Longtown Primestock Sale Report

The Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart plc had forward 31 prime cattle, 13 OTM cattle, 4,433 prime lambs and 4,812 cast ewes & rams at their weekly sale at Longtown on Thursday 6th August 2015.

Again a good show of prime cattle were keenly bid for and considering the drop in deadweight prices, the trade was buoyant throughout. Top price was 225.5p, twice, both for Limousin heifers sold by local farmers, Messrs A. &W.J. Taylor & Son, Dashwellgreen and purchased by M.J. Wharton Wholesale Butchers, Wigton. Bullocks sold to 220.5p (x2) from regular customers D.J. Garthwaite & Son, Wyseby Hill Cottage and were purchased by Border Meats Wholesale Butchers, Lockerbie.

PRIME STEERS - PRINCIPAL PRICES (PER KILO)

Limousin 220.5p (x2) Wyseby Hill Cottage, 217.5p (x2) Dashwellgreen, 213.5p Englishtown, 211.5p Low Plains, 207.5p Englishtown, 199.5p (x2), 195.5p Englishtown.

British Blue 205.5p High Moat.

PRIME STEERS - PRINCIPAL PRICES (PER HEAD)

Limousin £1,326 Dashwellgreen, £1,300 Wysby Hill.

British Blue £1,324 High Moat.

PRIME HEIFERS - PRINCIPAL PRICES (PER KILO)

Limousin 225.5p (x2), 216.5p Dashwellgreen, 215.5p (x2) Becton Hall, 214.5p Dashwellgreen, 211.5p Low Plains, 210.5p Englishtown, 203.5p, 199.5p Low Plains.

Simmental 218.5p Sceughdyke.

Charolais 201.5p Low Plains, 201.5p, 199.5p, 195.5p Upper Mains.

Stabiliser 201.5p Sceughdyke.

PRIME HEIFERS - PRINCIPAL PRICES (PER HEAD)

Limousin £1,486 (x2) Becton Hall, £1,353, £1,330, £1,307 Dashwellgreen, £1,287 Low Plains, £1,255 Dashwellgreen, £1,200 Low Plains, £1,178 Englishtown.

Charolais £1,316, £1,209 Upper Mains, £1,188 Low Plains.

Simmental £1,289 Sceughdyke.

Stabiliser £1,188 Sceughdyke.

An excellent show of OTM cows were forward to a full ring of buyers who bid freely for all types with the best and the worst wanted by all. Top price was 135p paid for a young Friesian from Messrs Huddleston, The Green. Holsteins topped at 134p from South Lambhill. Randalinton sold Channel Island crosses to 127p. Hill cows met a tremendous trade with Shorthorns from Border Rigg selling to 128p, with others to 108p Laverhay. Continentals sold to 119p from Sorbietrees. Overall average 105.7p.

Today also saw the 9th Annual Young Handlers Prime Lamb Show and Sale sponsored by the Farmers Guardian along with the annual Longtown Young Farmers Lamb Show and Sale. Both classes were ably judged by Mr H G Woodmass, Harene, Linstock who expertly worked his way through the large classes with a minimum of fuss, keeping all children happy. The Young Handlers Show was finally won by Amy Graham, Miller Hill in the 8-11years class, with a Blue Texel lamb which scaled 41kg and realised £90 to Mr Andrew Dawson. Reserve Champion was awarded to N Gorton at 41kg and £90.

Class 1: Aged up to 7

1st & Reserve – N Gorton 41kg £90

2nd – B Glastier 37kg £65

3rd – L Milburn 37kg £69

4th – L Little 44kg £100

5th – J Telford 47kg £77

Class 2: Aged 8-10

1st & Champion – A Graham 41kg £90

2nd - T Hall 51kg £75

3rd – L Jardine 43kg £69

4th – A Milburn 37kg £69

5th – A Bouch 46kg £84

Class 3: Aged 12-16

1st – L Brough 57kg £75

2nd – E Simpson 41kg £74

3rd – R Graham 48kg £73

4th – J Wigham 49kg

5th – J Calvert 47kg £76

In the Young Farmers Show, the champion was awarded to the first prize pair of lambs from Joe Dickinson, Brockwoodlees, weighing 43kg and realising £100 to Jason Tucker. Reserve Champion was awarded to the first prize dressed lamb from Richard Priestly weighting 41kg realising £91 to Jason Tucker.

Single Lamb:

1st – R Preistley 46kg £77

2nd - C Goddard 51kg £85

3rd – S Beard 41kg £81

Best Pair:

1st & Champion – J Dickinson 43kg £100

2nd – J Scott 43kg £77

3rd – R Beard 40kg £80

Best Dressed:

1st & Reserve – R Priestley 41kg £91

2nd – J Scott 38kg £75

1

The largest show of the season so far of 4,433 Prime Lambs (+1,100 on previous year) sold to a very active ring of buyers with companies all over the UK represented today. The overall sale average was 155p/kg which although was slightly easier than earlier in the week when shows were light. Larger shows towards the end of week saw trade for export weight lambs remain between 160p-170p and heavy lambs over 48kg in strong demand, regularly making over £80. However 44-48kg lambs were the hardest to cash, as they fitted neither bracket very well. Light weight lambs short of requirements and easily sold.

