Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held special Christmas shows and sales of store cattle and rearing calves in conjunction with their weekly sales of cast cattle, store and breeding stock on Monday 2nd December 2024. Forward were 558 cattle, 126 calves, 1212 sheep and 1 pig.
128 Cast Cows/OTM sold to 266ppk or £2239
6 Stock Bulls sold to 258ppk or £2618
68 Young Bulls sold to £1670
145 Store Steers sold to £1740
211 Store Heifers sold to £2120
126 Rearing Calves sold to £615
1066 Store Lambs sold to £154
146 Feeding Ewes/Rams sold to £196
1 Store Pig sold for £145
Show of Store Cattle – Many thanks go to our mornings judge Mr Andrew Dyson of Gebdykes Farm, Masham for undertaking his duties both professionally and commendably. The champion rosette went to a first-time winner as a marvellous 20-month-old heifer from Master Jack Sewell of Knavesmire Farm, Hamsterley claimed the top accolade. Reserve champion on the day was a very smart 9-month-old Limousin steer from P & K Brannen, Scar Top, Penrith. Congratulations to all the prize winners which are listed below and are duly followed by the sale report.
Champion – Jack Sewell, Knavesmire sold for £2120 to D Holgate, Wakefield
Reserve Champion – P & K Brannen, Scar Top sold for £1740 to N E Dyson, Masham
Best Limousin Steer
1st – P & K Brannen, Scar Top sold for £1740 to N E Dyson, Masham
2nd – R A & S Wearmouth, Middletown sold for £1520 to Upper Coton Farms, Northampton
3rd – R A & S Wearmouth, Middletown sold for £1500 to Upper Coton Farms, Northampton
Best Limousin Heifer
1st – R A & S Wearmouth, Middletown sold for £1620 to P Donnelly, Great Ayton
2nd – R A & S Wearmouth, Middletown sold for £1630 to Cole Hill Farm, Elwick
Best Any Other Breed Heifer
1st – Jack Sewell, Knavesmire sold for £2120 to D Holgate, Wakefield
2nd – P & K Brannen, Scar Top sold for £1730 to Cole Hill Farm, Elwick
Sale of Store Cattle – Is this the real life, or is this just fantasy? Never before have the feeding cattle reached these heights, we are unquestionably sailing in unchartered waters. A large entry assembled of all shapes and sizes and regardless of their creed or colour they enjoyed an absolutely magnificent trade throughout. The pre-sale champion from Jack Sewell led the way with her impressive price tag of £2120, other heifers impressing were 21-month-old Limousin heifers from N Gill, Moory Lea reaching £1900 and £1810. Our top priced steer further cemented our judge’s decision as the 10-month-old reserve champion sold for £1740 just ahead of a smart Limousin from C L Clark, Burn Mill at £1730. Young bulls earlier in the sale enjoyed an absolute humdinger of a trade topping at £1670 from H E Jewitt, Lodge House Farm with a 9-month-old Limousin with his two mates only slightly adrift at £1650. All things said and done, they are a monumental trade across the board reaching levels thus far unrivalled anywhere in the region this backend; the younger they are the dearer they look, however, whilst buyers might not be too enamoured with the high prices today, they will certainly admire the quality as our vendors deserve great credit for producing an outstanding show. Some of the day’s top averages are listed below.
P & K Brannen, Penrith sold 3 to average £1690
N Gill, Langleydale sold 10 to average £1673
H E Jewitt, Cornsay sold 3 to average £1656
C L Clark, Shotley Bridge sold 5 to average £1645
F Ward, Frosterley sold 21 to average £1602
Store Bulls – £1670 £1650×2 HE Jewitt. £1610×2 WB Rutter & Sons. £1600 P&K Brannen. £1580 £1570 C Moffett. £1530 £1370×3 £1360×2 E Taylor & Son. £1530×2 £1460 £1440 £1400 £1300 S Waggott. £1520×2 £1510 £1500×3 £1430 £1420×2 £1380 £1340 £1260×2 £1250 £1200 £1150 RJ&R Greenbank. £1490 £1450 WM Bainbridge. £1390×2 £1310 £1110 £1000 E Scott & Sons. £1170×2 JE&B Firby. £1120 JK Gregory. £1120 R Sayer. £1110×2 £1010 Duel Partners.
