Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their ‘Ladies Day’ Show & Sale of Ewes & Hoggs with lambs at foot in conjunction with their weekly sale of cast cattle, store and breeding stock and fortnightly sale of rearing calves on Bank Holiday Monday 5th May 2025. Forward were 447 cattle, 967 sheep and 81 calves.
214 Ewes & Lambs sold to £750
124 Hoggs & Lambs sold to £435
68 Cast Cows/OTM sold to 386ppk or £3055
2 Stock Bulls sold to 352ppk or £3368
16 Cows & Calves sold to £4400
45 Young Bulls sold to £2720
138 Store Steers sold to £2400
162 Store Heifers sold to £2440
76 Store Hoggs sold to £188
84 Feeding Ewes/Rams sold to £220
81 Rearing Calves sold to £1090
Ladies Day Show & Sale of Ewes/Hoggs & Lambs
Thanks go to Mark Baldwin for undertaking the judging duties this morning, a super show of quality assembled before him. The champion rosette was awarded to the first prize quintet of any other breed hoggs and lambs which were part of the excellent annual consignment from T W Thompson, Lealholm Lawns Farm. Reserve champion went to a cracking pen of Scotch Halfbred four crop ewes with Suffolk sired lambs at foot from Ainsty Farms Direct whilst in the hotly contested Mule hogg and lamb class there was a red rosette for H S Hutchinson, White House Farm. The full results are below.
Champion – TW Thompson, Lealholm Lawns sold for £408 (AOB Hoggs & Lambs)
Reserve Champion – Ainsty Farms, Green Hammerton sold for £410 (Ewes & Lambs)
Best Pen of 5 Mule Hoggs & Lambs
1st – HS Hutchinson, White House sold for £362 to T Walton, Lane Head
2nd – RN Kirby & Son, Barstow Hall sold for £368 to J Atkinson, Waterford Farm
3rd – TW Thompson, Lealholm Lawns sold for £360 to DG & PD Ayre, Roger Moor
Best Pen of 5 Any Other Breed Hoggs & Lambs
1st – TW Thompson, Lealholm Lawns sold for £408 to TA Greensit & Sons, Friars Garth
2nd – MW Reed, West Biggins sold for £375 to T Lawson & Son, Sands Farm
3rd – TW Thompson, Lealholm Lawns sold for £375 to J Atkinson, Waterford Farm
Best Pen of 5 or More Ewes & Lambs
1st – Ainsty Farms, Green Hammerton (8 & 15) sold for £410 to DB Laird & Sons, Potter Hill
2nd – LW Richardson, Moorburn House (8 & 12) sold for £350 to JJ Horn, Bushy Park
3rd – RA Patterson & Son, White House (5 & 9) sold for £275 to TFG Lawton, Cote Garth
Sale of Ewes & Hoggs with Lambs
A red letter day as records tumbled on what transpired to be a belting Bank Holiday, prices in County Durham have certainly never been so good since the Reform Party took control. Beginning with the ewes and lambs which achieved an average of £103 per life (+£13 on 2024). Top of the pile was a stunning two crop Blue Texel ewe with a single tup lamb at foot from Mel Whitfield-Stout of South Terrace; this superstar set a new centre record (per life) when the outfit sold for an extraordinary £750. The Blue Texel’s continued in great form as good sorts with twins from M Lindley, Willow Dene sold at £495 and £440, following closely at £410 were our reserve champion pen as eight Scotch Halfbred ewes with fifteen Suffolk sired lambs from Ainsty Farms went under the hammer.
Hoggs and lambs jumped an incredible £40 per life on the year to average £167; this following what looked an excellent £20 increase between 2023 and 2024. A bonnie Dutch Spotted hogg with a single ewe lamb at foot from L O Stephenson, Front Street led the way when she sold for £435. Next in line were our champion pen from T W Thompson, Lealholm Lawns as five cracking Texel’s with single lambs sold for £408. Top of the Mule hoggs and lambs were a smart pen of six with six Texel lambs from M W Reed, West Biggins which sold for £402, plenty of fire power around the ring saw the strongest end regularly trading £170 to £190 per life.
