Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their weekly sale of cast cattle, store & breeding stock alongside their fortnightly sale of rearing calves on Monday 13th January 2025. Forward were 358 cattle, 1673 sheep and 175 rearing calves.
104 Cast Cows/OTM sold to 328ppk or £2418
1 Stock Bull sold to 254ppk or £2308
41 Young Bulls sold to £1900
102 Store Steers sold to £2220
110 Store Heifers sold to £1950
6 In Lamb Ewes sold to £275
1455 Store Hoggs sold to £176
212 Feeding Ewes/Rams sold to £192
175 Rearing Calves sold to £705
Cast Cattle – The high-octane cow trade marches on matching if not bettering last week’s record-breaking pace to see them this week average 213ppk and £1378 per head. Top per kilo at an impressive 328 pence was an excellent British Blue crossed OTM heifer from GK, KN & GJ Hird, Meadow View; the same good home followed with OTM’s at 324ppk and 314ppk ahead of a wonderful 4-year-old Limousin cow from J E Jordon & Son, Longhirst at 310ppk and a cracking 8-year-old Limousin from Foxton Livestock, Abbey Farm at 300ppk. The gross value winning cows were the aforementioned pair from Longhirst (£2418) and Abbey Farm (£2163); following were our top natives, a thumping Aberdeen Angus from D L & D Lovegreen, Prospect Farm at £2058 and a fleshy Beef Shorthorn from R G & H E Thompson, Bennison House Farm at £1982. The pick of the dairy cows this week was a smart young Holstein from A R & C Booth, Village Farm at 258ppk and £1581 whilst the only stock bull forward also impressed, a 9-year-old Limousin from A Rothwell, Twizell Hall sold for 254ppk and £2308.
Cast Cows – Top prices ppk 328 324 314 GK KN & GJ Hird. 310 238 JE Jordon. 300 Foxton Livestock. 290 JC Thwaite & Son. 280 228 Angram Livestock Ltd. 278 240 238 232 ABP Wilsons. 260 244 WA Dinsdale & Son. 258 AR&C Booth. 258 238 I Newton & Son. 246 BA&C Pearson Ltd. 246 G Thompson & Sons. 246 230 L Brown. 240 JV Hodgson & Son. 238 F Fabi. 230×2 228 218 A&AG Moralee. 230 228 TF Bothroyd. 230 226 222 218 RG&HE Thompson. 226 F Hare & Sons. 226 DL&D Lovegreen. 224 TW&C Emerson.
Lead Grossing Cows £2418 £1735 JE Jordon & Son. £2163 Foxton Livestock. £2058 DL&D Lovegreen. £1982 £1818 £1771 £1665 RG&HE Thompson. £1976 £1949 £1920 £1831 ABP Wilsons. £1954 JC Thwaite & Son. £1909 £1729 L Brown. £1886 MJ Hutchinson. £1866 £1855 £1853 GK KN & GJ Hird. £1851 £1793 WA Dinsdale & Son. £1828 W&C Iceton. £1818 I Newton & Son. £1786 JS Foster & Son. £1720 F Crawford. £1700 Angram Livestock Ltd. £1669 K Hall. £1633 £1573 £1565 A&AG Moralee. £1617 I Newton & Son. £1611 F Hare & Sons.
OTM Steers – Top prices ppk 252 240 238 216 202 198×2 G Bolton.
Lead Grossing OTM Steers £1454 £1237 £1224 £1185 £1118 £997 G Bolton.
Cast Bulls – Top prices ppk 254 A Rothwell.
Lead Grossing Cast Bulls £2308 A Rothwell.
Store Cattle – The feeding cattle continue to sail in unchartered waters, never before have they reached these levels as a bustling ringside of buyers were all keen to create a simply staggering trade for all shapes, sizes and breeds. Four fantastic 20-22-month-old Limousin steers from D W Dresser, Hall Farm led the way when they sold to a top of £2220 and averaged a wonderful £2130. Aberdeen Angus followed the Dresser delights across the finish line when A & A G Moralee, Lowfield Farm sold heifers to a top of £1950 and W & J Herbert, Woodwell House sold steers to top at £1940. A marvellous thirty-five other store cattle sold between £1700 and £1870 as trade genuinely looked unstoppable for all classes. The under-year cattle are also in high demand, none more so than the final ever consignment from Andy and Ruth Thompson of Dimmingdale Farm who said an emotional farewell to their longstanding Limousin herd with a beautiful June 2024 born heifer selling for £1780; the tremendous Thompson’s cattle bowed out on a high as their eleven calves today averaged £1690. As always, the young bulls sold first and they too were in fine form, topping the sale at £1900 was a strong Beef Shorthorn from M E & T D Tailford, Gallaw Hill Farm; following next were yearling British Blue’s from T Ducker, Coppice House at £1560 and £1480 ahead of a tidy quintet of 10-month-old Aberdeen Angus from A Wilson, Calf Close which sold at £1370.
