January 11

HOGGETS - A reduced entry of 613 finished hoggets sold to a lively trade to produce an overall average of 174.12p/kg. There was strong demand across all weight ranges with the light and handy weights much sharper than recently. Top selling per head of £90 for Texels from JL Williams weighing 63kg's others from the same at 51kg selling to £85, with 59.5kg from MD Smith, F and J Turner 62.4kg, JM Smith 53.7kg and T and D Merchant 55.7kg all at £85. In terms of p/kg, hoggets peaked at 184p/kg from LI Bevan selling 34.7kg to £63.80. D Williams sold to 183 p/kg (33.8kg-£62) and EW and A Saysell 37.2kg-£68.

T Williams and Son sold to 182p/kg with 32.7kg at £60 and MG and PC Williams 37.4kg at £68.

Cull sheep - A small entry of just 166 culls to a top price of £106.50 for Border Leicester Rams from RW and CS Richards and £101.50 for a Continental ewe from A Evans.

Store hoggets - 72 stores to a top of £54 from S Watkins with only smaller sorts available on the day.

Fodder - 4 loads forward, 4 sold.

28 round bales of wheat straw £220, 26 round bales wheat straw £260, 40 square bales wheat straw £400, 10 round bales hay £220

January 13

Hoggets - 1370 tegs to an easier trade to average 160.23p/kg as more numbers come forward nationally after the recent bad weather. Lightweights most affected by the drop in price, with heavies still in demand to average 164.52p/kg. Mediums best selling at 189p/kg (£81.50-43.1kg) from Dudley Bros; 183p/kg (£75-43.4kgs) from SB Morgan, (£73.50-40.1kgs) from P and B Yeomans, (£80-43.8kgs) from G Powell; 180p/kg (£80.50-44.8kgs) from R Hill, (£72.50-40.1kgs) from T Anthony. Heavies to 169p/kg (£86-51kgs) from MD Smith, Standards to 172p/kg (£59-34.3kgs) from HT Stephens, Lights to 164p/kg (£48.20-30.8kgs) from A Jones and Son.

Cull sheep - 367 cull sheep sold to a more difficult trade on the week. Ewes sold to £87.50 from SB Morgan, Suffolks to £85 from OJ Stephens, the better ewes generally over £80. Mules topped at £78 from WE and CW Jones. Any ewes deemed fat were very difficult to sell, by far the dearest were those plainer types. Very few of the Hill bred ewes over £50, Kerrys sold to £55 from G Morgan, Speckles from NJ Squire sold to £51, the better Hill breeds generally £45-£50. Rams were also less on the week, topping at £100 from AG Priest.

Store sheep - A better entry of 408 store lambs sold to another sharp trade with plenty of buyers in attendance. Charollais ram lambs from MR and JM Bailey topped the sale at £69.50 with others to £64.50. Some smart ewe lambs forward, North Country Cheviots to £68 from K Earle, Charollais at £66 from AG and MJ Heath. Smaller ewe lambs just feeding money. Plenty of lambs in excess of £60, to £60.50 from RH and AM Bennett and £60 from TC Smith. Smaller but well bred lambs £50-£58, only the very small under £35.

Calves - A bumper entry of 64 calves met a generally good trade although understandably a bit easier towards the end. The fact that the first 2 calves through the ring were the highest price bull and heifer respectively further underlined the advantage of being early and vendors are encouraged to be present as early as possible, and no later than 10.15am. The best bull was a Limousin at £390 and the heifer, a Simmental at £355, both from O Anstey and Son. Best Blue bulls £330-£380 but good sorts available at £250-£300. 1st quality Blue heifers £300-£335 with others £240-£270. A large number of small heifers £180-£200. Only a couple of native breeds on offer, Angus bull £195, heifer £95, Hereford heifer £155. Dairy bulls a steady trade with only strong 2-3 month old calves making the top prices of £85-£105. Middling sorts £50-76 and smalls £16-£40.

Breeding cattle - Only 3 outfits forward with an older Continental cow and her month old heifer calf at £1175 from B Morris, Ross On Wye, another similar outfit from the same home sold to £980, and one from JC Carver made £920.

Stirks/young stores - Another excellent entry of 38 young stores again sold to a flying trade, well ahead of the older cattle. Steers peaked at £780 for 9 month old Limousins from C Thomas, West Nash, with a 9 month old Angus from the same home at £730 and Simmentals at £695. Heifers sold to £605 for a 10 month Blue from Mrs JM Goff.

Feeding bulls - Only 2 forward with a 9 month old Blue rig peaking at £515.

Store cattle - A large weekly entry of 266 stores forward for mid January selling to a good trade with well bred yearling cattle in very strong demand. Feeding steers sold to £1190 (635kgs-21m) for Charolais crosses from AW and DM Pritchard and Sons, Crickhowell. British Blue cross Friesian steers to £1160 (620kgs-27m) from M Morgan and Partners, Llancayo, similar bred steers to £1160 from WLS Morgan and Son, Clytha. OTM Steers to £1125 (755kgs-31m) for Limousin crosses from R Hayes, St Fagans. Wintering steers to £1115 (595kgs-21m) for Limousin crosses from JCD and KA Richardson and Son, Itton. Charolais crosses to £1085 (555kgs-18m) from AW and DM Pritchard and Sons. Aberdeen Angus cross steers to £1110 (600kgs-27m) from M Morgan and Partners, WLS Morgan and Son sold Aberdeen Angus crosses to £1105 (582kgs-24m), yearling steers sold to £925 (400kgs) for smart Limousin crosses from TW Roberts and Son, Lisvane. Well bred yearling cattle consistently 240p-260p/kg.

Feeding heifers to £1145 (645kgs-21m) from TM Thomas, Nash, Limousin crosses to £1045 (515kg-23m) from JCD and KA Richardson and Son, Itton. Wintering heifers to £1035 (570kg-20m) from RJ Ikin, Llanvihangel Crucorney. GR Parry, Llandenny sold strong Charolais crosses to £1020 (558kgs-21m). Yearling heifers were easily sold at 215p-230p/kg and topped at £725 (8m) for a smart Limousin cross from TW Roberts and Son, Lisvane.

Cull cattle - A better entry of 53 to a very strong trade throughout. Top price £1180 for a Charolais from J and Mrs HC Hudd. British Blues to £1130 from P Thomas and £1030 from WCR Cooke and Son. Limousins to £965 from E and N Phillips. Dairy breeds to £875 from DG Whistance and Son, and another excellent run of well fleshed Friesians from Price and Co, mostly well over £800. Angus heifers to £900 from EJ Jackson.