THOSE ALL-IMPORTANT PRICES

NEWCASTLE EMLYN SEPTEMBER 7

Lambs down on last week, nevertheless a premium was given for the higher end. The best lambs peaked at 190p/kilo. Heavier lambs topped the mart at 190p/ kilo or £83.00/head. All lambs levelled at 169.95p/kg, on par with other outlets. Ewes met a brisk run, with the meatier types topping the mart at £70.50. All ewes levelled at £56.40.

CARDIGAN SEPTEMBER 4

PRIME LAMBS (395): A few less lambs on offer than last week, but the best heavyweights were £10/head dearer at £98 for 53k from Welch, Silver Birches. The handy weights topped at 192p for 42k continental lambs from James & Son, Tycoch, the overall average was at 173p/kg. STORE LAMBS (61): Reaching £70 were 44.5k lambs from Toddingtons Ltd, Castle Cenlas, who also sold 41k at £67; £66.50 for 42k from Lewis, Morfa Uchaf; £65 for 42k from Wheeler, Clyngwyn. CULL SHEEP (73): The best ewes sold to £100 for a ewe from Welch, Silver Birches, who also sold other ewes at £91.50; other leading prices at £92.50 for a ram from Owens, Rhyderwen, who also sold another ram at £75; £78.50 for ewes from Williams, Dandderwen Farm; £76 for a ewe from Davies, Garreg Lwyd; £71.50 for a ewe from Webb, Cefn. STORE CATTLE & GRAZING COWS (60): Peaking at £1,230 were a pair of 26-27m Lim steers from Thomas & Son, Tynewydd; other leading prices at £1,200 for a 36m BB heifer from Thomas, Glandwr Ceibwr, who also sold a 25m AA at £1,065 and a 20m AA steer at £1,010; £1,020 and £1,000 for 29m Hereford steers from James & Sons, Penrallt Uchaf; £900 for a 26m Hereford steer from Morris, Tyriet; £830 for a 17m Charolais heifer from Vaughan & Sons, Fagwrgoch. In the overage and barren cow section, topping at £1,100 was a 730k 33-month H/Fr steer from Lewis, Panteinon; £940 for a 640k H/Fr from Jones & Co, Trewenfron; £900 for a 670k WB from Kudelski, Brondeg. CALVES (54): A 5m Lim bull from Richards, Llain, sold at £355, the same vendor also sold a 6m Lim heifer at £290 and a 5m H/Fr bull at £200; other leading prices at £305 for a BB bull from Shepherd, Garnwen; £225 for a BB bull from Thomas, Ciliau Ganol; £225 for a Lim bull from Thomas, Maencoch; £225 for a Hereford heifer from Harries, Bryngolau.

WHITLAND SEPTEMBER 2

Slightly less cattle forward just falling short of 400 head. Trade was also a bit easier this week with the £1,000 mark a little more difficult to come by. However, the top 100 cattle were priced over £900 with heifers topping at £1,070 and steers at £1,310. Two topping Pedigree Limousin bulls were also presented from the Maes Herd of the Davies Family, Maeyrhaf, Meidrim, and sold impressively at £2,450 and £2,400.

MONMOUTHSHIRE SEPTEMBER 6

NEW SEASON’S LAMBS: 1,171 lambs met an incredibly difficult trade, very apparent on lighter weights which made up a large proportion of those on offer. Stronger lambs, although considerably less than last week, saw the better-finished well-bred sorts generally over 180p. Top selling again for lambs over 40kg peaking at 192p/ kg (£77-40.2kg) from MJ Prothero, 184p/kg (£80-43.5kg) from JV & RJ Williams; (£81- 44kg) from C Alford. Heavies to 184p/kg (£84.80-46kg) from SE Gamble and (£90-49kg) from PC Jenkins (this also top price per head on the day); 183p/kg (£84- 46kg) from AJ Merrick. CULL SHEEP: 570 cull sheep forward, the strongest maintained a decent trade, selling to £109 from PC Jenkins, who sold others to £101. J&G Phillips sold Suffolk X to £100. Strong crossbred ewes generally £80-plus. A large entry of plain ewes, with plenty of buyers to bid for them. Best of the Welsh to £46 from DP Mantle, the rest generally £25-£35, less if very plain. Tups sold to £140 for a Beltex from T Davies, with Texel to £102 & £101 from L Johnson & Son. STORE SHEEP/COUPLES: 298 store lambs, most being long keep sorts. The best were medium-term Suffolk & Texel X from J Ryder which sold to £58. The smaller lambs generally £30-£44, some looking good value, very small Welsh £15-£25. REARING CALVES: A new record for this market saw 117 young calves sold in an hour & a half. The best calves still command top prices with the Blues dominating as usual. Top bull at £445 was for a 9 week calf from AR Edwards & Son, but a 5 week calf from GM & RD Janes was only £5 behind at £440. Blue heifers to £400 for Price & Co Farming Ltd. Other good Blues £300-£350 with Limousins mostly £220-£280. A large number of Herefords with 1st quality bulls generally £220-£260, but a 2 month old calf from T Hanks & Son realised £310. Highest-priced heifer at £192 was from HG Robinson & Sons. Angus bulls to £240 and heifers to £215. The outstanding calf was from DG & GN Watts, making a very satisfactory £130, but 1st quality mostly £80- £100. Middling sorts £50-£75. Smaller calves and extreme Dairy types £20-£50. STRONG CALVES: Just 9, mostly Dairy bulls/steers sold to a competitive trade with 4m Holstein steers making up to £305 from HM Young Offenders Institute, Usk. BREEDING CATTLE: A larger entry than of late, although lacking any real stars. LJ Jones topped the section at £1,200 with a 27m Limousin bull. The cows & calves topped at £1,090 for a Gelbvieh 2nd calver & her young Limousin steer calf from LT Jones, Mynyddislwyn, with another from the same home at £1080. Heifers from CT & GT Williams sold at £1080 & £1050. FEEDING BULLS: 5 forward and selling to £840 for an 11m Simmental from Miss L Cooke, Pencoed, who also sold an 11m Limousin at £825. STIRKS/YOUNG STORES: Only a small entry with a top price of £780 for 11m Hereford steers from TJ Davies & Sons, St Hilary. STORE CATTLE: A large show of 253 store cattle forward selling to a very fast trade, with some excellent cattle forward easily selling to recent high rates. Feeding steers were very sought-after and topped at £1,385 (745kg-22m) for Limousin crosses from GH & C Woof, Llangybi. AJ Heath, Llandenny sold Limousins to £1,290 (630kg-29m). A super run of well-bred Limousin crosses from G Watkins, Lisvane, sold to £1,270 (570kg-17m), £1,240 (540kg-17m), £1,210 (560kg-20m). Yearling steers were dominated by Aberdeen Angus crosses from BB Farms, English Bicknor selling to £1,010 (13m), £955 (11-12m). Feeding heifers continue to ‘fly’ and topped at £1,190 (540kg23m) for Limousin crosses from G Walters, Lisvane. CULL CATTLE: 33 culls and another very strong trade and a top price of £1,370 for a strong Welsh Black bull from the National History Museum, St Fagans. A Charolais bull from WR & EJ Price made £1,080. Grade 1 Beef again averaging over £1,000 with a top price of £1,190 for a Simmental from Hale Bros, who also sold top price Limousin at £1,175. Welsh Black cows to £1,075 from LLO Jones & Sons. Blondes to £985 from the same vendors. Top price dairy at £915 from AR Edwards & Son.