Store Bulls £1900 ME&TD Tailford. £1560 £1480 £1110 T Ducker. £1370×5 £1340 £1130×3 £900 A Wilson. £1320 £1210×2 RA Patterson & Son. £1300×2 £1180 JV&JA Hodgson. £1140 £1120 A&D Heyes. £1000×3 £960×2 JJ Kemp & Son. £960×3 £910 RW Raper & Sons. £940 £930 £840×2 JW Richardson. £940 AF Smith.
Store Steers £2220 £2110×2 £2080 DW Dresser. £1940 £1860 W&J Herbert. £1870×2 £1840 F Crawford. £1860 DG&PD Ayre. £1790 HW&M Alderson & Son. £1770×7 £1680×2 £1610 £1570 BJS Farms. £1710 £1610 JS Crowe. £1660×2 £1640×3 A&R Thompson. £1660 R Potts. £1610 K Sayer. £1600 DH Craig. £1580 RA Patterson & Son. £1580 Beckwith. £1580×2 W&JM Clifford. £1570×4 PT Stephenson & Son. £1560 £1550 WM Reed & Sons.
Store Heifers £1950 £1890 £1880 £1850 £1840 £1630×2 A&AG Moralee. £1860 £1820×2 £1810×2 £1740×4 TN Hodgson & Sons. £1810 £1640 F Crawford. £1810 £1630×3 WB Rutter & Sons. £1790 HW&M Alderson & Son. £1780 £1720×3 £1710×2 A&R Thompson. £1720 DG&PD Ayre. £1660×2 £1610×6 £1570×2 G Beadle. £1650 ME&TD Tailford. £1620 W&J Herbert. £1610×2 BJS Farms. £1610 £1600×2 £1570×2 £1530×3 A Wilson.
Store Sheep – The store hogg trade is absolutely incredible, the good the bad and the ugly included this week’s sale averaged a mind boggling £121.06. In fairness to the vendors today, the top end was a credit to them and the returns they gained certainly did them justice. Almost 1000 years since the most famous successful Norman invasion was emulated today as Guisborough’s John Norman conquered the sheep ring with his brilliant top ten texels selling for £176 apiece. Ringing the bell were five fabulous little Beltex from S Bell, Lough Head followed at £172 on a day which saw the strong end and the better shapes sell time and time again in the £150’s and £160’s. Cheviot Mule hoggs topped at £141 from G Pickering, Thackside Farm whilst North of England Mule’s topped at £140 from J R & J A Wharton, Segbushwell; in summary, the store hogg trade really does need to be seen to be believed. Feeding ewe trade too continues in good order, top today went to a smart Texel from D & J A Teasdale, Folly Farm at £192 with the flying John Norman just adrift at £190. Mule ewes topped at £149 from G W Dobson & Son, Wood Close as remarkably only eight of the eighty sold under three figures to leave them averaging £115.48 as a breed. Elsewhere trade saw Zwartbles ewes to £127, Blue Face Leicester’s to £157, Swaledale’s to £120, Herdwick’s to £94 and Easycare’s to £109. A Scattering of Zwartbles cross Texel in lamb ewes from C J & J M Simpson, Rookery House set the tone for what is expected to be a sharp trade this season when they sold well to average £237.50 per head.
Store Hoggs:
Texel – £176 £152 £150 J Norman. £163 £158 PA Thompson. £156 £144.50 £130 A&R Thompson. £153 £131 £125 £123GH Lister. £147.50 £139 PJ Anderson & Son. £146 D Rutter. £143 £134 £128 £127 J Lovegreen. £141 RW Spry. £140 £128 P Kirk. £138 £137 JD&MS Mortimer. £136 £130 T Walton. £135.50 £124 £123WH Brown. £135 K&RE Robson. £134 £124 KA&V Armstrong. £132 A Forster. £131 G Bolton. £131 R&J Myers £129 GS Dixon. £129 JR Mann. £127 J Musgrave. £125 £122 £120 Beckwith. £122 R&J Myers.
Beltex – £172 £164 £162 £151 £149 S Bell. £151 £128 A Wilson. £140 £138 £116 £100 J Lovegreen.
Continental – £149 £142 £141 £119 £111 W Wearmouth & Son. £146 £144 £141×2 £126 DR Smith. £139.50 £125 J Musgrave. £136 £133 £131 £130 £117 £110 JH Johnson. £135 G Bolton. £132 £122 G Pickering. £131 A Fox. £131 £118 WH Brown. £129 P Kirk. £128 £126 £122 A Kelly. £123 £121 £117 A Wilson. £121.50 £121 J Lovegreen. £121 J&S Thompson. £116 £113 T&AE Miller. £115 £114 GS Dixon. £115 Beckwith.
Cheviot – £141 G Pickering.
Mule – £140 JR&JA Wharton. £115 D Alderson. £115 W Wearmouth & Son. £104 TG Rigg. £104 D Rutter. £95 GS Dixon.
Suffolk – £139 GH Lister. £137 P Kirk. £137 D Rutter. £136 JH Johnson. £135 DR Smith. £131 CG Barraclough. £131 A Kelly. £114 GW Dobson & Son.
