January 22

STORE cattle - 409: The second sale in the month saw a good entry. Trade is just on the edge a bit. Buyers not really being sure what they actually want. Changes in grading regimes in certain abattoirs is starting to have an effect right down the supply chain. Plenty of men in attendance and a good enough trade right the way through with all bar one beast finding new homes but just an overall feeling of uncertainty. All of the steers of whatever type, quality and size averaged 199.6p/kg, all of the heifers of whatever type, quality and size 185.5p/kg and all of the bulls to include several Friesians 202.0p/kg. Steers peaked at 249.0p/kg, heifers 231.0p/kg and bulls 255.0p/kg.

There was considerable interest in the breeding stock on offer with a Blonde D’Aquitaine stock bull selling to £1,002.00. In calf beef x cows of various ages in calf to a blonde bull and due from the spring onwards sold up to £960.00 and averaged £770.00 right the way through. Cows and steer calves sold to £1,410.00 to average £1,346.00. Feeding cows sold to £745.00 to average £581.00. Other prices were as follows -

Charolais Steers to £1140, £955, £870, £645, £635 (top 226.0p/kg average 206.0p/kg).

Charolais Heifers to £1150, £1100, £1080, £1040, £1030, £1000, £975, £950, £895, £875, £765, £760, £755, £530 (top 211.0p/kg average 189.3p/kg).

Simmental Steers to £530, £520 (top 241.0p/kg average 236.0p/kg).

Simmental Heifers to £1050, £635, £600 (x3) (top 197.0p/kg average 181.0p/kg).

Limousin Steers to £1180, £1145, £1095, £1010, £990, £975 (x2), £900, £885, £855, £835 (x2), £825, £820, £735, £725, £710, £660, £600 (x2) (top 243.0p/kg average 205.3p/kg).

Limousin Heifers to £955, £930, £910, £900, £885, £815, £785, £770, £766, £750, £730, £705, £685, £680, £675 (x2), £660, £655, £650, £640, £625, £620, £615, £595, £510 (top 223.0p/kg average 194.6p/kg).

British Blue Steers to £1125, £1035, £975, £895, £870, £640 (top 249.0p/kg average 197.0p/kg).

British Blue Heifers to £950, £765, £750, £740, £725, £695, £660, £645, £580 (top 231.0p/kg average 193.0p/kg).

Welsh Black Steers to £820, £540 (top 220.0p/kg average 178.0p/kg).

Aberdeen Angus Heifers to £750, £500, £490 (top 172.0p/kg average 166.5p/kg).

Hereford Steers to £855, £550, £495 (top 186.0p/kg average 178.2p/kg).

Hereford Heifers to £890, £870, £865, £680, £615 (x2), £580, £540, £445 (top 168.0p/kg average 155.0p/kg).

Saler Steers to £905, £830, £745 (top 208.0p/kg average 206.6p/kg).

Bazadaise Steers to £990 (204.0p/kg).

Blonde D’Aquitaine Steers to £895 (195.0p/kg).

Bull prices were as follows:-

Charolais Bulls to £995, £955, £905, £775, £700 (x2), £690 (x2) (top 237.0p/kg average 217.0p/kg).

Simmental Bulls to £880 (x2), £870, £860 (x2), £850 (x2), £840, £835 (x2), £800 (x3), £795 (x3), £780, £770, £755, £750, £720, £705, £700, £695, £650, £635, £630, £625 (top 255.0p/kg average 209.8p/kg).

Limousin Bulls to £1100, £940, £905, £900, £880, £875, £860, £855, £835, £805, £800 (x2), £795, £790, £755, £745, £720, £715, £670, £660, £655, £650 (top 226.0p/kg average 198.6p/kg).

British Blue Bulls to £990, £905, £865, £820, £685, £675, £580 (top 237.0p/kg average 201.2p/kg).

Aberdeen Angus Bulls to £350 (171.0p/kg).

Hereford Bulls to £895 (164.0p/kg).

Murray Grey Bulls to £540 (164.0p/kg).

Holstein Friesian Bulls to £400, £325, £305, £285 (top 127.0p/kg average 122.7p/kg).

South Devon Bulls to £915 (185.0p/kg).

Store sheep - 4,166: An excellent entry for the time of year and a very good lamb trade again. Strong store lambs sold up to £87.00 and averaged £75.50, medium store lambs to £72.50 average £68.20, small store lambs to £64.00 average £59.40, mini store lambs to £54.00 average £48.60. Texel ram lambs sold in the store pens made £100.00. Plenty of interest on the in-lamb ewes with in-lamb flock aged ewes to £142.00. Overall average for in-lamb ewes £100.50.

Calves and weanlings - 22: A disappointing entry considering the trade we’ve been experiencing. Rearing bull calves sold to £538.00 and averaged £364.00, weaned steer calves sold to £335.00 to average £292.00, weaned heifer calves sold to £485 to average £428.00. More needed.

January 25

Finished cattle - 301: A yard where the cattle were not as good as last week in general terms and a trade which has slipped again. Some of the cattle were plenty fat enough and would have actually been fit for before Christmas when the trade was much stronger but there we are. A trade that is just in the doldrums. Prices were as follows -

Medium steers -Best quality to 204.0p average 204.0p; Standard quality to 184.5p average 181.9p - Also rans to 170.0p; Overall average 182.0p.

Heavy steers - Best quality to 207.5p average 192.3p; Standard quality to 185.0p average 177.3p - Also rans to 170.5p; Overall average 181.5p.

Medium heifers - Best quality to 229.0p average 215.7p; Standard quality to 193.5p average 184.2p - Also rans to 169.5p; Overall average 181.7p

Heavy heifers - Best quality to 236.5p average 210.2p; Standard quality to 193.5p average 183.0p - Also rans to 174.5p; Overall average 183.4p.

Light bulls - To 174.5p average 154.6p.

Medium bulls - To 208.0p average 173.9p.

Heavy bulls - To 216.0p average 182.0p.

Barren cows and old bulls - 49: A nice trade. Plenty of competition. The perversity of the present situation is that cow meat is being used for a lot of the jobs that poorer cattle go in to or at least out of specification cattle. The result is that the cows are a good trade relative to a lot of the clean. Prices were as follows -

Grade 1 Cows to 146.50p average 139.50p.

Grade 2 Cows to 127.50p average 122.17p.

Grade 3 Cows to 117.50p average 110.50p.

Grade 4 Cows to 104.00p average 87.18p.

Overall average 102.40p.

Finished sheep - 2,692: A much , much brighter trade. Nowhere near enough hoggets for the buyers present. Suddenly everybody wants hoggets. Prices were as follows -

Light Hoggets to 169.0p average 169.0p.

Standard Hoggets to 205.0p average 185.0p.

Medium Hoggets to 200.0p average 189.4p.

Heavy Hoggets to 189.0p average 181.7p.

Overweight Hoggets to 182.5p average 174.2p.

Export quality hoggets sold up to 205.0p per kilo and averaged 195.3p per kilo and home trade hoggets sold up to 188.5p per kilo and averaged 184.1p per kilo.

Cull ewes: As with the National trend an easier trade on ewes. With large fat ewes being the most difficult to place. Large lean meat ewes still a very good trade. Strong Suffolks selling to £98.00 with an overall average of £57.80. Rams to £100.00 average £73.00.