Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their ‘Anniversary Show & Sale of Prime Stock on Thursday 22nd September 2022. Forward were 180 Cattle, 2378 Sheep and 6 Pigs.
99 Prime Bulls sold to 298ppk or £2531
4 Prime Steers sold to 297ppk or £1831
77 Prime Heifers sold to 334ppk or £2021
1939 Prime Lambs sold to 363ppk or £178
439 Cast Ewes & Rams sold to £188
6 Prime Pigs sold to 100ppk or £94
As we come to the end of a memorable anniversary week, we once again sincerely offer thanks to our generous sponsors Rickerby’s, James Middlemiss Machinery Ltd, G W Robson & Co, Watson Machinery, Mole Valley Farmers, Goodfellow Farming, R W Lynn Fencing Contractors, AgriSource, AGRi Insurance, Castle Farm Vets, Monty Wests, Paxtons, Vickers & Barrass.
Show Cattle
Longstanding Darlington buyer Keith Tallentire of Cockfield kindly agreed to judge the cattle at this year’s anniversary offering. A bizarrely small number of steers turned out for the show however an exceptionally good show of heifers were duly presented by our vendors; Keith’s task was far from easy as several beast could easily have won the championship. The one which proved to be right up Tally’s alley and thus taking the tri-coloured rosette on the day was a fantastic British Blue crossed heifer from regular sellers Robin and Imogen Hirst of Neasham Grange, Darlington. Reserve Champion went to the second placed heifer from another of our most frequent consignors J V & J A Hodgson of The Grange, Summerhouse with a fabulous Limousin cross. Flying the flag of St Andrew with a credible third place in the strong heifer class was a well finished Limousin from Brechin based J & J P Sim. Top of the steers came from R D Musgrave, Edder Acres Farm, Shotton Colliery with a Piedmontese cross with a hefty lad from local producers A G Watson & Sons, Rushyford in second place. A great show of bulls took some sifting through as many vendors were in the hunt for the rosettes, the eventual winner came from Stirlingshire based J Burnett & Sons, Upper Spittalton with Durham’s T W Clark & Son, and Morpeth’s Renton Family both in hot pursuit.
Cattle Show Results
Best Heifer
1st – R Hirst, Neasham Grange sold for 334ppk and £1897 to John Penny & Sons
2nd – J V & J A Hodgson, The Grange sold for 322ppk and £1819 to John Penny & Sons
3rd – J & J P Sim, Kincraig sold for 305ppk and £1942 to Thompson Wholesale
Best Steer
1st – R D Musgrave, Edder Acres Farm sold for 283ppk and £1647 to John Penny & Sons
2nd – A G Watson & Sons, Nunstainton Grange sold for 262ppk and £1831 to M J Wharton
3rd – W J Smith & Partners, Belle Isle Farm sold for 297ppk and £1639 to J A Jewitt Ltd.
Best Bull
1st – J Burnett & Sons, Upper Spittalton sold for 285ppk and £2339 to Worsley Wholesale
2nd – T W Clark & Son, Frankland Farm sold for 289ppk and £2158 to J A Jewitt Ltd.
3rd – Renton Highlaws Ltd, High Highlaws sold for 293ppk and £2259 to J A Jewitt Ltd.
Champion – R Hirst, Neasham Grange sold for 334ppk and £1897 to John Penny & Sons
Reserve Champion – J V & J A Hodgson, The Grange sold for 322ppk and £1819 to John Penny & Sons
Prime Bulls (99) – The breath-taking trade bounds blissfully on through September as another wonderful week in the bull ring transpired, a good show of flesh with more Native breeds present than most weeks averaged a staggering 255ppk and £1824. Top price per kilo at 298 pence went to S & J Dent & Son, Darlington with a terrific handy weighted Limousin bull, in his slipstream an unbelievable 29 other bulls sold between 280ppk and 295ppk. No less than 31 bulls this week sold over £2000, the terrific top ten climbed beyond £2200 of these a trio sold in the £2300’s but the stand out leader was another from the pen of our show winners John Burnett & Sons when an 882kg Limousin sold for £2531. As mentioned more native breeds were on show, the Aberdeen Angus breed led these over the line with A S & S M Kemp, Sherburn selling to 278ppk; despite F J Fraser & Son of Forfar climbing as high as £1902 a magnificent lad from D M Lyle, Dunblane joined the elite continentals as he sold for an amazing £2131. Delights for the dairy bull feeders as they too enjoyed a fast trade, tops came from the super consistent R Hall & Son, Kilton Hall Farm with a Friesian at £1607 and a Montbeliarde from the same good yard reached 237ppk. Below as usual are some of the pace setters this week.