Swale – £64 W Wearmouth & Son.
In Lamb Ewes – Continental £275 £255 £190 £155 CJ&JM Simpson.
Feeding Ewes:
Texel – £192 £142 D&JA Teasdale. £190 £144 D&JA Teasdale. £164 RW Dalton. £142 JD Teasdale. £140 PJ Anderson. £128 Beckwith.
Continental – £178 £147 J Atkinson. £150 GW Dobson & Son. £148 K Mowbray. £140 K&RE Robson. £118 JP&R Ward. £106 GP Addison. £98 CG Barraclough.
Blue Face Leicester – £157 S Straughan.
Mule – £149 GW Dobson & Son. £149 G Pickering. £149 £91 K&RE Robson. £138 PJ Anderson & Son. £136 £68 J Atkinson. £134 RW Dalton. £122 £107 K Mowbray. £120 A Kelly. £102 CG Barraclough. £102 R&J Myers.
Suffolk – £142 JD Teasdale.
Zwartbles – £127 GW Dobson & Son. £70 GP Addison.
Swale – £120 £97 £53 R&J Myers. £97 £86 JD Teasdale. £96 Beckwith. £80 S Straughan.
Herdwick – £94 Staffords.
Feeding Tups:
Continental – £185 GW Dobson & Son. £170 K&RE Robson.
Texel – £172 CJ&JM Simpson. £86 GP Addison.
Cheviot – £146 D Rutter.
Beltex – £142 CJ&JM Simpson.
Zwartbles – £123 CJ&JM Simpson.
Suffolk – £122 GW Dobson & Son.
Rearing Calves – The largest entry in recent times as the fortnightly sale returned (after a month) with a bang following the enforced Christmas break. Numbers, no problem and handled with ease as the record entry sold to twenty-three active ringside buyers with 100% clearance rate to average £388.03, an increase of £28 per head on the final offering last year. Topping the day were two terrific beef bred 3-month-old Limousin calves from J V & J A Hodgson, The Grange, Summerhouse as they led the bulls at £705 and the heifers at £610. Of the first cross bucket reared dairy calves, top of the bulls was a British Blue from Deerness Valley Dairy, Tow Law at £555 whilst the heifers were led at £550 for a Simmental from Messrs Wilkinson, Carrsides Farm at £550. Some impressive averages are noted below as the sharpest trade was possibly witnessed in the middle ground.
2 Limousin Bulls averaged £585
48 British Blue Bulls averaged £464
6 Simmental Bulls averaged £427
22 Aberdeen Angus Bulls averaged £394
5 Other Breed Bulls averaged £307
13 Holstein Friesian Bulls averaged £276
3 Limousin Heifers averaged £481
9 Simmental Heifers averaged £455
35 British Blue Heifers averaged £377
28 Aberdeen Angus Heifers averaged £286
2 Other Breed Heifers averaged £185
2 Steer Calves averaged £460
Bull Calves:
Limousin – £705 JV&JA Hodgson. £465 RW Raper & Sons.
British Blue – £555 £530×7 £510×2 £490×2 £455×3 £430×2 £375×2 Deerness Valley Dairy. £550×2 RW Raper & Sons. £545 £475×3 £465×2 £460×4 £435 £400×3 £380×2 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd. £470 Wilkinson & Son. £440 G Thompson & Sons. £435×4 £410 £380×2 H Gibb & Son.
Aberdeen Angus – £490×2 £410 G Thompson & Sons. £470 RW Raper & Sons. £460 £450×3 £440×3 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd. £395 M&RK McKenzie. £395 £300×4 £290×2 JT Forster & son. £380 H Gibb & Son. £370×2 Deerness Valley Dairy.
Simmental – £460 £435×2 £325 JL Miles & Sons. £455×2 Wilkinson & Son.
Wagyu – £440 £405 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
Friesian – £340 £290×2 RW Raper & Sons. £315×2 £305×2 Deerness Valley Dairy. £280×3 G Thompson & Sons. £260 M&RK McKenzie. £195 CN Bentley. £145 JT Forster & Son.
Longhorn – £250×2 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
Steer Calves:
Limousin – £530 IM Maughan.
Dairy Shorthorn – £390 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
Heifer Calves:
Limousin – £610 JV&JA Hodgson. £545 £290 CN Bentley.
British Blue £605 RW Raper & Sons. £470×2 £450 £430×2 Wilkinson & Son. £430 £300 CN Bentley. £385×4 £380×4 £365×2 £350×3 £330Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd. £370×2 £360×3 Deerness Valley Dairy. £340×7 H Gibb & Son. £260 JB&LM Knight.
Simmental – £550×4 £405×2 Wilkinson & Son. £390×2 £305 JL Miles & Sons.
Aberdeen Angus – £410×4 £400×4 £280 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd. £385 £160 Deerness Valley Dairy. £305×2 £175×3 H Gibb & Son. £305×3 JL Miles & Sons. £275×2 JB&LM Knight. £220×4 £155×3 JT Forster & Son.
Longhorn – £220 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
