Farming Eye

Dairy cattle continue to be in strong demand at Bentham as Peter and David Knowles, Kendal, topped the sale with a brace of homebred pedigree freshly calved heifers.

Kendalcragg Baroque Judy sold for £2580, while Kendalcragg Samuelo Nina then traded at £2420, both selling to Messrs Morgan, County Durham. Meanwhile, Mark and Heather Atkinson, Quernmore, achieved £2150 for Wyredale Finest Diana 74. This one was knocked down to David and Joe Wannop, Morecambe.

by Chrissie Long

Taking the championship at Bentham under judge Richard Harker of Grayrigg, Kendal and top price on the day was a Bluefaced Leicester hogg by Midlock D45 from Tom Willoughby’s Penhill flock. This one was knocked down to Neil Marston’s Highberries flock. Meanwhile and second prize hogg also from the Penhill flock made £900 to Scottish buyer James Montgomery.

Bentham sale leader at £1600

There was keen demand for all the major hill breeds with John and Jean Bradley, Giggleswick, topping the Dalesbred section with an in lamb shearling selling to Richard Close, Starbotton, for £700.

Then Jean Wilson, Dockray, sold the champion Herdwick in lamb ewe for £550 to Frank Brennand of Chapel le Dale.

Top prices in the Swaledale section was shared between John Bland, Crowden, with an in lamb ewe and Patrick Sowerby, Hawes, with both a ewe and gimmer shearling, both making £550 selling to the judge George Sibson of Keswick.

by Chrissie Long

Bentham Auction Mart’s Super Two Challenge, for the best pair of Continental Prime Hoggs, saw 24 pens forward for judge Mick Etherington, Bingley, to go through. He awarded the championship honours to Frank Joel and grandson Jack Edmondson, Westhouse, whose pen weighing 52kg sold for £90 to Ali Shan, Keighley.

The reserve champions were consigned by G R and A Foy and Son, Conder Green, for a pen of 42kg which sold for £107 or 254p/kg, this time selling to S A Swales of Knavesmire Butchers, York. However, this was soon eclipsed with a pen from M R and J E Davis, Austwick, with their 42kg topping at £118 or 281p/kg again to SA Swales. Also in the money was  next was Hayley Baines, Trawden, with two hoggs weighing 41kg which made £114 or 278.1p/kg to SA Swale of York. Overall average for the 24 pens was 214.2p/kg or £85.80.

by Chrissie Long

Bentham Auction’s weekly Sale of freshly calved dairy cattle saw an excellent entry forward consisting entirely of heifers and a top price of £2380 for Berryholme Jupiter Maud 2 forward from Frances and David Wright of Kendal.

This pedigree heifer was 14 days calved and giving 32kg a day and attracted much attention with the hammer falling to Alan Whitaker, Clapham. Following closely behind was Ken and Mike Robinson, Farleton, with Kilnhall Rex Dazzle 264, calved 10 days and giving 24kg a day. She was snapped up by Tony Hunter of Berrier for £2320. Mr Hunter also went on to purchase KendalcraggBonair Penny from Peter and David Knowles of New Hutton for £2200.

Providing a dash of colour to the sale was a pedigree Jersey heifer from John and Kate Waller, Killington, with Killington Comerica Jo 2 selling currently giving 23kg a day and was purchased by Philip Mason, Burton, Kendal for £1420. Freshly calved heifers averaged £1870.

by Chrissie Long

A smaller entry of cattle forward at Bentham’s weekly sale of freshly calved dairy females saw a top price of £2300 for Ken and Michael Robinson of the Kiln Hall herd with their homebred pedigree heifer Kilnhall Rex Dazzle 260. 14 days calved and giving 5.5 gallons, she was knocked down to Doug Graves of Armathwaite.

Peter and David Knowles of the Kendalcragg herd closely followed with Tullithwaite Master Bounty, a pedigree heifer bred by Henry Willison. Calved 12 days and giving 6.5 gallons, she was knocked down to Tony Hunter of Berrier at £2200. Freshly calved heifers averaged £1922.00.

by Chrissie Long

Bentham Auction Mart saw a strong entry of young farmers stock forward for the Annual Young Farmers Single Night, meaning judge Mr Paul Barker of Gargrave had an unenviable task.

