Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their weekly sale of Prime Stock on Thursday 15th April 2021. Forward were 362 Cattle, 1161 Sheep and 26 Pigs.
137 Prime Bulls sold to 266ppk or £1917
42 Prime Steers sold to 271ppk or £1780
180 Prime Heifers sold to 289ppk or £1972
3 Cast Cows sold to 163ppk or £1121
15 Prime Lambs sold to 391ppk or £151
701 Prime Hoggs sold to 367ppk or £187
445 Cast Sheep sold to £196
26 Prime Pigs sold to 112ppk or £100
Prime Bulls (137) – The astonishing beef trade continues, granted the absolute heroics of last week were not quite repeated however some wonderful bulls helped lift the average to 223ppk which once again places Darlington at the top of the national bull tree. Astonishingly nine separate bulls today sold at 260 pence or more, mention then must go to the following three who produced one apiece – first time vendors J R Smith & Son of Melton Mowbray with a superb Bazadaise; local producers J B & J A Fenwick, Marwood and last weeks winners A G Watson & Sons, Rushyford. Now to the top pairing as these two vendors somehow found a trio each over 260 pence, J Mills & Son all the way from Winwick, Northants was pipped at the post by some outstanding pure Limousin’s from W I Suddes & Son, South Farm, Cornsay as they led the sale with a handy weight 562kg bull at 266 pence. Once again some exceptional gross values were on offer, the top two gross values of £1917 and £1916 headed back to Grantham, Lincolnshire and the terrific Limousin’s of another first time vendor M D Copley of Heath Farm; an impressive 8 bulls sold beyond £1800 today including an impressive Simmental from T Hill & R Wright, Doncaster at £1885. As always mention goes to the top native and dairy breeds as today Aberdeen Angus sold to 223ppk from A G Watson & Sons or £1591 from R Hall & Son whilst the black and white trade belonged to J E & B Morgan & Sons at 207ppk and J K & C E Farming selling to £1309. Below are, as is customary, some of the top runners and riders this week:
M D Copley, Grantham sold 4 Bulls to average 246ppk and £1800
W I Suddes & Son, Cornsay sold 4 Bulls to average 262ppk and £1585
J R Smith & Son, Melton Mowbray sold 6 Bulls to average 249ppk and £1538
J Mills & Son, Winwick sold 19 Bulls to average 247ppk and £1553
S & J Dent, Burdon sold 4 Bulls to average 247ppk and £1573
A G Watson & Sons sold 6 Bulls to average 240ppk and £1638
S H Watson & Sons, Winston sold 3 Bulls to average 244ppk and £1697
F & J S Gargett, Barnard Castle sold 2 Bulls to average 237ppk and £1714
J & A Moralee, Hexham sold 4 Bulls to average 236ppk and £1747
T Hill & R Wright, Doncaster sold 3 Bulls to average 224ppk and £1730
Continental Bulls – Top prices ppk 266 265 262 259 WI Suddes & Son. 265 262 260 257 256×3 249×2 248×2 245 244 242 240 J Mills & Son. 263 250 239 AG Watson & Sons. 261 JB&JA Fenwick. 260 256 250×2 246 JR Smith & Son. 255 249 LR Welsh & Co. 253 250 247 242 S&J S&J Dent & Son. 252 249×2 MD Copley. 251 242 240 SH Watson & Son. 248 240 239 238 JB Dodds. 247 240 R Ormston. 246 F&JS Gargett. 244 J&A Moralee. 243 240 238 JA&M Boyes Ltd. 237 F&JS Gargett.
Lead Grossing Continental Bulls £1917 £1916 £1827 MD Copley. £1885 £1703 T Hill & R Wright. £1864 R Ormston. £1841 £1759 £1696 £1694 J&A Moralee. £1834 £1825 £1785 AG Watson & Sons. £1771 £1741 SH Watson & Son. £1764 £1732 £1686 £1668 JA&M Boyes Ltd. £1756×2 £1630 F&JS Gargett. £1733 £1721 £1702 £1684 £1674 £1672 £1656 J Mills & Son. £1704 JR Smith & Son. £1700 WI Suddes & Son. £1683 £1654 £1638 LR Welsh & Co. £1665 S&J Dent & Son. £1635 J Richmond.
Friesian Bulls – Top prices ppk 207 187 186 JE&B Morgan & Sons. 199 139 D Walker. 198 195 186 170 J&JH Musgrave. 196 JK&CE Farming. 195 178 164 156 JB&L Knight. 188 178 R Hall & Son. 188 B Nichols. 186 GW Dobson & Son. 170 162 R Carter & Son.
Lead Grossing Friesian Bulls £1309 JK&CE Farming. £1277 GW Dobson & Son. £1231 B Nichols. £1188 D Walker. £1176 £1087 R Hall & Son. £1167 £1083 R Carter & Son. £1138 £1025 £960 £914 JB&L Knight. £1132 £1082 £941 JE&B Morgan & Sons. £1090 £1049 £1019 £863 J&JH Musgrave.