Leading Prices
Ewes & Lambs – £750 M Whitfield-Stout. £495 £440 £375 M Lindlay. £410 £305 £300 Ainsty Farms Direct. £362 £338 J Thompson. £350 £345 H S Hutchinson. £350 L W Richardson. £348 £315(x2) £298 F Hickson & Sons. £338 C Everitt. £335 R N Kirby & Son. £330 J W Colin. £310 C Slee. £302 £300 J Wigham.
Hoggs & Lambs
Dutch Spotted – £435 L O Stephenson.
Texel – £408 £375 T W Thompson. £380 M W Reed.
Mule – £402 £365 £340 M W Reed. £368 £338 R N Kirby & Son. £362 £342 H S Hutchinson. £360 £355 £340 T W Thompson. £318 I Hedley.
Suffolk – £400 C A & J G Skidmore. £375 £332 M W Reed.
Zwartbles – £335 £315 C Slee.
Cast Cattle
A good offering for the public holiday and another sharp trade across the board to see them average all in 284ppk and £1853 per head. Two heifers led the way per kilo at 386 pence as an Aberdeen Angus from R E Dickson, Stubdale Farm joined a Limousin from GK, KN & GJ Hird, Meadow View at the top. Top of the gross values in the cows was a terrific 868kg Limousin from W J & A S Bowes & Sons, Stainton Hill House when she sold for £3055, top native cow in the lump gains a second mention for the Aberdeen Angus of R E Dickson with a big lump at 885kg selling for £2708. First on the Friesian leaderboard were an OTM heifer from C N & P Penk, Pitfield Farm at 296ppk and a fleshy 820kg cow from A R & C Booth, Village Farm at £1984. Just the two bulls took part this week, a fleshy Hereford from P Martin, Fellsyke Farm at 280ppk and £2237 and a superb 40-month-old Limousin from T W West, Picket Howe which certainly impressed at 352ppk and £3368.
Cast Cows – Top prices ppk 386 322 308 306 RE Dickson. 386 330 322 GK KN & GJ Hird. 360 286 JC Hope & Son. 352 340 286 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. 352 340 RL Walker. 342 326 314 AJ Marr & Son. 340 290×2 282 RA&SL Wearmouth. 336 A Hughes. 328 AW Sanderson. 316 310 JD Bentley & Son. 304 RA&S Darling Farms. 302 GW Dobson & Son. 302 JR Dalton. 300 MJ Marley. 298 R Bradley & Son. 296 CN&P Penk. 294 JW&GP Furness.
Lead Grossing Cast Cows £3055 £2448 £2002 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. £2763 £2580 RL Walker. £2708 £2302 £1900 RE Dickson. £2675 £2412 £2389 GK KN & GJ Hird. £2651 A Hughes. £2541 R Bradley & Son. £2356 £2296 £2288 £2250 RA&SL Wearmouth. £2325 £2063 £2028 AJ Marr & Son. £2312 AW Sanderson. £2215 JD Bentley & Son. £2196 £2193 JC Hope & Son. £2163 I Spedding. £2090 F Fabi. £2082 GW Dobson & Son. £2050 M Gallon. £2025 MJ Marley.
Cast Bulls – Top prices ppk 352 TW West. 280 P Martin.
Lead Grossing Cast Bulls £3368 TW West. £2237 P Martin.
Cows & Calves
An excellent offering enjoyed the benefits of the recent beef boom as a plethora of buyers were ringside to try and enhance their herds, not all were successful as demand outstripped supply by some margin. A cracking herd reduction from M & S Gledhill, Glebe Farm had attracted a large crowd and didn’t disappoint as the dozen outfits averaged £3658 and topped at £4400 for a classy Limousin heifer with a British Blue heifer calf at her side. The same good home hit £4000 twice for 4-year-old cows and five more sold between £3700 and £3900.
Cows & Calves £4400 £4000×2 £3900 £3800×2 £3700×2 £3550 £3400 £2900 £2750 M&S Gledhill. £2950 £2380 £2200 £2000 JO Martin.
