Bakewell Thursday

A prosperous market, and trade unbelievable. Spring Lambs are in a very strong demand, with lambs up to 418p/kg twice and £175.50/head. Hoggs still above 300p and topping at 320p/kg or £182.60. Cull ewes were a solid trade, many dearer on the week, up to £176, to average £103/head. Continental bulls up to £455 for Simmentals, and Heifers to £320, and a particularly strong enquiry for Natives. Barrens were a cracking trade, up to 190p/kg for OTM and cows to 151p/kg. Clean also selling well up to 218p/kg for Limousin heifers.

A mixed entry of Dairies selling on a more positive trade to the previous week, and plenty of buyers around the ring, topping at £1970 for heifers. Pigs were in good demand and a new buyer in attendance, selling up to 134p/kg for bacon pigs.

BARREN COWS (42)

Another smashing trade this Tuesday with the overall average coming in at 124.52p/kg and leading prices of 190p/kg and 186p/kg for OTM heifers from G W Mycock & Sons, Alstonefield. Cows topped at 151p/kg for a 790kg Holstein from E T Hanson & Sons, Hasthorpe, and a 660kg Holstein at 150p/kg from JA & AJ Coxon, Church Broughton. Charolais cows topped at 148p/ kg for M & D Barber, Blore, and a 695kg Shorthorn sold to 147p/kg for G G Hall & Son, Croxden. Other top prices: 147p 685kg Shorthorn J T Howard, Ford; 145p 875kg Hereford G W Mycock, Alstonefield; 142p 760kg Holstein D & G Tudor, Kingsley; 140p 710kg Friesian JA& AJ Coxon, Church Broughton; 139p 680kg Friesian J & L Macpherson, Barton; 139p 705kg Holstein RG & AS Williamson.

Plenty of cattle 130p/kg with an average of 124.52p/kg or £789.34 per head. Top headage price for cows at £1268.74 for a 875kg Hereford from G W Mycock & Sons, with Holsteins to £1192.90 and £1079.20. A run of OTM steers & heifers from G W Mycock & Son topped at 200p/kg for a 33-month-old 660kg Limousin steer, with a 670kg Simmental heifer at 190p/kg, 675kg Hereford heifer at 186p/kg and other steers at 156p/kg and 152p/kg, to gross a top price of £1320 for steers, and £1273, £1268.75 and £1255.50 for heifers. There was a 870kg Limousin bull from David Kennerley, Betley which realised 146p/kg.

CLEAN CATTLE

A small entry topped at 218p/kg for a 550kg Limousin heifer from Chris Barnsley, Morridge to gross £1199. Young bulls topped at 186p/kg, 185p/kg and 184p/kg for 530-580kg black & white bulls from J E Archer & Sons, Hilton, and a 595kg Hereford steer made 184p/kg for P Riley, Meerbrook.

DAIRIES (39)

Another bouncy trade for milkers saw the best to £1970 and 10 pass the £1800 mark. A smashing entry from David Brailsford of Alton, Chesterfield met a brisk trade with his best to £1970 and others to £1950 and £1900 twice over. Malcolm Trevor-jones saw his best to £1840 and showed a beautiful Guernsey heifer to £1800. Nigel Cresswell of Yeaveley saw his best heifer to £1910.

PIGS (125)

An excellent entry of pigs and some good quality sorts forward, with plenty of buyers after stock. Cutting pigs topped at 129p/kg for a trio of 82kg pigs from PF & PD Parsons, with a pair of 80kg pigs at 118p/kg from P J Bowers, Mow Cop and a 80kg pig at 112p/kg from D Goldstraw.

Bacon pigs topped at 134p/kg for a pair of 88kg pigs from PF & PD Parsons, who sold a run of pigs at 131p/kg, 129p/kg, 128p/kg, 127p/kg, 125p/kg and 124p/kg.

J & B Fentem sold 95.3kg pigs at 127p/kg and 94kg pigs at 124p/kg. Heavy pigs sold up to 100p/kg for a pair of 109kg pigs from MC & EA Beattie with a pair of 118p/kg at 90p/kg.

A good number of Sows forward selling up to 74p/kg for a 302p/kg, 72p/kg, 71p/kg (x2), 70p/kg (x2). Averages:

Cutting Pigs (10); av 114.17p/kg or £93.85/head

Bacon Pigs (102); av 111.41p/kg or £104.82/head

Heavy Pigs (5); av 92.16p/kg or £105.43/head

Cull Sows (8); av 69.08p/kg or £172.02/head.

SHEEP SECTION SPRING LAMBS (183)

Nice to see more forward and trade could only be described at blistering. Best lambs regularly 400p and above topping at 418p/kg for two vendors. Best sorts to £175.50/head.

Sample Prices:

418p 37.7kg IE, M & A Wilson, Hollington; 418p 39kg R Brough & Son, Monyash; 417p 37kg IE, M & A Wilson, Hollington; 414p 37.5kg RG & AS Williamson, Wetley Rocks; 404p 39kg E A Sessions & Sons, Dalbury Lees 412p 39.3kg RG & AS Williamson, Wetley Rocks; 402p 42.4kg R Brough & Son, Monyash; 390p 45kg RG & AS Williamson, Wetley Rocks.

BUTCHERS HOGG ET’S (346)

Numbers drying up and quality mixed. Best hoggs well bid for, topping at 320p/kg.

Sample Prices:

300p 37kg MJ & D Needham, Ipstones; 320p 44.4kg FS & MJ Heath, Pipe Gate; 315p 42kg E A Sessions & Sons, Dalbury Lees 312p 45.3kg D Williams, Basford; 300p 45.1kg MJ & VP Oliver, Toft; Green; 292p 51kg R & S Bailey, Cloudside.

CULL SHEEP (191)

Average back slightly on the week. Average still over £100/head at £103.01. Best Texel’s to £176 from Kirkham & Bourne, and plenty of good Texels at £150 +. Mules threatening the £100 barrier. Best Suffolks to £140 and horned ewes to £85 for strong sorts. Best Texel Rams to £161.

CALVES (113) 30 CONTINENTAL BULLS AV £333.46

Trade sensational from start to finish. Mediums £300 £360 with just 5 under £300.

12 Blues av £333 to £445 DW & P Hulme

7 Sims av £324 to £455 TD & DA Higginson

10 Lims av £340 to £440 PG Beswick & Sons

1 Blonde to £325 B E Wain

26 CONTINENTAL HEIFERS £215.50

Just like the bulls, dearer on the week with a gang of buyers. Five better sorts over £260 and topping at £320. Mediums £200 £230 with eight smaller sorts under £180. 11 Blues av £221 to £320 WE Turnock & Sons

4 Sims av £200 to £245 G & E Critchlow

11 Lims av £215 to £300 NG, JMH & H Mellor

46 NATIVES

Good numbers again.

14 Hereford Bulls av £226 to £305 W Millington & Co

11 Angus Bulls av £236 to £340 W Millington & Co

12 Hereford Heifers av £183 to £232 T Swinson

9 Angus Heifers av £199 to £265 W Millington & Co

11 Black & White Bulls

Stronger bulls over £100 with Brown Swiss at £135 and Holsteins to £108. Medium rearer’s £60 £70 with smaller calves generally £30 £50.