Leek market

An excellent entry of dairies for the monthly pedigree sale attracted a great crowd. A top price of £2,320 for an exceptional milky heifer from the Crooks family of Staveley. Handy-weight lambs were in very good demand with a top price of 203p/kg, with heavier lambs being harder to sell. Barrens were down on the week, but a good entry forward. Top price of 155p/kg for Herefords. Short supply of clean cattle with a top of 183p/kg. Pigs were a good trade, with a top of 124p/kg for bacon pigs. Weaners sold to £42/ head. Fewer calves with a higher proportion of plainer sorts about. Top price of £398 for a Limousin bull calf and Limousin heifers to £325

BARREN COWS (64)

A little fewer but prices compare well to other outlets. Two overage heifers sold a 155p/kg for a 580kg Hereford and 550kg Hereford for 150p/kg from Rushton Spencer. Barrens sold to 112p/kg for a 650kg Holstein from IJ & AM Barks, Blackshaw Moor with a 635kg British Blue from CS, JJ & WE Bower, Hollingworth.

Other top prices: 100p 725kg Charolais, - WB Moss, Rainow; 97p 615kg Limousin - Oliver Brothers, Sheen; 97p 795kg Holstein - WG&J Clark, Bradnop; 94p 645kg Wagyu - CS, JJ & WE Bower, Hollingworth; 93p 940kg Montbeliarde - FA & TM Cotton, Tean; 92p 715kg Angus - NG Sidebottom, Marple; 92p 645kg Friesian - Oliver Brothers, Sheen; Overall average of 78.65p/kg or £508.84 per head. Top headage price of £899 for Herefords with Montbeliarde’s at £874.20. Average Hereford steers at 160p/ kg for a 490kg beast from G A Wise, Audley with a 675kg Blonde at 127p/kg.

CLEAN CATTLE (8)

A small entry. Top price of 189p/ kg for a 605kg Simmental bull from Rushton Spencer. Steers topped at 183p/kg twice for two 625kg Angus’ from JR Hall of Endon. Heifers topped at 162p/ kg for a 535kg Hereford and 155p/ kg for a 515kg Hereford from Rushton Spencer. Top headage price of £1143.75 for the two steers with bulls to £1143.45 and heifers to £866.70.

DAIRIES (118)

The ringside was buzzing at selling time with trade setting of at a fierce rate. Seven passed the £2,000 barrier with the top 23 averaging a fantastic £1,876 with vendors rewarded for showing quality stock. Topping £2,320 for an exceptionally milky heifer was Stephen Crooks of Staveley for his Cangen Pinkman daughter. Giving 32kg she was eventually clinched by the Parker family of Haughton after spirited bidding. Stephen also had his second heifer by the same bull to £2,000 to Messrs Drabble.

At £2,200 was an Apina Norman daughter from the Cubley Herd of Phillip and Marilyn Critchlow. She went to Andrew Hulme of Basford. The entry of five heifers from regular vendors Messrs Easom of Oakerthorpe saw two pass £2,000, a further two at £1940 and £1,920 to average £1878.

First-time vendors Messrs Manford of Kent saw there entry of 10 heifers top at £1,900 with even some lighter weight types over £1,500.

1st quality heifers to £2,320 average £1,876; 2nd quality heifers to £1630 average £1512; 2nd quality cows to £1,630 average £1,548. All milkers average £1593.

PIGS (119)

Another similar trade for pigs, and vendors going away satisfied with prices achieved. Only one pork pig at 75kg realising 108p/kg from J&B Fentem.

Cutting pigs sold to 120p/kg for a 76kg pig from J&B Fentem who sold a pair of 84.5kg pigs at 118p/ kg and 84.6kg pigs at 116p/kg. S Bailey, Biddulph sold a pair of 85kg pigs for 115p/kg.

Bacon pigs sold to 124p/kg for 101.6kg pigs from R Wilson, Oldham who also sold a 99kg pig for 120p/kg. Steve Bailey sold 86.5kg pigs at 118p/kg with Chris Hine selling 96.5kg pigs at 118p/ kg also.

Heavier pigs sold to 112p/kg for a 110kg pig from JW Bailey, Cloudside with a pair of 107kg pigs at 111p/kg from Chris Hine. Cull gilts sold to 63p/kg for a

309kg gilt from H Salt & Son, Grindon who also sold a 284kg gilt at 60p/kg. Sows sold to 55p/kg for a 314kg sow from NS Burgin, Dronfield.

Averages:

Pork pigs (1) average 108p/kg or £81/head; Cutting Pigs (24) average 111.77p/kg or £92.21/ head; bacon pigs (40) average 112.07p/kg or £107.96/head; heavy pigs (3) average 111.34p/ kg or £120.25/head; Cull Sows (12) average 47.76p/kg or £96.93/ head; store pigs sold to £42/head for 35kg weaners from Phillip Nadin, Meerbrook.

SHEEP SECTION LAMBS (644)

Disappointing not to have more forward, particularly in the 36kg-42kg bracket, which were in very strong demand. Best handy weights saw spirited bidding at 190p-plus to a top of 203p/kg from Mosley & Son of Wormhill. Closely followed by Ben Robinson of Swythamley and James Gilman of Bosley.

Sample prices: 166p 30kg KB Hazlehurst, Doveholes; 188p 37.3kg D Goldstraw, Meerbrook; 187p 35.4kg RJ Critchlow, Grindon; 203p 39.9kg Mosley & Son, Wormhill; 201p 40.4kg J M Robinson, Swythamley; 200p 42.3kg J Gilman & Partners, Bosley; 198p 40.5kg Smith & Wardman, Longnor; 198p 41.4kg W H I Mellor, Stockport; 187p 45.7kg LR&MJ Lowe, Hulme

End; 186p 46.3kg Mosley & Son, Wormhill.

CULL SHEEP (260)

Another strong entry saw a slightly more selective trade overall but the best selling to £110 for strong Texels from the Mifflin family of Bignall End. Best mules achieving £70/head and plain end perhaps a little firmer at £20-40. Overall average of £52.63 for a mixed sample forward.

CALVES (148)

A higher proportion of plainer sorts about.

33 CONTINENTAL BULLS, AVERAGE £232.48

A similar story to the previous week with the best looking well sold but a big gap between the best and the rest. Bulls topped at £398 for a lovely Limousin from Brooklyn Farm Products. 10 best over £300 with medium £200 – £280 and smalls under £200. 18 Blues average £259 to £350 - NG, JMH & H Mellor one Simmental to £320 - F&R Brassington 10 Limousins averag £228 to £398 Brooklyn Farm Products.

45 CONTINENTAL HEIFERS, AVERAGE £167.31

A little dearer on the week with the average up £20 but they still look very buyable with some good value about.

A lovely fresh Blue sold at £270 for D Johnson with better calves generally over £180. A run of stronger Limousin heifers sold to £325 for a bunch of 4 (2 ½ mths). 16 Blues average £168 to £270

- D Johnson seven Simmentals average £138 to £195 - J Gould & Son 19 Lims average £189 to £325 - FE Whittaker & Sons.

51 NATIVE HEREFORD & ANGUS

Bigger numbers with Angus bulls looking well sold at £258 and £232 for C V Whilock & Sons, Ipstones. Heifers look better sold with Angus’ to £170 and £140 for Harehill Farms, Sudbury, and Herefords to £145 for Brooklyn Farm Products.

17 BLACK & WHITE BULLS £44.52

A tremendous British Friesian sold at £160 for S Mccleavy with the processing calves generally £20 - £50. Two Montbeliard steers (4mths) sold at £405/head for JR Barker & Son, Findern.