Native Breed Bulls – Top prices ppk 223 AG Watson & Sons. 216 195 193 R Ormston. 214 205 AW&S Caine. 210 M Ord & Sons. 206 200 SN Bird & Sons. 205 GS Dowson. 203 R Hall & Son. 186 JB&L Knight.
Lead Grossing Native Breed Bulls £1591 R Hall & Son. £1554 AG Watson & Sons. £1451 £1382 £1295 R Ormston. £1392 M Ord & Sons. £1133 £1012 SN Bird & Sons. £1104 £1051 AW&S Caine. £1063 GS Dowson.
Clean Cattle (222) – The largest show for some time and once again the beef price boom was apparent for all to see, a tidy show of heifers with some genuine superstars included were let down a little by a mixed quality offering of steers, thus said a home awaits at our ringside for everything at more than competitive rates as the buyers are in attendance for the good, bad and ugly. The absolutely insane levels witnessed last week were understandably not matched however we remain ahead of the pre-Easter trade which in itself is no mean feat. Top price today an impressive 289 pence per kilo from regular supporters J V & J A Hodgson of Summerhouse with a sublime 563kg Limousin heifer, a further 5 sold at 280 pence and beyond with 15 chipping in between 270ppk and 280ppk. Top of the gross values was another regular supporter in J W Holmes & Son of Chestnut Farm, Nottingham; selling their 295th beast since first visiting in June 2020 the very special 753kg Limousin heifer sold for a remarkable 262ppk and £1972. It was very much a day for the home county vendors to shine with the steers as a wonderful pen from the Askwiths of Crook peaked at £1780 with their 715kg Limousin whilst the ‘Mighty Quinn’ was back after last week’s triumph and enjoying selling again as Gerrard Quinn trading as J E Suddes & Son, Rowley reached 271ppk with a beautiful 571kg Limousin. A host of dairy crosses and natives were easily sold provided they carried flesh, particularly thickness of loin is imperative to the wholesale trade as the nation prepares eat outdoors, let the barbeques commence. A longer list than usual below as a strong show of numbers certainly includes many deserving of their name in lights:
P Weightman & Sons, Easington sold 2 Heifers to average 272ppk and £1696
J J Kemp & Son, Stillington sold 4 Heifers to average 269ppk and £1545
P J & M P Gilhespy, Ponteland sold 6 Heifers to average 268ppk and £1533
Askwiths, Crook sold 3 Heifers, 1 Steer to average 268ppk and £1597
B Walker, Dalton-on-Tees sold 3 Heifers to average 267ppk and £1519
J E Suddes & Son, Cornsay Colliery sold 4 Heifers, 1 Steer to average 261ppk and £1568
J W Holmes & Son, Nottingham sold 12 Heifers to average 257ppk and £1495
J V & J A Hodgson, Summerhouse sold 10 Heifers to average 254ppk and £1455
J Mills & Son, Winwick sold 14 Heifers to average 254ppk and £1334
A C Simpson & Son, Witton-le-Wear sold 2 Heifers to average 248ppk and £1603
W J & A S Bowes, Stockton sold 4 Heifers to average 244ppk and £1597
Continental Steers – Top prices ppk 271 JE Suddes. 250 243 242 DK Barker. 249 Askwiths. 248 JR&B Anderson & Son. 244 Jack Barker. 238 JL Marks. 237 236 GW&L Marsay. 235 218 T Watson. 234 M Eagle. 230 216 212 211 207 206 205 B Nichols. 220 219 214 212 A&MJ Henshaw. 219 Jack Henshaw.
Lead Grossing Continental Steers £1780 Askwiths. £1637 £1585 £1444 DK Barker. £1583 £1444 GW&L Marsay. £1555 JE Suddes & Son. £1539 Jack Barker. £1500 £1439 £1366 £1278 £1155 B Nichols. £1453 JR&B Anderson. £1438 £1405 £1392 £1382 A&MJ Henshaw. £1379 Jack Henshaw. £1358 T Watson.
Friesian Steers – Top prices ppk 196 191 190 A Swinbank & Son. 188 182×2 J Cotton. 186 172 169×2 Berryfield Farms Ltd.
Lead Grossing Friesian Bulls £1138 £1117 £1014 A Swinbank & Son. £1129 £1073 £1031 J Cotton. £982 £959 £912 Berryfield Farms Ltd. £915 D Walker.
Heifers – Top prices ppk 289 284 268 JV&JA Hodgson. 284 278 272 270 266 246 242 J Mills & Son. 283 276 272 269 263 PJ&MP Gilhespy. 282 277 270 Askwiths. 280 266×2264 262 JW Holmes & Son. 278 276 B Walker. 278 268 P Weightman & Sons. 277 270 267 263 JJ Kemp & Son. 276 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. 274 269 262 WB Mitchell & Sons. 274 JL Marks. 272 266 TW Clark & Son. 271 JR&B Anderson & Son. 268 IR Appleton. 266 WJ&AS Bowes & Sons. 265 264 JE Suddes & Son. 264 WF Hustwit. 262 C Binks & Son.
