CALVES met a strong demand at the spring show of continental cross bullocks and heifers at Carlisle, where a catalogued entry of 1276 saw averages rise on the year as bullocks averaged £1069.13 (+£40.19) and heifers levelled at £1013.98 (+£23.62). 

With a total of 20 entries selling for £1500 or above, a top price of £4400 was paid for a first prize British Blue heifer from Neil Hardisty, How Hall, Ennerdal, Cleator. His Pandora is by the British Blue stock sire Boothlow Ferrari, annd out of a home-bred, nearly pure Limousin dam. She picked up a first in the Baby Beef class at the Borderway Agri-Expo and was knocked down to Mike and Melanie Alford, Cullompton, Devon. 

Andrew and Fiona Harrison had a good day, securing the supreme championship and second top price with two different beasts. Selling for £3800 for the husband and wife duo from Grange Hall, Great Asby, was an unhaltered Limousin heifer by the home-bred bull Noble Freddie that also sired the reserve bullock at the Scottish Winter Fair in 2015. Forking out the cash were Stewart and Lynsey Bett, Stirling. 

Taking the champion ticket for the Harrisons was an eight-month-old red Limousin bullock which later sold to the judge, Mrs Sharon Sellers, Lincoln, for £2800. Bought as a cow and calf unit from Philip Dawson, Kentmere, at Kirkby Stephen mart, this lad is by Keskadale Cyclone and out of a British Blue cow. 

Two sold for £3300 apiece with the first of these being a black Limousin cross bullock from Willie Barron, Morrow Edge, Durham. Selling to Messrs Blair, Newport-on-Tay, Fife, this son of Mereside Godolphin is bred from a pure Blue mother. 

Also hitting £3300 when knocked down to A Dickinson, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, was a heifer from the Lairds at Sunnyside and Carbello Farms, Cumnock. Their red Limmy cross heifer stood third in her class. 

Anita Padfield, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, paid £3000 for a Limousin cross heifer from TF and C Robinson, Bog Hall, Kirkheaton.

See this week's issue from The Scottish Farmer, out April 1, for the full report from the calf sale at Carlisle, including all the leading awards and prices.