Champion tops Ruswarp suckled calves at £2,400

The Farmers Guardian-supported May Day show and sale of suckled calves at Ruswarp saw the judge, Matthew Brown, Driffield, award the championship to Glenn and Myles Mortimer, Glaisdale, for an 11-month-old Limousin-sired heifer. It went on to sell for the day's top price of £2,400 to Sean Marsh, Dover.

The Mortimers, who run 120 suckler cows – which are all served by artificial insemination to make use of the best genetics – also sold their third prize winning heifer for £2,000 to Paul Blacker, Goole.

The reserve champion was the winning steer, an 11-month-old British Blue cross from Colin Hutton, Fylingdales, which sold for £1,260 to D. Stevenson, Loftus.

Steers topped at £1,420 for a 12-month-old Charolais cross from A. Hollings, Goathland.

The bulls were judge by Stuart Mason, Weaverthorpe, who chose as champion a seven-month-old Limousin cross from Pete Hills, Ugthorpe. It sold for £1,100 to P. Beal, Setteringham, who also paid £1,280 for the reserve bull champion, a six-month-old British Blonde consigned by John Dunwell, Fylingthorpe.

Bulls sold to £1,500 for a Limousin cross from J.C. and P. Harrison, Fryup.

According to the auctioneers, the best quality younger cattle sold very well, with the mid-range turnout cattle looking best value, but some buyers were hesitant to commit to grass cattle given the weather and ground conditions.

Averages – Limousin – bulls, £1,278; steers, £1,228; heifers, £1,317. Charolais – bulls, £1,090; steers, £1,167; heifers, £981. British Blue – bulls, £1,116; steers, £1,091; heifers, £1,095. British Blonde – bulls, £1,380; heifers, £861. Aberdeen-Angus – bulls, £860; steers, £825; heifers, £690. Simmental – steers, £980; heifers, £982. Beef Shorthorn – steers, £869; heifers, £753. Hereford – steers, £850; heifers, £633.

Auctioneers: Richardson and Smith.

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