Leek Market

A quieter sale following a very wintery Bank Holiday, with numbers back this week. However, no shortage of trade in the sheep sectionwith Spring Lambs averaging £146.42 a head. Topping at 417p/kg to average at 387p/kg. Hogg numbers drying up but still an excellent demand up to 340p/kg and £182.50, with Ewes in strong demand with prices to £166. A shortage of barren cattle and trade slightly easier, but some excellent prices achieved up to 148p/kg twice for black & whites. Dairies sold up to £1850 for heifers with in-calf heifers to £1600. Calves are an impressive trade once again with buyers galore for all types. Limousin bull calves up to £475 and Blues to £458 with Angus bull calves at £365 and Limousin heifer calves to £330. An easier trade for pigs this Tuesday, with a lot of numbers about and averages back. Prices up to 124p/ kg for bacon pigs and cutters to 117p/kg. BARREN COWS (19)

A small entry of barrens for the Bank Holiday Tuesday topping at 148p/kg twice for a 765kg Holstein from W E Turnock & Sons, Onecote and a 600kg Friesian from D Moseley, Astbury, with a 790kg Swedish Red at 147p/kg from Foker Grane Farm Ltd. Other top prices include: 141p 825kg Holstein R & T Clowes & Son, Dilhorne;138p 680kg Friesian G W Myatt & Partners, Gratton; 138p 740kg Hereford HA & TR Mycock, Grindon; 138p 800kg Angus HA & TR Mycock, Grindon; 137p 875kg Holstein Foker Grange Farm Ltd, Leek; 136p 720kg Hereford HA & TR Mycock, Grindon; 136p 635kg Friesian G W Myatt & Partners, Gratton.

Overall average of 126.57p/kg or £882.53 per head.

Top headage price of £1198.75 and £1163.25 for Holsteins and a Swedish Red at £1161.30. Angus’ sold to £1104 and Herefords at £1021.20. A 695kg Angus steer sold at 150p/kg from HA & TR Mycock, Grindon. DAIRIES (25)

A mixed quality forward in the dairy shed on Tuesday saw the best to £1850 for a heifer from John Hill of Ashover. In-calf heifers peaked at £1600. PIGS (158)

A bumper entry and this took an effect on the trade. Cutting pigs sold to 117p/kg for a 84kg pig from J G Belfield, with 85kg pigs at 100p/kg and 82kg at 95p/kg from J & B Fentem. Bacon pigs sold up to 124p/kg for a pair of 91kg pigs from PF & PD Parsons, with a 97kg pig at 119p/kg for

J G Belfield, Sheen. The Fentems sold bacon pigs at 108p/kg twice and the Parsons selling others at 108p/kg, 106p/kg and 104p/kg. Heavy pigs sold up to 110p/kg for 110kg pigs from J G Belfield, who also sold others at 101p/kg, 95p/ kg, 94p/kg and 92p/kg.

A good number of sows about and selling to 60p/kg for seven sows from one vendors, with others at 54p/kg and 52p/kg.

Averages:

Cutting Pigs (17); av 95.24p/kg or £80.09/head

Bacon Pigs (84); av 97.75p/kg or £92.96/head

Heavy Pigs (28); av 93.19p/kg or £108.18/head

Cull Sows (14); av 53.37p/kg or £147.06/head. SHEEP SECTION SPRING LAMBS (131)

Less numbers about, partly down to the adverse weather conditions but trade exceptionally good from start to finish. At least double could have been sold to the vendors advantage. Best sorts at 417p/kg and best lambs generally 395p–410p, depending on weight. Best headage price of £178.60 to average a highly creditable £146.42.

Sample prices: 414p 36.7kg R Brough & Son, Monyash; 408p 38kg IE,

M & A Wilson, Hollington; 417p 40.7kg R Brough & Son, Monyash; 409p 39.2kg IE,M&A Wilson, Hollington; 406p 42kg RG & AS Williamson, Wetley Rocks;395p 39.5kg J Nash, Sudbury; 380p 47kg RG & AS Williamson, Wetley Rocks. BUTCHERS HOGGET’S (191)

Numbers drying up fast. Best fed hoggs in good demand topping at 340p/kg and best big hoggs at £182.50.Overall average of 290p represents a very mixed entry and shows the excellent level of demand for all types.

Sample prices:

340p 40.6kg D Machin, Horton; 320p 43.7kg D Machin, Horton; 315p 40kg Brookside Farm Ltd, Warrington; 314p 40.5kg MJ & VP Oliver, Toft Green; 314p 46kg MJ & VP Oliver, Toft Green;

312p 49.6kg D Williams, Basford; 296p 53.7kg D Williams, Basford; 280p 64kg P Storer, Reapsmoor. CULL SHEEP (248)

Another strong entry selling on an exceptional trade. Best ewes to £166/head for Charolais ewes closely followed by Texels at £158, £152 etc. Big Mules topped at £117 with plenty at £90 £100.

Best Suffolk ewes to £151.

Texel Rams sold to £140. CALVES (117)

A good show of calves again. Trade remains outstanding with the finished cattle price at unprecedented levels the confidence in the calves is at an

all time high! 36 CONTINENTAL BULLS AV £317.72

Very dear again and an army of competing buyers all looking for calves to rear. Five best strong bulls topped £420 with a threemonth old Limousin from Philip Heath at £475 with Andrew

Hulme up to £458 for Blues and £440 for Limousins. Mediums £300 £370 with just 12 under £300.

17 Blues av £313 to £458 DW & P Hulme

7 Sims av £302 to £355 A & JE Goldstraw

7 Lims av £384 to £475 Foker Grange Farm Ltd

5 Blonde av £259 to £360 EJ & VC Gilman 21 CONTINENTAL HEIFERS £244.47

Not really enough calves to satisfy the demand of the number of buyers at the ringside. Better calves either side of £300 with a high of £330 for a red Limousin from AJ Webb, Poynton. Mediums £220, £250 with just a couple of smaller sorts under £200.

12 Blues av £245 to £325 R & T Clowes & Son

2 Sims av £257 to £295 J Gould & Son

5 Lims av £253 to £330 A J Webb 2 Blonde av £207 to £220 EJ & VC Gilman 48 NATIVES

Bigger numbers again and a superb trade and some excellent averages.

28 Angus Bulls av £246 to £365 S & J Ryder

4 Hereford Bulls av £231 to £315 W Millington & Co

10 Angus Heifers av £192 to £228 AJ & T Myatt

6 Hereford Heifers av £205 to £265 R & T Clowes

12 Black & White Bulls av £115.75 Holsteins to £190; Shorthorns to £150; a Monty at £205 and a Norwegian Red at £170. Just two smaller bulls under £65.