Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their weekly sale of Prime Stock on Thursday 8th April 2021. Forward were 314 Cattle and 1713 Sheep.
137 Prime Bulls sold to 266ppk or £2106
49 Prime Steers sold to 268ppk or £1886
116 Prime Heifers sold to 306ppk or £2086
12 Cast Cows sold to 216ppk or £1522
7 Spring Lambs sold to 433ppk or £172
1377 Prime Hoggs sold to 375ppk or £185
329 Cast Sheep sold to £202
Prime Bulls (137) – A tremendous trade, a show with more than it’s fair share of dairy bred bulls averaged an amazing 225 pence per kilo, more on the milk breeds later however first mention goes to some of the extreme values witnessed for the best end of the beef bulls. Top price per kilo today was twice 266 pence, no strangers to the top slots and seemingly not willing to share on this occasion were regular supporters A G Watson & Sons, Nunstainton Grange who produced both of the terrific Limousin bulls, which as usual were fed to perfection. The gross value race was a fierce one, a stunning six times bulls today reached over £2000 and mention must go again to the Watson’s as mentioned above, also all the way from the shadows of Flamingo Land came a terrific Charolais from M & J Hayhurst and not forgetting Limousin’s from J Layfield and W J & A S Bowes & Sons who were all duly in the £2k club; all those mentioned so far however could not brush aside two perfectly produced home bred British Blonde’s from F & J S Gargett, Westwick Farm with the pick of them returning an awesome £2106. Away from the showstoppers it was business as usual for R Hall & Sons, Kilton Hall who love to top the Friesian’s, on this occasion they did so at 213ppk however they had to yield the top Friesian gross value to a well fleshed sort from J M & S Walton of Brettanby Farm at £1426. Mention as always goes to the native breeds, somewhat unusual in these parts today was a sublime South Devon up from Nottinghamshire and regular supporter J W Holmes & Son which sold for 241ppk and £1809; as usual below are listed some of today’s leading averages;
L S Staley, Marwood sold 2 Bulls to average 260ppk and £1949
W J & A S Bowes & Sons, Great Stainton sold 2 Bulls to average 259ppk and £1993
F & J S Gargett, Barnard Castle sold 3 Bulls to average 258ppk and £2004
C Harle & Sons, Brandon sold 3 Bulls to average 257ppk and £1826
A G Watson & Sons, Rushyford sold 4 Bulls to average 256ppk and £1841
J Layfield, Willington sold 5 Bulls to average 248ppk and £1846
Continental Bulls – Top prices ppk 266×2 254 241 AG Watson & Sons. 264 255 246 J Layfield. 264 252 JJ Kemp & Son. 263 LS Staley. 263 256 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. 262 259 252 C Harle & Sons. 261 245 JA&M Boyes Ltd. 260 258 256 F&JS Gargett. 260 252 AS&SM Kemp. 258 LS Staley. 257 GW Dobson & Son. 253 248 242 SH Watson. 251 GH Farms. 251 247 246 242×2 JW Holmes & Son. 247 B Layfield. 245×2 241 JB Dodds. 240 Padray Farms.
Lead Grossing Continental Bulls £2106 £2030 £1876 F&JS Gargett. £2027 £1958 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. £2024 £1846 £1778 AG Watson & Sons. £2008 M&J Hayhurst. £2001 £1871 £1845 £1777 J Layfield. £1965 £1933 LS Staley. £1934 B Layfield. £1906 £1809 JJ Kemp & Son. £1902 £1768 Padray Farms. £1892 £1807 £1798 £1794 £1775 JW Holmes & Son. £1888 £1860 C Harle & Sons. £1860 £1819 £1781 JA&M Boyes Ltd. £1846 SH Watson & Son. £1801 GW Dobson & Son. £1774 Skelton Farming Ltd.
Friesian Bulls – Top prices ppk 213 210 199 R Hall & Son. 208 184×2 180 179 172 154 145 D Walker. 198 190 185 184 JM&S Walton. 197 JK&CE Farming. 193×2 190×2 J&JH Musgrave. 193 N Howard. 191 188 AS&SM Kemp. 188×2 176 174 C&M Atkinson & Sons. 180 GW Dobson & son. 151 R Ormston.
Lead Grossing Friesian Bulls £1426 £1384 £1350 £1267 JM&S Walton. £1341 GW Dobson & Son. £1310 £1271 £1269 R Hall & Son. £1288 JK&CE Farming. £1224 £1137 AS&SM Kemp. £1202 £1046 £973×2 £966 £921 D Walker. £1165 £1105 £1067 £1021 C&M Atkinson & Sons. £1076 £1062 £1026 £957 J&JH Musgrave. £1005 N Howard.
Native Breed Bulls – Top prices ppk 241 JW Holmes & Son. 232 227 SN Bird & Sons. 227 AS&SM Kemp. 220 218 GS Dowson. 219 M Ord & Sons. 212 199 MG Betney.
