On Wednesday 16th August 2023 Mitchells Livestock Centre, Cockermouth held their weekly sale of primestock comprising of 30 cast cows and 9 prime bulls, 1737 prime sheep including 1150 prime lambs and 587 cast ewes and rams.
Prime Bulls sold to 235p or £1339.50 for a British Blue Bull from WE&DE Litt, Greengill, Gilcrux.
Prime Bull (Top price per kilo – pence):- British Blue – 235, 228, 224, 218 Greengill Farm. British Friesian – 213, 201 Greengill Farm. Holstein – 200 Lowca Cottage. Holstein Friesian – 200 Greengill Farm.
Prime Bull (Top price per head - £):- British Blue – 1339.50, 1297.32, 1264.40, 1261.12 Greengill Farm. Holstein Friesian – 1200 Greengill Farm. British Friesian – 1181.88, 1111.86, 1073.50 Greengill Farm. Holstein – 1116 Lowca Cottage.
Cows sold to a fast trade topping at 214p or £1622.12 for a British Blue from J&E Scott, Mid Farm, Torpenhow. Dairy types sold to 176p or £1191.52 for a Holstein from G&I Carruthers & Son, Lowca Cottage, Lowca.
Cast Cows (Top price per kilo – pence):- British Blue – 214 Mid Farm. Simmental – 192 Mid Farm. Limousin – 180 Newhouse Farm. Holstein – 176, 167 Lowca Cottage. British Friesian – 168, 155 Clarks Farm, 167, 159, 158 Wellington Farm, 160 Causeway Foot, 156, 147, 142 Thornbank Farm. Norwegian Red – 163 Frizington Parks. Ayrshire – 157, 143, 137 Plaskett Lands. Holstein Friesian – 154 Frizington Parks, 149, 145 Watson Hill, 146 Barnyard. Fleckvieh – 150 Thornbank Farm. Charolais – 144 Newhouse Farm.
Cast Cows (Top price per head - £):- British Blue- 1622.12 Mid Farm. Simmental- 1376.64 Mid Farm. Holstein- 1191.52 Lowca Cottage. Limousin- 1116 Newhouse Farm . British Friesian – 1150.80, 936.20 Clarks Farm, 1007.01, 979.60, 903.12 Wellington Farm, 979.20 Causeway Foot 931.32, Thornbank Farms. Norwegian Red- 1132.85 Frizington Parks. Ayrshire – 978.11, 915.20 Plaskett Lands. Fleckvieh- 927 Thornbank Farms. Holstein Friesian- 990.22 Frizington Parks. 957 Watson Hill. 919.80 Barnyard.
Prime Sheep
Young Handlers
Today saw the annual show and sale of young handlers lambs well supported by up and coming young stocks people and our trusty ringside of butcher and wholesale clients. The show was sponsored by Mitchells Auction Co. and judging in the capable hands of Mr Andrew Nicholson. Championship rosette was awarded to Zoe Sanderson, Parsonage with her Texel lamb which later sold for the days top price of £220 to weekly supporter Tony Harrison, Butcher, Main Street, Cockermouth. Reserve honours went to Becka Marrs, Park House with her Texel lamb which sold for £175 to Wilson Willis Butchers, High Street, Cleator Moor.
Champion: - Zoe Sanderson
Reserve Champion:- Becka Marrs
Up to 7yrs 1st Zoe Sanderson
2nd Clay Forsyth
3rd Jackson & Joshua Jenkinson
4th Fred & Rory Harrington
5th Sophia Palmer
7yrs – 11yrs 1st Cooper Forsyth
11yrs – 16yrs 1st Becka Marrs
2nd Jonathan Carr
Outwith the show a super trade was witnessed being far in excess of centres earlier in the week and completely bucking the national trend to average 275p overall. Top of £206 for a Texel from KA&R Campbell, Corrow Farm, Lochgoilhead. Top per kilo was 397.7p for Beltex from JA&CM Brown, Park House, Isel.