Renton Highlaws Ltd, Morpeth sold 4 to average 291ppk and £2082
L S Staley, Marwood sold 2 to average 288ppk and £2062
J Burnett & Sons, Stirling sold 4 to average 287ppk and £2326
J C Johnson, Trimdon Village sold 2 to average 286ppk and £2140
F & J S Gargett, Barnard Castle sold 2 to average 282ppk and £2180
J B Luck & Son, Bowes sold 4 to average 279ppk and £2213
Prime Bulls Leading PPK – 298 S & J Dent & Son. 295 293 291 285 Renton Highlaws Ltd. 294 280 J H & M & N W Brown. 293 287(x2) 285 J Burnett & Sons. 293 280 J C Johnson. 291(x2) 284 J B Luck & Son. 291 J K & C E Farming. 291 286 F & J S Gargett. 289 288 L S Staley. 289 T W Clark & Son. 288 280 J A & M Boyes Ltd. 288 287 286 284 A S & S M Kemp. 286 284 A G Watson & Sons.
Native Breed Bulls Leading PPK – 278 258 A S & S M Kemp. 269 257 J A & M Boyes Ltd. 244 241 238(x2) 233 230 229 F J Fraser & Son. 243 A R Bell & Son. 243 East Newbiggen Farm. 234 D M Lyle.
Dairy Bulls Leading PPK – 237 231 218 R Hall & Son. 216(x2) T Watson. 196 182 178 D Walker.
Prime Bulls Leading Gross Value – £2531 £2339 £2287 £2147 John Burnett & Sons. £2355 £2197 £2164 £2138 J B Luck & Son. £2354 Robert Graham & Son. £2293 £2234 £2011 F & J S Gargett. £2259 £2183 £2031 Renton Highlaws Ltd. £2236 £2045 £2012 A G Watson & Sons. £2200 £2080 J C Johnson. £2167 J K & C E Farming. £2158 T W Clark & Son. £2131 £2026 £2024 D M Lyle. £2079 £2046 L S Staley. £2059 A S & S M Kemp. £2049 J H & M & N W Brown.
Native Breed Bulls Leading Gross Value – £2131 D M Lyle. £1902 £1892 £1797 £1718 £1713 F J Fraser & Son. £1897 £1892 A R Bell & Son. £1840 £1786 J A & M Boyes Ltd. £1773 £1702 A S & S M Kemp. £1705 East Newbiggen Farm.
Dairy Bulls Leading Gross Value – £1607 £1478 £1390 R Hall & Son. £1220 £1183 T Watson. £1190 £1179 £1093 D Walker.
Prime Clean Cattle (81) – The buyers of the clean are insatiably keen, tighter numbers with incredible results as the heifers levelled at an unreal 293.54 pence per kilo. The show heifers led the way with the hot Hirst’s and Hodgson’s occupying the top slots, our Champion at 334 pence was naturally out in front and the Reserve Champion at 322ppk was only matched by one of her esteemed stable mates. So sensational was the trade that a ridiculous 45 of the 77 heifers sold for at least 300 pence per kilo. Top steer per kilo went to regular consignors W J Smith & Partners, Belle Isle with a homebred Limousin at 297 pence. The gross value race this week was won by a superb Limousin heifer from A & D Proctor, Swarland Old Hall when she sold for £2021, her closest rival yet another from the Hodgson’s pen which sold for £2010, top gross valued steer came from A G Watson & Sons at £1831 on a day which witnessed 1/3 of the cattle sell over £1800. Some brilliant stats below from this week’s pace setters.
R Hirst, Neasham sold 8 Heifers to average 312ppk and £1758
W A Armstrong, Coxhoe sold 6 Heifers to average 309ppk and £1766
J V & J A Hodgson, Summerhouse sold 12 Heifers to average 306ppk and £1864
D H Lawson, Leyburn sold 3 Heifers to average 304ppk and £1745
J & J P Sim, Dundee sold 5 to average 303ppk and £1779
N White, Marrick sold 8 Heifers to average 300ppk and £1641
W J Smith & Partners, Richmond sold 4 (2s, 2h) to average 299ppk and £1641
Steers – Top prices ppk 297 288 WJ Smith & Partners. 283 RD Musgrave. 262 AG Watson & Sons.
Lead Grossing Steers £1831 AG Watson & Sons. £1647 RD Musgrave. £1639 £1595 WJ Smith & Partners.
Heifers – Top prices ppk 334 320 314 313 311 307 302 R Hirst. 322×2 316 312 310 309 308 307×2 JV&JA Hodgson. 316 W Swinbank & Sons. 315 313 W Swinbank & Sons. 314 313 312×2 307 WA Armstrong. 311 A&D Proctor. 310 303 301 DH Lawson. 309 300 N White. 309 302 WJ Smith & Partners. 308 307 305 304 J&JP Sim. 307×2 304×2 WF Hustwit. 307 305 303 LW Martin. 306 RD Musgrave.
Lead Grossing Heifers £2021 £1803 A&D Proctor. £2010 £1953 £1952 £1921 £1875 £1833 £1819 £1815 £1814 £1803 JV&JA Hodgson. £1942 £1805 £1786 J&JP Sim. £1924 £1884 LW Martin. £1897 £1814 £1792 £1788 R Hirst. £1845 £1801 W Swinbank & Sons. £1845 £1838 £1814 £1780 £1779 £1778 £1752 WF Hustwit. £1841 DH Lawson. £1832 £1794 £1790 WA Armstrong. £1809 R McNeill. £1752 N White. £1748 WJ Smith & Partners.
