Leek Market

Finally, a dry day after the wet weekend and farmers turning out in numbers for todays market. An exceptional trade seen in the sheep shed with lambs easily 2530p above last week, and topping at 318p/kg or £158.13. Culls also as dear up to £141.

Barren cattle sold up to 149p/ kg for a Limousin and others to 142p/kg, to top at £1093.40. Clean cattle in short supply with a Limousin heifer at 480kg realising 216p/kg.

A full shed of pigs this week, and trade a little down, but the best cutting pigs up to 130p/kg and bacon pigs to 128p/kg.

A mixed quality of dairy cattle, and a top price of £1590 for a fresh heifer and Jerseys to £1400. An excellent trade for calves and a mixed entry topped at £450 for a strong Blue bull calf and heifers to £280.

BARREN COWS (45)

A good number forward selling on a decent trade. Top price of 149p/ kg for a 700kg Limousin from

T & T Goodwin, Wetley Rocks. A 770kg Hereford made 142p/kg for Julie Mees, Stone and a 660kg Simmental cow made 138p/kg for Messrs Day, Blackshaw Moor. Holsteins topped at 137p/kg for a 685kg cow from D I Ball & Son, Sandbach, and a 770kg Friesian at 133p/kg for J W Brandrick & Son, Beamhurst.

Other prices:

128p 745kg Fleckveih RG & AS Williamson; 128p 800kg Fleckveih RG & AS Williamson; 127p 710kg Hereford E T Simpson; 126p

645kg British Blue T & T Goodwin; 124p 710kg Hereford E T Simpson; 124p 625kg Holstein W J Sessions & Son; 124p 800kg Friesian

WG & J Clark, Bradnop;

Overall average of 105.31p/kg or £705.46 per head.

Top headage price of £1093.40 for the Hereford from Julie Mees, with Limousins to £1043 and Friesians to £1024.10 and £992. Two overage steers sold to 180p/kg for a 540kg Hereford and 162p/kg for a 665kg British Blue from M Unwin, Horton.

CLEAN CATTLE (14)

A small entry forward topping at 216p/kg for a 480kg Limousin from Chris Barnsley, Morridge. Steers topped at 210p/kg twice for a 640kg Simmental and a 655kg Limousin, both from Rushton Spencer. A 615kg Aberdeen Angus realised 188p/kg for C Blockley, Altrincham.

Top headage price of £1375.50 and £1344 for steers, and heifers to £1036.80.

DAIRIES (48)

A very mixed quality was reflected in the trade with a fresh heifers from Messrs Broadley of Hartington topping the day at £1590. However, what look to be the dearest animal sold on the day was a very pretty fresh Jersey heifer from Messrs Phillips of Winkhill, which reached £1400. Preparations are well underway for the Pedigree Christmas Show & Sale with the next Pedigree sale being on Tuesday, November16.

PIGS (174)

A bumper entry of pigs which

impacted trade slightly but still selling well on the day. Pork pigs sold up to 120p/kg for 75kg pigs from J & B Fentem, with 73.5kg pigs at 97p/kg for S Proctor and 74kg pigs at 90p/kg for Dunstall Estate.

Cutting pigs sold to 130p/kg for a pair of 83kg pigs from J & B Fentem, with 80.5kg pigs at 128p/kg for R & L Vernon, who also sold 82kg pigs at 127p/kg. A 97kg pig made 119p/kg for J & B Fentem, and a 81kg pig at 118p/kg for

JA & B Minshull, and a pen of

85kg pigs at 116p/kg for Massie Farms, Stafford.

Bacon pigs sold up to 128p/kg for a 104kg pig from ME & EA Beattie, Allostock who also sold a 98kg pig at 124p/kg and a pair of 95kg pigs at 124p/kg. 97kg pigs made 120p/ kg for PF & PD Parsons, with 91kg pigs at 117p/kg for Massie Farms, Stafford.

