Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their Christmas prime lamb show in conjunction with their weekly sale of prime stock on Thursday 8th December 2022. Forward were 219 Cattle and 2713 Sheep.
2077 Prime Lambs sold to 1000ppk or £530
67 Prime Bulls sold to 305ppk or £2421
14 Prime Steers sold to 321ppk or £2108
131 Prime Heifers sold to 338ppk or £2164
5 Cast Cows/Bulls sold to 156ppk or £1509
636 Cast Ewes & Rams sold to £270
Lamb Show – An exceptional show of quality forward as the 2022 crop of vendors in many opinions exceeded even last year’s terrifically high standards; before we get on to the results, we must thank our sponsors who ensured another very healthy DfAM prize pot.
The generous sponsors were Dot’s Café, Crowberry Wood, Trevor Burns Fencing Contractors, P B Agri, Martin Bell Car Sales, Simpson Fuels, DAF Timber Ltd, Vickers & Barrass, AgriSource, ForFarmers and Northern Metal Recycling.
Our judge this year for the lamb show was Mr Peter Monkhouse, Wolsingham to whom we are most grateful for his time and expertise. Champions for the second-year running were the Askwith Family of Low Mown Meadows, Crook with a stunning trio of Texel lambs; the successful Askwith’s also took the reserve champion award with their winning Beltex pen as the regular visitors here to DfAM combined their three generations worth of breeding, feeding, knowledge and enthusiasm to produce some immensely high-quality stock. The remarkable Crook consignors excellently presented sheep took three of the four red tickets on the day, the Moralee boys of Hardriding Farm also impressed and found themselves in the tickets as did the Robinson’s of Prospect House, Bolam. Our stunning champions broke the centre Christmas record when they sold for an unbelievable £530 per head and 1000 pence per kilo to great weekly supporter Mr Saj Shan of Yorkshire Halal Meat Suppliers, Keighley; not just the winners who were smiling today as our 30 pens of lambs forward to show all enjoyed a flying trade. The reserve Champions sold for £400 and were one of six pens which sold for at least £200, a further 8 pens made between £150 and £200 as the fabulous 90 lambs within the show averaged 347ppk and a massive £170.21.
Show Results (all pens of 3 lambs)
Champion
Askwiths, Crook (53kg) sold to Yorkshire Halal for £530 (1000ppk)
Reserve Champion
Askwiths, Crook (50kg) sold to Yorkshire Halal for £400 (800ppk)
Best lambs sired by a Texel Ram
1st Askwiths, Crook (53kg) sold to Yorkshire Halal for £530 (1000ppk)
2nd J & A Moralee, Bardon Mill (48kg) sold to Yorkshire Halal for £220 (458ppk)
3rd J & A Moralee, Bardon Mill (50kg) sold to Yorkshire Halal for £200 (400ppk)
Best lambs sired by a Beltex Ram
1st Askwiths, Crook (50kg) sold to Yorkshire Halal for £400 (800ppk)
2nd Askwiths, Crook (45kg) sold to Roots Farm Shop for £200 (444ppk)
3rd J & A Moralee, Bardon Mill (47kg) sold to J A Jewitt for £180 (383ppk)
Best Lambs sired by a Suffolk Ram
1st W L Robinson, Bolam (56kg) sold to Country Valley Foods for £140 (250ppk)
2nd Cole Hill Farms, Elwick (50kg) sold to WMH Farm Fresh Meats for £135 (270ppk)
3rd R Wood & Son, Stillington (49kg) sold to Yorkshire Halal for £120 (245ppk)
Best lambs any other breed
1st Askwiths, Crook (46kg) sold to Yorkshire Halal for £160 (348ppk)
2nd T H Richardson & Sons, Hamsterley (68kg) sold to Pickstock Foods for £150 (220ppk)
3rd W L Robinson, Bolam (54kg) sold to Pickstock Foods for £138 (255ppk)
Prime Lambs (2077) – The commercial lamb trade was a touch easier which is the case nationwide, this week’s sale averaged 246ppk and £108.57, with the show lambs perhaps distorting things it is only fair to report that a pretty moderate show of quality within the 1987 commercial lambs averaged a weighed straight 242ppk and £105.77. As is very much the case the best fed lambs remain much the easiest to sell, lightweight under finished lambs are far from desirable. As expected, the show sheep dominated the top prices.
Lambs – Top prices ppk 1000 800 444 347 Askwiths. 458 400 383 366 329 281×2 274 J&A Moralee. 358 AG Laws. 355 337 297 277 JD Brannen. 355 343 321 280 272 TH Richardson & Son. 315 M Barley. 302 A Graham. 300 A Tindale. 293 291 MJ Marley. 289 RE&L Frank. 287 284 WA Wardman Ltd. 286 280 PN&JV Noble. 282 D Barron. 280 W Denham. 278 S Thompson & Son. 277 276 LD Laws. 273 AWSM Farms. 273 P Cockburn. 273 AS&G Donaldson.
