HEXHAM & Northern Marts, at their weekly sale of store cattle, offered a sound entry of 476 catalogued head which included over 150 native breed beast for the monthly special sale of such sorts.

Following a blistering sale a week ago, when levels far exceeded those seen in recent years, trade for all classes eased on this day with buyers more cautious at the ringside and keen for value from the mixed show of quality.

Despite this, the best end of all breeds sold well and the entire entry averaged £1,098 throughout for the male portion of the catalogue and £1,027 for the female classes.

The sale peaked at £1,530 for a simply outstanding Blonde cross heifer from Messrs Walker, Houselope Grange, Tow Law, at just 15 months of age which led the consignment of four from the Weardale-based family who enjoyed an average of £1,455 on the day.

Bullock trade topped at £1,500 for another cracking pure bred 22-month-old limmy steer from last weeks sale leaders Messrs Dodds, West Grange, Milbourne, who followed up with another great red heifer which was cashed at £1,510 and saw their five; two steers and three heifers return at £1,432 throughout.

As with continentals, the native breed entry was, in the main, more mixed and consequently easier than seen of late. Older Angus cattle topped at £1,310 for both steers and heifers at 18 months from Messrs Tweddle, Springwell, Satley. The best end of yearling steers scaled to £1,300 from John Nevin, Parkside, Allendale, and to £1,260 from Messrs Hall, East Butsfield, who averaged £1,228 for five cracking cattle sold at 11-12 months. A super run of Beef Shorthorn Steers were presented by Messrs Tailford, Gallowhill, and these at 12-13 months topped at £1,220 to average £1,033 across the board. South Devon cattle also sold well and these peaked at £1,325 for a big heifer from Messrs Barron, The Deans, whilst a steer from Messrs Dinning, Fallowfield, climbed to £1,180 at 20 months.

Some fantastic runs of mid-range cattle in terms of age were brought out on the day and these included those from Andrew & Cath Swallow, Dukesfield Hall, Hexhamshire, and John Lamb, Town Farm, Wall. Both lots were sired by great Limousin stock bulls, courted a great deal of attention and Messrs Swallow saw their best two steers; hefty black sorts scale separately to £1,380, both being purchased by the same regular Northallerton-based purchaser.

The Hexhamshire husband and wife sold 11 sublime steers that had been well-wintered and averaged just four pounds short of £1,300 per head. Mr Lamb, also noted for his quality through the Hexham ring, saw his best steer change hands at £1,350 and his lead heifer just ten pounds less at £1,340 which contributed to a nice average of £1,248 for seven and three sold respectively.

The youngest class of cattle – those aged ten months and younger - continue to sell well with many exceeding four figures at Hexham and three vendors breached the £1,100 mark. Messrs Wood, Low Acton, topped the class with Limousin cross steers at £1,170 followed by another at £1,100 from regular consignors Messrs Walton, Greyside, Newbrough.

On the native breed day, James McGregor, East Loanend, Berwick on Tweed, topped this Angus age class, also at £1,100 with another at £1,080. James also topped the heifer rankings with a shapely Limmy lass at £1,060 to complete a great days trading for the North Northumberland purveyor of quality cattle with just rewards for his journey to Hexham.

As this week has seen daytime temperatures rise, surely, we must begin to see the flush of spring growth in pastures and meadows across our region which will prompt thoughts of turnout.

If you have cattle to sell – be they older or younger; steers or heifers; native or continental - then our auctioneers will delighted to hear from you with regard to an entry or even to visit your holding to appraise your animals prior to sale. Call our team on 01434 605444 to discuss your options.

Leading prices;

Cattle 23 – 30 Months

Limousin x steers – £1500 West Grange, £1390 Fallowfield, £1360 Fallowfield & Cheviot .

Limousin x heifers - £1510 & £1460 West Grange, £1320 Lunns House, £1265 Low Staples.

Simmental x heifers - £1240 Greencarts (x2)

Angus x heifers – £1260 Espershields.

South Devon heifers - £1325 The Deans.

Cattle 17 – 22 Months

Limousin x steers – £1440 Fallowfield, £1380 Cheviot, £1340 Fallowfield, £1315 Lowfield, £1290 West Grange.

