THE big Wednesday cattle highlight at Skipton Auction Mart also featured a production or draft sale of five pedigree British Blue cattle from the renowned North Craven-based Greystone pedigree herd run by brothers Alan and Graham Coates at Rainscar Farm, Stainforth, which created considerable interest from around the country.

Their leading sale at 4,300gns was a two-year-old bull, Greystone Nitram, bred from easy calving lines and by the outstanding Harpon De L’Orgelot son, Javanais De Rocourt, who has one of the best progeny tests in Belgium.

Out of a home-bred dam by Adagio Du Stordeur, the promising white bull – he has worked easily with six pedigree cows and heifers - sold locally to Gargrave’s Colin Whitelock.

The pick of the heifers was Greystone Opel, a very correct white May, 2019, Jardinier De La Bonne Raie daughter, out of a home-bred dam sired by Almeley Ginola, which joined Dean Saunders, who runs the Maidenlands pedigree herd in Ulverston, for 3,000gns. Greystone heifers averaged £2,888.

In addition, the fortnightly Wednesday cattle sale attracted another solid entry comprising 390 feeding and 26 breeding cattle.

Of the 77 young bulls, those under 12 months were a very strong trade if they were premium types of well-drawn strong factory sorts, while 75 beef feeding cows and stock bulls saw the latter sell to £1,240 for a British Blue from the Midgley family in Luddenfoot, with a pure Blue cow from Easingwold’s Ken and Hazel Gamble topping at £1,580.

Trade for 238 store bullocks and heifers was brisker in all departments. Blue bullocks made to £1,250 for one from Langbar’s Roger Naylor, while native steers sold very well, with orders ringside for all classes and a top of £1,245 for each of four Aberdeen-Angus from Bargh Bros in Bracewell. Angus heifers were also in high demand, peaking at £1,260 each for a brace from Rob Tennant, of Conistone, Breeding cattle sold to 2,000gns for a two-year-old pedigree Limousin.