Hexham

Store cattle were topped by a 20-month-old Limousin cross steer from J Stephenson and Son, West Mill Hills, selling at £1220, at Hexham and Northern Marts' sale.

It sold to Steven Dale, Rooker Hill.

A similarly aged and bred entry topped the heifers at £1215 for JSA Dodds, High House Farm, purchased by Messrs Suddes, Rowley Farm.

Sheep averages were up on the week, with a Bluefaced Leicester ram topping the sale at£138 for DJ and JE Lumley, Nookton. Texel ewes from JRG Johnson, West Wharmley and Messrs J Browell and Sons, Quarry House, both sold to £130.

Store lambs were sharper on the week with larger sorts rising £4-£6 while longer keep entries made £65-£71.

The sale was topped at £109 for Texel ewe lambs from T Common and Son, Low Ardley.

LEADING prices

Store cattle – 23-30 months – Char X heifers – £1155 New Houses. 17-22 months – Char X steers – £1175, £1135 New Houses; £1090 Kirkley March. Char X heifers – £1150, £1140, £1125, £1070 New Houses. Lim X steers – £1220 West Mill Hills; £1195 Milbourne High House; £1155 East Uppertown; £1145 Milbourne High House; £1090 (x3); £1075, £1050 Kirkley March. Lim X heifers – £1215, £1205 Milbourne High House; £1190 West Mill Hills; £1080 Shitlington Hall; £1010 Rugley Walls; £930 Shitlington Hall. BB X steers – £1010 Woodhall. AA X steers – £1200 Aydonshields, East Uppertown and Lee Hall (x2); £1185 Aydonshields and East Uppertown; £1125 East Uppertown; £960 Redesmouth. AA X heifers – £1100, £1090 (x2), £1085 Lee Hall; £1000 East Butsfield; £900 Snape Farm. South Devon D heifers – £950 Wingates Wholme. 11-16 months – Char X heifers – £940 Linacres. AA X steers – £1180, £1100 Lee Hall; £945 Rugley Walls. Beef Short steers – £900 Woodlands Hall. 10 months and under – Lim X steers – £815 Horton Low House.

Sheep – Cast ewes – Tex – £124 Stone Hall; £118 Stotsfold; £115 Bensons Fell; £109 Shaftoe Moor; £104 Hepple Whitefield. Tex X – £130 West Wharmley and Quarry House; £123 High Eshells; £120 Brokenheugh; £118, £117 High Eshells; £116 Tenter House. Suff – £91 Steel Hall; £90 Prior Hall. Suff X – £105, £99 Felton Demesne; £98 West Wharmley. Leic – £138 Nookton; £114 Stotsfold; £100 Quarry House; £99 Nookton. H-b – £91 Steel Hall. Chev – £79, £68 Falstone. SCC – £105 Waite Farm; £70 Flotterton. Mule – £97 Allenheads Farm; £95 Causey Burn and Highwood; £94 New Dotland. BF – £94 The Steel; £86 Stoop Rigg; £85 Carry House (x2); £84 Quarry House; £83 Tenter House; £82 Little Harle; £79 New Dotland. Cross – £99 Waite Farm.

Store lambs – Tex – £109 Low Ardley. Tex X – £97 Colwell Hill; £96 Elrington Hall; £94 Felton Demesne and Low Ardley; £93 Hetherington; £92.50 Springwell Cottage. Dutch Tex X – £102, £96 (x2), £92, £90 Hard Riding; £88, £85 Agars Hill. Belt X – £106 Low West House; £97.50, £97, £96, £95 New Houses. Leic – £76 Stone Hall; £69 Blueburn and Low Struthers. Chev X – £75 West Mill Hills; £70 Farneyshield; £63.50 Nunwick. Chev Mule – £79 West Mill Hills. Mule – £84.50, £80 Redburn; £79 Farneyshield; £75 Woodhall; £72 Plankey Mill; £71 Woodhall. BF – £73 Ridley Stokoe; £64.50 Camphill; £63 Hepple Whitefield; £60 Cross House; £55 Newbiggen and The Brigg; £54 Camphill. Swale – £70 Farneyshield; £60 Woodhall; £59.50 Westburnhope; £59 Allenheads Farm. Herd – £68 Middle Dukesfield.

