Prime lambs - 1264: Due to the fall in trade a much smaller entry with SQQ of 145.4p/kg which is disappointing but national average for Monday - 143.9p, Tuesday 141.3p, Wednesday 139.5p and Hereford 145.4p. A post-Eid Festival trade as demand has reduced and the end of September and October are the traditional times for the highlands and islands to gather and sell their lambs which does put a lot of extra sheep on the marketplace. A corresponding reduction in trade then occurs and this is what we are currently experiencing.

Breeding ewes - 2375: An excellent entry - the largest Wednesday sale of the autumn. Ewes of many breeds and ages to suit all customers. Top price on the day was £180 for two pens of Poll Dorset ewes scanned in lamb, others from the same draft to £150, the same price achieved by a pen of pure bred Texel two and three year olds. Crossbred ewes sold to £131 for a bunch of strong Texel cross Mule yearlings. Other better Texel crosses from £110 to £130. Suffolk cross Mule yearlings sold to £130 for a pen of black faced, other smarter pens from £108 to £126. More Welsh Mules on offer, they sold to £128 with better sorts again from £108 to £120. North Country Mules from £108 to £116. Lowland ewes, both

smaller and plainer met a demand with prices from £80 to £100, most being sold. Other yearlings included a run of strong Cheviots which sold to a lot of interest from £96 to £122. Good selection of Welsh yearlings, prices from £65 to £82. Speckle yearlings sold at £100. Several older ewes on offer sold to £106 for strong white faced three and four year old Mules, others from the same farm at £101. The draft of full mouth Suffolk cross ewes were all in forward order and sold from £94 to £98.

The dispersal of Texel cross Welsh three year old ewes ranged from £88 to £91. Other three year to full mouth lowland ewes sold from £60 to £89. Zwartbles three year olds sold at £80. Run of Cheviot ewes, two and three year olds from £81 to £85, with full mouth Cheviots from £61 to £67. Those sold as lost a tooth from £55 to £61. The continuing dispersal of home bred Welsh ewes saw threes from £73 to £75, fours at £77. Full mouth at £65. Further consignment again next week. An excellent clearance effected.

Store lambs - 3634: The largest entry of the season met an animated trade throughout and considering current prime lamb values the stores look extremely well sold. A very good yard of sheep met a crowd of men from all parts of Wales and surrounding midland counties and into south of England. More stronger lambs forward, those topped at £66 for a super bunch of Suffolk cross wethers, others from £59 to £63. Farming lambs from £54 to £58.50 with longer keeping sorts from £50 to £53.50. Long term lambs £44 to £49.50 for well bred lowland types, harder bred and hill types from £37 to £45. Very small types £35 to £40, plain and mini lambs £27 to £34.50. Ram lambs to £61.20, good farming sorts £52 to £55.50, harder bred and smaller types £46 to £50. Smaller and backward types £38 to £45.

Ewe lambs met steady demand with a shortage of customers. The strongest and good headed well bred types still sought after topping at £86 for some smart Texel cross Mules. Other Texels from £67 to £77, smaller sorts only feeding money and commanding no premium. Suffolk cross Mules very selective, topping at £84, others £74 to £80, smaller sorts £65 to £70, brown headed types £54 to £60. Welsh Mules to £76 and £70.

Rearing/weaned calves - 23: A good varied entry of rearing and weaned calves. 12 rearers sold to £410 for one of six British Blue cross on offer, others from £250 to £400. Bulls of same breed from £250 to £320. A Limousin cross bull sold at £330. Highlight of the section was the draft of nine home bred beef type Limousin cross steers and heifers from three to three and a half months. Steers sold from £500 to £525. Heifers from £460 to £550. 2 Hereford cross Friesian weaned heifers sold at £420. Total clearance effected.

Stock rams - 228: Very many thanks to Clifford Bufton for judging the three classes. Quality in very good demand up to 800Gns with plenty of good rams in the 600's and 500's. "The ram is half the flock". Please buy a good one!

Show and sale of continental yearling rams: Class 1 - best Texel yearling 1) E G Stephens, Tuthill Farm 800Gns 2) D R Jones, Highfield 560Gns 3) J R Joseph and Co, Lloyney 450Gns. Class 2 - best Charollais yearling 1) D Bussey, Highway Farm 620Gns 2) O H Price, Lower Yardro 500Gns 3) J Harding, Ingsthill Farm. Class 3 - best Beltex cross yearling 1) P Elkington, The Old Bake House 560Gns 2) D E Stephens, Tuthill Farm 580Gns 3) W H Sinnett, Stockton Court 410Gns.

Cull ewes - 2069: Another excellent entry of cull ewes particularly considering the trade reported in other centres since the festival. Nevertheless today was much dearer than expected, in fact some considered the trade to be dearer than last week especially on those grazing types. Several fresh men forward wanting grazing ewes which placed a good bottom in the trade. Whilst the overall average would be easier than last week there would be a vast majority of those plain Welsh and Speckle ewes forward. A definite shortage of strength but those forward were better sold. No strong Texels forward. Rams not surprisingly an easier trade but still sold up to £137/head for a Welsh ram from E and T Powell, Gwernyrallwydd. With 12 ewe buyers forward representing many more firms we are doing all we can to provide as much competition as possible for your cull stock. More ewes required next week.

Average £/head - £48.50, Continental £105, Suffolks £95, North Country Mules £77, Welsh Mules £71, Speckles £51, Welsh £59.50, Cull Rams £137, Cull Wethers £76.