Cameron Robertson Auctioneer, Borderway Mart, Harrison & Hetherington discusses the weekly youngstock sales

“As we head into the second half of 2023, demand for young store cattle and calves at Borderway Auction Mart continues and we are seeing prices are maintained.

Borderway is the second largest market in Great Britain and the largest in the north of England for selling young calves, stirks and weanlings on a weekly basis. Currently at our Wednesday weekly sales of young calves we regularly see up of 500 going under the hammer and as we head into autumn in winter this usually ranges between 300 and 400 calves being put forward.

Our calf sale happens every Wednesday of the year starting at 10.00am, and we sell all types, all shapes and sizes, and all breeds from three weeks old to four months, from suckler bred continentals and native breeds, to dairy bred continentals and natives. Dairy bred calves are brought forward for sale throughout the 12 months of the year, whilst the suckler bred calves tend to be in the main from spring until the late summer.

In terms of prices, it is the beef prices which on the whole determine any fluctuation in our calf prices throughout the season.  And this year, the fact that prices have risen throughout the spring has helped maintain calf prices. We sell the dairy calves on age and stage, and on average prices this year are between £20 and £50 per head up. However, with the current buoyant fat cattle prices, some of the quality suckler bred calves have and continue to attract even greater premiums.

In these sales, the most sought-after calves are those at two months, currently selling for in the region of £300 up to £600 per head for the very best, with the three-week-old calves selling for between £150 and £200 per head.

We are very fortunate here at Borderway to have a large portfolio of buyers, both finishers, and those wanting to take stock through to strong stores. Buyers are primarily from within a 50-mile radius, but such is the demand we are seeing, more and more purchasers travelling from much further afield such as Wales and Aberdeenshire.  In addition, such as been the success and returns for buyers of the quality stock they purchased here last year, many are returning, and increasing the amount of stock they want to buy. So, with this demand, and although impossible to say, my predictions are that as we head into autumn, prices are looking to hold firm for calves of all types.

 

Following immediately on from weekly calf sale is the sale of stirks and weanlings at 12.30.

 

Throughout the year in the stirks and weanlings sale when we sell stock aged between 5 to 12 months old, regularly averaging between 300 to 400 head each week.

These weekly sales include consignments of stock from across the North of England and Yorkshire and they always attract a good ring of buyers looking for all classes of young cattle. With the recent high levels of rain, grass is plentiful,  and certainly at the moment, we can sell more than we have coming through the sales ring.

All cattle in this sale are sold on appearance as they come in the ring and currently, six to seven-month-old dairy cross are selling for in the region of £700 per head and depending on quality, the 10 to 12-month old suckler bred beasts are going under the hammer for up to £1200 per head.  Prices are currently up on the same time last year and was e head into the summer and autumn we would expect prices to be similar to last year.  It is however, important to remember that as always, these prices are very much dependent on the prime cattle trade and grain prices, so if the former eases and the latter increases, I expect trade will be lower.

With much is the demand  we are continually looking for all types of stock for our weekly calf, stirk and weanling sales, so if you have young-stock to sell please do get in touch.