Penrith

Penrith and District Farmers’ Mart's sale of OTM cattle, was topped by an Aberdeen Angus cow from Low Borrow Bridge, selling for £939.58.

LEADING prices

Cast cows – Per kg – AA – 147.5p Low Borrow Bridge. Lim – 137.5p Long Meadows. BB – 129.5p, 119.5p Long Meadows. Cont – 119.5p Low Borrow Bridge. B and W – 102.5p The Ling (Donald). Per head – Lim – £1128.88 Long Meadows. BB – £1064.49, £914.18 Long Meadows. AA – £939.58 Low Borrow Bridge. B and W – £685.73, £616.31 The Ling (Donald).

Carlisle

Prices peaked at £91 for Beltex lambs from WH and F Wood, Well Head Farm, Workington, at Harrison and Hetherington's weekly store sale.

LEADING prices

Store lambs – Belt – £91 Well Head Farm. Tex – £76, £74, £69 Main Street; £74, £64 Chapel House; £71 Shankfield Head; £70 (x2) Low Buildings; £65 Colstons. Greyface – £59 Low Buildings. Suff – £58.50 Southwaite Green Mill.

Wigton

Hopes Auction Marts' final store cattle sale of the year at Wigton, ended on a high note, peaking at £1265 for Charolais bullocks from Messrs Harrison, Hill House, with heifers to £1105 from bJ Harrison, Beck Farm.

Younger sorts also sold well and to £865 for a eight-month-old bullocks from Messrs Noble, Walmgate.

LEADING prices

Bullocks – Char – £1265, £1165, £1155, £1095 Hill House; £1055 Stoneraise Farming. Lim – £1155, £1135, £1095, £1065, Beck Farm; £1135 £1115, £1095, £1065, £1055, £1045, Arkleby Hall; £1105, £1095, £1075 New House; £1065 Dundraw Farm; £1055, £1025 Stoneraise Farming Ltd; £1045 Seaville Cote; £1025 Kelsick House; £1015 Croft Farm. BB – £1085, £1045 Kelsick House Farm. Sim – £1105 Parkgate Hall; £875 Orchard Farm. Short – £1095 Arkleby Hall. Hol – £720 £695 Cumrew Farm. Fr – £915 Arkleby Hall. Fleck – £975 Stoneraise Farming Ltd.

Heifers – BB – £1075, £1045 Kelsick House Farm; £1065, £1005 £905 Midtown Farm. Lim – £1105, £1095, £1085, £1075, Beck Farm; £1085 £1055, £1035 Stoneraise Farming Ltd; £1075 Park House; £1045 £1035 Arkleby Hall. Char – £1095, £1035 Hill House; £1065, £1055 Stoneraise Farming Ltd. A-A – £925 Arkleby Hall. Blonde – £1045 Park House. Fleck – £1015 Stoneraise Farming Ltd.

Darlington

Store sheep met an exceptional demand at Darlington Auction Mart, just before Christmas with feeding ewes and store lambs averaging £70 and £64 per head respectively.

Top price amongst the lambs was £91.50 paid for a pen of five Texels from J and F Hartley and Sons, Low Shipley, Hamsterley. Feeding ewes peaked at £92 from the same home.

A light entry of cast cows levelled at 133p per kg selling to 170p or £891 for a dairy-cross cows from RRC Andrew, Home Farm, Middleton Tyas.

A 17-month-old Limousin steer from C Moffett, Backansides, Humerbeck, led the store trade at £1130, with a heifers peaking at £1130 from GH and RG Stobbs, High Wiserley, Wolsingham.

LEADING prices

Store lambs – £91.50, £91, £86 J and F Hartley and Sons; £86.50, £80, £75.50, LF and HC Wood; £84, £80.50, £79, £78.50 A Peart and Son; £81, £80, £64 D Alderson; £80 E Walsh; £78.50 GH and RG Stobbs; £74.50, £72.50, K Buckle; £74.50 E Blacklock; £74, £72 RA Patterson and Son; £74 PJ Wiper; £71 W Love Ltd.

Ewes – £92, £91, £79 ,£72, £70 J and F Hartley and Sons.