FINISHED cattle - 327: An entry with some nice cattle in it and a firm trade right the way through. The trade is under severe pressure from imported meat and a lack of demand. Obviously with imported meat the converse is true virtually no export is taking place. The pound is just too strong for both the beef trade and the lamb trade.

The champion beast was a steer exhibited by JEL and CS Morgan, Llysnewydd and weighed 600kg. It purchased at 288p/kg by Staffordshire Meat Packers. The reserve champion was a heifer exhibited by JEL and CS Morgan, Llysnewydd. This weighed 540kg and made 298p/kg and again purchased by Medcalf. Other prize winners were as follows:-

Class 1 Best Steer, any weight sired by a British Beef Breed: 1st C P Paddock, Burway Farm.

Class 2 Best Steer, any weight sired by a Continental Breed: 1st JEL and CS Morgan, Llysnewydd; 2nd M G Yates, Woodend Farm; 3rd GG and HE Sevenoaks, Park Lodge Farm.

Class 3 Best pair of Steers any weight: 1st C P Paddock, Burway Farm.

Class 4 Heaviest Steer: 1st DT and SM Owens, Luntley Court Farm; 2nd DT and SM Owens, Luntley Court Farm; 3rd WA and JW Thomas, Perryditch.

The Best Red and White Hereford Steer and winner of the W A Lloyd Cup: C P Paddock, Burway Farm.

Class 5 Best Heifer any weight sired by a British Beef Breed: 1st B J Lloyd, Home Farm Bungalow; 2nd B J Lloyd, Home Farm Bungalow.

Class 6 Best Heifer any weight sired by a Continental Beef Breed:1st JEL and CS Morgan, Llysnewydd; 2nd Neil and Sally Lloyd, Stonycroft Farm; 3rd CM and WC Phillips, The Batch.

Class 7 Best pair of Heifers, any weight: 1st and winner of the Tom Whiteman Challenge Cup - David Morgan, Bridge Farm; 2nd and winner of the George Whiteman Trophy - FM and MJ Williams, Belgate Farm; 3rd B Williams, Hillend.

Class 9 Best Barley Bull: 1st FM and MJ Williams, Belgate Farm; 2nd FM and MJ Williams, Belgate Farm; 3rd MC Hope and Son, The Mill.

Prices were as follows: Light steers to 209p average 209p; Medium steers to 248p average 217.6p; Heavy steers to 287.5p average 189.6p; Medium heifers to 244p average 195.1p; Heavy heifers to 297.5p average 198.2p; Medium bulls to 214.5p average 174.3p; Heavy bulls to 217.5p average 185.2p.

Barren cows and old bulls 57: A trade which is desperate everywhere. Apart from the few best cows everything just under the cosh. Some firms just don't want any cows at any price. Some very fat cows in this week's entry which was a pity. They would have been worth pounds more months ago. Why keep barren cows until they've got big gobs of fat on either side of their backsides?

The prize winners in the show classes were: Class 10 Best Barren Cow: 1st NJ and PA and RA Lloyd, Hollybush Farm; 2nd RGT and MA Powell, Caebanal; 3rd Wisteston Farms, Wisteston.

Prices were as follows: Grade 1 Cows to 138.50p average 129.17p; Grade 2 Cows to 119p average 108.85p; Grade 3 Cows to 100.50p average 93.32p; Grade 4 Cows to 94.50p average 72.48p; Old Bulls to 119p average 114.50p; Overall average 88.70p.

Finished sheep - 5,131: A very good entry of lambs and some excellent show lambs on offer. The champion pen of lambs came from Tenbury Farm Supplies and made 290p/kg being purchased by Doug Griffiths, Leintwardine.

Other prize winners were as follows:-

Class 11 Best pair of lambs 37kgs or less: 1st LTJ Mattershead and Son, The Hills Farm; 2nd M Preece and Co, Wricton; 3rd J Hughes, Newtown.

Class 12 Best pair of lambs 37 ½ Kgs to 42 kgs: 1st Tenbury Farm Supplies; 2nd Marston Court Farm; 3rd B Blandford, Netherton.

Class 13 Best pair of lambs above 42kgs: 1st B Blandford, Netherton; 2nd B Blandford, Netherton; 3rd Marston Court Farms.

Light lambs to 195p average 165.2p; standard lambs to 234p average 177.5p; medium lambs to 290p average 174.2p; heavy lambs to 209p average 163.5p; overweight lambs to 170p average 148.9p.

Export quality lambs sold up to 290p per kilo and averaged 184.9p per kilo and home trade lambs sold up to 173.5p per kilo and averaged 169.4p per kilo.

Cull ewes: A good trade from start to finish with all ewes very well competed for. Stronger ewes selling to £115 to produce an overall average of £65.65. Lean meat ewes best competed for. Rams to £100.50 average £73.30.