PRIME hoggs - 1382: A very small entry despite the very good trade over the last few days but numbers very short elsewhere as bad weather has led to a shortage of meat and very few have sheep ready to draw. SQQ 10p up in the week to 176.6p. Heavies to £90.50 for 58kg, £90.20 for 54kg, £89 for 53kg, export to 189.5p with many 180p+. Some dry food will make a great deal of difference and wheat, barley and oats are not much over £100/tonne. Every sheep sold averaged £76.50. Please keep electronic tags in your vehicle as they must be substituted. More sheep needed.

Ewes and lambs - 10 with 16: 2 lots being 5 Suffolk cross ewes with their 7 lambs at £170 and 5 Texel cross smaller ewes with their 9 lambs which also sold at £170.

In-lamb ewes - 699: A tremendous entry which included three major drafts. A feature of this week was the quality on offer which featured many strong bunched ewes. Starting the sale were an annual consignment of 217 Suffolk and Texel cross Mule 3's and 4's in lamb to Texel rams and due from January 24. The Suffolk crosses sold from £140 to £151. Texel cross from £125 to £148. Following this were a dispersal of 181 home bred Texel cross Suffolk and Charollais ewes again in good condition and lambing from 5th February. The 2's, 3's and 4's sold from £130 to £152. The yearlings were slightly smaller and sold from £130 to £135. Bunches of strong 4 year old Suffolks with lambs scanning 170% to 195% sold from £125 to £142. A bunch of North Country Mule 3's and 4's in lamb to a Suffolk cross Charollais ram sold from £120 to £126. The few plainer sorts were hardest to sell with full and broken mouth Mules due to lamb in March from £65 to £94.

Ewes scanned for triplets were in good order being 4 and 5 year olds - they ranged from £80 to £120. The highest price of the day were 4 pedigree Texel ewes from Mr J C Hartwright. They topped at £320 and also sold at £275, £270 and £220, all yearlings and 2 year olds. A total clearance effected with an overall average of £125.81/head. An entry of 750 expected for next week to include 160 Suffolk cross Mule yearlings from M/s A Rogers and Partners.

Store hoggs - 2084: A good entry for the first week of January met the dearest trade of the season with the strong lambs exceptionally dear, however small lambs maintained the same trade as before Christmas as the wet weather makes farming these sorts very difficult.

A large crowd of men including some fresh faces all keen to replace hoggs sold over the Christmas period. The strongest sold to £82, with all strong types from £68 to £80.80. Several hoggs from £68 to £74 for large bunches. Good farming hoggs from £62 to £67.50. Medium type keep sorts from £56 to £61.50. Well bred longer keep hoggs from £48 to £55. Harder bred sorts and sheep lacking condition from £40 to £47.50. Very small sorts from £30 to £38.50 with several small hill wethers and tail-end clear-up jobs. Ram hoggs to £75.20, all strength £62 to £74.20. Farming types from £54 to £61.50. Smaller sorts from £42 to £52.

Rearing/weaned calves: An excellent entry - all rearing calves under 42 days sold to an easier trade topping at £370 for a British Blue bull with 10 others from £250 to £335. 8 British Blue cross heifers sold to £320 with others from £130 to £305. 4 Hereford cross bulls from £170 to £260. 2 Hereford cross heifers at £120 and £190. 2 Limousin cross heifers at £200 and £250. A Beef Shorthorn bull at £175. 13 Holstein bulls saw stronger calves from £70 to £95. Smaller sorts from £15 to £40. A total clearance effected. This number can be sold.

Cull ewes - 1667: Another excellent entry and despite reports earlier in the week of a fall in the trade, this was not the case at Hereford. Yes, the Mule ewes would be slightly easier but everything else on a par with last week. Those best continental types up to £138.50/head with plenty of others at £100 plus. Again the leaner sorts are outselling the fat. Plenty of Speckle and Welsh ewes between £40 and £60/head depending on quality and meat. The rams have certainly had a lift selling up to £145/head and several others at £135.50, £121 twice and £110. More ewes wanted next week.

Average £/head - £64.41/head, Continental £138.50, Suffolks £110, North Country Mules £80, Welsh Mules £74, Speckles £57.50, Welsh £66, Cull Rams £145, Cull Wethers £80.