A STRONG show of heifers with calves at foot selling through Hexham at its May sale of breeding cattle, last week, saw a top price of £3350 paid.
Topping the day’s trading was a Limousin cross heifer with a Limousin cross calf at foot from Foley Bros, Mirlaw House, Newcastle.
Also held at the sale was the dispersal sales of Michael Aynsley and Son’s herd from The Lee, Longframlington and P Elliott, The Meadows, Longframlington.
The Aynsleys’ sale saw 65 autumn calving Simmental cross cows with Limousin calves at foot sell to buyers from all over the UK. Messrs Aynsley’s sale peaked at £2700 for a second calved cow running with twin calves at foot which sold to a Melton Mowbray based purchaser, who also took home a further eight outfits all at the top end of the scale.
A further two outfits then came under the hammer at  £2600 each.
First to sell was a six-year-old with a bull calf, with another at five-years-old also with a bull calf. These sold to Northumbrian producers based in Gunnerton and Ponteland, respectively.
A small but quality offering from Paul Elliott, The Meadows, saw four in-calf stock cows sell to a peak of £1550 for a pair of Angus cross second calvers, in-calf to Rawburn Rampant. They sold to Aberdeenshire buyers.
Angus cross in-calf heifers, by a Wedderlie sire, sold to £1480 to the same Aberdonian purchaser, with others at £1380 and £1350 selling into Co Durham.
Herd averages

Farm (No)    Av
Mirlaw House (15)    £2713
Dipton Foot (9)            £2443
West Wharmley (25)    £2396
Sleights House (3)         £2550
Flotterton (18)     £2257

LEADING prices:

Lim – £3350, Mirlaw House; £3300, Morrow Edge; £3100, £3000, Mirlaw House; £2950, Mirlaw House and West Wharmley; £2900, Mirlaw House; £2850, Dipton Foot and Mirlaw House (x3); £2800, Mirlaw House and West Wharmley (x2); £2750 and £2700 West Wharmley; £2650, Dipton Foot and Mirlaw House; £2600, Sleights House (x2) and West Wharmley (x2); £2550, Dipton Foot; £2500 West Wharmley; £2450, Sleights House and Dipton Foot; £2400, Old Hall Farm, Dipton Foot and West Wharmley; £2350, Dipton Foot (x2), Mirlaw House (x2) and West Wharmley; £2300, £2250, £2200, £2150, £2100, £2000, West Wharmley; Blon X – £2150, £2100, Jolly Body; BB – £2600, West Wharmley; £2500, Mirlaw House and West Wharmley; £2150, Mirlaw House; £2050, West Wharmley; AAX – £2800, £2600, £2550, £2500 (x2), £2300, £2250, £2200, £2150, £2000 (x2), Flotterton; HFX – £2150, Low Bishopton; £2050, Mirlaw House; £2000 (x2) Low Bishopton.
Cows and calves – AA – £1950, £1780, £1400 (x2), Broome Hill.
Bulling heifers – Lim – £1400, £1220, Low Shipley.
Bulls – Sim – 3200gns, High Keenley Fell.
Aynsley Herd –BB – £2550, £2500; Sim – £2700, £2600 (x2), £2550, £2500 (x2), £2450 (x2), £2400 (x2), £2350, £2300, £2250, £2200 (x2), £2150, £2100, £2000 (x3), £1950 (x2); HF – £2350, £2100 (x2), £1950.
Meadows Herd – Lim – £1350, £1250; AA – £1550, £1480, £1380 (x2), £1350, £1200 (x2), £1000 (x2).

Auctioneers: Hexham and Northern Marts