The small changes that put an added burden on farmers

NFU county chairman ANGELA SARGENT says the work a farmer does might be more diverse than you think

120p/kg £1,156 Lim EP Brailsford, Farley.

107 FINISHED CATTLE – OVERALL AVERAGE 185.6P

A lovely trade this week but without the obvious highs of last weeks show.

23 Young Bulls ave 178.6p

Once again some quality about with trade topping at 215p (£1,462) for a red, Blue from S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires, who had their other at 210p (£1,474).

Top prices: 215p/kg 680kg BB x S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; 211p/kg 562kg Lim MJ Ludlam, Moorwood Moor; 210p/kg 702kg Lim S & D Fearn; 205p/kg 588kg Lim MJ Ludlam, Moorwood

Moor; 197p/kg 478kg Lim SG Potter, Bonsall; 197p/kg 604kg

Lim MA Sailsbury, Hayfield; 195p/kg 512kg Lim A Sims Ltd, Hulland.

Gross Prices:

£1,474.20 702kg Lim S & D Fearn; £1,462.00 680kg BB x S & D Fearn; £1,238.40 720kg Devon NJ Morris, Swadlincote; £1,205.40 588kg Lim MJ Ludlam, Moorwood Moor £1,189.88 604kg Lim MA Sailsbury, Hayfield; £1,185.82 562kg Lim MJ Ludlam, Moorwood Moor £1,098.90 594kg Lim SG Potter, Bonsall; £1,091.90

610kg Lim A Sims Ltd, Hulland; £1,058.76 612kg BB x NH Gaunt & Son, Dronfield.

42 Steers – overall average 186.7p

A solid trade, perhaps dearer than a fortnight ago with a couple of fresh orders at ringside.

Top 15 bullocks over £2 and tipping at 213p for a red Limousin from William Kaye, Dunford Bridge, with another three making 211p, 210p and 210p. Matching the figure of 213p was Vernon Befield, Sutton on the Hill, who had others at 209p, 208p etc. Angus sold to 187p (£1297) with fries to 164p.

Top prices: 213p/kg 526kg Lim A Kaye & Son, Dunford Bridge; 213p/kg 504kg Lim JV & KE Belfield, Sutton on the Hill; 212p/kg 496kg Lim NA Birch, Monyash; 211p/kg 560kg Lim A Kaye & Son; 210p/kg 534kg Lim A Kaye & Son; 210p/kg 522kg Blnd x BD & JH Ponsonby, Tideswell Moor; 210p/kg 538kg Lim A Kaye & Son, Dunford Bridge;

210p/kg 588kg Blnd x BD & JH Ponsonby; 209p/kg 56kg BB x

EMF Penrose, Baslow;

209p/kg 552kg Lim JV & KE Belfield, Sutton on the Hill; 208p/kg 620kg Lim FRJ & D Charlesworth, Bradbourne; 208p/kg 580kg Lim JV & KE Belfield, Sutton on the Hill; 207p/kg 526kg Blnd x C Molloy, Kirkby in Ashfield.

Gross Prices:

£1,309.44 704kg Lim TG Archer & Son, Yeldersley; £1,297.78 694kg AA A Elliott, Sitwell; £1,289.60 620kg Lim FRJ & D Charlesworth, Bradbourne; £1,267.20 660kg BB x Green Dales Farm, Alderwasley; £1,264.80 680kg Lim TG Archer & Son; £1,234.80 588kg Blnd x BD & JH Ponsonby, Tideswell Moor; £1,227.20 590kg Lim JV & KE Belfield, Ashbourne;

£1,224.96 696kg BB x Green

Dales Farm, Alderwasley; £1,224.00 612kg Sim D Hadfield & Daughter, Buxton; £1,206.46 I’M sitting in front of the open fire, logs roaring as it’s a frosty, crisp morning, listening to some Christmassy-type songs playing on the radio when I should be really doing something more productive. But

674kg Sim EA Gagie, Uttoxeter;

42 Finished Heifers – overall average 188.4p

15 natives and 32 continentals today with the highlight being a Limousin at 230p from Mark Hadfield, Castleton and bought by Rachel Mycock on behalf of Henshall Butchers, Chinley. A solid trade throughout that saw Angus to 189, and Hereford to 203p.

Top prices: 230p/kg 492kg Lim RM Hadfield Ltd, Castleton; 229p/kg 500kg Lim S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; 229p/kg 502kg Lim DM Elliott & Son, Little Hucklow; 228p/kg 590kg Lim BD & JH Ponsonby; 224p/kg 506kg Lim J & J Mellor & Son, Kniveton; 218p/kg 480kg Lim NA Birch, Monyash; 218p/kg 528kg Sim D Hadfield & Daughter, Buxton; 216p/kg 574kg Sim D Hadfield & Daughter; 216p/kg 564kg Lim J & J Mellor & Son, Kniveton;

213p/kg 514kg Lim JV & KE Belfield, Ashbourne; 210p/kg I’ve been thwarted! Having just sat trying to do my VAT, the laptop has crashed (not literally) – it doesn’t bode particularly well for next April when “making tax digital” becomes a reality for many farming businesses.

A big change that has slipped under the radar, my own working accounts and spreadsheet are no longer acceptable and I’m having to buy into a software option (or your accountant will, for a charge) – another cost to relatively small businesses which affects the productivity ratio.