Lead Grossing Native Breed Bulls £1809 JW Holmes & Son. £1543 £1536 AS&SM Kemp. £1451 £1391 £1343 £1225 MG Betney. £1368 £1339 SN Bird & Sons. £1331 M Ord & Sons. £1166 £1109 GS Dowson.
Clean Cattle (165) – God bless the hospitality industry and all the catering outlets who are revving up the beef trade as they prepare to feed the nation, the result today was absolutely breath-taking, a varied show with a truly eclectic mix were all in unbelievably high demand. The heifers today averaged a wonderful 253 pence per kilo with a trio finding their way past the 300 pence landmark, amazingly twice W Swinbank & Sons of Caldwell reached 300 pence and beyond yet they failed to top the market, that prestigious honour this week fell to Gerrard Quinn of J E Suddes & Son, Rowley Farm with a sensational 562kg Limousin selling for 306 pence. Today turned out to be a good day, perhaps as good as we have ever seen outside of the Christmas and Easter shows; on such a marvellous trade then for J E Suddes & Son to also turn out the lead gross value was truly an amazing achievement, a peach of a 745kg Limousin heifer which sold for 280ppk and £2086, in some hot company it turned out that for today at least we ain’t seen nothing like the ‘Mighty Quinn’. Top of the steers today was a Hereford crossed British Blue fed to perfection from regular supporters M Robinson & Sons, Staindrop, he sold for a very impressive 268 pence per kilo and £1886. A truly remarkable trade from start to finish, some insane averages listed below certainly warrant congratulations to the breeders and feeders whilst we must also offer our appreciation to the dedicated band of butchers and wholesalers who drive the live trade week in week out making it the best way to market your cattle, sell live and thrive.
B Walker, Dalton-on-Tees sold 3 Heifers to average 285ppk and £1678
W Swinbank & Sons, Caldwell sold 6 Heifers to average 283ppk and £1686
J E Suddes & Son, Cornsay Colliery sold 4 Heifers to average 282ppk and £1701
J W Holmes & Son, Nottingham sold 5 Heifers to average 281ppk and £1670
M Robinson & Sons, Staindrop sold 2 Heifers & 1 Steer to average 280ppk and £1683
P & J H Davison, Morley sold 5 Heifers to average 279ppk and £1630
Continental Steers – Top prices ppk 268 M Robinson & Sons. 257 234 221 PR&V Barlow & Son. 252 224 B Nichols. 252×2 248 244 238 I Bosworth. 243 194 D Collins. 242 Berryfield Farms Ltd. 240 R Ormston. 240 229 212 202 194 B Nichols. 240 230 228 Padray Farms. 231 223 G&JY Marshall. 230 JA Trobe & Son.
Lead Grossing Continental Steers £1886 M Robinson & Sons. £1691 £1593 £1531 PR&V Barlow & Son. £1575 £1485 £1461 £1430 £1299 I Bosworth. £1567 R Ormston. £1563 £1529 £1418 £1408 £1280 B Nichols. £1557 £1519 £1460 Padray Farms. £1488 JA Trobe & Son. £1427 G&JY Marshall. £1362 Berryfield Farms Ltd. £1351 G&JY Marshall. £1239 D Collins.
Friesian Steers – Top prices ppk 202 195 192 188 JP&CM Williams. 200 196 189 184×2 181 176 169 168×3 Berryfield Farms. 194 D Collins. 194 188 184 B Nichols.
Lead Grossing Friesian Steers £1335 £1321 £1352 £1191 £1080 B Nichols. £1236 £1189 £1143 £1043 JP&CM Williams. £1129 D Collins. £1092 £1067 £1056 £1023 £1011 £979 £962 £932 £931 Berryfield Farms Ltd.
Heifers – Top prices ppk 306 287 280 JE Suddes & Son. 304 302 291 278 270 W Swinbank & Sons. 294 S&J Dent & Son. 289 284 282 280 273 JW Holmes & Son. 288×2 M Robinson & Sons. 288 284 279 274 x2 P&JH Davison. 288 278 270 J&A Moralee. 288 284×2 B Walker. 280 264 K&J Heslop. 278×2 276 WF Hustwit. 278 264 TW Clark & Son. 276 271 270×2 JV&JA Hodgson. 274 270 G&JY Marshall. 274 Padray Farms. 274 266 I Marshall & Sons. 273 271 D Collins. 270 R Ormston. 264 GH Farms Ltd.
Lead Grossing Heifers £2086 £1891 £1719 JE Suddes & Son. £1840 £1663 £1624 £1615 £1606 JW Holmes & Son. £1774 £1658 £1601 B Walker. £1768 £1736 £1714 £1669 £1603 JV&JA Hodgson. £1763 £1752 £1727 £1722 £1634 W Swinbank & Sons. £1756 I Marshall & Sons. £1735 £1720 Padry Farms. £1682 £1664 £1652 £1632 P&JH Davison. £1661 S&J Dent & Son. £1643 G&JY Marshall. £1638 M Robinson & Sons. £1626 TW Clark & Son. £1620 £1579 WF Hustwit. £1577 FJ Young & Partners.