Store Cattle
The finishers and feeders remain keen as some fifty-four accounts were active at ringside for an excellent show of numbers forward at our first May Bank Holiday offering. Beginning with the bulls and an excellent top price of £2720 was achieved by D G & P D Ayre, Roger Moor Farm with a shapely Limousin, the next five all 13-14-month-old Limousin’s and all over £2000 included four from J C Thwaite & Son, Crag Hill and one from JWR & M Suddes, Towdy Potts. On to the steers and heifers, the recent high rates continued despite a slight blip at the finished end of late. Hold on to your hashbrowns, top of the day at just 13-months-old was a stunning British Blonde heifer from J J Horn, Bushy Park at £2440. Following at £2400 were two Limousin’s as a 32-month-old heifer from J F Hartley & Sons, Low Shipley Farm joined an excellent 14-month-old steer from R W Ridley, Tongue Hill. Native breeds were again challenging for the top spots, pick of them all were 2-year-old Aberdeen Angus steers from W & J Herbert, Woodwell House at £2380 and £2340 whilst a notable run across from T W West, Picket Howe, Egremont topped with their trio of Aberdeen Angus steers just 14-months-old selling at £2300 apiece. The grass bound younger cattle would perhaps be even dearer than we have witnessed all season, first draw spring sucklers are now few and far between but those who have dared to remain patient are reaping the rewards, mention must go to another cross Pennine consignor as J C Hope & Son, Cornhow Farm, Cockermouth sold a cracking run of forty-two 8-12-month-old calves to average a brilliant £1731.
Store Bulls £2720 DG&PD Ayre. £2320 £2120 £2020×2 JC Thwaite & Son. £2180 £1960 £1900 JWR&M Suddes. £1960 31640 A&AG Moralee. £1880 £1500 £1440×2 £1410×3 £1380×3 £1360 Hollins View Farm. £1810 £1680 £1460 T Ducker. £1780 £1760 £1740×2 £1620 JK Gregory. £1620×3 Messrs Hartley. £1500 £1480 WH Smith & Sons. £1500 £1300 OAM Richardson. £1280 GA&C Jopling. £1240×2 FA Gilchrist.
Store Steers £2400 £2360 £2290 £2020 £1820 RW Ridley. £2380×2 £2340 £2300 £1920 W£&J Herbert. £2300×2 £2200×2 £2100×2 £1800×3 JC Smith. £2300×4 TW West. £2300 S Richardson. £2110 £2030 £2010 E Taylor & Son. £2110 GT&MA Wearmouth. £1960 Wilsons. £1920×3 £1880×4 £1800×3 JC Hope. £1920 A&AG Moralee. £1920 G Bolton. £1900×2 Sundown Livestock. £1900 Messrs Shepherd. £1880 SP Burke. £1780 B Needham.
Store Heifers £2440 £2360 £1880 JJ Horn. £2400 £2280 £2140 £1960 J&F Hartley & Sons. £2270 GH&RG Stobbs. £2200 JW Richardson. £2090×2 B Needham. £2020 £1800 GT&MA Wearmouth. £2020 T Ducker. £2010 £1940 S Richardson. £1980 £1940×2 W&J Herbert. £1960 R Smith. £1920 Wilsons. £1900×3 JC Hope & Son. £1840 Sundown Livestock. £1800 B Watson. £1770 £1760 E Taylor.
Store Sheep
Still the store hoggs and feeding ewes find high demand awaiting them in Monday’s store ring. The hoggs were led by gimmers this week as a single black hogg from D Wearmouth, Hill View sold for £188; ten Mules from R W Spry, Newbiggin House sold for £180 and a trio of Jacob’s from E V Jones, Alston impressed at £155. Feeding hoggs are still saleable even at this late stage and sold to £130 from L W Richardson, Moorburn House and £129 from J & F Hartley & Sons, Low Shipley. Feeding ewes and rams remain in fair order to top this week at £220 from P J Anderson, Lydgate Avenue and £210 from L J Daley, Wear View. Mule ewes topped at £148 whilst horned ewes topped at £118.