Heavy pigs topped at 124p/kg for a pair of 105kg pigs from PF & PD Parsons, who also sold 122kg pigs at 123p/kg and 115kg pigs at 120p/kg, a 108kg pig realised 120p/kg for J & B Fentem, with a run of pigs from W Rigby & Son, Chinley at 107p/kg, 105p/ kg and 102p/kg.

Sows sold up to 70p/kg for a 152kg sow from JA & B Minshull who also sold a 189kg sow for 63p/kg. W Rigby & Son sold sows at

57p/kg and 56p/kg with a 302kg sow at 54p/kg for MC & EA Beattie and a 260kg sow at 54p/kg for L & S Lane.

Averages:

Pork Pigs (20); av 94.76p/kg or £70.27/head

Cutting Pigs (33); av 112.44p/kg or £91.73/head

Bacon Pigs (63); av 97.02p/kg or

£91.63/head

Heavy Pigs (44); av 100.89p/kg or £115.66/head

Cull Sows (13); av 51.34p/kg or £135.21/head

SHEEP SECTION BUTCHERS LAMBS (753)

A disappointing entry in terms of number but excellent quality on offer generally seeing a spectacular trade from start to finish. Double the quantity could have been sold with a number of regular orders unable to get started.

Best flying away to 318p/kg and a good number of pens at 290p 310/ kg with some lambs 30p up on the week.

Heavy lambs continue to be in short supply with a real premium for best shaped lambs at 48kg and above.

Top headage price of £158.13. Average 264p/kg or £110/head. Sample prices:

296p 39kg M Lancaster, Congleton 296p 38kg D V Holland, Blore; 294p 35kg M Jones, Rudyard;

318p 41kg L E Shaw, Sturston; 312p 39.2kg E J Carney, Wolseley

Bridge; 306p 40.2kg E J Carney, Wolseley Bridge; 299p 44.2kg

WHI Mellor, Stockport; 296p 40.4kg A J Gilman, Elkstones;

278p 48kg A G Tomkinson, Thorpe 278p 47kg A W Wilshaw, Meerbrook; 265p 55kg A G Tomkinson, Thorpe 251p 63kg K E Grocott, Leigh.

CULL SHEEP (494)

Another big entry and new orders in operation.

Best ewes selling to £141 for

Texels from Reg Critchlow. A shortage of very best Texels today. Mules better to sell, topping at £110 for heavy sorts and generally £85 £95 for good meated sorts.

Best Rams to £175 for Texel’s but a shortage of good meated rams for the regular jobs.

Ewes averaged £84, Rams £124.90.

CALVES (117)

A few less on offer and a similar big gathering of buyers led to a super trade throughout.

42 CONTINENTAL BULLS AV £280.45

A good average for the calves on offer with just a few best and plenty of smaller bulls about. A tremendous 2-month old Blue from Mark Hodgkinson sold at £450 with fresh bulls to £400 for Messrs Wilkson, Gt Budworth. 11 best over £335; Mediums £260 £310 with smaller bulls under £250.

31 Blues av £284 to £450 H Hodgkinson & Sons

5 Sims av £264 to £380 JJ & PN Holdcroft

5 Lims av £254 to £370 N E Goodwin & Son

1 Char to £382 D & G Tudor

39 CONTINENTAL HEIFERS AV £199.35

Again, a super average with numerous bidders for the best and the second grade calves. 14 better heifers topped £240 and a trio of Blues at £280 for P J Taylor, Andrew Hulme and Richard Emmott. Mediums £190-£220 with smaller heifers a little less. 28 Blues av £205 to £280 3 Vendors

5 Sims av £227 to £275 JJ & PN Holdcroft

6 Lims av £149 to £245 N E Goodwin & Son

18 NATIVES

Less on offer but no less trade. 3 Hereford Bulls av £158 to £190 P T Beswick

5 AA Bulls av £139 to £235 M Holmes & Sons

9 AA Heifers av £82 to £150 J S Harrison

14 BLACK & WHITE BULLS AV £69

A superb Monty made £265 with rearing Black & Whites £70-£90 and smaller bulls £30-£50.