Annual 'Newcastleton' Sale of Blue Grey Cattle

On Tuesday 19^th October, Harrison & Hetherington Ltd held their Great Annual Special sale of Blue Grey In Calf Heifers, Bulling Heifers, Bullocks and heifer calves, which is now being held annually at Lockerbie Mart.

A catalogued entry of 625 Blue Grey females and 246 suckled calves were forward at the better known ‘Newcastleton Sale’ to an enormous crowd of prospective purchasers, resulting in an exceptional trade throughout the sale.

The best group of bulling heifers was judged by Mr James Menzies who placed the Rob Armstrong Memorial Trophy to the best group from Messrs Hogg, Milnholm, later selling to £1380.

Local breeder Mr Allan Nixon judged the best group of heifer calves, which was awarded to

Mr Max Welters, Kernal Rigg who also received the Keren Telford Herbert Memorial Trophy with his pen of Blue Greys selling to £560.

The sale saw averages slip by only £78 and this would be due to the strong demand from Irish customers from the previous year, resulting in a day’s overall average of £1099.16.

Top overall on the day was a pair of heifers in calf to the Aberdeen Angus, due in April, selling for £2250 from first time vendors Messrs Rennie, Attonburn Farm, Kelso.

Bulling heifers peaked at £1420 for a pen of 8 from Messrs Hogg, Milnholm, Langholm closely followed by Messrs Ireland, New House Farm, Drigg for a pen of 5 at £1400 and finally weaned calves saw a days top of £820.

Mr Dennis Kerr, Nether Oakshaw was presented with a bottle of Whiskey for his long-time support of the Newcastleton sale , he has attended every sale since he was 11 years old and recently turned 91, and this will be his last year as he has dispersed his Galloway cows.

Averages

In Calf Heifers
Hedgeley Farms 4 av. £1710
Bowmont Farming 15 av. £1712.66
Thomson, Howman Grange 8 av. £1565
Flintoft, Sourhope 22 av. £1525.91
Robinson, Prospect 11 av. £1360.91

Bulling Heifers
Ireland, New House 10 av. £1375
Little, Park Nook 5 av. £1360
Hogg, Milnholm 16 av. £1336.25
Kyle, Spoutbank 13 av. £1300
Laurie, Southdean 14 av. £925.71

Spring Calves
Welters, Kernal Rigg 5 av. £770
Robinson, Ottercops 23 av. £752.17
Waugh, The Row 4 av. £750
Murray, Sewing Shields 11 av. £745.45
Moore, Softley 28 av. £727.14

Leading prices:

Heifers In-Calf: Blue Grey £2250, £2000, £1750, £1600, £1580, £1500 (x2) Attonburn Farm, £1820, £1600 Beanley, £1750, £1520, £1500 (x2), £1450, £1420, £1400, £1350 (x2) Farney Shields, £1750 (x2), £1480, £1580, £1450 Hownam Grange Farm, £1680 (x2), £1550, £1520, £1440, £1420 (x2) Sourhope Farm, £1450, £1380 Bodesbeck Farm, £1500, £1480, £1450, £1350 (x2) Prospect Farm, £1480 Nickies Hill Farm, £1420 (x2), £1400, £1380, £1350 (x2) Southdean Farm, £1420 (x2) Milnholm Farm, £1400 New House Farm, Hereford £1520 Castletown Estate, Belted Galloway £1380 Crowdieknowe Farm, Beef Shorthorn £1220 (x2) Castletown Estate, Highland £980 Crowdieknowe Farm, Galloway £820 High Creoch.

Cows & Calves: Blue Grey £2000, £1680 Farney Shields, Whitebred Shorthorn £1800 (x2), £1600 Barwhanny Farm, Shorthorn £1620 Barwhanny Farm.

Bulling Heifers :

Blue Grey £1360 Park Nook, £1350 New House Farm, £1350 (x2) Spout Bank, £1350, £1200, £1050, £1000 The Becks, £1320 Bowhill, £1280 Thorneyburn, £1080 Thorneyburn, £1020 Low Closegill, £1000 (x2) The Bloch, £1000 Bodesbeck Farm, £1000 Crowdieknowe Farm, £1000 Barron House Farm,

Heifer Calves:

Blue Grey £820, £780, £750, £720, £600 Ottercops, £800, £780, £720, £700, £680, £650 Softley, £800, £750, £650, £600 Sewing Shields, £800, £750 Kernal Rigg, £720 , £700 , £600, £580, £450 Nether Oakshaw.

SUCKLED CALVES:   Suckled calves and stores were dearer on the year at Lockerbies ‘Newcastleton’ Blue Grey sale.  The young Blue Grey bullock trade aligned with the buoyant suckled calf sales at Harrison and Hetherington so far this year and bigger hill bred stores also met the high demand of keen purchasers around the ring.  Bullocks topped at £1180 for Charolais from Messrs Bridgewater and Wood, Potholm; the same home also had cattle at £1160, £1090 and £1040. 

Young 6 month old Bazadaise calves from Messrs Scott, Dinley were up to £740 and £730, under 6 month old Galloways sold to £670 from TJ Robinson, Ottercops.  Blue Grey bullocks were making up to £1000 from Messrs Ions, High Thorneyburn with bullocks Blue Grey bullocks under 5 months making £600 from Messrs Pattinson, Hot Bank.

Bullocks: Charolais £1180, £1160, £1090, £1010 Potholm Aberdeen Angus £1040 Potholm, £960, £890, £880 Mains Farm Blue Grey £1000 High Thorneyburn, £880 Blinkbonny, £800, £580, £540, £510 Ottercops £740 Raeburnfoot, £710, £700 Bodesbeck, £695 High Creoch, £650, £620, £600, £570, £500 Softley, £600 (x2), £590, £500 Hot Bank, £560, £510 Nether Oakshaw, £540, £500 The Row   Simmental £860 Hopsrig Bazadais £740, £730, £710, £700 (x2) Dinley Galloway £670 Ottercops, £610, £600, £580, £540 Hot Bank, £580 Softley

Heifers: Limousin £1060 Potholm Charolais £1010 Potholm Aberdeen Angus £1010 Potholm, £890, £810 Mains Farm Beef Shorthorn £1010 Potholm Whitebred Shorthorn £780, £700 (x2) Drumnagreagh Road Bazadaise £600 Dinley.