Longtown Primestock Sale
29/05/08

The Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart P.L.C. had forward 72 prime cattle, 6 young bulls, 28 OTM cattle, 3,853 prime hoggs, 638 spring lambs and 4,230 cast ewes & rams at their weekly sale at Longtown on Thursday 29th May, 2008.

Prime cattle saw the dearest trade of the season. The bullocks section (all heavyweights) averaged 161.5p, selling to a top of 176.5p and 174.5p for Limousins from Hallburn, others 173.5p Houghton House, 172.5p Sceughdyke, 170.5p Dashwellgreen and Hallburn; Belgian Blue 176.5p Hallburn. Top price per head for Limousin bullocks of £1,240, £1,207 Sceughdyke; Belgian Blue £1,173 Hallburn; Angus £1,059 Brisco Hill.

Heifers sold to a top of 172.5p and 170.5p for Limousins from Hallburn, 166.5p Bleatarn; Charolais 159.5p (x2) Sceughdyke.

Young bulls averaged 155p for Continentals, selling to 161.5p and 159.5p for Limousins from Gardrum; Belgian Blue 153.5p (£1,013) Gardrum.

The 28 OTM cattle also sold at high rates with Belgian Blue heifers to 131.5p Maulscastle; Limousin 129.5p Brisco Hill; Black & White 111.5p Scugg House. Black & White cows to 121.5p Chapelhill; Limousin 117.5p Ryehill; Belgian Blue 111.5p Hallburncroft; Hereford 109.5p Minsca; Ayrshire 98.5p Brisco Hill. Top per head of £904 for a Limousin cow from Ryehill; Black & White £826; Belgian Blue £752 Hallburncroft.

The 638 spring lambs were a larger show for numbers and were well sold on a sliding trade. More companies switching to lambs resulting in more demand from now on. Light lambs are also sought after and short of requirements. Top per kilo of 190p for Texels from Cowans Farm and Suffolks from Kirkland Green. Top per head of £85.20 for Texels from Cowans Farm, others £83 Old Rectory, £82.80 Long Strumble; Suffolk £84.50 Land Farm, £78 Barnglies; Oxford £71.80 Guards; Vendeen £68.20 Croft House; Charollais £65.80 Pates Hill, £63.80 Yett Farm; Dorset £52 Zetland.

The 3,853 prime hoggs forward were another excellent show for the end of May, with an overall average of 142.9p with all classes included. Top price per kilo of 182p for Texels from Smalmstown and to a top of £88.50 per head for Texels from Mallsgate, £87.50 Smalmstown, £86.50 East Mains; Suffolk £87.50 Smalmstown, £77.80 Sykehead; Blackface £84.50, £70.50 Smalmstown; Greyface £83.50, £80.50 Graystale, £73.80 Sykehead; Cheviot £81.50 Bush of Ewes; North Country Cheviot £72.50, £66.80 Smalmstown, £65.50 Broomhills; Beltex £64.50 Hillside; Charollais £58.50 Hopestead; Leicester £57.50 Sockbridge Hall; Jacob £52.20 Sockbridge Hall; Bleu d’Maine £50 Tarnside; Shetland £40.50 Sykehead.

The 1,387 lightweight hoggs were still sought after but plainer sorts were cheaper on the week with all well fleshed hoggs still demanding a good trade. Top price of £53.50 per head for Texels from Sykehead and to 169.5p per kilo for Beltex’s from Hillside, Other Texels to £51.50 Suncroft; Beltex £52.50 Hillside; Blackface £51.50 Nether Onsett, £48 Sockbridge Hall, £46 Broomhills; Cheviot £50 Sockbridge Hall, £48.50 Bush of Ewes and Newington; North Country Cheviot £47.20 Sockbridge Hall, £47 Broomhills; Greyface £47.20 Sockbridge Hall, £47 Redhouse; Herdwick £46 Redhouse; Suffolk £42.50 Middle Newbiggin; Shetland £38 East Mains.

The 4,230 cast ewes and rams were a larger show with all classes again very dear. Top of £87.50 for a Texel ewe from Raggetsyke, others £86.50 Waterloo, £84.50 Cardew Hall, £82.50 Hillside; Charollais £76.50 Cardew Hall, £75.50 Newry, £72.50 Caledon; Beltex £76.50 Cardew Hall; Suffolk cross £75.50 Newry; Rouge £74.50 Caledon; Suffolk £73.50 Greenknowe, £72.50 Waterloo; North Country Cheviot £67.50 Tormore, £66.50 East Murkle and Wester Dunnet; Half Bred £66.50 East Murkle; Leicester £64.50 Newbiggin Walls, £62.50 Mallsgate; Greyface £62 Tarnside, £56.50 Cardew Hall, £54.50 Beeches, Sceughdyke and Midtown; Cheviot Mule £56.50 Beeches. Hill ewes to £53.50 for Lleyns from Westerhouses, £49.50 Roadside; Cheviot £50.50 Cleugh Head; Blackface £50.50 Chapelhouse, £44.50 East Mains, £43.50 Sykehead, North Farm and Clonrae; Kendal Rough £48.50 Mallsgate; Swaledale £43.50 Spoutbank, £39.50 Mossknowe, £38.50 Shankfieldhead; Herdwick £32.50 Laalsteins. Rams to £88.50 for a Leicester from East Murkle; Texel £74.50 East Mains; Suffolk £74.50 North Farm and Caledon; Charollais £73.50 East Mains; Dorset £64.50 Caledon; Beltex £58.50 East Mains; Cheviot £51.50 Whitchesters; Blackface £49.50 East Mains; Swaledale £43.50 Watling.

Averages:

Steers
Light to -------p (-------p)
Medium to -------p (-------p)
Heavy to 176.5p (161.5p)

Heifers
Light to -------p (-------p)
Medium to 153.5p (142.3p)
Heavy to 172.5p (151.9p)

Young Beef Bulls to 161.5p (155.1p)

Hoggs
Light to 169.3p (130.8p)
Standard to 165.3p (140.3p)
Medium to 178.8p (146.6p)
Heavy to 182.2p (149.2p)
Shearlings to 142.3p (104.4p)

Lambs
Light to 156.2p (149.7p)
Standard to 190.2p (172.3p)
Medium to 190.4p (176.4p)
Heavy to 181.2p (173.9p)
O/Weight 143.0p (143.0p)

Ewes
Light to £53.50 (£33.14)
Heavy to £87.50 (£52.26)

Cast Rams £88.50 (£53.76)

Longtown Primestock Sale - 22nd May 2008
Longtown Primestock Sale - 15th May 2008
Longtown Primestock Sale - 8th May 2008