Limousin x heifers – £1400 West Grange, £1180 Low Horton.

British Blue x steers - £1270 Greyside.

Charolais x steers – £1400 & £1360 Satley.

Charolais x heifers - £1290, £1250 & £1110 Springwell, £1100 Greencarts.

Saler x steers - £1270 Fallowfield.

Angus heifers - £1210 Broadlea.

Angus x steers – £1310 & £1220 Springwell, £1220 Bank T op, £1200 & £1170 Wallish Walls, £1140 Hedley West Riding.

Angus x heifers – £1310 Springwell.

Galloway x steers - £1250 Fallowfield.

South Devon x steers - £1180 Fallowfield.

Cattle 11 – 16 Months

Limousin x steers – £1380 Dukesfield Hall (x2), £1350 Town Farm & Dukesfield Hall,£1330 Kingswood, £1295 Dukesfield Hall, £1290 Town Farm & Dukesfield Hall (x2), £1280 Old Ravensworth, £1250 & £1240 Town Farm, £1240 New Acres, £1230 Low Horton & Dukesfield Hall, £1220 Low Horton, £1200 Town Farm, Greyside, New Acres & Dukesfield Hall, £1190 & £1180 Greyside, £11280 Low Staples & Kingswood, £1175 Greyside, £1155 New Acres, £1150 Greyside & Edges Green.

Limousin x heifers – £1340 Town Farm, £1300 Low Horton, £1250 North Cocklake, £1200 Low Horton, £1190 Mains Rigg, £1170 Kingswood, £1140 Town Farm, £1100 Glower Oer Him, £1090 Chirdon, £1080 China Hall, £1075 North Cocklake, £1070 Chirdon, £1060 Fullthorpe, £1050 & £1040 Kingswood, £1030 Todhillwood, £1020 China Hall, £1010 Low Acton.

British Blue x steers - £1060 Prospect Grange.

Charolais x steers - £1370, £1330 & £1310 Satley, £1155 Greyside.

Charolais x heifers - £1050 Cooper House, £1010 (x2) & £1005 Wheat Hall, £1000 Cooper House & Low Staples.

Blonde x heifers - £1530, £1470, £1460 & £1360 Houselope Grange.

Simmental x steers - £1390, £1280 & £1260 Satley.

Simmental x heifers - £1090 Fullthorpe.

Saler x heifers - £1060 Mains Rigg.

Angus steers - £1150 Bollihopeshield, £1080 Broadlea, £1040 Bollihopeshield.

Angus heifers - £1000 Broadlea.

Angus x steers - £1300 Parkside, £1270 Springwell, £1260 East Butsfield, £1250 Springwell & East Butsfield, £1240 East Butsfield, £1220 Broadlea, £1215 Fullthorpe, £1210 The Deans, £1200 & £1190 East Butsfield, £1180 Bank Top, £1170 West Butsfield, £1165 Chesterwood, £1160 Lowfield, £1150 Bank Top, £1130 Lowfield & West Butsfield, £1120 Parkside, £1115 Lowfield, £1095 Cooper House, £1090 Kirkhouse & The Deans, £1080 West Butsfield.

Angus x heifers - £1190 Broadlea, £1060 West Butsfield, £1025 Cooper House.

Beef Shorthorn steers - £1220, £1145, £1040 & £1030 Gallaw Hill.

Hereford x steers - £1000 The Tofts.

Cattle 10 months and under

Limousin x steers – £1170 Low Acton, £1100 & £1080 Greyside, £1010 Edges Green, £1000 Kingswood.

Limousin x heifers - £1060 East Loanend, £960 Low Acton.

Charolais x steers - £1060, £1020 & £1010 Wheat Hall.

Angus x steers – £1100 Parkside, £1080 East Loanend, £1010 Parkside.

Angus x heifers - £1000 Parkside.

Another excellent trade was seen in the Hexham cast ewe ring for a large number on show. Topping the sale at £212 was a Texel ewe from Messrs JF Johnson & Sons, Tuthill.

Not far behind was a strong Texel x ewe from Messrs E & I Hall & Sons, Hallington, New Houses, at £194.

