Taking Stock

There was "good and consistent trade" at today's Welsh Black Cattle Society annual spring prize store sale at Dolgellau.

Some 187 Welsh Black cattle - consisting of 32 heifers and 155 steers - went under the hammer at Dolgellau, accounting for more than 40% of the cattle entered for the whole sale (452).

"Heavy steers sold well, producing good money for their vendors, while as always the yearling cattle excelled in the highest price pence per kilo section." said WBCS Chief Executive, Andrew James.

Several groups of yearling steers sold close to the £1.39/kg prize winner, with WBCS Council Chairman Evan Tudor, of the Aber herd, selling two batches of steers for £1.38/kg.

Merionethshire Council member, Geraint Wynne, who is retiring from farming in October, sold a steer at £1.37/kg.

Bala breeders Messrs H P Roberts, Gyrn, Llanuwchlyn, also sold some yearling cattle for £1.36/kg, confirming the constantly high quality of the senior and junior cattle.

The next WBCS sale will be a pedigree sale on May 4 at Dolgellau.

Caithness Livestock Centre will be the venue for the north of Scotland’s first store sheep sale of the season next month.

Monday, August 6th will feature the annual show and sale of Half Bred and North Country Cheviot ewe lambs and also incorporates the first sale of the season of all classes of store lambs, including annual consignments from some of the county’s major flocks.

Formerly held at Thurso Mart, the annual event is renowned for the high quality of stock that it offers and it is seen by many as an industry barometer and one of the highlights of Scotland’s seasonal sheep sales.

Commenting on this major event, Caithness Livestock Centre manager John Bremner said: “As the only livestock market left in the county, we are very much looking forward to being able to continue this prestigious and popular event which is sure to attract interest from the length and breadth of the country.

“We have been working hard on upgrading and improving Caithness Livestock Centre in recent months, and I am sure that the facilities we now have will be appreciated by buyers and sellers alike.

Pennines sheep farmer Craig Bradbury exhibited the champion pen of 50 Suffolk-cross lambs at the second show and sale of almost 4000 store lambs at Skipton Auction Mart yesterday.

Mr Bradbury, of Fairbanks Farm, Diggle, Saddleworth, was presented with the Robert Morphet Memorial Trophy, before seeing his charges sell for £35.80 a head to show judge David Findlay, of Coverdale, Middleham.

However, it was the third prize pen of Suffolks from Ron Airey, of Trawden, which made the day’s top price of £42.40 each, purchased by John Nutter, of Bashall Eaves.

Mr Nutter also paid £38.20 a head for the first prize Continentals class winners, a pen of 50 Texel-cross lambs from Chris Metcalfe, of Healey, Masham.

Skipton’s second seasonal store lambs show and sale saw total clearance achieved, with an across-the-board average price of £35.17 a head. There was a profusion of purchasers at the ringside eager to buy in long-keep lambs.

A sharper trade for all ages of store cattle and suckled calves at Hexham and Northern Marts’ recent sale saw an entry of 551 top at £745 for a 20-month old Limousin steers from vendor Kirkley Marsh and £705 for similar aged Charolais cross heifers from Tenter House.

Younger cattle (11-16 months) also saw an improvement in trade. Topping this section were Limousin cross steers from Messrs Blackburn that made £695. Cattle under 10 months old topped at £635 for Blonde cross steers from vendor Low Houselope, report auctioneers.

The upbeat demand for store cattle continued with a cracking trade at Ulverston, Cumbria. Commented auctioneer Ian Walker: “A strong demand throughout the day with prices above expectations in many cases.”

The sale’s top price was £840 paid for a Limousin steer. Limousin heifers reached £708, Charolais £512, Belgian Blue £665. In the steer section Belgian Blues sold to £700 with South Devons reaching £552, Charolais £825 and Holstein Friesian £542. Collecting the championship was a Belgian Blue heifer from Stan Edmondson, Kirkby-in-Furness, Cumbria. She realised £630 to Mark Towers, Colt Park, Ulverston.

