On Wednesday 15th November 2023 Mitchells Livestock Centre, Cockermouth held their weekly sale of primestock comprising of 62 cast cows and 12 prime cattle, 2,640 sheep including 2110 prime lambs and 530 cast ewes and rams.
Prime Cattle sold to a top price of 300ppk or £2256 for a Limousin Bull from TA Byers, Ellenbank, Boltongate. Others to 292p or £2099.48 for a Limousin from PE&M Capstick, Whicham Hall, Whicham. Holstein Friesian to 230p or £1444.40 from F Mattocks & Son, Row Hall, Dearham.
Prime Bull (Top price per kilo – pence): Limousin- 300 Ellenbank. 292 Whicham Hall. 240 Hunday Farm. Simmental- 252 Ellenbank. British Blue- 244 South View. Charolais- 240 Hayborough. Longhorn- 232 South View. Holstein Friesian- 230, 214 Row Hall. 199, 196 Greengill Farm.
Prime Bull (Top price per head - £): Limousin – 2256, Ellenbank. 2099.48, Whicham Hall. 1748.40 Hunday Farm. Simmental- 1774.08 Ellenbank. Charolais- 1617.60 Hayborough. Holstein Friesian- 1444.40,1219.80 Row Hall. 1140.72, 1108.43 Greengill Farm. British Blue- 1398.12 South View. Longhorn- 1385.04 South View.
Cows topped at 216p on two occasions. Firstly for a Limousin from PE&M Capstick, Whicham Hall, Whicham which was also the top gross at £1597.92. And then again for a British Blue from RM Wilson, Dockray Nook, Lamplugh which came to £1550.88.
Black and Whites to 199p for a Holstein from JD Hetherington & Son, Blue Dial, Allonby. Top gross £1520.48 for a Holstein Friesian from R&M Allison, Barnyard, Greysouthen.
Cast Cows (Top price per kilo – pence): Limousin- 216 Whicham Hall. 191, Meadow Farm. 161, 157 Kirkland House. 156 Old Hyton. 155 Strawberry How. British Blue-216 Dockray Nook. 179 Whicham Hall. 174 Hayborough. Holstein- 199 Blue Dial. 151 The Glebe. 138 Threapthwaite Farm. British Friesian- 179, 176 Fairladies. 164 Wellington Farm. 160 Harrington Parks. Holstein Friesian- 172, 146 Barnyard. 158, 148 Brownrigg Hall. 148, 140 Waites Farm. Charolais- 171 Dockray Nook. Aberdeen Angus- 160 Beck Farm. Norwegian Red- 150 Threapthwaite Farm.
Cast Cows (Top price per head - £): Limousin- 1597.92 Whicham Hall. 1470.70 Meadow Farm. 1333.08, 1152.38 Kirkland House. 1221.40 Strawberry How. 1110.72 Old Hyton Farm. British Blue- 1550.88 Dockray Nook. 1487.70 Hayborough. 1369.35 Whicham Hall. Holstein Friesian-1520.48, 1051.20 Barnyard. 1297.96 Waites. 1066.66, 1035.72, The Glebe. Farm. 1021.20 Brownrigg Hall. 1020.65 Hunday Farm. British Friesian- 1500.02, 1496 1272 Harrington Parks. 1051.24, Wellington Farm. Holstein- 1262.36 The Glebe. 1102.46 Blue Dial. 1001.88, Threapthwaite Farm. Charolais- 1121.76 Dockray Nook. Aberdeen Angus- 1104.48 Beck Farm. Norwegian Red- 1000.50 Threapwaite Farm.
Prime Sheep
A terrific entry of over 2000 prime lambs came forward and experienced another fast trade. Top of £190 for a Beltex lamb from JJ Crichton, Loughrigg, Egremont purchased by Tony Harrison, Butcher, Main Street, Cockermouth.
Texels to £189 from Messrs Fraser, High Flatts, Gilcrux again purchased by Tony Harrison, Butcher, Cockermouth.
Top price per kilo was 385.1ppk for Beltex lambs from GH&JE Steel, The Laurels, Wigton. Texels to 364.6 from J Bell, The Fitz, Aspatria purchased by W Lindsay & Sons, Butcher, Station Street, Cockermouth.
Mule lambs sold to £134.50 from IR&JM Fearon, Frizington Hall, Frizington or 265.9p from GS&B Barwise, Bell House, Sandwith.
A large number of Texel X Herdwick lambs forward again selling to £117.50 from Messrs Palmer, Low Hall, Whitehaven or 282.5ppk from DJ Porter, Easthwaite, Wasdale.
Fell lambs just starting to come toping at £102.50 or 233ppk for Swaledales from GD Strawson, Muncaster Head, Eskdale.