PRINCIPAL PRICES (PER KILO)

Beltex 227p Holland, 184p Wallend

Hill Cheviot 165p Clonrae, 163p Hall Farms 161p Cottage

Texel 233p Brockwoodlees, 222p Cracrop, 220p Miller Hill, 200p Dormanstead, 198p High Greenhill, Dormanstead & Walton Woodhead

Charollais 167p Red House & Clonrae, 158p Greenburn.

Suffolk 178p Maidencoats, 175p Gall, 167p Campbelton,165p Tarra & Sceughdyke

Greyface 161p Burnbrae, 156p Cardewlees, 153p Crinkdledykes & The Bog.

Blackface 172p Clonrae, 166p Bankend, 164p Maidencoats

Swaledale 131p High Edges Green, 130p Softley

Cheviot Mule 146p Chapel (Moffat)

Oxford 138p Guards

Hampshire 160p Barnglies

PRINCIPAL PRICES (PER HEAD)

Texel £100 Brockwoodlees, £91 Cracrop, £90 Miller Hill, £84 High Greenhill, £80 Glenzierfoot

Beltex £100 Hollands, £70 Wallend

Charollais £77.50 Hallburn, £75 Windy Hill, £72 Maryholm

Suffolk £84 Gall & Tonehall, £83, £81 Sceughdyke, £80 Priesthaugh, Long Strumble & Barnglies

Greyface £70, £66 Burnbrae

Hill Cheviot £57 Bascodyke, £56 Westhills & Clonrae.

Oxford £65 Guards

Blackface £63.50 Edges Green, £57 Wanwood Hill & Bankend, £56 Clonrae

Cheviot Mule £60 Chapel (Moffat)

Swaledale £45 Maidencoats, £43 Softley.

Another large show of 4,912 cast ewes and rams were forward to a full ring of buyers all keen for sheep. Heavy ewes would be £4-5 up on the week with light ewes similar. Tups remain very dear and short of buyers requirements. More sheep could be sold to vendors advantage.

HEAVY EWES

Texel £144 Tarnside, £142 Broomlea, £140 Kilnford Croft, £136 Graceside, £134 Glengart, £130 Unthank & Hillend.

Charollais £124 Beckfoot, £114, £110 Hillend, £100 Somerton House.

Suffolk £118 Graceside, £101 The Shieling, £100 Hillend & Colmslie Hill.

Leicester £93 Foulshiels, £90 Clackmae, £86 Peela Hill & Unthank.

North Country Cheviot £102 Earlside, £82 Gospel Hall, £81 Marchbank & Earlisde.

Cheviot Mule £89 Priesthaugh, £84 Waterside, £81 Clackmae, Colmslie Hill & Graceside.

Greyface £84 High Glen Triplock, £79 Unthank & Marchbank, £78 Wanwood Hill.

Half Bred £77 Earlside.

Zwartble £78 Beckfoot

LIGHT EWES

Lleyn £66 Ringligate

Hill Cheviot £61 Maidencoats

Blackface £66 Crindledyke, £64 Peela Hill & Whiteside, £58 Minsca & South Slipperfield

Swaledale £60 Coldshield, £57 Sanders Close & Roachburn, £55 Spoutbank

Jacob £48 Burnbrae

Herdwick £43 Romanway, £42 Farlam Hill & Gall

Shetland £40 Burnbrae

Goats £63, £60 Solwaybank

PRIME RAMS

Suffolk £172 Beckfoot, £164 Merrick & Wallend.

Texel £180 Hilltop, £162 Blairshinnock, £158 Hillend, £154 Wallend

Leicester £98 Bailey Mill, £88 Hamburn Hall

Blackface £78 Burnbrae

Hill Cheviot £123 Hownam Grange

Charolais £165 Beckfoot, £159 Greenburn £152 Merrick

Beltex £150 Tarnside

North Country Cheviot £142 Colmslie Hill, £130 Stonehall, £120 Satchells

Averages:
Steers

Light to 207.5p (207.5p)
Medium to 220.5p (207.1p)
Heavy to 163.5p (163.5p)

Heifers
Light to -------p (-------p)
Medium to 225.5p (211.5p)
Heavy to 215.5p (205.1p)

Lambs
Light to 181.0p (160.0p)
Standard to 197.0p (155.6p)
Medium to 233.0p (154.9p)
Heavy to 183.0p (153.0p)
O/weight 166.0p (146.2p)

Ewes
Light to £66.00 (£44.18)
Heavy to £144.00 (£76.82)

Cast Rams £180.00 (£100.50)

corresponding week 2014 sale report