STORE cattle – 472: Second sale in the month saw a nice entry of cattle and plenty of competition especially bearing in mind what's happening in the fat ring.

A total clearance. The best grazing cattle were far easier sold than anything else.

Some fresher smaller brethren were more difficult. In general however prices more than satisfied expectations especially on the young bulls.

Prices were as follows:-

Limousin Breeding Bulls to £1228.50.

Hereford Breeding Bulls to £1260, £1207.50, £1186.50.

In-Calf Limousin Cows to £1145.

Charolais Steers to £1080, £980, £785, £685, £635, £630, £600 (top 227.0p/kg average 195.2p/kg).

Charolais Heifers to £895, £890, £800, £760 (top 184.0p/kg average 175.0p/kg).

Limousin Steers to £1035, £995, £980, £960, £950, £935, £880, £860, £850, £840, £830, £815, £805, £795, £780, £755, £725, £720, £715, £665, £635, £625, £615, £550, £500 (top 215.0p/kg average 190.7p/kg).

Limousin Heifers to £1200, £1130, £1085, £1015, £1000, £985, £920, £905, £900, £890, £880, £875, £840, £835, £800, £795, £785, £775, £760, £755, £750, £725, £720, £690, £685, £680, £670, £630, £605, £600, £585, £570, £550, £530 (top 252.0p/kg average 191.0p/kg).

Belgian Blue Steers to £1035, £1020, £1005, £875, £855, £850, £825, £805, £750 (top 189.0p/kg average 186.0p/kg).

Belgian Blue Heifers to £1055, £1000, £995, £980, £965, £960, £955, £950, £940, £895, £885, £875, £850, £815, £805, £735, £720, £685, £570 (top 240.0p/kg average 180.0p/kg).

Blonde D'Aquitaine Steers to £825, £815 (top 168.0p/kg average 160.0p/kg).

Blonde D'Aquitaine Heifers to £795, £760, £700, £670, £660, £610 (top 170.0p/kg average 162.0p/kg).

Simmental Steers to £1150, £1140, £1100, £1085, £1040, £1030, £1000, 3825, £780, £765, £730, £635, £610 (top 192.0p/kg average 175.0p/kg).

Simmental Heifers to £900, £700, £610 (top 159.0p/kg average 155.0p/kg).

Hereford Steers to £865, £850, £835, £755, 3685, £680, £645 (top 189.0p/kg average 178.0p/kg).

Hereford Heifers to £805, £795, £780, £750, £735, £700, £695, £650, £630, £590, £585 (top 186.0p/kg average 160.0p/kg).

Aberdeen Angus Steers to £855, £660, £495 (top 154.0p/kg average 146.0p/kg).

Aberdeen Angus Heifers to £670, £650, £630 (top 160.0p/kg average 154.0p/kg).

Normande Steers to £940 (154.0p/kg).

Saler Heifers to £590 (171.0p/kg ).

Shorthorn Heifers to £750, £525 (top 147.0p/kg average 140.0p/kg).

Bull prices were as follows:-

Charolais Bulls to £1085, £1075, £1070, £1050, £1045, £1025, £965, £950, £920, £900, £855, £795, £785, £765, £755, £700, £650, £630, £625, £600, £585, £570, £500, £495 (top 224.0p/kg average 195.0p/kg).

Limousin Bulls to £1080, £1035, £1030, £1015, £1005, £1000, £995, £960, £955, £950, £925, £885, £880, £870, £805, £745, £730, £725, £710, £700, £660, £630, £625, £610, £555, £545 (top 255.0p/kg average 207.4p/kg).

Belgian Blue Bulls to £1000, £940, £920, £900, £850, £700 (top 209.0p/kg average 191.0p/kg).

Hereford Bulls to £775, £700, £655, £565, £550, £455, £400 (top 194.0p/kg average 170.0p/kg).

Aberdeen Angus Bulls to £635, £540, £400 (top 138.0p/kg average 133.0p/kg).

Saler Bulls to £650, £625 (top 208.0p/kg average 202.0p/kg).

Simmental Bulls to £1050 (191.0p/kg).

Welsh Black Bulls to £765 (219.0p/kg).

Store sheep – 662: A disappointing entry of ewes and lambs.

Those on offer met a firm trade with hoggs and lambs selling to £146.00 per couple to average £136.00. Ewes and lambs up to £171.00 to average £147.00.