Leading Averages
JJ Crichton, Loughrigg sold 7 to avg. £181.86
G Gate, Hollins sold 2 to avg. £180.50
TW Johnstone, Briary Bank sold 10 to avg. £171.30
Messrs Fraser, High Flatts sold 30 to avg. £167.50
J Bell, The Fitz sold 7 to avg. £159.86
GH&JE Steel, The Laurels sold 29 to avg. £153.48
TA Jefferson, Aspatria Hall sold 12 to avg. £152
Prime Lambs (Top price per kilo – pence):- Beltex- 385.10, 342 The Laurels. 358.10 Easthwaite. 356.60, 352.30, 351.90, 341.80 Loughrigg. 331.90 Solway House. 330.20 Green Marsh. 330 Rook Farm. Texel- 364.60, 328.30 The Fitz. 347.20 Eaglesfield. 344.20, 341.80, 388.20, 322.8, 315.4, 307.5 High Flatts. 344.20, 325.50 Greenbank Close. 340.40 Hollins Farm. 331.10, 315.2 Solway House. 310.9 Green Marsh, 305.9 Aspatria Hall, 305.7 The Laurels. Charollais- 298.90 Scalesmoor. 259.20 Stud Fold. Texel x Herdwick- 282.40 Easthwaite. 275.70, 261.90 Howbeck Lodge. 273.50 South View. 272 Dearham Row. 270.30 Bully House. 267, 264.30 Low Hall. 265 Stone Croft. 256.80 Greenbank Close. Badger- 270.30 Bully House. Dorset- 276.30 Bully House. Suffolk-276.70 Townhead Farm. 272.80 Pasture House. 269.60, 263.50 Solway House. 266.30 Sneckyeat Farm. 266, 264 Scalesmoor. 260.40 Stud Fold. 259.60 Streetgate. 259.30 The Laurels. Cheviot- 266.30 Sorrowstones. 265.80, 260 Easthwaite. 254.90 Muncaster Head. Mule- 265.90 Bell House. 262.50 Cathow. 255.80 Swinside End. 255.30, 253.20, 252.10 Greengill Farm. 254 Frizington Hall. 253.40 Town End.253.10 Shatton Lodge. 252.10 Sneckyeat Farm. Ryeland-253.60 High Bewaldeth. Swaledale- 233 Muncaster Head. Herdwick- 230.60 Bully House Farm. 228.60 Stone Croft.
Prime Lambs (Top price per head - £):- Beltex- 190, 189, 188, 175 Loughrigg. 181, 171 The Laurels. 165 Rook Farm. 161 Craggs Farm. 156 Solway House. Texel- 189, 188, 186, 184, 179, 164(2), 163 High Flatts. 184, 177 Hollins Farm. 181, 174, 169, 168, 167 Briary Bank. 179, 166 Greenbank Close. 175, 163, 158 The Fitz. 162 The Laurels. 162 Outgang. 161, 158 Aspatria Hall. 158 Old Hyton. Suffolk- 145,132, 125.5 Pasture House. 140 The Laurels. 137, 134.50 Solway House. 132, 125 Scalesmoor. 130 Grange Farm. 127 Langhorn. Mule- 134.50 Frizington Hall. 125.50 Kirkland House. 124.50, 120, 119, 118.50 Greengill Farm. 121.50 Sheriff. 121.50 Shatton Lodge. 121 Sneckyeat Farm. 118 Ellenbank . Charollais- 131.50 Scalesmoor.127 Stud Fold. Texel x Herdwick- 117.50, 111 Low Hall. 115 Grange Grassings. 113 Greenbank Close. 110 Howbeck Lodge. 108, 103.50 Elva Plain. 106 Stone Croft. 106 Dearham Row. 104.50 Easthwaite . Cheviot- 117, 101 Easthwaite. 114.50 Sorrowstones. 104.50 Muncaster Head. Ryeland- 112, 106.50 High Bewaldeth. Dorset- 105 Bullyhouse. Swaledale- 102.50 Muncaster Head. Herdwick- 83 Bullyhouse Farm. 80 Stone Croft.
A plain entry of cull ewes forward selling to similar rates of return. Top of £175 for a Texel from PT&SM Hewitson, Byresteads, Cockermouth. Fell ewes to £64 for Herdwicks from Messrs Harrington, Grange Grassings, Gilcrux and for Swaledales from IR&JM Fearon, Frizington Hall, Frizington.
Cull Ewes (per head - £):- Texel- 175 Byresteads. 138 Low Wreah Farmhouse. 134 Cragg Farm. 132 Greenbank Close. 129 Riggingill. 129 Mid Farm. 125 Crosshow Farm. Beltex- 141, 134, 126 Stephney Farm. Suffolk- 128 Low Wreah Farmhouse. 124 Croft House. 124, 122 Crosshow Farm. Cheviot- 92 Easthwaite. Mule- 90 Stephney Farm. Swaledale- 64 Frizington Hall. Herdwick- 64 Grange Grassings. 58 Stephney Farm. 54 Hollows Farm.
Cull Ram (per head)-: Texel- 148 Town Head. 136 Park Head Farm. 130, Home Farm. Suffolk- 106 Croft House.