A UNIQUE sale at Middleton Auction Mart saw young farmers demonstrate their cattle finishing skills.
Some 15 young guns attended the spring cattle sales in April and May where they picked a calf to finish over the summer.
The cost of the calves – between £1,200 and £1,400 – was covered by auction company Harrison and Hetherington, which operates the mart at Middleton.
The results of the competitors’’ efforts were on show last week alongside a show and sale of almost 150 store cattle, 250 store lambs and 50 breeding sheep.
Catching the judge Andrew Smith’s eye was a Limousin cross bullock shown by Seth Pattinson, of Temon Farm, which was awarded the champion’s rosette.
The reserve champion was Harry Askwith’s Limousin cross heifer.
Auction mart director Neil Tarn was impressed with the standard of animals produced by the youngsters.
He said: “I think they have done a hell of a job, a brilliant job. There is good quality, they have fed them really well and they’ve look after them really well.”
He added that the young farmers demonstrated a lot of professionalism in the way they showed their animals.
Ahead of the sale Mr Tarn said: “I would think they are in for some good profits.
“The finished cattle price has improved over the summer, it has gone the right way for them.
“We coincided this sale with the school holidays so that some of them could be here.”
Mr Tarn’s expectation of good prices was borne out as Seth’s champion sold for £2,000 and the reserve for £1,580.
The champion and reserve rosettes in the store cattle section both went to JC&J White, of Rigg Farm.
The champion was the winner of the over 12 months steer class, which sold for £1,720, while the reserve was the top steer from the under 12 months class, which went for £1,780.
Leading averages at the sale were: SB Hooper & son, 2 av £1635; JC&J, White, Rigg farm 7 av £1540; EH, Watson, Stoney Hill 2 av £1515; and JE&AJ, Mitchell, Parrick House 6 av £1485.
