Leek Market

Butchers hoggets continue to sell on a super trade, to 317p/kg and a SQQ average at 268p/kg, with a top headage price of £139.10. A smaller entry of dairies, heifers and cows selling to £1880.

Fewer cattle, barrens selling to 143p/kg for Herefords and black & whites to 137p/kg. A small entry of clean cattle topped at 227p/kg.

Trade for fat pigs was better than expected with bacon pigs to 137p/kg and cutters to 128p/kg.

Calves just as dear as the last few weeks, with the entry topping at £370 for a British Blue bull calf and a 3-month-old Simmental at £435. Heifers sold up to £280.

BARREN COWS (32)

Less about but a solid trade and no best quality forward. Top price of 143p/kg for a 710kg Hereford from P&D Smallwood, Middlewich, who also sold a

700kg Angus at 136p/kg.

Black & whites topped at 137p/kg for a 735kg Holstein from PF Gilman, Thorncliffe and Friesians at 122p/kg for J&C Hudson, Hollinsclough.

Other top prices:

123p 735kg Charolais C&EJ Whilock, Werrington; 121p 710kg Holstein Wetwood Farm Ltd, Meerbrook; 120p 800kg Holstein J Bailey & Sons, Biddulph;

118p 705kg Hereford K C Parker, Hamstall Ridware; 116p 770kg Limousin H & R Nash, Marchington; 112p 580kg Ayrshire A Coutts & Sons, Knutsford;

111p 655kg Friesian FH James, Stone. Overall average of 105p/kg or £698.44 per head. Top headage of £1015.30 for Herefords, with Holsteins at £1006.95 and £960 with Angus to £952.

CLEAN CATTLE

A small entry forward selling to 227p/kg for a excellent 490kg Limousin heifer from Mark Butler, Bagnall. Limousin steers sold up to 214p/kg for a 470kg entry from M Robinson, of Longsdon, who sold others similar at 209p/kg and 208p/kg. A 580kg Limousin bull made 202p/kg for Chris Barnsley, of Morridge Top. Headage prices peaked at £1,171.60 for bulls, heifers to £1,112.30, steers £1,005.

DAIRIES (39)

Trade not quite as bouncy than in previous weeks, perhaps some reflection on the quality but a solid trade. Topping the heifers was Richard Lomas, of Calow, at £1,880, with a third calver from John Harvey of Waterfall also at the same price.

Norwegian Red X heifers from Skinner Bros reached £1,720 with and Ayrshire third calver from Messrs Broadley at £1,700.

PIGS (152)

A bumper entry of pigs forward and trade holding up, especially for premium weight types.

Pork pigs sold to 96p/kg for a 70kg pig from J&B Fentem, with 86p/kg and 84p/kg paid for porkers from DR Cooper, Buxworth.

Cutters topped at 128p/kg for

83kg pigs from J&B Fentem, who sold 85kg pigs at 125p/kg and 119p/kg with 108p/kg for 82kg pigs from DR Cooper.

Bacon pigs sold up to 137p/kg for 92kg pigs from J G Belfield, of Sheen who also sold 102kg pigs at 130p/kg, with a pair of 97kg pigs at 129p/kg for RT Wilson,

Oldham and 128p/kg for 91kg pigs from J&B Fentem. Jess Bailey sold 97kg pigs at 127p/kg with 123p/kg for 100kg pigs from Bernard Minshull.

Heavy pigs topped at 124p/kg for a pair of 105kg pigs from RT Wilson, of Oldham, with a trio of 111kg pigs at 119p/kg for JG Belfield with RT Wilson also selling 108kg pigs at 101p/kg and 106kg pigs at 100p/kg with a

106lg pig at 100p/kg for Bernard Minshull. One sow forward at 216kg selling for 54p/kg from A Worth, Marton.

A pen of 21kg weaners realised £18/head and 19kg weaners at £17/head for F Sharpley& Sons, Twemlow.

Averages:

Pork Pigs (10); av 81.95p/kg or £54.09/head

Cutting Pigs (19); av 109.32p/kg or £90.22/head

Bacon Pigs (68); av 109.74p/kg or £103.46/head

Heavy Pigs (31) ; av 97.58p/kg or £107.37/head

SHEEP SECTION

Best lambs very well bid for, to 317p/kg and plenty at 280-300p. Big lambs a strong trade, topping at £139.10/head and plenty £130 and above. Overall average at 268p/kg.

Sample prices:

282p 38.4kg RA & K Day, Cheddleton; 279p 39kg S J Varga, Congleton; 317p 43.3kg R&S Bailey, Cloudside 299p 44.8kg R&S Bailey; 295p 45.3kg R&S Bailey, Cloudside; 290p 45.1kg RA & K Day;

284p 40.8kg SJ Pace & Co, Congleton; 283p 41.7kg D J &P Smith, Rushton Spencer; 288p 46.8kg

R&S Bailey; 284p 47.5kg R&S Bailey; 282p 45.6kg D Machin, Horton; 280p 46kg G H & M Torr, Bradnop; 272p 47.2kg D Williams, Basford;267p 51.5kg G W Myatt, Endon; 214p 65kg D Machin, Horton.

CULL SHEEP (167)

A modest entry with the best to £149/head. Overall average at £85.03/head.

CALVES (113)

A better show of calves and a few very smart sorts.

50 Continental Bulls av £256.46 A strong Simmental (3 mths) made £435 with fresh sorts to £370 for a Blue and the 15 better done sorts over £290. Mediums £230 £270 with smaller calves £200. 33 Blues av £259 to £370 R Cooper & Son

7 Sims av £266 to £435 Robinson Partners

7 Lims av £227 to £295 I Gregson 3 Char/blo to £288 EJ & VC Gilman

30 Continental Heifers av £178.56 A similar story to the bulls with the best looking food but the second quality almost at the same price. A blonde topped the day from Messrs Gilman at £280.

Best calves £260 +, mediums £170 £220 with smalls around £150.

20 Blues av £190 to £270 W Wood & Son

1 Sim to £260 R Cooper & Son

8 Lims av £126 to £210 I Gregson 1 Blonde to £280 EJ &VC Gilman 19 Natives

Better bulls over £200 with Herefords to £218 and

Angus’ to £210. Best heifers over £100.

14 Black & White Bulls av £52 A better trade with good rearer’s to £118 for a Holstein; Montys to £108 with the smaller sorts generally in the £30s.