Leek Market

The monthly Pedigree Dairy

Sale saw Pedigree heifers top at £2,280 and cows to £1,900, with commercial heifers up to £2,400. Hogget’s even more money with averages up again by 5p/kg and £3 per head. Leading prices of 338p/ kg and £152.81 per head.

Cull ewes were a strong demand also averaging at £86/head. More Barren cattle about this week, and an excellent trade selling to 146p/kg for black and whites, and average of 116.34p/kg or £776.95/ head. Clean cattle also in good demand up to 218p/kg. A bumper entry of pigs and trade a little less on the week, with heavy quality pigs up to 129p/kg and bacon pigs at 126p/kg.

Better numbers of calves forward and a mixed quality entry forward, however, leading price of £370 for a Limousin bull and Blue heifers to £320.

BARREN COWS

Twice as many cattle and a strong trade for all types selling up to 146p/kg for a 780kg Friesian from S&J Ryder, with a 635kg Simmental cow realising 142p/kg for R Parker, Upper Hulme.

Other top prices: 140p 755kg Holstein, RG&AS Williamson; 140p 555kg Jersey, C&S Royle, Gawsworth; 140p 725kg Friesian, FE Shenton & Son, Hulme End; 138p 820kg Fleckveih, J G Curtis & Son, Basford; 138p 530kg

Dairy Shorthorn, RD Kite & Son, Milwich; 134p 575kg Jersey,

C&S Royle, Gawsworth; 134p 870kg Holstein; A Povey & Sons, Doveridge; 132p 665kg Holstein, JR Johnson & Sons, Ipstones. Overall average of 116.34p/kg or £776.95/head. Top headage price of £1165.80 for the 870kg Holstein from A Povey & Sons, with other black and whites to £1, 138.80, £1,131.60 and £1,057.

CLEAN CATTLE

Strong trade for the cattle on offer with a 565kg Limousin bull at 218p/kg for C Barnsley, Morridge. A 495kg Limousin heifer realised 202p/kg for Mark Butler, Bagnall. A run on well-finished Friesian bulls weighing 575-600kg sold at 174p/kg, 173p/kg, 166p/kg, 164p/ kg from JE Archer & Sons, Hilton, to gross up to £1000.50 and £977.45. Bulls topped at £1231.70/ head and heifers to £999.90.

DAIRIES (67)

A very buoyant trade for dairies on Tuesday saw an outstanding commercial heifer from Brian Needham of Heaton top the day at £2,400. The Pedigree section saw John Stone of Onecote top for a second month in a row at £2,280 for a 34kg heifer from Ekkel Singstar. Suttons of Astbury saw their 32kg Masterful heifer reach £2160. Andrew Bunting of Bakewell was close behind at £2,120. Cows peaked at £1,900 for a third calver from the Mellors of Braemarhouse with a second calver from Richard Thompson of Sudbury at £1,840. Young calves were a lovely trade topping at £390.

PIGS (147)

A larger entry forward, however, trade back on the week as seen in the change in averages. Lightweight pigs sold to 107p/kg for 72kg pigs from DH Poulson and 105p/kg for 82kg pigs from J&B Fentem.

Bacon pigs sold up to 126p/kg twice for 85kg and 89kg pigs from J&B Fentem, who sold others at 125p/kg and 122p/kg, with 122p/ kg for 88kg pigs from J W Bailey, Cloudside and 118p/kg for a 98kg pig from Bernard Minshull.

Heavier pigs topped at 129p/ kg for a trio of 111kg pigs from JG Belfield, Sheen and also 129p/kg for a pair of 111kg pigs from David Goldstraw, Meerbrook. 125p/kg was paid for a 105kg pig from Bernard Minshull who sold others at 123p/kg and 120p/kg, with RT Wilson selling 110kg pigs at 125p/kg. Cull sows sold to 67p/ kg for a 300kg sow from NS

Burgin, Dronfield and 66p/kg for a 235kg sow from RA Watson, Fenny Bentley and a 233kg sow at 61p/kg for S Bailey, Biddulph. Store pigs sold to £32 for a pen of 11 from F Sharpley & Son, Twemlow and £21 for a pen of 11 from S Hawes, Leek.

Averages: Pork Pigs (4) av 107p/kg or £77.58/head. Cutting Pigs (2) av 105p/kg or £86.63/head; Bacon Pigs (63) av 105.94p/kg or £98.43/head; Heavy Pigs (48) av 108.20p/kg or £118.33/head; Cull Sows (5); av 56.95p/kg or £140.55/head.

SHEEP SECTION BUTCHERS HOGGETS (643);

A similar entry selling on a fast trade throughout with plenty at £140/head and better or 320p and better. Generally a shortage of handy weight meated sorts on offer, reflected in the average of 286p/kg. Best handy weights selling at 335p/kg and best butchers lambs selling at 338p/ kg and top headage price of £152.81.

Sample prices: 335p 38kg J Belfield & R Deakin-gallimore, Leigh; 338p 40kg R&S Bailey, Cloudside; 336p 42.8kg R&S Bailey, Cloudside; 326p 43kg J Belfield & R Deakin-gallimore, Leigh; 324p 41kg GH&M Torr, Bradnop; 321p 40.4kg DJ&P Smith, Rushton Spencer;

306p 46.8kg R&S Bailey, Cloudside; 300p 46.8kg J&GJ Fryer, Horton; 274p 52.5kg T R Lomas, North Rode; 268p 55kg A Heath, Leek; 240p 63.7kg M Heath, Bradnop

CULL SHEEP (137)

A seasonal entry sold on a fast trade topping at £139 for best Texel’s and others at £129, £126 etc. No best big mules forward, but those on offer sold to £82 per head. Overall average of £86 per head.

CALVES (150)

Better numbers with 150 on offer and a good ring of buyers looking for numbers.

42 CONTINENTAL BULLS AVERAGE £236.23

Buyers for all shapes and sizes but a good number of second and third quality on offer. Better sorts, although few and far between, easy to place with a top of £370 for a super Limousin from Andrew Hulme, Basford. Medium bulls £220-£290 with smalls around £200. 19 Blues av £252 to £355, GW Myatt. Seven Sims average £210 to £275, D Hawkins 12 Lims average £218 to £370, DW&P Hulme; 4 Cha/ Blo average £268 to £320, D&G Tudor.

38 CONTINENTAL HEIFERS £176.97

A nice run and quality in places. Andrew Hulme had a couple of lovely Blues at £270 and £320. Medium heifers £175- £220 with smalls around £150. 18 Blues £195 to £320, DW&P Hulme. 6 Sims £152 to £270, JJ&PN Holdcroft. 11 Lims average

£107 to £225,DG&JA Ball. 3 Blo average £150 to £220, BE Wain.

41 NATIVES

Angus bulls topped at £300 for a lovely sort from M Holmes & Sons with others at £250, £245, £240 etc. Heifers sold to £185 for an Angus from Messrs Prince, Marchington, with Herefords to £145 for Messrs Brookes, Crakemarsh.

27 BLACK & WHITE BULLS

Two Montys sold for £140 and £100 with the best of the Friesians to £74 with the majority £30-£50.