Store Steers £1740 P&K Brannen. £1730 £1680 £1470 CL Clark. £1690×2 £1660×3 £1640 £1620 £1530 F Ward. £1690 W&J Herbert. £1680 £1660 D Walker. £1620×2 £1520 W Wearmouth & Son. £1620 WB Rutter & Sons. £1610×2 £1600×2 £1480 ME&TD Tailford. £1570×4 £1460×2 TW&C Emerson. £1570 £1540 £1520 £1510 £1500 £1470×2 RA&SL Wearmouth. £1570 RL Carter. £1540 £1510 W Crowe. £1480×2 N&A Hunter. £1480 Rose A Farms Ltd. £1480×2 £1470×2 Wilsons. £1450×2 £1410×2 A Davison. £1440 G Cant.
Store Heifers £2120 BJS Farms. £1900 £1810 £1690 £1660 £1650×2 £1630 £1610 £1570 £1560 N Gill. £1780 £1630 £1600×3 £1590 £1510×3 TW West. £1730 P&K Brannen. £1700 CL Clark. £1700 £1630×2 £1610×4 £1580 £1560 £1550 £1520×2 F Ward. £1650 £1520 H&S Hutchinson. £1630 £1620 RA&SL Wearmouth. £1610 W&J Herbert. £1590 W Wearmouth & Son. £1580 £1540×2 WB Rutter & Sons. £1580 £1500 M Gallon. £1550×2 Wilsons. £1540×2 £1500 F Hickson & Sons. £1540×2 GW&L Marsay. £1540 TT Hall & Son.
Show of Rearing Calves – Many thanks go to Stephen Harrison who travelled across from Grange-Over-Sands to expertly judge the calves today; an excellent show assembled before him and huge credit must go to all vendors. Champion on the day went to a superb August born British Blue bull calf from the Wilkinson family of Carrsides Farm, the same good home then also got the tap for Reserve champion with a stretchy September born Simmental bull calf. Aberdeen Angus cemented their popularity as a breed by taking all the rosettes in the native classes whilst success was also apparent for the up-and-coming Inra 95 breed as a tidy run from J & A Stevenson more than held their own in the any other continental classes. See below the full show results.
Champion Calf – Wilkinson & Son, Carrsides sold for £610 to D Holgate, Wakefield
Reserve Champion – Wilkinson & Son, Carrsides sold for £615 to D Holgate, Wakefield
Native Bull Calf
1st – Baysleap Dairy Farm sold for £490 to J K Gregory, Hett Village
2nd – J T Forster & Son, Killerby Farm sold for £445 to B & S M Rutherford & Son, Durham
3rd – Baysleap Dairy Farm sold for £390 to C A Stobbs, Harrogate
British Blue Bull Calf
1st – Wilkinson & Son, Carrsides sold for £610 to D Holgate, Wakefield
2nd – G Thompson & Sons, Softley Farm sold for £500 to J Davis, Copley
3rd – Deerness Valley Dairy sold for £410 to S & R E Williamson, Hamsterley
Any Other Continental Bull Calf
1st – Wilkinson & Son, Carrsides sold for £615 to D Holgate, Wakefield
2nd – Wilkinson & Son, Carrsides sold for £480 to J K Gregory, Hett Village
3rd – J & A Stevenson & Sons, Blue House sold for £460 to J K Gregory, Hett Village
Holstein/Friesian Bull Calf
1st – G Thompson & Sons, Softley Farm sold for £260 to J B & L Knight, Trimdon
2nd G Thompson & Sons, Softley Farm sold for £235 to Barton & Harrison, Grange-Over-Sands
3rd – Deerness Valley Dairy sold for £210 to D Holgate, Wakefield
Native Heifer Calf
1st – G Thompson & Sons, Softley Farm sold for £350 to J R & J Crowe, Spennymoor
2nd – G Thompson & Sons, Softley Farm sold for £320 to J R & J Crowe, Spennymoor
3rd – Baysleap Dairy Farm sold for £280 to Barton & Harrison, Grange-Over-Sands
British Blue Heifer Calf
1st – Wilkinson & Son, Carrsides sold for £490 to G H Lister, Wolsingham
2nd – Wilkinson & Son, Carrsides sold for £415 to J Davis, Copley
3rd – Deerness Valley Dairy sold for £410 to S & R E Williamson, Hamsterley
Any Other Continental Heifer Calf
1st – J & A Stevenson & Sons, Blue House sold for £440 to D Holgate, Wakefield
2nd – Wilkinson & Son, Carrsides sold for £360 to D M McClurg, North Bitchburn
3rd – J & A Stevenson & Sons, Blue House sold for £400 to Simpson & Cheetham, York
Sale of Rearing Calves – The calf trade remains strong to see today’s 126 head sell to 20 active ringside buyers with a 100% clearance rate and a total sale average of £302.58. Top of the day were our aforementioned champion and reserves as the Carrsides Farm consignment enjoyed the lion’s share of the top prices. Calf sales are fortnightly and more can be handled with ease. Some of this week’s averages and top prices are listed below.
