289 STORE Cattle: Store cattle met a flying trade with a ring full of buyers fiercely bidding for all classes.

Steers sold to a top of £1,040 for a bunch of Aberdeen Angus cross, 17 months, from Mesr NJ and BA Turner and Son. Strongest demand was shown on younger grazing steers which sold to £830 for a run of Limousin cross, 10 months, from Mesr RM and MI Morgan. Generally grazing steers sold between 190 – 225p/kg, depending on quality. Stronger feeding steers sold to £1,040 with many consignment achieving £1,000 plus. Overall steers averaged £813.26 per head.

Heifers sold to £920 for a bunch of strong grazing heifers from Mesr NR and SH Wellington. A vastly improved demand was shown on continental cross yearling heifers which sold to a top of 222p/kg and generally sold from 200p/kg. Strong heifers, 15 months plus sold between £750 - £920, with an entry consisting of mainly native breeds. Overall average was £728.54 per head.

Dairy cattle report

78 sold: A good sized entry of cattle of all types and ages. All bar one sold to a very good trade on the milkers but not such a good trade on the followers as is the case at all markets throughout the country.

Top price was 1,500gns for a calved heifer from Brownswood Holsteins, Worcester, with others to 1,250gns three times.

Cows sold to 780gns twice for 2nd and 3rd calvers, in-calf heifers to 980gns, and maiden heifers to 500gns.

May 2

70 Finished cattle: As expected a short entry of cattle for the Bank Holiday market. The entry included some good quality cattle but no real superstars. The trade was much better than recently with better sorts selling to 202 pence. More cattle could readily have been sold. Cull cows sold to 138.5 pence.

Top price per kilo: 202 pence for an entry from Mesr Felton Court Ltd, Hereford.

Top price per head: £1,282.05 for an entry from Mesr Stanley Downton Farms Ltd, Stonehouse.

636 Spring lambs: Spring Lambs met strong demand selling to 235p/kg, with many consignments selling to 230p/kg plus. Strongest demand was for 38kg-41kg lambs selling to £94. The overall average price of Spring Lambs was 226p/kg, with an average price per head of £86.78, average weight 39.5kg.

Top price of Spring Lambs per kilo: 235.00p for an entry from Mr RT Watkins, Coldbrook.

Top price of Spring Lambs per head: £94 for an entry from Mr W Land, Ross-on-Wye.

1,001 Hoggets: Hoggets met a much improved trade selling to a top of £90 and achieving a top of 197p/kg. Export quality hoggets generally sold between 185 – 195p/kg depending on quality and meat. A very pleasing trade with demand throughout the sale on all classes of hogget and spring lambs. The overall average price was £82.77 per head (average weight 44.09kgs).

Top price of Hoggets per kilo: 197.00p for an entry from Mr WJ Francis, Abercynon.

Top price of Hoggets per head: £90 for an entry from Mr SG and CLM Bevan, Newcastle.

345 Cull ewes and rams: A similar entry of ewes for the Bank Holiday met a continued flying trade. Best shaped ewes sold over £100 with continentals selling to the top price of £110. Suffolks sold to £108, mules to £85 leaving another excellent overall average of £84.30. First quality ewes sold from £95, second quality from £70, small and plain ewes sold to this figure. A short entry of Rams sold to an average of £102.