Suffolk x ewes topped at £178 for a pair from Mr D Hughes, Hill Top.

Mules sold well to a top of £148 for a pair again from the Tuthill Team.

Hill ewes topped at £109 for a pair from Messrs Rowell, North Cocklake.

Texel – £212 Tuthill, £182 West Heddon, £176 Lough Green.

Texel x – £194 Hallington New Houses, £192 Tuthill, £188 Watch Hill, £180 Hallington New Houses, £178 Hard Riding & Hallington New Houses, £172 Grange House & Hallington New Houses, £170 Hard Riding, Broomhall, Crescent Farm & Grange House, £168 Thornbrough, Crescent Farm & Watch Hill, West Heddon, £166 Lilswood & High Eshells, £165 Crescent Farm, £159 Hard Riding, £158 Watch Hill & Grange House, £156 Broomhall, £154 Granger House, £152 Ridley Farm & Hill Top, £150 & £148 (x2) West Heddon.

Beltex x – £140 West End Wolsingham.

Suffolk x – £178 Hill Top, £172 Tuthill, £164 Fitches Grange, £162 Black Callerton, £158 Tuthill, £156 Black Callerton, £149 Grange House, £146 Broomhall & Grange House.

Bleu D’Maine - £186 Hallington New Houses.

Ryeland – £128 Woodstone.

Jacob - £84 Crescent Farm.

Leicester - £148 & £138 North Cocklake.

Mule – £148 Tuthill, £146 Springwell, £144 Old Town, £138 Black Callerton & Fitches Grange, £132 Bank Top & Fitches Grange, £130 East Wharmley, £126 Ridley Farm, £123 Black Callerton, £122 Wadley & Moorlaws.

Cheviot Mule - £118 Crowhall.

Cheviot - £94 Whitchester.

Blackface – £109 North Cocklake, £97 Featherwood & Prospect Grange, £93 Moorlaws.

Swaledale - £92 Moorhouse Gate & Lilswood Cottage, £86 Woodhall.

Herdwick- £89 & £84 Hill Top.

Cast tups still continue to sell to extreme rates topping at £192 for a Texel from Messrs J Thompson & Sons, Springwell Cottage.

A trio of Bluefaced Leicester Tups sold to £170 from Messrs A & CL Bell, Woodhall.

Texel – £192 Springwell Cottage, £186 Blue Gables, £186 North Cocklake, £170 Grange House.

Leicester - £170 Woodhall.

Beltex – £182 Woodhall.

Swaledale – £116 Woodhall.

Store hoggs continue to sell to a strong trade provided they were strong and healthy. Topping the trade at £180 was a humongous Suffolk hogg from Mr R Collingwood, Stewartshield Meadows. Messrs Younger & Stamp, Watch Hill, sold a tremendous run of Beltex x hoggs topping at £172. Three Ryeland hoggs sold to £148 from Mr P Kettle, Woodstone.

Texel x – £172 The Chesters, £166 Tuthill & Peel Flatt, £150 Tuthill, Hallington New Houses & Peel Flatt, £147 Yetlington Lane, £144 Hard Riding, £140 Springwell Cottage, £139 Grange House & Lough Green, £132 Moorlaws, £131 East Wharmley, £127 Palm Strothers, £126 Yetlington Lane.

Suffolk– £180 Stewartshield Meadows.

Suffolk x – £118 Yetlington Lane.

Beltex - £172 Watch Hill, £162 Hallington New Houses, £158 Watch Hill.

Mule – £129 Heatheridge.

Ryeland - £148 Woodstone.

Blackface – £96 Low Eals.

Swaledale – £125 Lilswood Cottage & Stewartshield Meadows.

Herdwick - £70 Heatheridge.

Whitefaced Woodland - £86 Garden Cottage.

What a difference in a week! A poorer show of cattle this week. A sweet Limousin x heifer from M/s J&A Moralee, Hard Riding, sold to 247.5p/kg and grossed to £1,423.13

Well finished Charolais x heifers from Mr FT Walton, Flotterton, sold well to 240.5p/kg selling to a new ringside purchaser.