Store cattle continue to exceed price expectations as steers at Lanark yesterday averaged 146.4p/kg and topped 194.7p/kg for a pen of 357kg Limousin crosses from J and A Galloway, Lochlyoch.

Of the 552 heifers on offer, they averaged 138.8p/kg and topped at 176.8p/kg for another pen of Limousin’s from Messrs Galloway

Store cattle trade at Hexham has hit truly crazy levels today, with a Limousin cross steer making £1180.

And it wasn't just a one off either, with tow more from the same farm, Highwood, making £1060 and £1000 apiece too. These three were past 23 months, so likely to be heading for the kill line fairly soon.

Meanwhile among the heifers, trade topped at £870 for Limousin cross entries from Longfield House Farm's entries aged between 17 and 22 months.

Inverurie’s Thainstone Centre attracted a good entry of store cattle at the latest show and sale.

The overall show and bullock champion consigner was A and J Nairn, Glenlivet with a 14-month-old Limousin selling for £810 to W and B Hamilton and Sons, Eyemouth.

Another solid day’s trading of store cattle took place at Lanark this week where 431 steers averaged 144.1p/kg and sold to a top pf 182.3p/kg for a batch of Aberdeen-Angus crosses from T J Noble, Lindenlea.

The 381 heifers averaged 138.7p/kg and topped at 197p/kg for a pen of Limousin crosses from R Bell, Hardgatehead.

Of the 42 breeding cattle forward on the same day, top price went to M S Woodside, Biggar, for a heifer with calf at foot selling for £1100 (Lawrie and Symington).

Store trade is continuing in leaps and bounds and Knighton Market, Powys was no exception last week.

Prices hit the 280.5p/kg mark for heifers and averaged just over 147p/kg, while steers topped at 230.7p/kg and averaged 167p/kg.

Keep an eye out for more pictures on the Under the Hammer page of Friday's issue.

Top call of the day for steers in the store rings at Ashford Market on Tuesday was £682 for a 27 month Limousin steer from D R Miles. A good run of prices were seen for a group of 14-18 month old Blondes from J C Plommer whose steers sold to £655 and heifers £535.

Numbers of young suckled cattle were poor, although prices were unaffected with a top price of £510 securing a batch of 13 month old Limousin x Angus/Simmental steers from G C Amos. 12 month Murray Grey x Simmental steers from Tom Lawrence sold for £495, while 10-11 month Angus steers from G R and B G Cannon made £430 and heifers £360.

Dairy bred stores saw a mixed demand, affecting prices slightly. A good run saw the sale of 14-18 month British Blue x Friesian heifers from Sternberg Farms selling to £562.

The major Perth store sales often hits the dizzy heights and today's sale was no exception with a first prize winning Simmental heifer pen selling for £1050 a head.

full report to follow shortly.......

Dearest cattle trade of the spring was seen at St Boswells, with 409 feeding cattle and 335 ewes up for sale.

Topping Bullock trade at £800 were Aberdeen Angus crosses from both Pogbie and Borthwickshiels.

Limousin crosses saw topped at £795, with Charolais crosses coming in at £740. Blonde crosses topped at £680 and Galloway’s at £570, both consigned by Belford on Bowmont.

A British Blue cross heifer topped the female trade at £755, with Aberdeen Angus heifers selling for £675

Suffolk cross ewes with twins topped at £111 for Headshaw, L, with Texel cross Gimmers with twins coming in at £110.

A firm trade was seen at Lanark with the sale of 211 store cattle and 119 bullocks. Bullocks averaged 158.5p/kg to 184.3p/kg for a pen of 350kg Charolais crosses from W J A Davidson and Son, Poldean. £775 gross was reached for a 504kg Limousin Cross from J J and C McCallum, Strathnafanaig.

Heifers, 92 in total, averaged 146.8p/kg to 169.3p/kg for a pen of 446kg for a Limousin cross from T Walker and Son, Netherurd mains and £755 gross for a 446kg Limousin crisis also from T Walker and Son.