The greatest challenge to all markets since foot and mouth has of course been the covid-19 pandemic . Store and breeding stock sales were halted for a month and in line with Livestock Auctioneers Association ’ s national guidance , the drop-and-go system for primestock was adopted . More recently the rules have been relaxed to an extent with vendors allowed to represent their stock and with a carefully regulated attendance of prospective buyers has been put in place , all recommended precautionary measures remain in place for the time being .

“ Initially , we also facilitated the sale of stock via our website and farm-to-farm sales which involved auctioneers putting in huge amounts of time to manage this trading platform ,” said Mr Greenow .

Many farmers made a point of thanking the market for keeping the live sales going . Gisburn ’ s approach to maintaining its monthly machinery and equipment sale , rather than running it entirely on-line , has been to allow a 90minute pre-sale viewing period on sale day – currently Tuesday -- for registered buyers . Then , for the sale itself , buyers are socially distanced round the main ring and the lots are displayed

on a large video screen with the sale conducted from the rostrum . The plan is to maintain this system for now as it has worked well , not least on wet days .

Generally , customer numbers are up , and the reach of the customer base has extended to South Wales , Cumbria , Derbyshire and Yorkshire .

Sales numbers are up , averaging 2,534 sheep a week and 587 cattle a week which represent 50 per cent and 40 per cent increases respectively although as Mr Greenow points out , all markets are up against the deadweight domination of the prime cattle trade .

So what is on and when ?

Every Thursday hosts the sale of prime clean cattle and young bulls , cull cows , prime and cull sheep , dairy cattle and importantly , what is arguably the largest calf sale in the North West . Fortnightly , there is also a sale of stirks after the rearing calves .

All Saturdays see cull sheep and prime lambs in large numbers . Breeding and store cattle are every other Saturday along with breeding and store pigs , and replacing the cattle on alternate Saturdays are breeding and store sheep .