Centre records for a commercial beef animal were smashed at Hexham and Northern Marts' March prize sale of 561store cattle which included 34 show calves at Hexham, when a seven-month-old home-bred Limousin cross heifer calf from John and Mandy Smith-Jackson, High Town, sold for £5600.

Surpassing the previous best of £4300 paid here in 2015 was a daughter of Hightown Jacko – a home-bred bull by Shire Apollo retained for breeding that also bred the £9200 calf sold at Leyburn the previous week for the Smith-Jacksons. A heifer's calf, this red calf is out of a Limousin cross British Blue cow by the show breeding bull Waindale UFO, and sold to Messrs Wilkinson and Marwood, Leyburn – the second last bidders on the couple's £9200 calf sold at Leyburn.

Adding to the celebrations, the herd which is home to 70 commercial cows based at Haltwhistle, Hexham, and a further 20 pedigree Limousins, bagged the reserve honours at the pre-sale show with a 12-month-old Limousin cross heifer that had previously stood first in the unhaltered section. A direct daughter of Waindale UFO, she made £2700 selling to Gwyn Edwards, Wales, while another Limousin steer from High Town, again by Hightown Jacko, made £1800, selling to Trevor Lyons, Bourne, Lincs.

The champion, selected by the judge, Mrs Lin Calcraft, Honiton, Devon, was a home-bred Limousin steer calf shown by Malcolm Telfer and Helen Claxton, Newton High House, Stocksfield. It made £3400 selling to Philip Robson, Consett.

Outwith the show cattle a firm trade prevailed throughout however older, forward stores appeared easier on the week.

The bulk of the catalogue was made up of top quality yearling calves. Messrs Lee, Harwood Shield, Hexham, enjoyed the best of the trade selling steers to £1235 and heifers to £1320, to average £1148 for 16.

A selection of ewes and store hoggs were also cashed which peaked at £130 for a Texel cross ewe from Greenchesters, with stores selling to £92 for more of the same again from Greenchesters.

LEADING prices

Cattle 23-30months – Heifers – Char X – £1030 Rare Dean. Lim X – £1090 Holling Hill; £1030 Luns House. Steers – Lim X – £1245 Blackburn; £1200 Luns House; £1075 Fallowfield. Sim X – £1120 Blackburn; £1105 High Trewhitt.

Cattle 17-22months – Steers – Char X – £1270, £1240 Rare Dean; £1120 Thornley Hall. Lim X – £1325 Holling Hill; £1300, £1290 Blackburn; £1235 Luns House. BB X – £1080 High Trewhitt. Sim X – £995 East Kildarroch. A-A – £1020, East Kildarroch. Hfd – £930, Duddo Hill. Heifers – Char X – £1110 Springwell Farm; £1095 Grange Farm and Whins Farm (x2); £1085 Whins Farm. Lim X – £1270 Berry Edge and Hard Riding, £1210, £1180 Holling Hill, £1150, Hammershield. BB X – £995 High Warden. A-A – £1025 Lowfield.

Cattle 11-16months – Steers – Char X – £1220 Rusheylaw; £1190 Tenter House; £1175 Rusheylaw; £1165, £1140 Grange Farm. Lim X – £1210, Midgeholme; £1190 Ricknall Grange and Morley Hill; £1185 Midgeholme; £1160 North Cocklake. Sim X – £1100 Morley Hill; £1055 Springwell; £980 High Trewhitt. A-A X – £1085, £1010 Springwell. Heifers – Char X – £1145, £1090 Grange Farm; £1045 Rusheylaw; £1035 Tenter House. Lim X – £2700 High Town; £1500 Glebe Farm; £1320 East Unthank and Harwood Shield; £1240 Harwood Shield; £1150 North Cocklake; £1140 Ricknall Grange. BB X – £1460 East Unthank; £1175, £1165, £1135 Hard Riding; £1100 North Cocklake.

Cattle 10 months and under – Steers – Char X – £1125, £1035, £1020, Errington Red House. Lim X – £3400 Newton High House; £1800 High Town; £1190 Harwood Shield; £1170, £1160 Agars Hill. BB X – £1300 Newton High House; £1110 Ricknall Grange; £1090 Harwood Shield; £1080, £1060 Middle Horsleyhope. Heifers – Lim X – £5600 High Town; £1200 Harwood Shield; £1180 Harwood Shield and Agars Hill; £1100, £1050 Harwood Shield. BB X – £1380 Newton High House; £1220 Harwood Shield; £1140 Middle Horsleyhope; £1035 Harwood Shield.

Breeding cattle – Heifers with calves at foot – Lim – £2100, £2050, £2000 Tosson Glebe.

Bulling heifers – A-A – £965, £930 Windy Hill.

Cast ewes – Tex – £100 Tarset Hall; £90 Bulls Hill. Tex X – £130 Greenchesters; £100 Holling Hill, Milbourne High House, East Farm and Rowley. Suff – £75, £70 Glebe Farm. Suff X – £97 Brinkburn Newhouses and Rowley; £89 Brinkburn Newhouses and East Farm. Leic – £88 Holling Hill; £80 Blueburn; Little Harle, Townshields and Tarset Hall. Chev – £68 Greenchesters; £64 South Colwell. Mule – £74 Blueburn; £73 Rowley; £72 Milbourne High House. Bf – £60 Blueburn; £56 Elsdon Bungalow and Cleughfoot. Swale – £55 Tarset Hall. Cross – £111 Milbourne High House; £89 Brinkburn Newhouses.

Store hoggs – Tex – £92 Greenchesters. Tex X – £89 Brinkburn Newhouses and Greenchesters; £87 Greenchesters; £82 Yetlington Lane. Suff – £65 Brinkburn Newhouses. Suff X – £75.50 Brixter Hill; £75 Allenheads Farm; £73.50 East Farm. Leic – £77 Blueburn; £60 Farneyshield. Zwart – £69, £68 Warden Law.

Chev X – £66, £64.50, £64 Flotterton. Mule – £75 Brinkburnhope and Humber Hill; £70.50 Cowbyre. Bf – £59 Cowbyre; £54.50 Amerside Law. Swale –£58 Farneyshield. Cross – £68 Amerside Law (x2).