A HUGE entry of 1,095 head of cattle produced a bovine bounty not seen since the late 1990s at Skipton Auction Mart’s opening New Year cattle sale.

Trade was also strong throughout, with 150 more head of cattle sold than last year’s corresponding sale and the overall average selling price exceeding expectations, up by £15 per head on the year.

Four-figure prices proved the norm rather than exception.

The 408 young feeding bulls were particularly good to sell, averaging £971.72 per head, as the fixture cemented its reputation for producing premium-quality feeding bulls, with the bulk of cattle between eight and 12 months of age, including numerous pneumonia-vaccinated and farmassured consignments.

Vendors also took note of the mart’s encouragement to present cattle in forward condition at younger ages, so providing finishers with the opportunity to feed cattle and get them away to processors to comply with their preference for under 16-month-old cattle.

The message to expect strong demand for the right bull sold at the right age was clearly taken on board by breeders.

The young bull section also featured two show classes. The first prize winner in the under tenmonths division was a British Blue presented by Calderdale’s David Broadbent, of Green House Farm, Midgley.

First prize in the 10 to 12-months young bulls show class also fell to a home-bred British Blue from Stephen Fawcett, of Fold House Farm, Barden.

Both red rosette winners were knocked down at a show-topping £1,400 each to York farmers and butchers Stephen and Anthony Swales, regular buyers of prize-winning prime cattle and lambs at the mart.

They also paid £1,360 for the second prize winner in the 10-12 months show class from Jeff Walker, of JC Walker & Son, Dunsop Bridge.

All three acquisitions will be further improved at the Swales family farm in nearby Melbourne, before returning to the food chain and the Easter trade at their Knavesmire Butchers shop in Albermarle Road, York.

The store cattle section attracted a robust turnout of 680 bullocks and heifers, among them a number of large annual consignments of strong Continental-cross cattle from regular vendors, complemented by a quality offering of yearling cattle.

Store bullocks sold to a Continental-x average of £1,134.97, with a native average of £875.54.

Store heifers sold to a Continental-x average of £963.50, with a native average of £912.79.