Forward at Hawes mart on Tuesday were eight calves, 600 prime and lightweight hoggs and 111 cast ewes and rams. Calves: British Blue bulls sold to £410, J. F. Bowe and Son, Hawes; Limousin heifers £352, J. R. Thwaites, Askrigg (average £319.25); Friesian-Holstein bulls £250, J. C. Clarkson and Son, Bainbridge (£153).

The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers had forward 42 prime cattle, seven young bulls, 5,344 prime hoggs and 5,464 cast ewes and rams. Steers: Light sold to 195.5p per kg (average 186.5p); medium 213.5p (199.3p); heavy 215.5p (198.9p). Heifers: Medium 222.5p (207.5p); heavy 208.5p (194.1p). Young bulls 192.5p (178.6p).

MIGHTY BEAST: Whinfellpark farm manager Iain Scott (left) receives the record priced bull from stockman Gerwyn Jones and breeder Glyn Vaughan.

Harrison and Hetherington held their weekly sale of crop at Carlisle on Monday. Mini heston bales of wheat straw sold to £83, £81 and £59 per tonne and £16 and £15 per bale; quads of wheat straw £80 per tonne; round bales of wheat straw £72 per tonne and £16 per bale; mini heston bales of hay £30 per bale; round bales of hay £22 and £15 per bale; round bales of barley straw £16 and £15 per bale; round bales of haylage £16 per bale; round bales of silage £15.

A sale of Limousin females held at Borderway mart, Carlisle, on Friday saw lively demand, with 84 out of 85 lots selling and a leading price of 5,000gns. The top price was paid for the heifer Cloughhead Felice from G. L. Hutton, Setmabanning, Threlkeld. Born in May, 2010, she was sired by the French bull Toucan out of the Ugues-sired Cloughhead Calise. Paying the top price was T. P. Atkinson, Meadow View, Newland, Ulverston.

Forward at Hawes mart on Tuesday were eight calves, 600 prime and lightweight hoggs and 111 cast ewes and rams. Calves: British Blue bulls sold to £410, J. F. Bowe and Son, Hawes; Limousin heifers £352, J. R. Thwaites, Askrigg (average £319.25); Friesian-Holstein bulls £250, J. C. Clarkson and Son, Bainbridge (£153).

The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers had forward 42 prime cattle, seven young bulls, 5,344 prime hoggs and 5,464 cast ewes and rams. Steers: Light sold to 195.5p per kg (average 186.5p); medium 213.5p (199.3p); heavy 215.5p (198.9p). Heifers: Medium 222.5p (207.5p); heavy 208.5p (194.1p). Young bulls 192.5p (178.6p).

MIGHTY BEAST: Whinfellpark farm manager Iain Scott (left) receives the record priced bull from stockman Gerwyn Jones and breeder Glyn Vaughan.

WITH March on our doorstep the new house and garden open season is only a month away. Preparations in thegardens are well on the way and hopefully with some decent spring and summer weather all the hard work will produce quite a spectacle.

Sir, Every day across the whole of the UK somebody finds out they have cancer. It could be a mother, father, brother, sister or grandparent, so we are now signing people up for gift aid.