Lack of cattle numbers at Colchester

An inadequate entry but some quality entries sparked a flying trade at Colchester Market. Plenty of cattle were over 190pkg and 16 cattle over the £1000 barrier.  The average included all sorts from Dexters to E Grade steers and heifers.  All steers averaged 169.15, all heifers 155.19, all bulls 126.05, and all cattle 156.58.

Top price for the day was a heavy steer selling for £1242.14 to J Lennox consigned by R Partridge and Son. Lighter steers topped at £1024.10 for A W bentall selling to J Coleman.

A small entry of bulls were on offer topping at £987.28 for P A Evans selling to M Newman. Over thirty months saw prices reaching £919.88 from F Pickford selling to M Newman.

On the sheep front an average entry saw some slips in prices. New season lambs averaged £146.22 with top price of 158.80p/kg being made for W E Chantry and Son.

Old season lambs saw a better trade with prices averaging 97.14p/kg and topping at 107p/kg for 13 medium lambs from Moorhouse farms.

14 Mature sheep averaged 89.39pkg to 96.05pkg. 91 Ewes – a good quality entry, best strong sorts to £66, with ewes from £2.20.