Bakewell Market

A frosty start to a busy day with 770 Cattle and 1,384 Sheep on offer. Trade good in all sections with solid averages and plenty of highlights.

420 Store & Breeding Cattle this week – a good number for a time of year when entries usually tail off.

Not so many top-quality sorts but Steers reached £1,350, Heifers £1,300 and Feeding Bulls £960. Very few Breeding Cattle on offer after last week’s special entries, but a cow & calf made £1,240 and a middle-aged Lim Stock Bull £1,850.

There was an abundance of finished cattle – a total of 154. Quality rather variable, but a tremendous trade with heifers to 316p and steers to 300p, top gross price £2,055 and the overall average for 65 heifers 240.3p.

OTM & Feeding Cows were also out in force with the largest entry for a very long time at 169 head. Top figures 196p/kg and £1,555 per head. The average 128.3 for a very mixed sample.

Only 27 Calves this week with bulls to £460 and heifers £260. In the Sheep section 1,001 lambs sold on another tremendous trade with top figures 334p/kg and £155.58 per head.

The SQQ average looked good at 277.8p meaning that the 477 lambs in the 39-45kg weight range averaged £119.62 per head. Rather fewer cull sheep this week at 373. Ewes to £161 to average £90.12.

169 BARREN, OTM AND FEEDING COWS OVERALL AVERAGE 128.4P

A very big entry of cows from 70 vendors today with more store and feeding cows on offer in the entry.

Meat as always sold at a premium with a top call of 196p for a 32-mnth-old black Limousin heifer from Messrs Critchlow, of Sheen, with the best cow being a strong Black Lim at 180p to gross a superb £1555. Best beef cows 150p plus with 55 cows being purchased for further feeding to improve their value.

Sample Results:

196p/kg 568kg Lim FG & JR Critchlow, Sheen; 180p/kg 864kg Lim MG Mosley & Sons, Rivelin; 171p/kg 720kg B Blue x Thorpe Farms Ltd, Baslow; 166p/kg 556kg Fries L Hadfield & Sons, Peak Forest; 165p/kg 674kg Blonde x C & FM Percival, Youlgreave; 163p/kg 650kg Char JW Brittain, Staden; 163p/kg 586kg Fries J Melland & Son, Pomeroy; 163p/ kg 702kg Hfd JW Brittain, Staden; 162p/kg 660kg Char JW Brittain, Staden; 161p/kg 840kg Lim D Hadfield & Daughter, Tideswell; 160p/kg 700kg Stab G Armstrong, Rainow.

Gross Prices:

£1555.20 864kg Lim MG Mosley & Sons, Rivelin; £1440.00 Sim J Mee, Brinsley; £1398.00 932kg AA G Armstrong, Rainow; £1352.40 840kg Lim D Hadfield & Daughter, Tideswell; £1344.00 869kg AA G Armstrong, Rainow; £1307.66 866kg B Blue x S & A Taylor, Cumberworth; £1302.32 892kg Sim J Mee, Brinsley; £1264.20 860kg B Blue x S & A Taylor, Cumberworth; £1231.20 720kg B Blue x Thorpe Farms Ltd, Baslow; £1212.48 842kg Sim RHH Parnell, Littleover; £1203.96 762kg Char RS & EJ Longden, Chinley.

73 BLACK & WHITE AND EX-DAIRY COWS AVE 116.2P/KG

Generally, similar prices to last week:

Better Cows 137-145p

Big Holsteins 120-135p

Leaner Parlour Cows 110-120p Plain Cows 95-105p Little Plain Cows Un der 90p

Best Today:

166p/kg £922 Fries Hfr (24mnths) L Hadfield & Sons, Peak Forest; 163p/kg £955 Fries Hfr (28 mnths) J Melland & Son, Pomeroy; 160p/kg £1001 Holst Hfr (31 mnths) TW Kent & Co, Yeaveley; 159p/kg £915 Fries Hfr (31 mnths) R Vernon, Rocester; 146p/kg £1062 Ayr Cow (5 yrs) J Brough & Son, Rudyard; 145p/kg £1125 Fries Cow (4 yrs) FJ Gould & Son, Longnor; 140p/kg £924 Mont Cow (8 yrs) FA & TM Cotton, Tean; 139p/kg £1034 Holst Cow (6 yrs) MG Mosley & Sons, Rivelin; 137p/kg £1068 Fries Cow (8 yrs) J Brough & Son, Rudyard

137p/kg £835 Fries Cow (5 yrs) A Allwood & Son, Crich.

