STORE Cattle - 356: Another good entry of cattle with quality generally thin on the ground. Considering the fine autumn weather several cattle shown very plain and cold and certainly would benefit from some corn and silage. Strong Charolais steers topped at £1290 for a bunch of homebred steers. Other strong steers from £1040 to £1200. Angus steers sold to £1200 and others to £1140. Good farming steers from £900 to £1035, generally 200p-218p/kg. Younger steers with shape in excellent demand with several bunches from £800 to £900 (215p-243p/kg). Smaller steers and plainer sorts look considerably less than the better sorts. These trading from £450 to £650 depending on size. Very plain cattle from £350 to £450 and looking well bought.

Heifers topped at £1130 for a super Limousin, other quality strong heifers from £960 to £1080 (200p-220p/kg). Good feeding heifers short on the ground and from £850 to £950 (190p-215p/kg). Plainer strong sorts from £800 and £920 (170p-190p/kg). Younger heifers trading from £700 to £840 (185p-200p/kg) with shape the order of the day. Yearling heifers from £550 to £690, like the steers a big difference between the better sorts and plainer, colder cattle. These from 190p-220p/kg. Plainer and cold heifers from £420 to £540 and harder to place generally.

Beef type cows/heifers in or with calves - 42: An excellent entry highlighted with 2 dispersals, firstly the Northdean Herd of Poll Hereford cows and calves. They sold to £1980 for a 2nd calver, Isabel with her bull calf; other consignments from £1280 to £1880. Cows sold in calf ranged from £900 to £1420. Heifer calves from £540 to £700, bull calves £460 to £640. The dispersal of pedigree Shorthorn cows with 4½ year old stock bull, Dunsyre Forester sold to £2150 for the strong rangy bull. Cows in calf sold from £1000 to £1520. Commercial cows and calves ranged from £940 to £1120. 2 Hereford x heifers in calf to Limousin bull sold at £1000. 3 Charolais x heifers in calf sold from £660 to £720. A total clearance effected.

Feeding/stock bulls - 28: A mixed selection on offer with younger 6/8 month good shaped bulls to keenest demand selling to 248p/kg, £720 for 290kg Limousin x, others £570 to £725. The 8 year old Limousin stock bull sold at £1280 with older feeding bulls from £600 to £820.

Barren cows - 12: A smaller entry but good trade on all meated sorts topping at £1230 for a super 800kg Limousin; other meated cows from £785 to £1015. Plainer cows £540 to £660, others from £315.

Pigs: Christmas Fatstock Show and Sale

WITH just short of 200 pigs offered quality porkers, cutters, farmhouse bacon pigs, sows and boars all sold to a strong trade throughout but poorer quality weaners and stores or less well-finished porkers met with a harder trade with some younger pigs un-sold. Judges for the day were Paul Batt, Tom Bowen and David Partridge to whom we extend our thanks.

Graham, Andrew and Hereford Market auctioneers thank all our vendors and buyers for their support throughout the year and we wish all our customers a merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2017.

Prize-winners in the show were:

Best Cull Sow: 1) R D Needs and Sons 881 £190 J Morris. 2) C E Rudge and Sons Ltd 871 £150 P Batt. 3) R D Needs and Sons 877 £150 P Batt.

Best Farmhouse Bacon Pig: 1) A Gibbons 904 £172 T Bowen. 2) A Gibbons 906 £162 T Bowen. 3) W G and A J Edwards and Thomas 911 £148 Mr Roberts.

Best Pen of Porkers: 1) A Bourne 930 £100 D Partridge. 2) A J Cox and Son 931 £104 D Partridge. 3) D Gundy 914 £100 D Partridge.

Best Pen of Cutters: 1) C F I and L M Brown 919 £98 D Partridge. 2) C F I and L M Brown 920 £90 D Partridge. 3) S J Adams and Sons 934 £90 D Partridge.