Cast Cows (12) – A dozen old dears today joined the bulls and the clean enjoying a brilliant trade, the top price per kilo was a well fleshed Stabiliser from Skelton Farming Ltd, Stanghow at 216 pence whilst the top gross value came from another of our Nottinghamshire contingency and Ian Bosworth of New Manor Farm with a sharp Limousin adding up nicely to £1522. The sale averaged an impressive 167 pence per kilo and £1155.
Cast cows – Top prices ppk 216 175 162 161 141 134 Skelton Farming Ltd. 194 171 S&S Friswell. 194 I Bosworth. 167 C&M Atkinson & Sons. 155 147 J Norman.
Lead Grossing Cast Cows £1522 I Bosworth. £1315 £1313 £1141 £1132 £1129 £967 Skelton Farming Ltd. £1299 £1176 S&S Friswell. £1127 C&M Atkinson & Sons. £950 £784 J Norman.
Prime Sheep (1384) – A small show of spring lambs averaged a whisker short of 400ppk, the tops coming from P K & H C Dowson at 433 pence and £172. This week last year we were absolutely delighted under the new Coronavirus measures to witness the hogg trade rallying back to nicely beyond 200 pence, 12 months on and today the sale averaged a staggering 299 pence per kilo and £141 with an SQQ of 307ppk. An increased show were met with the top combination of a healthy gathering of eager buyers and a keen to impress young auctioneer, after enjoying a fine cattle trade earlier another mention now goes M Robinson & Sons, Staindrop with some terrific Beltex hoggs selling to a top price of 375 pence per kilo. No surprises or shocks in the lead gross value’s as the heavyweight champion Mark Simpson of McNeil Farm, Witton-le-Wear was at it again, the 69 from this good home averaged a whopping £175 with a top of £185. As usual the sheep offered were of mixed origin, impressing today were North of England Mule’s to £151, Hill Cheviots to £143, Scotch Blackface to £138 and countless Swaledales selling well beyond £100.
Spring Lambs – Top prices ppk 433 391 378 PK&HC Dowson. 402 400 Anna Herbert.
Lead Grossing Spring Lambs £172 £169 £155 PK&HC Dowson. 165 160 Anna Herbert.
Hoggs – Top prices ppk 375 358 350×2 340 M Robinson. 361 345 339 326 WE Frank & Son. 353 348 320 L Fowler. 350 S&D Ferrie. 344 PJ Tindale. 337 333 330 329 323 322 321×2 320 319 PJ&MP Gilhespy. 333 328 326 R&W Todd. 333 332 327 JE Braithwaite & Son. 328 GF Whitfield. 326 JK&CE Farming. 326 322 TW Clark & Son. 326 Northfield Farms. 325 RE&L Frank. 324 C&M Atkinson & Sons. 324 P Turnbull. 322 321 F Hutchinson. 320 D Garvey. 317 A&EJ Dobinson. 317 TK Smith & Sons.
Lead Grossing Hoggs £185 £183 £180 £179×4 176 164 £161 AC Simpson & Son. £180 £172 £162 £160 M Robinson & sons. 176 P Suddes. £172×2 £169 £164.50 £162 RH Thompson & Son. £169 JA&A Herbert. £167 £163 F Hutchinson. £166 £164 L Fowler. £166 JE Braithwaite & Son. £165 JR&J Crowe. £163 K&MM Henderson. £162 £160×2 PJ&MP Gilhespy. £162 P Turnbull. £162 £155 William Swinbank. £161 RE&L Frank. £160 HN&R Tweddle. £158 PJ Tindale. £158 W Robson. £157 S&J Dent & Son.
Cast Sheep (329) – Stone the crows, actually we better not, if the mutton goes much dearer we might be forced to eat the crows. A wonderful trade today with a sale average of a ridiculous £118, top of the shop was a beautiful pure Texel from P R & V Barlow & Son, Sycamore Farm, Shelford at a whopping £202 as the continental ewes offered averaged over £135. Strong Mules today sold £120-£135 with a top of £138 whilst some impressive Scotch Blackface from P Turnbull hit the dizzy heights of £114.
Lead Grossing Cast Sheep £202 £169 £158×2 £150 £140 PR&V Barlow & Son. £198 £150 T Nesbitt & Son. £167 R&W Todd. £166 £141 JA&A Herbert. £157 £150 Northfield Farms. £157 JK&CE Farming. £151 £141 £140 JV&JA Hodgson. £150 £144 W Wearmouth & Son. £150 P Tindale. £141 £139 Anna Herbert. £141 PJ&MP Gilhespy. £140 JR Knox & Son. £139 JR&J Crowe. £138 J Norman.
Pigs – Top prices ppk 110 105 J Mitchell & Son.
Lead Grosing Pigs £98 £97 J Mitchell & Son.
