| 2016-08-03 |    |
Autumn Highlights at Middleton-in-Teesdale Mart
Mark Richardson Livestock Manager at Harrison & Hetherington’s Middleton-in-Teesdale auction mart, looks forward to the autumn livestock sales and outstanding shows of stock as we move forward into the third quarter of the year.
Opening the autumn selling season, is one of the annual highlights of the year for both Middleton in Teesdale and the auction mart the prize show and sale of NEMSA gimmer lambs on Wednesday 14th September. Previously held on the second Tuesday of September, this year the event will take place on the Wednesday. This major sale will see in the region of 4,000 gimmer lambs go under the hammer. Because of the outstanding reputation of the flocks in the Middleton-in-Teesdale area, stock at this sale is very much sought after. Attracting buyers from far and wide, the lambs coming from hardy upland farms are renowned for their hardiness and go on to do exceptionally well in other parts of the country.
Mark Richardson
In 2015 this annual show and sale, saw strong trade from start to finish. It is anticipated that this year, lambs will be of a superior quality following a good growing year, with prices hoped to reflect this.
On September 16th, gimmer lambs will once again be the showcase, this time in the Swaledale prize show and sale. This is the biggest Swaledale gimmer lamb sale in the country with up to 6,000 lambs going under the hammer. Continuing on from this will be the annual sale of Swaledale ewes on 23rd September, which will see in the region of 2,500 ewes being auctioned.
“This is a major sale date in our calendar and we are anticipating that we will once again see stock keenly bid for as the demand for breeding Swaledale sheep is almost outstripping supply as the Swaledale is the foundation for Mule breeders. This is extremely encouraging for farmers, in this area, one of the most challenging farming areas of the UK, as farming Swaledale Sheep will in most instances be their main farming enterprise.”
Also taking place on 23rd September is the prize show of Bluefaced Leicester and other breeds of rams and females.
Rounding off the autumn selling season is the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association ‘A’ District sale, of Swaledale rams, a sale which is growing in numbers it takes place on Wednesday 12th October.
Sales of suckler cattle at Middleton mart will begin in November, and offer buyers the opportunity to purchase stock from multiple vendors, with the confidence that there is excellent uniformity in the stock for bringing on together over the winter.
Commenting on the forthcoming sales, Kay Hutchinson Fieldsperson said: “The stock that is coming forward this year has so far been fantastic, and we are expecting an outstanding show of stock throughout our autumn sales. We have had a good growing season which has produced good grazing. This has resulted in excellent, strong stock being offered for sale.
“Middleton is in a strong position and renowned for the tremendous quality of stock brought forward for sale. Buyers come from all over the UK to purchase breeding and store stock for which go on to do very well in other parts of the country.”
