STORE Cattle – 215: An entry with some really good cattle in it met a very good level of demand. There would be no difference between this and ordinary sales. There were some good runs of strong cattle, these reached £1135.00 for steers, with heifers to £1065.00. Prices were as follows:-

Charolais Steers to £1135, £1085, £1075, £1055, £1040, £1030, £1015, £980, £900 (top 212.0p/kg average 200.2p/kg)

Charolais Heifers to £1050, £995, £990, £980, £970, £920 (top 212.0p/kg average 199.2p/kg)

British Blue Steers to £950, £885, £800, £625 (top 190.0p/kg average 186.0p/kg)

British Blue Heifers to £945, £655 (top 183.0p/kg average 180.0p/kg)

Limousin Steers to £1100, £1090, £1075, £1055, £965, £955, £920, £915, £765, £690, £595, £570 (top 208.0p/kg average 190.0p/kg)

Limousin Heifers to £1065, £1040, £1035, £1005, £970, £930, £835, 3800, 3790, 3780, £770, £760, £740, £585, £420, £400 (top 226.0p/kg average 181.0p/kg)

Blonde D’Aquitaine Steers to £690, £665, £625, £605, £595, £570, £500 (top 209.0p/kg average 192.0p/kg)

Blonde D’Aquitaine Heifers to £645, £640 (top 156.0p/kg average 150.0p/kg)

Hereford Steers to £940, £800, £630 (top 192.0p/kg average 187.0p/kg)

Hereford Heifers to £855, £810, £755, £690 (top 194.0p/kg average 160.0p/kg)

Simmental Steers to £1075, £1055, £1035 (top 199.0p/kg average 197.0p/kg)

Aberdeen Angus Steers to £610, £445 (top 151.0p/kg average 146.0p/kg)

Aberdeen Angus Heifers to £755, £470, 3390 (top 163.0p/kg average 156.0p/kg)

Friesian Steers to £785, £695, £630, £500 (top 155.0p/kg average 136.0p/kg)

Fleckvieh Steers to £935 (176.0p/kg)

Beef Shorthorn Heifers to £780, £545, £535, £505 (top 156.0p/kg average 137.0p/kg).

British Blue Bulls to £790 (184.0p/kg).

May 23

Finished cattle – 397: An increased entry and plenty of buyers about. More reticence however from the buyers again. Prices have strengthened over the last weeks albeit from a fairly low level and suddenly there is talk again of difficulty to sell the meat. There was competition for all sorts of cattle including the largest and including many brethren that would be hammered under various grading regimes. Prices were as follows:-

Light steers: Best quality to 189.5p average 174.3p

Medium steers: Best quality to 212.0p average 200.0p; Standard quality to 179.0p average 173.3p; Also rans to 168.0p; Overall average 177.3p.

Heavy steers: Best quality to 212.0p average 199.3p; Standard quality to 185.0p average 179.5p; Also rans to 169.0p; Overall average 181.2p.

Medium heifers: Best quality to 238.0p average 216.1p; Standard quality to 185.0p average 177.6p; Also rans to 166.5p; Overall average 189.9p.

Heavy heifers: Best quality to 234.5p average 206.2p; Standard quality to 187.5p average 178.8p; Also rans to 169.0p; Overall average 185.6p.

Light bulls: To 149.5p average 139.2p.

Medium bulls: To 199.0p average 165.8p.

Heavy bulls: To 196.0p average 175.8p.

Barren cows and old bulls – 44: A good firm trade again with best cows up to 145.0p/kg. Prices were as follows:-

Grade 1 Cows to 145.00p average 139.67p.

Grade 2 Cows to 129.00p average 123.94p.

Grade 3 Cows to 116.50p average 110.85p.

Grade 4 Cows to 103.50p average 83.82p.

Old Bulls to 105.00p average 104.17p.

Overall average 112.20p.

Finished sheep – 3,773: A firmer spring lamb trade. Plenty of competition especially for the best with springers up to 243.5p/kg. Prices were as follows:-

Standard Lambs to 243.5p average 210.1p.

Medium Lambs to 238.5p average 206.5p.

Heavy Lambs to 202.5p average 199.1p.

Overweight Lambs to 194.0p average 188.5p.

Export quality lambs sold up to 243.5p per kilo and averaged 220.6p per kilo and home trade lambs sold up to 206.5p per kilo and averaged 201.9p per kilo.

There was very much an end of season entry for hoggets and these met surprisingly a good trade. Meat was at a premium. Prices were as follows:-

Standard Hoggets to 175.5p average 160.8p.

Medium Hoggets to 196.0p average 173.7p.

Heavy Hoggets to 198.5p average 182.9p.

Overweight Hoggets to 185.0p average 173.7p.

Export quality hoggets sold up to 198.5p per kilo and averaged 185.4p per kilo and home trade hoggets sold up to 174.0p per kilo and averaged 154.2p per kilo.

Cull Ewes: A good number of ewes forward found a very good trade with all sorts well competed for inparticular large lean meated Suffolks which regularly sold for over £90.00 per head. Better ewes selling to £120.00 producing an overall average of £75.35 to include the good, the bad and the indifferent. Rams to £125.00 average £86.18.