Ringside at Derby Cattle Market, Derbyshire

Prime cattle prices rocketed at last Thursday’s (7 March) sale, with the top 25% of bulls fetching more than 10p/kg more than the previous week. “All averages were fantastic, with the only downfall being large numbers of Holstein/Friesians,” said auctioneer Charles Hollis from Eaton and Hollis.

Even so, Friesian bulls averaged 194.4p/kg (£1,173 gross), while the few Continentals forward averaged 220.78p/kg (£1,349 gross). Limousins topped the prime bull and over-30-month sections, at 239p/kg and 196p/kg, respectively, with the overall OTM average at 144.74p/kg. “Unfortunately, this will be harmful to the family butcher because the public will say that beef is too dear.”

The top quartile of steers averaged 243.75p/kg, with bulls at 223.86p/kg and heifers at 228.5p/kg.

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