Beef breeding cattle met a flying trade at Harrison and Hetherington's sale of 500 head at Kirkby Stephen, where no fewer than 56 lots sold at or above the £2500 bracket and averages improved across the board.

Topping the trade at £3900 was a Limousin cross in-calf heifer from Messrs Bradley, Penny Grange, Settle, which sold up to Orkney, with JD Skea, Orquil Farm.

The run of Limousin and British Blue cross in-calf heifers from Penny Grange, also sold to £3200 twice and £3100, to average a whopping £2618.18 for 22.

Heifers with calves peaked at £3300 for a Limousin cross heifer with heifer calf at foot from Messrs McAlister, Wester Thomaston, Bonnybridge, purchased by Messrs Dobson, White Kirkley Farm, Frosterley.

By the end of the day, 15 cattle sold for more than £3000, with 160 heifers with calves cashing in at £2080.21, up £120.22 on the year; 50 cows and calves levelled at £1907.66, a rise of £100.23; 105 in-calf heifers balanced out at £1980.14, up £277.89 and 25 in-calf heifers cashed in at £1320, plus £216.05.

LEADING prices

Heifers and calves – Lim – £3300, £3100, £2500 Wester Thomaston; £3200 Robin House; £3200, £2800, £2700, £2500 Bank House; £2950, Riddings Farm; £2900, £2800, £2550 (x2), Bents Farm; £2700 Lower Langshaw Farm; £2700, £2550, £2500, Green Farm; £2600, Miller Hill; £2600 Paradise Farm; £2600, £2550, The Ash; 2500 (x2), New Hall Farm. BB – £3250 (x2), £3000, £2700, £2600, £2550, £2500, Hawkswell Farm; £3200, Riddings Farm; £2600 Home Farm; £2550, £2500, Paradise Farm. BS – £2200 Paradise Farm.

Cows and calves – Lim – £3000 Robin House; £2800, £2500 Lower Langshaw Farm; £2800, Ash Dub; £2550, Hawkswell Farm; £2500, Whitewall Farm. BB – £2900, £2250, Hawkswell Farm. Char – £2050, Brow Top Farm; £2000 Cringleber. Baz – £1900 Fold House Farm. Blonde – £1850 Brow Top Farm.

In-calf cows – Lim – £2100 (x2), £1500 Ash Dub; £1350 (x3), £1300 (x2) Cringleber. BB – £1700 Ash Dub; £1550, £1450, £1300 Cringleber. Baz – £1250 Cringleber. A-A – £1200 Cringleber.

In-calf heifers – Lim – £3900, £2800 (x2), £2500 (x2), £2400, £2300, £2200, £2100 Penny Grange; £2400 Robin House; £2300, £2250, £2050, £2000, Stoneygarth; £2250, Paradise Farm; £2150, Beck House Farm; £2050, The Bungalow; £2000 New Hall Farm. BB – £3200 (x2), £3100, £2900, £2800, £2700, £2500, £2400 (x2), £2300, £2200 Penny Grange; £2400 The Bungalow; £2400, New Hall Farm; £2400 Robin House; £2300, £2000, Paradise Farm; £2250, £2200, £2100, Stoneygarth; £2100, Making Place Bungalow; £2050, Leck Fell House; £2000, Nutta Farm. Blonde – £2300 Penny Grange.

Auctioneers: Harrison and Hetherington.