A large entry of light lambs proved good to sell with a pen of Texel X Herdwick lambs weighing 35kg from Messrs Bland, Clea Hall, Wigton selling to £97 (277p) and pure Herdwick wethers from the same home realising £85 for 31kg (274ppk).
Leading Averages:
K Hodgson, Parsonage Farm sold 4 to avg £190.50
KA&R Campbell, Corrow Farm sold 4 to avg £188
TW Johnstone, Briary bank sold 6 to avg £176.33
RJ&AY Armstrong, Terrace Farm sold 5 to avg £151.20
Prime Lambs (Top price per kilo – pence):- Beltex- 397.70, 294.70, 294.70 Parkhouse Farm. 389.80 Mid Farm. 317.90 Bothel Farm. 308.10 Elva Plain. 307.50, 287.20 Braithwite Farm. 305 Woodhall Brow. 295.60 Croftlands. Texel- 392.90, 372.50 Parsonage Farm.366.70 Strawberry How. 365.90 Croftlands. 361.70 Riggingill. 360 Low Hall Farm. 358.50 Briairy Bank. 357.70 Aldoth Farm. 352.90 Terrace Farm. 352.30 Green Bank Close. Suffolk- 337.30, 337, 290.60, 287.50, Scalesmoor. 278.40 Aldoth Farm. Texel X Herdwick- 282.50, 268.10 Croft Farm. 273.10 Stybeck Farm. 268.40 Seafield Farm. 264 Grange Grassings. 262.50 Croft House. Herdwick- 274.20 Clea Hall. Mule- 251.20 Seafield House.
Prime Lambs (Top price per head - £):- Texel 220, 190 Parsonage Farm. 206, 194 Corrow Farm.190, 186, 180 Briary Bank.186 Aldoth Farm. 180 Low Hall Farm. 180 Terrace Farm. Beltex- 191 Mid Farm. 174 Parkhouse Farm.133 Croftlands. 124 Bothel Craggs. 123, 112 Braithwaite Farm. 122 Woodhall Brow. Suffolk- 182,172,154, 138 Scalesmoor. 142 Aldoth Farm. 135 Old Hyton Farm. Texel X Herdwick- 126, 113 Croft Farm. 113.50 Grange Grassings. Mule- 108 Seafield. 101 Byresteads Farm. Herdwick - 100 Croft Farm.
Another good show of cast ewes sold to recent high rates topping at £180 for a Texel ewe from R Lindsay, Derwent House, Broughton Cross. Mule ewes to £126 from A&M Roberts, Riggingill, Greysouthen. Fell ewes topped at £101 for a pen of 5 from GD Strawson, Muncaster Head, Eskdale.
Cull Ewes (per head - £):- Texel – 180,150 Derwent House. 172,155 High Plaskett Lands. 162 Parkhouse. 160 Riggingill. 158,150 Bothel Craggs. 150 Seafield House. Blue Texel – 162 Plaskett Lands. Suffolk – 142,129 Ewanrigg. 128 Aldoth. Dutch Spotted – 130 Woodall Brow. Mule – 126,101 Riggingill. 119 Parsonage.113 Mosser Mains. 113,110 Parkhouse.110 Old Hyton. 102 Corrow Farm. 101 Shatton Lodge. 100 Ewanrigg. Swaledale – 101,77 Muncaster Head. 69 Swinside End. 68 Briery Moss. 68 Kirkgate. 67 Smaithwaite. 67 Cathow. Cheviot – 98 Elva Plain. Texel X Herdwick – 91 Fearon Place. Herdwick – 88 Seathwaite. 82 Elva Plain. 82 Strudda Bank. 76 Barfield. 71 Burnside. 70, Croft House. Kerry Hill – 80 Fearon Place.
Cast Rams (per head - £):- Blue Texel – 178 Croftfield House. Texel – 151 Row End. 120 Violets.