Leek Market

LEEK A packed dairy shed with a strong entry of 69 milkers, along with 14 bulling heifers and the herd dispersal on behalf of Messrs Combridge of Creeton, Linc, which met with a strong trade throughout. Commercials to £2220 and the herd topping at £1960. Another solid trade for barren cattle selling to 171p/kg, and clean cattle to 222p/kg.

Good to see more lambs about, and trade in-line with the national trends, with best lambs to 255p/ kg, and £123.69. Ewes sold up to £120. More calves required with buyers looking for stock, with bulls up to £372 for a Limousin and heifers to £345.

Pigs were a good trade again, with a few less forward this week, selling to 148p/kg for bacon pigs.

BARREN COWS (43)

Another quality entry selling on a solid trade again, with a top price of 171p/kg for a 33 month old 580kg Angus from EM & CP Naden, Cheddleton, who also sold another similar at 154p/kg.

Cows topped at 146p/kg for a 810kg Simmental from B J Bailey, Biddulph Park, and a 670kg Limousin at 142p/kg from F & J Barlow, Froghall, and a 705kg Hereford at 140p/kg for Jason Jervis, Cheadle. Black & whites topped at 136p/kg for an 880kg Holstein from S J Biddulph, Hilderstone.

Other top prices: 136p 685kg Hereford - J Jervis, Cheadle; 135p 760kg Holstein - P R Lawley, Bagnall; 129p 650kg Holstein - P R Lawley, Bagnall; 129p 795kg Holstein - DG & JA Ball, Fulford 128p 700kg Welsh Black - R H Stubbs, Hopton; 123p 755kg Holstein - J V Allan, Tutbury; 120p 690kg Simmental - J D Alcock, Elkstones .

Overall average of 113.42p/kg or £744.55 per head.

Top headage price of £1,196.80 for a Holstein from S J Biddulph, with Simmental’s to £1182.60 and other Holsteins to £1026 and £1025.55.

CLEAN CATTLE (10)

A decent trade for clean cattle on Tuesday with a top price of 222p/ kg for a smart 500kg Limousin heifer from Mark Butler, Bagnall, which was purchased by P Lymer of JW Ash Butchers, Leek.

Other heifers sold at 180p/kg for a 575kg British Blue from R Hodgkinson, Gawsworth.

Black & white bulls from the Archer family of Hilton sold at 164p/kg (580kg), 159p/kg (565kg), 157p/kg (525kg) and a 625kg British Blue bull at 154p/kg from J R Mosedale, Longford.

Top headage price of £1110 and £1035 for heifers with bulls up to £962.50.

DAIRIES (231)

There was not a single standing or pen unfilled in the two dairy sheds on Tuesday with 69 commercial milkers forward and 14 bulling heifers together with the herd from Messrs Combridge of Lincs.

The trade for milkers was again “at a pace” with a superb Norwegian Red X Heifer from the Howe family of Litton topping at £2,220. Cows peaked at £1,840 for a Friesian second calver from Messrs Wilson of Fradswell, Stafford. Many more commercial heifers including a number of Shorthorn X were in that £1,700£1,900 bracket.

The dispersal of the loose housed herd on behalf of Messrs Combridge of Creeton, Lincs, saw prices reach £1,960 for a dry cow by De-su Gillespy. Numerous others were £1,700 plus with In-calf heifers due September onwards reaching £1,540 and yearlings to £900.

Next week we have another 34 fresh cows from Messrs Watson and also 10 superb fresh heifers from Messrs Johnson of Longnor.

PIGS (89)

Not as many pigs about but trade remain buoyant. Cutting pigs topped at 130p/kg for an 85kg pig from H Kelsall & Son, Dean Row, with others from the Fentem family of Alsop at 128p/kg, 124p/ kg twice, 120p/kg etc.

Bacon pigs sold to 148p/kg for a trio of 93kg pigs from R Wilson, Oldham, with a pair of 92kg pigs at 140p/kg from Bernard Minshull, Buxton and 140p/kg for 88kg pigs from J & B Fentem.

138p/kg was paid for a trio of 86kg pigs from J Davenport, Gawsworth and Mr Minshull sold bacon pigs at 137p/kg and 136p/ kg. Just one heavy pig at 161kg sold for 98p/kg for Chris Hine, and one cull sow at 326kg from Graham Clews, Biddulph which sold for 52p/kg.

Averages: Cutting Pigs (27) average 114.30p/kg or £93.77/ head; Bacon Pigs (60) average 121.66p/kg or £110.47/head

BUTCHERS LAMBS (736)

An increased seasonal entry sold on a slightly easier trade but some of the very best sorts still seeing strong demand and bigger lambs in short supply with a number of pens exceeding £100/head to a top of £123.69. Premium lambs sold to 255p/kg from Ben Robinson of Swythamley, with others at 251p/kg from the same home. Generally, however, only the very best exceeding 230p/ kg. plenty of decent commercial lambs in the 210 - 225p bracket, depending on weight and finish. Sample prices: 255p 37.8kg

J M Robinson, Swythamley;

241p 37.7kg IE M & A Wilson, Hollington; 251p 42.3kg J M Robinson, Swythamley; 236p

40kg E A Sessions & Sons, Dalbury Lees; 229p 41.8kg F Swindells, Bosley; 228p 50kg Smith & Wardman, Longnor; 224p

54kg A Yates, Rugeley; 217p

57kg E A Sessions & Sons, Dalbury Lees.

Still 43 Hogget’s which sold on a solid trade for the goods on offer to a top of 150p/kg or £94.90.

CULL SHEEP (182)

An easier trade with prices back on last weeks flyer, but the entry not as good either.

Best Texel’s continue to sell well to a top of £120 from Smith & Wardman of Longnor with others at £116 twice and £114 twice.

Mules not as fast but still best sorts over £75/head.

CALVES (88)

Low numbers but an outstanding trade throughout with almost more bidders than calves.

27 CONTINENTAL BULLS

Bidders galore and a wonderful trade throughout with the second and third quality particularly dear. Best Limousins sold at £372 from Chris Hine with the top seven over £300. Mediums £230 - £270 with a few smalls around £200. 14 Blues av £235 to £332 - DR & A Shuker & Sons; five Sims average £192 to £275 - E & MJ Bradbury & Son; seven Lims average £255 to £372 - C E Hine; one Char to £305 - D & G Tudor.

17 CONTINENTAL HEIFERS

Unbelievable the level of trade and twice as many could be sold with the ring still full at the end of the sale. Blues sold to £345 with seven best over £240. Mediums £160 - £220 and a few smalls a little less. Three Blues average £263 to £345 - G Clews

6 Sims av £156 to £240 Woodward Partners; eight Lims av erage £188 to £320 - C E Hine

20 NATIVES

Angus bulls to £162 for A J Myatt with 14 heifers averaging £137 and selling to £190 for Herefords and £180 for Angus.’

24 Black & White Bulls av £143.39.

Look at the average but 10 Monty’s in the entry averaged

£230 and sold to £290 for a bunch of four 2 ½ months from WH Townsend & Son.

Brown Swiss to £152; Shorthorns to £110. Smaller bulls £30 - £60 today.