Limousin Heifers – £1423.13 Hard Riding, £1195.73 Kingswood

247.5p Hard Riding, 223.5p Kingswood.

Charolais Heifers – £1411.43, £1394.90, £1389.10 & £1324.55 Flotterton

240.5p, 239.5p & 231.5p Flotterton.

Angus Steers - £1148.75 & 205.5p Hedley West.

Simmental Heifers - £1177.05 & 199.5p Hedley West.

A poor show of cast cows this week but last week’s trade was maintained. Leaner, feeding cows sold exceptionally well once again, with mainly lean types selling in excess of 150p/kg

The sale topped at 190.5p/kg for a tremendous Limousin x cow from M/s Charlton, Whiteside, and grossed to £1,628.78

OTM heifers sold to 192.5p/kg from M/s W&JA Longlands, Rusheylaw.

Limousin Cows– £1628.78 Whiteside, £1412 Middle Heads

£190.5p Whiteside, 176.5p Middle Heads, 167.5p The Fawns, 165.5p Springwell Cottage.

Limousin OTM – £1309 & £1207.50 Rusheylaw.

Angus -£1279.32 High Fotherley, £1112.13 Three Farms

167.5p Hedley West, 165.5p High Fotherley.

British Blue – £1157.05 Springwell Cottage, £995.28 The Fawns, £988.80 Whiteside, £899.88 The Fawns

159.5p The Fawns, 158.5p Springwell Cottage, 156.5p The Fawns, 154.5p Whiteside.

Simmental - £1371.14 Morley Hill, £1249.53 The Fawns

165.5p The Fawns, 161.5p Morley Hill.

Shorthorn - £948.60 & 139.5p Comb Hills.

A mixed show of hoggs forward including a number of end of season sheep sold well to the usual buyers. Top price of £152 from Butsfield Burn and 306.1p Mill View.

Texel x – £152 Butsfield Burn, £150 Mill View, £149 Butsfield Burn, £148 Aydonshields, £147 Butsfield Burn & Aydonshields, £144 West Shields, £141 Butsfield Burn, £139 Butsfield Burn, Aydonshields & West Shields, £138 (x2) & £137 West Shields, £134 Butsfield Burn & West Shields, £133 Butsfield Burn, £130 (x2) & £129 West Shields, £126 Bingfield Combe & West Shields, £125 West Shields, £124 Longshaws & West Shields (x3), £123 (x2), £120 (x3) & £119 (x2) West Shields, £117 Butsfield Burn, West Shields & Bingfield Combe, £116 Longshaws, £115 Longshaws & West Shields, £114 West Shields (x2) & Bingfield Combe

306.1p Mill View, 302.2p, 300p & 296p Aydonshields, 290p, 288.4p & 287.5p Longshaws, 285.7p West Shields, 277.8p Longshaws, 275.6p, 273.9p, 273.5p & 272.7p West Shields, 272.6p Butsfield Burn, 272.1p & 271.4p Bingfield Combe, 270.6p & 268.6p West Shields, 268.1p Bingfield Combe, 267.4p West Shields, 266p Butsfield Burn, 265.3p, 265.1p & 263.3p West Shields, 263.2p Longshaws, 262.5p Butsfield Burn, 262.3p West Shields, 261.9p Butsfield Burn, Longshaws & Bingfield Combe, 261.4p Longshaws, 260p Butsfield Burn, 255.8p (x2), 254.8p & 254.4p West Shields, 251.2p Longshaws, 250p West Shields (x2)

Suffolk x – £150 & 245.9p Butsfield Burn.

Leicester – £135 & 201.5p Kingswood.

Cheviot x- £103 & 264.1p West Shields.

Cheviot Mule - £127 & 259.2p Bingfield Combe.

Mule – £129 & 252.9p West Shields.

Blackface – £132 & 178.4p Whiteside.

Three nice new season lambs from Blue Gables sold to £157 and averaged 363.7p

Texel x - £157 & £150 Blue Gables

365.9p & 356.8p Blue Gables.

Texel (Ram) – £126 Kingswood.

Texel x - £142 Blakehope.

Cheviot x – £100 & £90 Blakehope.