Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held their weekly sale of Cast Cattle, Store & Breeding Stock on Monday 28th March 2022. Forward were
58 Cast Cows & OTM sold 228ppk or £1613
7 Stock Bulls sold to 214ppk or £2093
14 Store Bulls sold to £1620
72 Store Steers sold to £1380
63 Store Heifers sold to £1295
1 Breeding Bull sold to £2300
316 Store Sheep sold to £110
Cast Cows – The beef trade continues to show Ukrainian like defiance against the looming hole in the housewives’ pocket as prices remain absolutely superb for all classes. Despite a very ordinary show which saw well over half of those forward being dairy cows this week the scintillating scenes at the cow ring remain apparent, relative roses amongst thorns were a trio of exceptional Limousin OTM’s from the Tindale family of Shadforth topping the sale at 228ppk. Top gross valued cow today was a hefty Simmental from C & E Gaskin of Marwood at an impressive £1613, she was closely followed by our top native cow a well fleshed Aberdeen Angus from A & A G Moralee, Willington at £1519. Twice Hereford OTM’s sold beyond 200 pence from W & R Kemp & Son, St Helens and Leslie Brown, Winston respectively as did some genuinely classy older continental girls from Messrs Hird of Richmond. As mentioned, the black and whites were out in force today, those with flesh were undoubtedly the dearest on the week, plenty to choose from but none could live with the fast pace set by Killerby based J T Forster & Son who sold an 8-year-old for £1470 and a remarkable 10-year-old to the dizzy heights of 177ppk. Finally, to the bulls and a second mention for A & A G Moralee, Lowfield Farm, Willington who turned out a meaty 5-year-old Aberdeen Angus at a marvellous £2093; a trio of 4-year-old Beef Shorthorns down from Thropton and G A Rogerson & Son all sold beyond 200 pence.
Cast Cows & OTM Leading PPK – 228 P Tindale. 209 207 W Tindale. 206 204 171 G K, K N & G J Hird. 203 193 Leslie Brown. 194 J D Bentley & Son. 190 F Ward. 188 C & E Gaskin. 188 178 166 160 A & A G Moralee. 180 179 K Mitchelson. 177 175 159 J T Forster & Son. 175 161 G P & E Lillie. 172 F Fabi. 170 166 H M Dent. 168 Stainton Hill Farms. 168 R Valks. 166 154 J T Wilson. 166 164(x2) 154 I Newton & Son. 156 E Wilson.
Stock Bulls Leading PPK – 214(x2) 210 G A Rogerson & Son. 196 J L Gill & Son. 183 A & A G Moralee. 156 J Murray. 151 C Hird.
Cast Cows & OTM Leading Gross – £1613 C & E Gaskin. £1519 A & A G Moralee. £1506 W & R Kemp & Son. £1495 F Ward. £1470 £1364 £1226 J T Forster & Son. £1469 £1445 Leslie Brown. £1411 £1316 I Newton & Son. £1365 J D Bentley & Son. £1354 £1332 H M Dent. £1345 P Tindale. £1340 K Mitchelson. £1338 £1268 J T Wilson. £1239 £1229 W Tindale. £1232 A R & C Booth. £1231 G K, K N & G J Hird.
Stock Bulls Leading Gross – £2093 A & A G Moralee. £184 J L Gill & Son. £1579 £1489 £1358 G A Rogerson & Son. £1564 C Hird & Son. £1118 J Murray.
Store Cattle – A relatively light offering this week remained in high demand, the strong stores are clearly wanted due to the current fast prime trade and the younger grass cattle are, as always, much sought after at this time of year. Store buyers then travelled with confidence that the beef trade is set strong, better bred yearling steers and heifers in short supply as a result those in attendance are certainly ringing the bell. A whole host of cattle sold the top side of £1300 with the leading price of £1380 on the day going to one of our increasing numbers of cross border challengers Messrs G W Young & Sons, Flex Farm, Hawick with a sublime 18-month-old Limousin steer. Best of the younger grass bound beast today was a terrific 10-month-old Limousin steer from A Newton, Westgate at £1250 whilst our leading heifer came from local producers J & S Thompson, Morton Grange with a strong girl at £1295. Saving perhaps the best until last as the bull trade is absolutely booming, a magical 2-year-old British Blue from T L Holmes & Son, White House Farm sold for the stunning price of £1620 as this good home enjoyed a simply staggering trade throughout.
Store Bulls £1620 £1500 £1490 £1380 TL Holmes & Son. £1170 £1145 £1110 £1000 JE&B Morgan & Sons. £1090 J&S Thompson. £765 £700 WT Hall.
Store Steers £1380 £1365×2 £1355×2 £1335×2 £1295×2 £1285×2 £1230GW Young & Sons. £1370 £1345×2 L Kidd. £1350 £1335 GE Raw. £1350 £1170×2 JR&L Harding. £1345 £1315 £1150×2 GW&M Singleton & Sons. £1315 £1285GL&M Steel. £1250×2 £1195 £1075 A Newton. £1225×2 £1145×2 £1120×2 R&W Todd. £1200×2 G&EM Nixon. £1195 £1040 £1015 B Storey. £1095 £1035 GH&RG Stobbs. £1050 £1035 JG Wall & Sons. £1040 £1000 M&E Webster.
Store Heifers £1295 J&S Thompson. £1280 £1185×2 GW&M Singleton & Sons. £1265 31015×2 WB Rutter & Sons. £1260 31125×2 £1110 RW Welford & Sons. £1240 £1195 £1090×2 £1070 A&AG Moralee. £1160 £1025 B Storey. £1090 £1080 £1045 GH&RG Stobbs. £1085×2 G&EM Nixon. £1040 A Newton. £1035 £1000 JG Wall & Sons. £1020 £1005 £975 £950×2 CB Taylor & Son. £995 £975 TM Davies. £975 WT Hall.
Store Sheep – Still the store hoggs are in demand even as the new crop are appearing across the region. Tops today both went to Mule’s at £110 and the honours were shared between W Wearmouth & Son, Eastgate and J D Bousfield of Boldron at £110. The feeding Hoggs are still very saleable but with the clock ticking surely not many weeks remain.
Leading Prices – £110 £100 £99 £93 £90(x2) W Wearmouth & Son. £110 £107 £103 J D Bousfield. £107 £98.50 £86 R Watson & Sons. £90 A Swinbank. £89.50 K T Anderson & Son. £87 G H & R G Stobbs.