2 OTM BULLS

117p/kg £1256 Sim Y Melland, Bakewell.

24 OTM STEERS

Three good runs today but nonfarm Assured

150p/kg 570kg Gall (7yrs) JR Metcalfe, Edale; 147p/kg 714kg AA (4 yrs) WH Allcock, Hulland; 141p/kg 668kg Fries (3 1⁄2 yrs) WE Smith & Son, Dale Abbey.

154 FINISHED CATTLE – OVERALL AVERAGE 226.5P

Trade finds the numbers with more on offer than the last few weeks and more than the same week last year. 51 vendors selling cattle to 26 different accounts, competition at its finest.

32 FINISHED BULLS AVE 204.9P/KG

A good entry again with 11 B/W, 4 Native and 17 Continental. One of the highest prices for a Bull in Bakewell with a super Lim x from John Ottewell, Calow selling at 281p to gross £1,905 with his other at 267p (£1,933). Angus to 209p with four Friesians over £2 to a top of 206p (£1,204) and 205p (£1361) for Gordon Cresswell, of Atlow.

Sample Results:

281p/kg 678kg Lim JT Ottewell, Calow; 267p/kg 724kg Lim JT Ottewell, Calow; 257p/kg 586kg Sim K Harrop, Alport; 251p/kg 694kg Lim S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; 249p/kg 580kg Sim K Harrop, Alport; 248p/kg 548kg Lim K Harrop, Alport; 239p/kg 720kg Lim

S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; 238p/kg 722kg Char S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; 226p/kg 604kg Sim K Harrop, Alport; 221p/kg 562kg Lim HK & S Parkinson, Mapperley.

Gross Prices:

£1933.08 724kg Lim JT Ottewell, Calow; £1905.18 678kg Lim JT Ottewell, Calow; £1741.94 694kg Lim S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; £1720.80 720kg Lim

S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; £1718.36 722kg Char S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; £1591.04 704kg Char S & D Fearn, Wardlow Mires; £1506.02 586kg Sim K Harrop, Alport; £1476.00 720kg B Blue x G Hinchliffe, Loxley; £1444.20 580kg Sim K Harrop, Alport; £1383.58 662kg AA J Ratcliffe & Son, Alton.

57 STEERS – OVERALL AVE 224.5P

Excellent numbers and trade, with 36 Continentals, 16 Hereford and five B/W with strong bidding for all sorts. Prices rose to 300p for a super shapey Blue from Stan & Geoff Evans, Edwinstowe with his other at 281p. Keith Hodgson, Boston had two smart showy sorts at 288p/head (£1,889 & £1,843) Hereford to 248p with B/W to 190p.

Sample Results:

300p/kg 610kg B Blue x S Evans, Edwinstowe; 288p/kg 656kg

B Blue x P & B Hodgson, Boston 288p/kg 640kg Lim P&B Hodgson, Boston; 281p/kg 638kg Lim S Evans, Edwinstowe; 280p/kg 522kg Lim BD & JH Ponsonby, Tideswell Moor; 276p/kg 696kg Lim D & SE Edge, Pike Hall; 276p/kg 662kg Lim D & SE Edge, Pike Hall; 268p/ kg 536kg Lim Thorpe Farms Ltd, Baslow.

Gross Prices:

£2055.30 806kg B Blue x J Castle, Stockport; £1920.96 696kg Lim D & SE Edge, Pike Hall; £1889.28 656kg B Blue x P & B Hodgson, Boston; £1864.36 734kg Lim J Castle, Stockport; £1843.20 640kg Lim P & B Hodgson, Stockport; £1830.00 610kg B Blue x S Evans, Edwinstowe; £1827.12 662kg Lim D & SE Edge, Pike

Hall; £1792.78 638kg Lim S Evans, Edwinstowe; £1617.28 722kg Sim B & K Stevenson, Quarndon; £1601.60 616kg Lim BD & JH Ponsonby, Tideswell.