Lead Grossing Heifers £1972 £1801 £1574 JW Holmes & Son. £1756 J Mills & Son. £1752 £1640 P Weightman & Sons. £1706 £1576 £1548 JE Suddes & Son. £1689 £1662 WJ&AS Bowes. £1672 AC Simpson. £1635 £1627 £1587 £1570 JV&JA Hodgson. £1609 £1553 JJ Kemp & Son. £1602 JB Bell & Son. £1602 £1598 £1570 £1531 PJ&MP Gilhespy. £1595 JR Knox & Son. £1564 WB Mitchell & Sons. £1559 JH&M&NW Brown. £1554 RA&BA Ridley & Son Ltd. £1552 £1542 £1514 Askwiths.
Cast Cows – Top prices ppk 163 157 124 B Nichols.Lead Grossing Cast Cows £1121 £949 £863 B Nichols.
Prime Sheep (716) – On we roll and the sheep trade stays very strong, the handy weight hoggs today were an absolute joy to sell as are the better end of the heavies; as usual a plethora of horned hoggs and mules were included in the average of 295ppk with an SQQ of 306ppk. Leading the way was a fabulous run from M Madrell, Whorlton showing prime hoggs with us for the first time in 2 years and delighted with his tops of 367ppk and run of 30 averaging 344 pence for every kilo that passed the bridge. Top gross value today was a single superstar from S Fenwick of Thirlby, Thirsk with a brilliant 61kg Beltex selling for £187, the most impressive run today looked to be from R H Thompson & Son of Whinns Farm, Bishop Auckland with 88 expertly fed Suffolk and Charollais hoggs averaging a whopping £168.43. Spring lambs today sold well, naturally they were a touch easier and in line with the national trend this week, the pick of them from Anna Herbert, Barnard Castle reached £151 with the top price per kilo 391 pence from A S & G Donaldson, Little Langton.
Spring Lambs – Top prices ppk 391 361 340 AS&G Donaldson. 363 355 351 Anna Herbert. 246 289 D Coupland.
Lead Grossing Spring Lambs £151 £149 £142 Anna Herbert. £150 £145 £130 AS&G Donaldson. £149 £142 D Coupland.
Hoggs – Top prices ppk 367 361 352 348 346 341 M Madrell. 353 341 Ivanhoe Livestock. 345 C Dawson. 345 315 314 R&W Todd. 344 336 GE Raw. 341 340 WB Mitchell & Sons. 337 CE Dresser. 331 311 P Turnbull. 331 T Patchett. 331 IE&A Teasdale. 330 JR Tiplady. 329 325 311 EA Martin & Son. 329 J Pallister & Sons. 328 W Robson. 326 315 312 PJ Tindale. 326 W Kirk & Sons. 318 311 D Lupton. 317 GC&JC Pullen. 315 S Fenwick. 313 311 C Dawson. 313 J Hicks. 312 RH Thompson & Son.
Lead Grossing Hoggs £187 £159 £158 S Fenwick. £181 £180 £176 £174×2 £172 £170 £169 £162 £154×2 RH Thompson & Son. £167 WB Mitchell & Sons. £166 £160 C Dawson. £166 £156 W Robson. £164 £154 D&HM Hodgson. £161 J Hicks. £160 PJ Tindale. £160 EA Martin & Son. £160 R&W Todd. £159 £155 Ivanhoe Livestock. £158 £152 J Pallister & Sons. £158 N&A Hunter. £157 £155 M Madrell. £156 £154 P Bisby. £155 CE Dresser. £155 W Kirk & Sons. £155 £154 RG Richardson. £152 S Ayre. £150 D&P Heppel.
Cast Sheep (445) – Thankfully the forthcoming Ramadan which can some years cause a seasonal slip in the ewe trade looks to be offset for now at least by the opening of beer gardens; following a trip to the aforementioned beer gardens the instinct of the 21st century human aged between 18 and 30 it would seem is to track down a purveyor of mutton kebabs. The result then is a great ewe trade, the leaner the dearer with another average beyond £100; William Tindale, Shadforth led the sale at £196 with a single Charollais ewe whilst humongous Zwartbles sold to £176, Mules peaked at £141 and Swaledales reached £108.
Lead Grossing Cast Ewes £196 William Tindale. £176 £148 Emma Moorcock. £160 HS Hutchinson. £156 £147 Askwiths. £151 £141 AC Simpson & Son. £151 £143 WB Mitchell & Sons. £150 £143 RG Richardson. £147 GP Addison. £147 A Naisbitt. £145 GW Maw. £144 £141 £128 £108 MW Reed. £143 IE&AC Teasdale. £140 MH Hodgson. £139 D&HM Hodgson. £139 P Wilson. £139 Ivanhoe Livestock. £139 T Patchett. £138 J&MJ Walton. £137 N&A Hunter.
Prime Pigs (26) – Record numbers for the new site, enough to warrant an unusual line in the report, trade very similar and certainly not the swine it was a few weeks ago.
Prime Pigs – Top prices ppk 112 105 C Weightman. 105×2 90 88 J Mitchell & Son.
Lead Grossing Prime Pigs £100 £99 C Weightman. £94 £93 £80 £79 J Mitchell & Son.