Store Hoggs
£188 £100(x2) £80 D Wearmouth. £180 R W Spry. £155 E V Jones. £130 L W Richardson. £129 £110 J & F Hartley & Sons. £108 L J Daley. £80 J Campbell. £80 G P Addison.
Feeding Ewes/Rams – £220 P J Anderson. £210 £165(x2) £145 £125 L J Daley. £186 L W Richardson. £182 £178 J & F Hartley & Sons. £175 L F & H C Wood. £172 £124 S R Crossland & E J Boby. £148 C & I Watson & Sons. £146 S Straughan. £130 P Falls. £122 £120 J Thompson.
Rearing Calves
Today’s calf sale averaged a fantastic £605, with a mixed show of ages and breeds, there was something to suit everyone. Within the calf section, Overall Top Price of the day goes to CN Bentley, The Gables, with a tremendous British Blue Bull calf which reached £905. Following in the british Blue Bulls was HM Dent, East Farm, reaching £820. A trio of British Blue Heifers topped at £695 from Miresdale Dairy Holding LTD, whilst Deerness Valley Dairy, High Hedley Hope, followed to reach £645. A 1-month-old Inra95 Bull reached £870 from J&A Stevenson & Sons, Blue House Farm. £990 topped the Angus Bulls from F Fabi, Broadlea, whilst silver medal within the Angus’ was taken by Deerness Valley Dairy, High Hedley Hope, with a bull making £695. Angus Heifers from JL Miles & Sons, Little Bridge Farm, topped at £640 with Miresdale Dairy Holding reaching £590. £690 topped the Limousin Bulls from CN Bentley, The Gables whilst JR&JA Wharton, Segbushwell, reached £660 for bulls and £600 for limousin Heifers. Parthenais Bulls reached £720 from HM Dent, East Farm, whilst Hereford Bulls topped at £650 from Deerness Valley Dairy and heifers from TM Davies, East Villas, topping at £510. Friesian Bulls reached £590 from Miresdale Dairy holding, followed closely by R Tookey & Son, Southside making £550.
Breed/Sex Averages
2 Charolais Bulls average £1070
1 Inra 95 Bull average £870
14 British Blue Bulls average £766
2 Parthenais Bulls average £710
8 Aberdeen Angus Bulls average £635
4 Hereford Bulls average £623
7 Limousin Bulls average £592
8 Friesian Bulls average £471
6 British Blue Heifers average £660
6 Limousin Heifers average £550
12 Aberdeen Angus Heifers average £509
7 Hereford Heifers average £477
1 Shorthorn Heifer average £430
3 Friesian Heifers average £406
Bull Calves:
Charolais – £1090 £1050 RA&S Darling Farms.
Angus – £990 F Fabi. £695 £660 £590 Deerness Valley Dairy. £660 £500×2 £490 RW Raper & Sons.
British Blue – £905 £760 £750 £710 CN Bentley. £820 £800 £790 £780 £770 £730 HM Dent. £810 £780 £605 Deerness Valley Dairy. £720 Miresdale Dairy Holding Ltd.
Inra 95 – £870 J&A Stevenson & Sons.
Parthenaise – £720 £700 HM Dent.
Limousin – £690 CN Bentley. £660 £610 £585 £570 £550 £480 JR&JA Wharton.
Hereford – £650 £620×2 £605 Deerness Valley Dairy.
Friesian – £550 £500 £490 £450 £440 R Tookey & son. £530 Deerness Valley Dairy. £440 £370 RW Raper & Sons.
Heifer Calves:
British Blue – £695×3 Miresdale dairy Holding Ltd. £645 £605 Deerness Valley Dairy. £630 CN Bentley.
Angus – £640 £585 JL Miles & Sons. £590 £530 Miresdale Dairy Holding Ltd. £500 Deerness Valley dairy. £435×3 £400×2 RW Raper & Sons.
Limousin – £600×2 £590 £550 £530 JR&JA Wharton. £430 RW Raper & Sons.
Friesian – £590 £315×2 Miresdale Dairy Holding Ltd.
Hereford – £510 TM Davies. £505 3485 £480 £465 £460 £440 Deerness Valley Dairy.
Shorthorn – £430 P Foster.