Lead Grossing Lambs £530 £400 £200 £160 Askwiths. £220 £200 £180 £165 £145 J&A Moralee. £220 £180 £160 £150 £139 TH Richardson & Son. £190 AG Laws. £160 £145 JD Brannen. £150 £145 £142 £136 MH Hodgson. £146 PN&JV Noble. £144 JC Thwaite. £140×3 £138 £130 WL Robinson & Partners. £139 KJ&SS Bell. £138 R Wood & Son. £137.50 J Bolton. £135 MJ Marley. £135 Cole Hill Farm Ltd. £134 C Dresser. £133 £132 LD Laws. £133 £132 W Denham. £132.50 £130 J&A Layfield.
Prime Bulls (67) – The bull beef sold exceptionally well; the sale average fell back just thruppence following last week’s Christmas show as the average of 257ppk and £1775 included some incredible returns. A marvellous 22 bulls sold over £2000 and 9 the top side of 290ppk. Best of all was a wonderful 690kg Limousin bull from regular sellers A G Watson & Sons, Rushyford whilst our top valued bull proved to be a fabulous 871kg example from more regulars W J & A S Bowes & Sons, Great Stainton. Commendable efforts were apparent from some high-quality Cumbrian cattle as the top pen averages headed West with T N & J Hall of Ainstable and first-time vendors M T P & S D Wills, Dufton. Friesian feeding phenomenon’s R Hall & Son, Brotton were at it again in the black and white race as they peaked this week at 225ppk and £1410. Below are some of the day’s top averages.
T N & J Hall, Carlisle sold 5 to average 293ppk and £2039
M T P & S D Wills, Appleby sold 3 to average 288ppk and £2117
L R Welsh & Co, Spennymoor sold 3 to average 283ppk and £1908
W J & A S Bowes & Sons, Stainton sold 3 to average 271ppk and £2173
D Richardson & Co, Melsonby sold 10 to average 269ppk and £2065
Continental Bulls – Top prices ppk 305 298 AG Watson & Sons. 296×3 292 286 TN&J Hall. 295 290 280 MTP&SD Wills. 291 285 276 LR Welsh & Co. 289 A&D Proctor. 286 284 279 276 274×2269 256 D Richardson & Co Ltd. 278 264 JA&M Boyes Ltd. 278 258 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. 273 K&A Harker. 264 RW&R Henry. 263 256 LS Staley. 259 R Hall & Son. 258 J&K Woodward. 258 251 TW Clark & Son. 253 JK&CE Farming. 251 GW Dobson & Son
Lead Grossing Continental Bulls £2421 £2196 £1904 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. £2298 £2248 £2108 £2107 £2098 £2067 £2064 £2063 D Richardson & Co Ltd. £2211 GW Dobson & Son. £2180 £2138 £2032 MTP&SD Wills. £2151 £2125 £2003 £1987 TN&J Hall. £2151 K&A Harker. £2147 A&D Proctor. £2104 £2059 AG Watson & Sons. £2025 TW Clark & Son. £1985 £1971 LS Staley. £1978 £1969 LR Welsh & Co. £1953 RW&R Henry. £1950 £1920 JA&M Boyes Ltd. £1942 R Hall & Son.
Friesian Bulls – Top prices ppk 225 224 R Hall & Son. 217 JM&S Walton. 196 185 D Walker. 195 GS Dowson.
Lead Grossing Friesian Bulls £1410 £1337 R Hall & Son. £1362 JM&S Walton. £1144 GS Dowson. £1134 D Walker.
Native Breed Bulls – Top prices ppk 246 238 JA&M Boyes Ltd. 244 JK&CE Farming. 221 220 218 W&R Kemp & Son.
Lead Grossing Native Breed Bulls £1793 £1694 JA&M Boyes Ltd. £1610 JK&CE Farming. £1367 £1355 £1253 W&R Kemp & Son.
Cast Cows & Bulls – Top prices ppk 156 150 143 140 WJ Smith & Partners. 138 SN Bird & Sons.
Lead Grossing Cast Cows & Bulls £1509 SN Bird & Sons. £1004 £1002 £945 £891 WJ Smith & Partners.
Prime Clean (145) – No hangover whatsoever from the cracking Christmas trade last week as the clean beef continued in scintillating form. A small show of fleshy steers averaged 270ppk whilst the heifers which included a few Cinderella’s but also quite a few of her sisters levelled up at a massive 287ppk, the best cattle remain a wonderful trade whilst the R and O grade beef this week looks off the clock, in many eyes the dearest we have ever seen it. Flying high last week at the business end of the show were the Renton family of High Highlaws, Morpeth and they today continued in stunning form, the Morpeth men’s solitary steer a sublime 321 pence per kilo and £2108 whilst the hottest of their homebred heifers’ todays best at 338 pence per kilo. The very top gross values however evaded the remarkable Renton’s as great supporters J V & J A Hodgson, Summerhouse turned out a top pen of heifers which twice sailed beyond £2000. As with the bulls an excellent run from Messrs Hall of Ainstable Hall pressured for the top spots and rounded off a great day for the Cumbrian crusaders when like the marauding Morpeth men they averaged 328 pence per kilo.
