Strong demand at Hexham Auction Mart as cattle and sheep prices rise

Hexham Auction Mart reported a strong day of trading on Friday 4 September 2026, with buyers competing for store cattle, suckled calves, cast sheep and store lambs from across the North of England and the Scottish Borders.

Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly store-cattle and suckled-calf sale with an increased entry of 171 cattle. The mart said the larger offering attracted more purchasers, while a mixed selection included an increasing number of dairy-bred cattle. Those cattle were readily sold, with demand described as strong and possibly sharper than the previous week.

All cattle were eagerly bid for and several buyers left the sale short of numbers, according to the mart’s report. The overall store-cattle leader was a Charolais-cross steer from L R Carmichael & Son, Berwick Hill, which realised £2,750.

Charolais and Limousin cattle lead the sale

A strong contingent of Charolais- and Limousin-cross steers and heifers from Coquetdale producer Mr F T Walton, Flotterton, was particularly sought after. The cattle sold to £2,570 and £2,520 respectively.

The leading price among heifers was £2,590, paid for a pair of pure Charolais heifers from JHC Campbell & Sons, Thrunton. Angus-cross heifers from G & JH Tomlinson & Son, Sunniside, reached £2,460.

Other notable results included Limousin-cross steers from K Nixon, Hesleywell, which sold to £1,840 on two occasions. A pair of five-month-old Hereford heifer calves from C Anderson, Dunterley, attracted strong attention and made £900.

The detailed age-group results showed the breadth of the trade. Among cattle aged 24 to 29 months, Charolais-cross steers reached £2,750 from Berwick Hill, while Aberdeen Angus-cross steers reached £2,540 from the same farm. Eslington High Hill consignments included Charolais-cross steers at £2,450 and Limousin-cross cattle at £2,440.

Charolais heifers topped the 24-to-29-month heifer section at £2,590 from Thrunton. Aberdeen Angus-cross heifers reached £2,460 from Sunniside, while Charolais-cross heifers from Flotterton made £2,460. Limousin-cross heifers from Arnold House sold to £2,290.

In the 18-to-23-month section, Charolais-cross steers from Flotterton reached £2,570 and Limousin-cross steers from the same producer reached £2,520. Simmental-cross steers sold to £1,930 from Hill Head, while Aberdeen Angus heifers from Fell House made £2,390.

Younger cattle also attracted substantial bids. British Blue-cross steers aged 11 to 17 months reached £2,230 from Hill Head, Limousin-cross heifers reached £2,370 from Blackburn and Charolais-cross heifers reached £2,180 from Tone Hall. Aberdeen Angus-cross steers sold to £2,070 from The Chapel, while Limousin cattle from Hesleywell reached £2,110.

For cattle aged 10 months and under, Hereford calves reached £960 from Dunterley. The results also included Stabiliser-cross steers to £2,100 from Westerheugh Farm and British Blue-cross heifers to £1,960 from Hill Head.

Next store-cattle sale delayed by Kelso event

There will be no store-cattle sale at Hexham the following week because of the Kelso Ram Sales. The weekly sale is due to resume on 18 September.

Entries and enquiries for the next sale can be made to Drew Patrick on 07854 361967 or Andrew Hutcheson on 07955 275403.

Cast sheep trade strengthens

Hexham and Northern Marts also sold 1,391 cast ewes and tups. The mart described the trade as stronger, despite a large entry of lean hill ewes. Stock came from Northumberland, Cumbria, Lockerbie, the Scottish Borders, County Durham and other surrounding areas.

Beltex-cross ewes topped the cast-ewe section at £300 for a pair from P & E B Robson, Middle Horsleyhope. A Texel ewe from Hillcrest Livestock also made £300. Charollais-cross ewes reached £242 from Middle Horsleyhope, while Suffolk ewes from the same farm sold to £228.

Cheviot Mule ewes reached £209 for four from Hillcrest Livestock and Mule ewes made £172 for seven from I Burn & Sons, Grange House. Blackface ewes sold to £141 for a trio from Messrs Weatherson, Edges Green, while Swaledale ewes reached £124 from J L Archer, White Hill.

Cast tups and wethers sold to £256 for a pair from R Darlington, Hall Hill Farm. Blue Texel tups reached £245 from T J Lee & Son, Hackford, while Texel-cross tups made £208 from Rayheugh and a Texel tup reached £195 from White Hill.

The mart asked vendors to continue entering ewes. The next cast-ewe sale was listed for 8am the following week, with entries and enquiries to Jack on 07739 440457, Harrison on 07895 761102, Andrew on 07955 275403 or Neil on 07955 268459.

8,793 store lambs sold

The store-lamb sale comprised a catalogued entry of 8,793 and averaged £124.53 overall. The total included 2,821 Mules, Cheviots, Blackies, Swales and other hill lambs.

The mart said 3,446 more lambs were sold than on the same day the previous year. Competition remained strong from the opening pen to the end of the sale, with the final pen making £148.

Beltex-cross lambs topped the sale at £180 for a shapely pair from J P & F Scott, Westburnhope. Further Beltex-cross lambs reached £171 from J Lee & Sons, Agars Hill, and £170 from M & N Gray, Low Espley. Beltex-cross lambs averaged £145.23.

Texel-cross lambs sold to £178 from Younger & Hall, Newhouses. A consignment of 52 from J Thompson & Sons, Springwell Cottage, averaged £156.72 after reaching £167. The mart recorded 293 separate pens of Texel-cross lambs at £117 or more.

Suffolk-cross lambs reached £157 from D E & J Fairless, Piatroon. A total of 1,012 Suffolk-cross lambs averaged £133.69, with only two pens selling below £119. Other Suffolk-cross consignments included 12 lambs from P Guiry & Son at £151 and 74 at £146.

Blackface lambs reached £104 from Featherwood Partners, who also sold further lambs at £100 and £89. J D Walton & Son, Burnbank, also reached £100. Mules topped at £128 from R & M J Lee, Harwood Shield, while a pen of 139 from T A Collingwood & Son, Ambling Gate, sold to £123.

Swale lambs reached £84 for 50 well-bred lambs from J P & F Scott, Westburnhope. Cheviot and Cheviot-cross lambs sold to £128 from T Sowerby, Partridge Nest, with 680 Cheviot and Cheviot-cross lambs selling above £108. North of England Mule lambs reached £128 from Harwood Shield, Dutch Spotted Cross lambs reached £130 from Grange House and Easy Care lambs reached £123 from Haining Hall.

The mart reported that 13,575 sheep had been sold through Hexham and St Johns during the first week of September. It said more sheep of all classes were wanted and were actively sought by buyers.