Internet connection for us is patchy – picking your time to access it in order to make sure you are undisturbed is a feat I don’t always get right and it is incredibly frustrating.

The fact is that many businesses

552kg Lim TG Archer & Son, Yeldersley; 210p/kg 548kg Char NH Gaunt & Son, Dronfield; 210p/kg 480kg Lim TG Archer & Son; 209p/kg 496kg Lim Furness and Taylor, Wormhill.

Gross Prices:

£1,345.20 590kg Lim BD & JH Ponsonby, Tideswell Moor; £1,239.84 574kg Sim D Hadfield & Daughter, Buxton; £1,237.16 628kg BB x DM Elliott & Son, Little Hucklow; £1,218.24 564kg Lim J & J Mellor & Son, Kniveton; £1,159.20 552kg Lim TG Archer & Son, Yeldersley; £1,156.32 584kg Lim S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires £1,155.60 642kg Sim PJ & JA Morten & Daughters, Barmoor Clough; £1,151.04 528kg Sim D Hadfield & Daughter, Buxton; £1,150.80 548kg Char NH Gaunt & Son, Dronfield; £1,149.72 572kg Lim JV & KE Belfield, Ashbourne.

311 STORE & BREEDING CATTLE

A substantial entry sold on another strong trade with a particularly good line-up of buyers operating.

13 Feeding Bulls

Sample prices: £665 Hrd x 15-19 mnths HB Wildgoose, Newton Grange; £500 Angus x 8 mnths TJ & MR Gould, Sheen; £570 Char x 5 mnths G Goodwin, Wetley Rocks; £900 Lim x 11 mnths I & R Smith, Ilam. rely on a secure and consistent connection as many records, orders and such are digital – we may not like it but that is the direction of travel – we’re all used to banking apps and supermarket

27 Breeding Cattle

£960 Hfd Cow, 30 mnths & Sim Calf Hobson Farm, Flagg;

£930 Sim Cow, 30 mnths & bull G & D Shuker, Whaley Bridge;

£750 Hfd x Cow, 49 mnths, i/c – March D Rowarth, Codnor

£725 Lim x hfr, i/c TG Adams, Carlwich.

167 Steers Overall ave £712

A good many more than we might have reasonably expected at this time of year. Plenty of buyers operating and trade well up to expectation. Angus and Hereford crosses well sold and B/W Steers making their money.

Sample Prices: £490 Hfd

5-8 mnths Miss N Beardsley, Muggington; £890 Lim x 8 mnths G & G Green, Wessington;

£665 Lim x 8-10 mnths IC

Ford, Whaley Bridge;£625 Lim x 7 mnths R Simpson & Son, Longnor; £705 Hfd 8 mnths EJ Wood, Biggin; £730 Lim x 9-10 mnths GA Lomas, Peak Forest; £820 Blonde x 9 mnths TJ & MR Gould, Sheen; £580 Bv x 11-13 mnths T Stafford & Son, Ballidon; £640 Angus x 11 mnths AE & VJ Parkinson, Oshston; £1160 Lim x 21 mnths Mrs CA Bunting, Bradley; £995 Lim x 27 mnths CG Matkin, Alderwasley; £850

Bv x 14-16 mnths H Dutten Ltd, Thurvaston; £950 Lim x 19 mnths G Goodwin, Wetley Rocks

£900 Angus 19-23 mnths JS & M Holligrake, Flagg£965 BV x 18-19 ordering.

Apparently most of us should be able to access super fast broadband, but are not offered it by the providers.

Next year this should change when legislation is brought in

mnths FD Stubbs, Tissington; £865 Angus x 19-19 mnths J Burton, Ilam; £860 Sim x 19-20 mnths MJ Burnett, Rowsley

£1150 BV x 18 mnths GE

Stephens, Bradley; £1090 Sim x 22 mnths Burton & Vernon, Dove Holes; £1075 Lim x 21 mnths G & M Limer, Taddington; £955 Frie 23 mnths G & M Limer; £760 Hfd x 24-26 mnths JT Flint, Ible;

£795 Angus x 21-23 mnths DJ Webster, Worrall; £1175 Sim x 1821 mnths Miss B Foster, Hanch; £1095 Angus x 25 mnths NJ Clark, Ambergate; £1195 Lim x 24 mnths W & EE Lomas, Ashbourne; £895 Hfd x 26-28 mnths SA Edge, West Hallam; £1065 Mont b 32 mnths TG Adams; £920 BV x 18 mnths Mollatt Partners, Field; £770 Flec 15-16 mnths Mollatt Partners; £570 Hols 17-29 mnths Mollatt Partners.

104 Heifers, Overall Average £659.13

A very useful selection with something to suit most tastes and pockets as the following results will demonstrate.

Sample Results:

£420 Devon 9 mnths TC Lomax, Blythe Bv; £660 Lim x 9-10 mnths HJ Burton, Brailsford; £720 Lim x 10 mnths CC Etches, Tissington; £730 Lim x 10 mnths GA Lomas, Peak Forest; £585 Br x 10-12 mnths T Stafford & Son, Ballidon; £635 Angus 17-18 mnths AE & VJ Parkinson, Oslish; £660 Lim x 11-