Steers – Top prices ppk 321 Renton Highlaws Ltd. 312 287 250 WA Armstrong. 305 281 276 WJ Smith & Partners. 275 240 WR Thompson. 275 JH&M&NW Brown. 262 G&JY Marshall.
Lead Grossing Steers £2108 Renton Highlaws Ltd. £1903 £1803 WA Armstrong. £1720 £1646 £1584 WJ Smith & Partners. £1677 JH&M&NW Brown. £1670 £1628 WR Thompson. £1599 RW&R Henry.
Heifers – Top prices ppk 338 329 326 318 Renton Highlaws Ltd. 335 330 B Walker. 333 328×2 327 325 TN&J Hall. 329 320 319 310 PJ&MP Gilhespy 329 325 314 P&N Tattersall. 326 321 318 314 308 R Hirst. 325 322 320 319 318 318 315 313 311 310 JH&M&NW Brown. 321 318 315 308 JV&JA Hodgson. 321 308 306 WA Armstrong. 319 313 DW Humphrey. 318 306 WJ Smith & Partners. 317 315 310 W Swinbank & Sons. 309 307 F&JS Gargett. 307 WF Hustwit.
Lead Grossing Heifers £2164 £2008 £1952×2 £1926 £1885 £1884 £1823 JV&JA Hodgson. £1980 £1920 £1789 Renton Highlaws Ltd. £1979 £1784 TN&J Hall. £1949 £1896 £1758 DW Humphrey. £1938 £1829 WA Armstrong. £1914 £1849 B Walker. £1884 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. £1878 £1843 PJ&MP Gilhespy. £1871 £1720 £1716 CW Gray. £1871 F&JS Gargett. £1865 P&N Tattersall. £1826 R Hirst. £1783 £1774 £1760 JH&M&NW Brown. £1769 A&D Proctor. £1757 £1746 W Swinbank & Sons.
Heifers
Renton Highlaws, Morpeth sold 4 to average 328ppk and £1821
T N & J Hall, Carlisle sold 5 to average 328ppk and £1761
B Walker, Dalton-on-Tees sold 3 to average 320ppk and £1826
P J & M P Gilhespy sold 6 to average 313ppk and £1739
J H & M & N W Brown, Darlington sold 13 to average 310ppk and £1644
D W Humphrey, Guisborough sold 3 to average 309ppk and £1868
R Hirst, Neasham sold 10 to average 306ppk and £1658
W J Smith & Partners, Richmond sold 3 to average 304ppk and £1703
W Swinbank & Sons, Caldwell sold 5 to average 303ppk and £1685
J V & J A Hodgson, Summerhouse sold 10 to average 302ppk and £1894
P & N Tattersall, York sold 5 to average 302ppk and £1575
Steers
W A Armstrong, Coxhoe sold 2 to average 299ppk and £1852
W J Smith & Partners, Richmond sold 3 to average 287ppk and £1650
Cast Ewes & Rams (636) – Trade ever so slightly back on last week’s flyer, things still look positive for the best fleshed. Leading price today goes to PN&JV Noble, Skelton-in-Cleveland with a brilliant Beltex Ewe at £270, putting them at the top of our leader board for this week. Following on was Leyburn based LD Laws, High Village Farm with a Beltex tup that made a respectable £200. Best of the Mule’s this week still sold well beyond £100 and fleshy Swaledale’s topped at £71. In summary, meatier ewes are showing to be more desirable with the leaner ewes less money, numbers through the mart have been increasing each week as scanning is beginning, geld ewes are becoming apparent and 2023 lambing time is just around the corner.
Lead Grossing Sheep- £270 £160 £144 £128 PN&JV Noble. £200 £130 LD Laws. £158 £135 £126 A Wilson. £156 £112 £110 JG Hall. £154 £116 £114 C Dawson. £152 D Barron. £148 £139 £128 x2 £126 £112 William Tindale. £145 Cole Hill Farm LTD. £140 x2 £120 KJ&SS Bell. £138 £134 JJ&C Welford. £136 £128 x2 JK&CE Farming. £135 £120 £116 KO Stones. £130 A&PA Jopling. £130 I Lancaster. £128 M Gallon. £128 £120 D&PH Brown. £122 FW Hodgson. £120 WR Thompson. £120 £106 D&J Hunnam & Son. £118 Ivan Walker. £118 GE Raw. £114 IR Appleton. £112 DR Smith. £112 WE Frank & Son. £110 HS Petch & Sons.