Show Lambs
Thanks go to the versatility and willingness of Keith Tallentire for also judging our lamb show today, some high-quality butchers lambs appeared before him with the fashionable Beltex breed featuring heavily. The winning pen of five came from J Irvine, Millhouse Farm, Tow Law with a perfect pen of 49kg Beltex which will hang proudly next week in Roots Farm Shop. Regular DfAM sellers P J & M P Gilhespy of Milbourne, Ponteland took the blue rosette also with Beltex ahead of some super Texel lambs from T H Richardson & Son, Hamsterley in 3rd place.
Lamb Show Results
1st – J Irvine, Millhouse Farm 49kg sold for £178 to Roots Farm Shop, East Rounton
2nd – P J & M P Gilhespy, Low House 45kg sold for £146 to J A Jewitt Ltd.
3rd – T H Richardson & Son, Low Moor Hill 46kg sold for £146 to Yorkshire Halal, Keighley
Prime Lambs (1939) – Another good day at the lambs, once again the heavy full fleshed sheep demanded the premium prices and leaner lambs proved less attractive in the buyer’s eyes; aside from the top 25% the show was generally of moderate quality today and still averaged a weighed straight 244ppk and £108.39 which is 22ppk ahead of last year’s corresponding week. Behind the prize winners it was a pleasing Darlington debut for J N Brown & Son, East White Hill Farm, Kirkwhelpington who sold an outstanding run of lambs to 320ppk and £165. Some super heavies from K Slack, Cathedral View, Shadforth impressed with tops of £174 however the 1st prize pen from Messrs Irvine ultimately proved uncatchable.
Lambs – Top prices ppk 363 306 J Irvine. 324 275 272 267 PJ&MP Gilhespy. 320 271 JN Brown & Son. 317 284 TH Richardson & Son. 306 284 F&JS Gargett. 302 292 285 279 267 W&M Knaggs & Son. 282 M&RJ Hall. 281 266 W.K M.M Lamb. 281 C Wise. 281 280 273×2 JA&A Herbert. 275 LD Laws. 273 K Slack. 273 L Van Geffen. 270 267 JD Brannen. 270 S Thompson & Son. 269 W Tindale. 267 JW&J Collin. 266 JJ Horn.
Lead Grossing Lambs £178 £128.50 J Irvine. £174 £165 £164 K Slack. £165 £154 £140 £135 £130.50 JN Brown & Son. £154 S Thompson & Son. £146 PJ&MP Gilhespy. £146 TH Richardson & Son. £146 £136 W.K M.M Lamb. £145 TW Clark & Son. £140 F Shield. £138.50 £128.50 JA&A Herbert. £138 F&JS Gargett. £132 LD Laws. £131 M Dent. £130 W&M Knaggs & Son. £130 £127.50 L Van Geffen. £130 £129.50 JC Thwaite. £129 D&PH Brown.
Cast Ewes & Rams (439) – Fleshy ewes are undoubtedly dearer, not the high-quality show of last week but still a pleasing average of £85 was achieved. Top by a distance was a tremendous Texel ewe from C Moralee & Sons, Blackburn Farm when she sold for £188, behind her another super Texel from J C Thwaite & Son, Cragg Hill at £150 followed by our top Suffolk at £140 which rounded off a good day for J N Brown & Son, Kirkwhelpington. Heavy Mule ewes sold several times £90 to £95 whilst the best fleshed Swaledale’s typically sold £45 to £50.
Lead Grossing Cast Ewes – £188 C Moralee & Sons. £150 £95 JC Thwaite & Son. £140 £135 JN Brown & Son. £138 x2 £115 £100 £85 JR&M Richardson. £138 TW Clark & Son. £130 K Hall. £120 D&PH Brown. £120 Richie Bland Estates LTD. £120 £90 P Cockburn. £120 £115 £90 M&A Gaskin. £120 £112 £90 £85 C Wise. £120 £90 AWSM Farms. £120 £108 J&MJ Walton. £116 £90 TH Richardson & Sons. £115 £100 G Thompson & Sons. £115 £100 £90 L Van Geffen. £114 £108 J Waters. £110 AJ&KM Foster & Son. £108 P Langstaff. £108 JJ Horn. £108 A&H Livestock. £108 JW&J Collin. £105 Godschalk Partners. £100 x2 £94 £90 William Tindale. £98 C Harle & Sons. £90 GF Whitfield. £89 JA&A Herbert. £88 J Pallister & Sons.
Prime Pigs & Sows (6) – Another bacon flavoured robbery. In this modern age of equality, it is outrageous that Peppa and George are so undervalued in the Darlington district, once again our pig prices proved poorer than elsewhere.
Prime Pigs Per Kilo – 100(x2) 80 C Weightman
Prime Pigs Gross Value – £94 £92 £81 C Weightman
Sows Per Kilo – 50
Sows Gross Value – £82