Calves and weanlings – 22: A good trade. Plenty of buyers in attendance with nice rearing bull calves to £385.00 to average £213.00 for all sorts.

Rearing heifer calves to £300.00 to average £252.00. More needed.

April 25

Finished cattle – 329: A nice entry with some very good cattle in it for the Whitsun Show and Sale.

The winner of the BOCM Tankard for the best beast in the yard went to M/s E P Parkes and Sons.

Other prize winners were as follows:-

Class 1 – Best Steer – 1st C P Paddock, Burway Farm, 2nd E and S Layton, Knoakes Court, 3rd Mr D J Morgan, New House.

Class 2 – Best Heifer – 1st M/s E P Parkes and Sons, New House Farm, 2nd M/s C W Roberts and Son, Earls Ditton Farm, 3rd C P Paddock, Burway Farm.

Class 3 – Best Bull – 1st M/s GH and JM Samuel, Orlham Farm, 2nd M/s HE Powell and Co., Lower Farm, 3rd M/s HE Powell and Co, Lower Farm.

Trade felt a bit better. Just a bit more edge to it. There needs to be but not perhaps such a depressing feel to everything. Again best butcher's heifers were the easiest thing sold. Prices were as follows:-

Medium steers Best quality to 218.0p average 200.3p; Standard quality to 176.0p average 172.1p; Also rans to 154.5p; Overall average 172.8p.

Heavy steers Best quality to 189.5p average 182.5p; Standard quality to 178.0p average 170.0p; Also rans to 160.0p; Overall average 172.0p.

Light heifers Best quality to 238.5p average 238.5p; Also rans to 158.5p; Overall average 198.3p.

Medium heifers Best quality to 239.5p average 225.2p; Standard quality to 184.5p average 174.5p; Also rans to 104.0p; Overall average 205.5p.

Heavy heifers Best quality to 241.5p average 212.8p; Standard quality to 184.5p average 170.7p; Also rans to 159.5p; Overall average 182.0p.

Light bulls To 139.5p average 130.4p.

Medium bulls To 203.0p average 160.2p.

Heavy bulls To 190.0p average 173.7p.

Barren cows and old bulls – 48: A really good trade. Plenty of competition. Prices were as follows:-

Grade 1 Cows to 144.50p average 144.50p.

Grade 2 Cows to 128.00p average 121.31p.

Grade 3 Cows to 116.50p average 109.71p.

Grade 4 Cows to 105.00p average 80.33p.

Old Bulls to 108.00p average 105.00p.

Overall average 107.40p.

Finished sheep – 3,978: A sheep trade which is under pressure itself now from New Zealand imports.

The winners in the show classes for spring lambs were:- Class 1 – Lambs up to 36kg in weight – 1st, 2nd and 3rd C J Brooke, Cherry Green Cottage.

Class 2 – Lambs over 36kgs in weight – 1st and 2nd B Blandford and Son, Netherton Farm, 3rd Einon Probert and Sons, Northingtown Farm.

Prices were as follows:-

Standard Lambs to 288.0p average 219.4p.

Medium Lambs to 300.0p average 220.3p.

Heavy Lambs to 210.0p average 208.3p.

Overweight Lambs to 205.0p average 205.0p.

Export quality lambs sold up to 300.0p per kilo and averaged 228.7p per kilo and home trade lambs sold up to 222.5p per kilo and averaged 213.5p per kilo.

A more difficult trade on the hoggets but it is true to say that the back has gone up off several of the sheep being offered. Some of them need to be shorn to freshen them up.

Prices were as follows:-

Standard Hoggets to 181.0p average 166.4p.

Medium Hoggets to 195.0p average 181.2p.

Heavy Hoggets to 190.0p average 173.2p .

Overweight Hoggets to 173.5p average 159.5p.

Export quality hoggets sold up to 195.0p per kilo and averaged 184.8p per kilo and home trade hoggets sold up to 179.0p per kilo and averaged 173.1p per kilo.

Cull Ewes: Again a good number of ewes forward found a trade coming under pressure with numbers forward nationally.

In-spec ewes still a very good trade however those that don't fit the bill were harder to place.

No best ewes forward with large lean Continentals selling to £100.00 with an overall average of £66.68.

Rams to £96.50 average £71.98.