AROUND THE SALES
AROUND THE SALES
MILK QUOTA: Alder Kings leasing auction at Chippenham, Wilts last Friday saw prices range from 8p for 3.63% butterfat quota to 9.5p for 4.19%, averaging 8.59p/litre. This marks a fall of about 1p on the previous offering about two weeks earlier, according to auctioneer James Stephen, with lower milk prices the principal reason. "The boot is on the other foot this year – with the market in favour of the lessee and the purchaser," says Mr Stephen. And on Monday at Cardigan, J J Morris leased 1.3m litres at between 8.4p and 9.5p. averaging 9p/litre. There, auctioneer Malgwyn Evans says interest has shifted towards buying, rather than leasing. "People can see that buying in the mid- to upper 40s is probably better value than leasing at between 9p and 10p/litre." Among the quota sold at the event, 100,000 litres of 4.04% quota made 48p and 25,000 litres of 3.96% made 45.5p/litre.
HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN: Cheshire breeders Tony and Pam Garnetts Fullersgate herd is the new home for Edwern Lindy Rachel, the freshly-calved heifer that stood champion at the North Western breed club fixture at Crewe. Mr Garnett judged the show classes and paid the days top price of 2600gns for this Lindy daughter bred out of a Skybuck dam. She was consigned by J E Lloyd and Son, Hereford. Overall averages were £861 for 28 FR cows; and £928 for 117 SR heifers, report auctioneers Wright-Manley.
MACHINERY: Prices were excellent at a dispersal last weekend at Wootton, North Lincs, despite the strength of sterling and the large number of sales taking place, report auctioneers DDM. Among the highest bids at the event, for retiring R A and C E Ellerby, were £7800 for an Optico 9t mobile gas grain dryer; £7800 for a 1986 Ford 6610 two-wheel drive tractor with loader and £3200 for a 1992 Massey Ferguson 665 combine.
STORE CATTLE: At Ludlow, Shropshire last Friday, auctioneers McCartneys report averages of 107p and 97p/kg for the steers and heifers respectively. Heifers with cattle birth record documents got up to 112p/kg. The longer-keep animals were keenly competed for – although the latest round of bad publicity concerning red meat did prompt an air of uncertainty, according to the auctioneers.
SOUTH DEVONS: The Roserrans herd was dispersed to a top of 1650gns for a young cow and heifer calf for St Columb, Cornwall-based breeder Tim Ball. The cow, by Edmeston Hero 6th, was bought by Jeffrey Warhurst, Banbury for his Ewelsfield herd. Averages were £1068 for 32 cows, £783 for eight in-calf heifers and £505 for 18 maiden heifers, reports Bruton Knowles.