With representatives from the counties of Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire forward the quality was at an all time high for this years entries for the three classes. Taking the top place in the short wooled prime hogg class was Tom Wallbank, Slaiburn, with his Beltex cross gimmer hogg weighing 51kg. Tom also achieved the top price of the evening with the hogg selling for £130 (317p/kg) to Andrew Atkinson, Kettlesing.

Champion short wool

In the long wool hogg class Paul Baines, Trawden, was awarded the honours with his Mule wether hogg weighing 51kg and achieving £64 to Mr Lakey, Norwich. Meanwhile, Jack Edmondson, Westhouse, was awarded the best presented championship for his smart turnout and well presented Beltex cross gimmer hogg. This one weighed 55kg and was knocked down at £124 to Mohammed Alam of Lancashire Direct Halal Meat Ltd.

Best turned out

by Chrissie Long

Some 36 freshly calved dairy cattle were forward at the annual New Year Semex Dairy Show held at Bentham Auction Mart with judge, Stephen Robinson of the Longstar herd, Burton in Lonsdale, awarding his championship honours to Messrs P and D Knowles of the Kendalcragg herd, Kendal for their freshly calved heifer by Moet Melody. This one sold to George Mitchell, Skelton for £2300.

However, it was the reserve champion that took the top price on the day for Messrs J and M Robinson of the Kelletview herd, Nether Kellet. Their pedigree heifer Kelletview Whats Up Blondy went on to sell for £2450 to Tony Hunter, Berrier.

by Chrissie Long

A strong entry of 38 cattle were forward for the Annual Genus Dairy Extravaganza at Bentham Mart, with quality being placed in front of the pre-sale judges Tony and Stephen Hunter, Berrier, Penrith.

Taking the championship and joint top price of the day was Kilnhall Maria 19 from Ken and Mike Robinson, Farleton. This pedigree third calver which went on to sell for £2420 to the judges. Messrs Hunter also purchased the reserve champion, a commercial heifer from John Ellis, New Hutton, for the same price.

Robin Jennings, South Stainley, achieved £2400 for his second prize pedigree heifer Stainbank Breeze 54, which sold to Robert Ford, Brindley, while the second prize commercial heifer from John Dawson, Clapham, sold to Andrew Slack, Carlisle for £2350.

Averages: Acalved cows £1820.00; heifers £1875.29 (Richard Turner and Son).

by Chrissie Long

Taking the championship and day’s top price at Bentham Auction Mart’s Agri-Lloyd Dairy day under judge Doug Graves was  Killington Geneva Val, from John Waller and his daughters Sophie and Natalie, Killington. She sold for £2100 to the judge.

William Robinson, Nook, achieved the second highest price of £1970 for New Valley Lucente Daphne 2, a pedigree heifer purchased by Stephen Metcalfe, Whittington. This one was closely followed by Peter Swindlehurst, Underbarrow, who sold another heifer, this time Tranthwaite Brick Tilly for £1960, again to Doug Graves. Mr Swindlehurst also clinched a first prize ticket with his second calver Tranthwaite Lucente Janet 2, who was knocked down at £1800 to Aubrey Greenhalgh.

A run of in calf heifers due in August forward from Robin Caton, Cowan Bridge, sold to a top of £1310 and averaged £1180 (Richard Turner and Son).

by Chrissie Long

Top price of the day at Bentham and District’s annual sale of working sheep dogs was a bid of 2500gns from Messrs Raine of Coach and Horses securing the purchase of Woody, a three year old registered dog from well known handler Derek Scrimgeour.

Messrs Campbell travelled from Argyle to sell Fly, a two and a half year old Black and White Registered bitch which made 2050gns to Mr Atkinson of South Milford. Other leading prices included; William Huddleston with Bill 1900gns; Oliver Brown with Meg 1750gns; John Bell with Mirk 1700gns.

And catching the eye towards the end of the sale was David Mackereth of Workington with two eight month old bitches, Nip and Ness, which were extremely well schooled for their age making 1400gns and 1050gns, both to Richard Postlethwaite, Bampton.

by Chrissie Long