Rusheylaw, £160 Palm Strothers & Springwell Cottage, £158 East Newham, Springwell Cottage & Felton Demesne, £156 Colwell Hill, Loadman & Black Callerton, £154 Linacres, £152 Moorgair & Linacres, £150 Springwell Cottage & Red Hemmels, £146 Red Hemmels, £142 Lynup Hill & Tone Hall, £140 Broomfield, Black Callerton, Davison Avenue & Felton Demesne.

Texel x Ram - £172 Redesmouth, £170 Palm Strothers.

Suffolk x Ewes – £166 Felton Demesne, £156 South Clarewood.

Beltex Ram - £118 Linacres.

Beltex x Ewes – £192, £180, £168 & £140 (x2) Dotland Park.

Charollais x Ewes - £149 Great Tosson.

Leicester Ewes - £134 Broomfield, £128 Allenshields.

Leicester Rams - £168 Nookton.

Cheviot Ewes – £136 Broomfield, £120 Bingfield Combe, £114 Riverside.

Cheviot Mule Ewes – £129 Bingfield Combe.

Mule Ewes – £153 Low Barns, £149 Springwell Cottage, £148 Rusheylaw, £146 East Newham, £143 Broomfield, £139 Ravenside, £138 South Clarewood, £136 Tone Hall, £134 Lynup Hill & Steel Hall, £130 Low Ardley, Red Hemmels & Colwell Hill, £128 Tone Hall (x2) & Felton Demesne, £126 Steel Hall, £124 Thornley Pit House, Carry House, Hackford, Coltpark & Loadman.

Blackface Ewes – £126 Tone Hall, £124 Rusheylaw, £115 Redesmouth, £114 Riverside, £112 Tone Hall, £107 Tenter House.

Blackface Rams - £164 Tone Hall, £148 Broomfield.

Swaledale Ewes – £108 Riverside, £104 Tarset Hall, £98 Hackford, £96 Hawksteel, £92 Ouston.

Swaledale Rams - £116 The Wham, £100 Nookton.

Jacob Ewe - £64 Bingfield.

Rough Fell Ewe - £94 Lynnshield.

Store Hoggs continue to sell well providing they have size.

Topping the trade was a strong hogg from Mr RM Johnson, High Fotherley, at £160.

A highlight was a pen of 34 strong Texel x hoggs selling to £156 from M/s W&JA Longlands, Rushey Law.

Texel x – £160 High Fotherley, £158 Mill View, £156 Rusheylaw (x2) & High Fotherley, £154 High Fotherley, £150 The Laws, Rusheylaw & Plough Inn, £148 High Fotherley, £146 Plough Inn & Low Ardley, £138 Comb Hills & Redesmouth, £136 Palm Strothers, £132 The Laws.

Suffolk x – £144 Tone Hall.

Cheviot x - £84 Embley.

Mule – £120 Blakelaw, £116 Rusheylaw, £110 Stone Stile.

Blackface – £112 Redesmouth & Rusheylaw, £99 Great Tosson.

Swaledale - £112 Nookton & Colwell Hill.

Crossbred – £88 Nookton & Blakelaw.