AUCTIONEERS

16 January 1998

AUCTIONEERS

COMMENT

MARKET

Yeovil, Somerset

AUCTIONEER

Lester Williams, Symonds and Sampson

(Premier LIvestock Auctions)

STORE cattle prices will struggle to reach last years levels, when the main selling season kicks off in a few weeks.

So says Lester Williams, busy preparing for the Feb 12 Candlemas Fayre at Yeovil, where more than 1000 strong animals are expected.

"Buyers will be cautious in the face of low finished beef prices. A 600kg animal now slaughtered for, say, 88p/kg would gross £528. It might have cost nearer £600 as a store last spring."

Its a similar story in the sheep trade, with stores bought for £40-plus now making between £35 and £40. "At these rates, taking costs into account, youll be losing £9 a head. That hurts."

Candlemas looks set to see its best entry ever in terms of quality, says Mr Williams. "The 30-month ceiling on animals going into the food chain means stock has been pushed harder at a younger age. Many have been given concentrates – and fodder has been plentiful and cheap.

"The mild autumn meant cattle went into the winter looking well and, although its been wet recently, most come from Dorsets free-draining chalk hills.

"This environment helps ensure stock cleanliness, too – certainly compared with housed animals. Stores can be discounted if they are dirty, particularly if they are near to finishing."

Batches of uniform stock will again make the most money, allowing buyers to keep them together, give them the same rations and, hopefully, finish them together.

Buyers travel to the event from as far away as Scotland and northern England, often visiting PLAs two other big store sales at Frome and Yeovil in the same week.

The typical age of entries at Candlemas will be between 16 and 20 months, with most steers on green or blue CIDs. This leaves either one or two subsidy claims available – and this factor will have a big impact on bidding.

Meanwhile sellers are in cautious mood. Candlemas regular John Hoskin reckons typical runs of steers on red CIDs will struggle to make £500.

Last year, one of the Simmental steers from Mr Hoskins Dorchester farm made £675. "That seems a long time ago.

"We havent got the option to delay selling, because we havent got the housing. We will just have to take the medicine."

"Weve sold in ever-increasing numbers over the last 10 years but not, recently, at ever-increasing prices. Hopefully, the govern- ments pledge to ban beef imports unless they meet British standards – and any lifting of the export ban – will help the beef trade," says Mr Hoskin.

"Hopefully, prices have reached their lowest point. They cant get much worse – mind you, we said that 12 months ago." &#42

What they made last year Candlemas 1997

Steers Heifers

Simmental 541 425

Charolais 525 427

Limousin 509 345

Hereford 468 355

Friesian 442 n/a

Top quality stock will again be on offer at Candlemas – but the outlook for prices is uncertain.