2 Simmental Bulls average £547
2 Inra 95 Bulls average £432
21 British Blue Bulls average £397
30 Aberdeen Angus Bulls average £304
13 Friesian Bulls average £188
2 Inra 95 Heifers average £420
3 Simmental Heifers average £363
20 British Blue Heifers average £322
26 Aberdeen Angus Heifers average £243
Bull Calves:
Simmental – £615 £480 Wilkinson & Son.
British Blue – £610 £550 £545 £460 £420 Wilkinson & Son. £500 £475 £400 £395 £370 G Thompson & Sons. £410 £390 £345 £230 Deerness Valley Dairy. £355 £295 Sykes Produce Ltd. £350 £330 H Gibb & Son. £305×3 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
Angus – £490 £390 £380×2 £375 £365 £350×2 £320×2 £295×2 £290 £270×3 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd. £445 £300 JT Forster & Son. £445 £320 G Thompson & Sons. £370 £270 £220 H Gibb & Son. £320 RW Raper & Sons. £310 Sykes Produce Ltd. £250 K Thompson.
Inra – £460 £405 J&A Stevenson & Sons.
Limousin – £340 R Tookey & Son.
Friesian – £260 £235 £165 G Thompson & Sons. £230 £210 Deerness Valley Dairy. £230 JT Forster & Son. £170×2 RW Raper & Sons.
Montbeliarde – £230 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd.
Heifer Calves:
British Blue – £490 £480 £415 £390 Wilkinson & Son. £410 £380 £370 £350 £300 £250 Deerness Valley Dairy. £345 £320G Thompson & Sons. £300 RW Raper & Sons. £290×4 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd. £240 Sykes Produce Ltd.
Inra – £440 £400 J&A Stevenson & Sons.
Simmental – £365×2 £360 Wilkinson & Son.
Angus – £350 £320 £280 G Thompson & Sons. £325 £200 £195 £150 Sykes Produce Ltd. £295 £290 £285 £280 £270 £260 £210 £200 Baysleap Dairy Farm Ltd. £265 £255 £250×3 £170 JT Forster & Son. £265 RW Raper & Sons. £245 H Gibb & Son.
Limousin – £310 RW Raper & Sons.
Cast Cattle – More forward and trade sharper with some fifty-one pure dairy cows included the sale averaged a very pleasing 185ppk and £1226 per head. Top of the females was a marvellous Limousin OTM from E Scott & Sons, Middridge Grange Farm when she sold for an impressive 266ppk and £2239. Next in line per kilo at 262 pence was a smart Aberdeen Angus heifer from F W Hodgson, Burton House followed by an excellent 6-year-old Limousin cow from J C Cleasby, Thornlea at 256ppk. An impressive Aberdeen Angus cow from K Hall, North Farm sold at £2096 to claim the highest gross value for an older cow. Stock bull trade took no prisoners with some stunning returns; a thumping Simmental from R J & R Greenbank, Foster Flatts Farm impressed at 224ppk and £2618 as did Limousin’s from D W Humphrey, Capon Hall Farm at 248ppk and £2504 and also W Love Ltd, Sandy Carr Farm at 258ppk not to mention 5-year-old Shorthorn’s and Galloway’s to 198ppk and 200ppk respectively. Final mention goes to the dairy cows; top of the day at 240ppk and £1543 were heifers from Messrs T G & K Fisher, The Glebe with older cows to £1481 from the same good home or 204ppk from Deernesss Valley Dairy.
