Breeding cattle production sale peaks at £2,320

 Prices peaked at £2,320 for breeding cattle at Huw and Rhian Leyshon’s on-farm production sale, Skewen, Neath, at the weekend (31 May).

Sale topper was a British Blue x cow which sold to K Tanner, Cadoxton, with her eight-month-old Limousin x bull calf at foot.

Heifers and spring born calves sold to £2,100 twice for a British Blue x cow and her Limousin x bull calf. They sold to Messrs AJI and MD James, Llanfrynach. A similar outfit made the same money when selling to Mr K Tanner, Cadoxton.

A large consignment of in-calf heifers met a strong interest from the ringside and sold to £1,280 for a British Blue x Friesian due in August to a Limousin bull. Buyer was Mr Pugh, Llangorse.

Auctioneer Stephen Williams said despite the low finished beef prices, purchasers were prepared to pay for quality replacements. “The sale demonstrated there is optimism for the future, with purchasers prepared to reinvest in well-grown, milky heifers, with calves at foot showing early potential.”

Averages: 66 heifers with Spring born calves at foot, £1,735; 23 heifers with Autumn born calves at foot, £1,778; 32 in-calf heifers, £1,098; four in-calf cows, £1,000; 38 bulling heifers, £944; one stock bull, £3,150.

(Williams Associates and Carmarthen Livestock Centre).