Festive trade on fire at Christmas fatstock shows

Finished cattle achieved exceptional prices at Christmas fatstock shows and sales across the country in December, lifting the trade to new record highs.

Regular buyers were joined by butchers and restaurateurs, who were willing to pay top prices for the very best stock ahead of the Christmas rush.

Steers and heifers both traded at above £3/kg liveweight at auction markets in England and Wales in the last week.

See also: Rocketing cull ewe trade tipped to be a flash in the pan

A record price of £16,600 was paid for a British Blue cross heifer from C and G Davies of Gaddesby, Leicestershire, which won champion beast at Melton Mowbray Market’s annual Christmas Fatstock Show on 7 December.

Reserve champion beast was awarded to a Limousin cross heifer, which went on to sell for £4,000.

Champion lambs at Melton achieved £300 a head, while champion pigs sold to £200.

Worcester

Worcester Christmas Primestock Show took place on 4 December with the supreme champion, a Limousin cross heifer from S J Layton, selling for 430p/kg to achieve a top price of £2,630 a head.

A new cull cow record was also achieved on the day with a 1,230kg cow selling to £3,358 a head.

Exeter

Auctioneers Kivells held its annual show and sale on 9 December at Exeter Livestock Centre with supreme and reserve champions being awarded to Limousin heifers from James Westcott of Uffculme.

The heifers went on to sell for £2,125 and £1,978 a piece with both being purchased by the judge on the day, Philip David, master butcher at Darts Farm.

Winning steers at Exeter sold to £1,757 and £1,843 a piece for Limousins, while the native steer class was topped by an Aberdeen Angus selling for £1,927.

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury Auction Centre hosted its Christmas Cracker Dairy Show and Sale on 10 December with 66 cows being sold on the day.

The dairy show champion came from Millenheath Farms, Whitchurch, which went under the hammer for £3,200.

Halls auctioneer and centre manager, Jonny Dymond said: “The quality was exceptional and the demand at ringside resulted in a record £2,557 average for the milking cattle and a top price of £3,280, with seven over £3,000.”