Carlisle suckled calves hit £2500

Trade for the 1579 suckled calves entered at Carlisle on Saturday peaked at £2500 for the pre-sale show champion, a Limousin cross steer from Messrs Traffford, Bassenthwaite Hall Farm, Kewick. This one is by imported French sire Valion and out of a three quarter British Blue cow and sold to show judge Anita Padfield, Norfolk.

Next best at £2400 was given for a Limousin cross heifer from J H Emerson, Bishop Auckland. This black heifer is by Salomon and out of a British Blue x Limousin dam, which bred a £4000 calf for Mr Emerson in 2007. This sold to Gavin Scott, Linlithgow.

At £1800 was a Limousin cross steer from Messrs Graham, Miller Hill, while at £1650 was another Limousin sired steer from Messrs Scott, Thirwall Castle. Top price British Blue cross steer was one from Messrs Rawlinson, Quarry Bank which made £1035, while the leading Charolais cross came from Messrs Bindloss, Grayrigg Hall and made £955.

In the Limousin cross heifers Messrs Scott had entries at £1800, £1700, £1500 and £1400, while Messrs Wharton, Snade Farm sold one at £1100. Top British blue heifer was one from Messr Graham Miller Hill at £1700, while one from Messrs Hall, Ainstable Hall, netted an £1110 bid.

Leading the averages were Messrs Emmerson with their two levelling at £1800, while Messrs Graham’s 34 sold to average £961, Messrs Westgarth sold 18 to average £918, but the highlight of the day once again was the Thirwall Castle string from Messrs Scott which saw 200 head level at £915, quite an achievement for such a large entry.

(Harrison and Hetherington).