Cast Cows/OTM Leading PPK – 266 E Scott & Sons. 262 F W Hodgson & Son. 256 J C Cleasby. 240 232 228 216 210 Messrs T G & K Fisher. 238 S & J Dent & Son. 236 J Fletcher. 234 H S Hutchinson. 230 G H & R G Stobbs. 228 D & P H Brown. 226 216 W A Richardson Ltd. 222 R E Dickson. 220 216 208(x2) H S Hutchinson. 218 212 R Bradley & Son. 216 F Hickson & Sons. 212 D W Humphrey. 212 A Davison. 212 G & A Crayston. 210 J R Wesson. 208 206 J & E M Lawson., 208 Leslie Brown. 206 D K Barker. 206 R E Dickson. 206 204 D Barron. 204 Deerness Valley Dairy.
Stock Bulls Leading PPK – 258 W Love Ltd. 248 D W Humphrey. 224 R J & R Greenbank. 200 P A Thompson. 198 J R Wesson. 180 K Percival.
Cast Cows/OTM Leading Gross Value – £2239 E Scott & Sons. £2096 £1548 £1425 K Hall. £1871 £1523 R Bradley & Son. £1816 £1805 W A Richardson Ltd. £1718 D K Barker. £1696 £1414 S & J Dent & Son. £1641 £1485 D & P H Brown. £1610 J C Cleasby. £1603 F Hickson & Sons. £1592 J Norman. £1587 J R Wesson. £1561 J R P Vickers & Sons. £1553 £1550 D Barron. £1550 J Fletcher. £1543 £1481 £1380 Messrs T G & K Fisher. £1518 B Storey. £1516 F W Hodgson & Son. £1512 Leslie Brown. £1496 D W Humphrey. £1494 £1481 R E Dickson. £1460 £1382 J E & M Lawson. £1409 Deerness Valley Dairy. £1394 R Hutchinson. £1389 R W Dalton.
Stock Bulls Leading Gross – £2618 R J & R Greenbank. £2504 D W Humphrey. £1949 K Percival. £1857 J R Wesson. £1852 P A Thompson. £1839 W Love Ltd.
Store Sheep – The sheep trade goes up another gear, both the store lambs and the feeding ewes were in absolutely mesmerising form this week to see what was in all honesty a poorer show of lamb’s level at £113.07 and the ewes £102.29. A super pair of Beltex lambs from J Waters, Chilton set the pace when they sold at £154 per head, they were duly matched by a thumping Texel tup lamb from S Straughan. Beltex from J Waters checked in again at £140 ahead of Texel’s from T E Dobson, Unthank Farm at £139. Charollais lambs sold to a top of £136 from T T Hall & Son, Church Farm whilst Suffolk’s topped at £132 from D E Stones, Hundah and Mule’s also reached £132 from the in-form Dobson’s of Unthank. Feeding ewes look a flyer, top price of £180 went to eight Texel’s from A & R Thompson, Dimmingdale Farm; Suffolk’s sold to £170 from N A Thompson, Willow Brooke with Mule’s selling to £136 and Swaledale’s to £105. Top of the tups were a strong pair of Dutch Spotted from G W Dobson & Son, Wood Close when they sold for an excellent £196 apiece.
Leading Prices
Store Lambs
Beltex – £154 £140 J Waters. £127 D Myers.
Texel – £154 £120 S Straughan. £139 T E Dobson. £136 J Waters. £130 £122.50 D E Stones. £126 £121 £112 J F Henry. £124.50 £116 £112.50 K Buckle. £124 F M Armstrong. £118 M Dawson. £112 M & J Dryden. £112 J & R A Speed. £111.50 G H & R G Stobbs. £111 Castlewood Farm.
Continental – £136 T T Hall & Son. £134 Messrs Raw. £129 £125 £118 A & R Thompson. £126 £109 P Armstrong. £119 £100 D Myers. £115 £110 £100 J D Teasdale. £114.50 M Dawson. £114 B Bell. £113.50 M & J Dryden. £112 £105 J Jopling. £110 £109 E J & D Braithwaite. £100 K Buckle.
Mule – £132 T E Dobson. £100 D Myers. £99 G H & R G Stobbs. £95 S Straughan.
Suffolk – £132 D E Stones. £130 £114.50 A & B Herworth. £130 T T Hall & Son. £125 £115 A Kelly. £117 D Myers.
Cheviot – £96 J D Teasdale.
Feeding Ewes/Rams
£196 G W Dobson & Son. £180 A & R Thompson. £170 £136 £124 £105 N A Thompson. £168 £163 F M Armstrong. £149 C E Smith. £117 £112 G Pickering. £138 £105 T T Hall & Son. £136 £101 T E Dobson. £114 J Harle. £106 A & D Heyes. £103 Petch Farms.