65 FINISHED HEIFERS – OVERALL AVERAGE 240.4P/KG

An unbelievable trade again with the average up on last weeks sky high levels. A trio of best heifers sold over £3 with the gold medal going to a super sort from Craig Wint, Alton selling his super handy weight Limousin to 316p (£1662) and selling to “Show boy” on behalf of Rob & Ian Meakin, Quality Butchers at Leek, Staffs. Seven Hereford to 237p, seven Angus to 210p and a Lincoln Red at 218p.

Sample Results:

316p/kg 526kg Lim CM Wint, Alton; 300p/kg 568kg Lim NA Birch, Monyash; 300p/kg 608kg Lim D Williams, Basford; 290p/kg 586kg Blonde x M Wynne, Snitterton; 290p/kg 574kg B Blue x M Wynne, Snitterton; 288p/ kg 584kg B Blue x NA Birch, Monyash; 286p/kg 652kg Lim D Williams, Basford; 285p/kg 566kg Lim B & K Stevenson, Quarndon; 283p/kg 570kg B Blue x S Evans, Edwinstowe; 282p/ kg 626kg Lim P & B Hodgson, Boston; 278p/kg 500kg Lim LM & D Grummett, Smisby; 277p/ kg 548kg Lim R & A White & Son, Bamford; 277p/kg 500kg Lim

LM & D Grummett, Smisby.

Gross Prices:

£1864.72 652kg Lim D Williams, Basford; £1824.00 608kg Lim D Williams, Basford; £1809.50 658kg Lim D Williams, Basford; £1765.32 6269kg Lim P & B Hodgson, Boston; £1704.00 568kg Lim NA Birch, Monyash; £1699.40 586kg Blonde x M Wynne, Snitterton; £1681.92 584kg B Blue x NA Birch, Monyash; £1664.60 574kg B Blue x M Wynne, Snitterton; £1662.16 526kg Lim CM Wint, Alton; £1622.60 610kg Lim JT & JW Woodfine, Radbourne.

STORE & BREEDING CATTLE

420 Cattle this week, a good turnout for the time of year. Plenty of interest in all types and trade maintained at recent levels.

The sale commenced with 41 Feeding Bulls, sample prices as follows:

£860 Lim x 18 mnths Mrs JN Abbott, Brackenfield; £780 Hfd x 20 mnths P & A Thornhill, Gt Longstone; £960 Hfd x 11-15 mnths RHH Parnell, Littleover; £820 Lim x 8 mnths J Beeson & Son, Kingstone; £950 Lim x 8 mnths JR Beeson, Grindley; £640 Sim x 9-10 mnths EJ Nash, Fulford.

Only a handful of Breeding Cattle which included:

£1240 B Blue x Cow, 54 mnths & Hfr Calf JR Burns, Hope;

£1180 Blonde x Cow, 85 mnths & Hfr Calf Miss J Lomas, Aldwark. There were however, 12 Feeding Cows ranging from £590 to £1005 with most in the £700 to £800 bracket and also a Ped Lim Stock Bull, 56 mnths sold at £1,850 on behalf of GA Lomas & Sons, Peak Forest.

217 STEERS AVE £887

A decent selection with plenty of interest for all types. Angus and Hereford selling well as were the Black & White.

Sample Results:

£600 Lim x 5 mnths RG & C Gould & Son, Longnor; £650 Lim x 5 mnths P Storer, Longnor; £930 Char x 7-8 mnths N & A Pancisi, Stanton; £860 Saler 12-13 mnths N & A Pancisi, Stanton; £540 B Blue x 5-6 mnths E Salt, Buxton; £570 Lim x 5-7 mnths SR Bardwell, Highlow; £735 Galloway 17 mnths A Webster, Stanton by Dale; £620 Lim x 5-6 mnths SR Harrison, Idridgehay; £1170 B Blue x 14 mnths Miss RJ Stubbs, Hoarcross; £820 Hfd x 11 mnths S Young, Radbourne; £920 B Blue x 12 mnths Shirley & Boam, Longnor; £1280 Char x 14 mnths F&P Pilkington, Kniveton; £750 B Blue x 11-14 mnths EF Chadfield, Snelston; £765 Sim x 12-13 mnths EF Chadfield, Snelston; £950 B Blue x 14-15 mnths M&K Roworth, Etwall; £1075 B Blue x 18 mnths LA & H Burtonshaw, Middleton; £980 Hfd x 13-18 mnths LA & H Burtonshaw, Middleton; £1085 Lim x 16-17 mnths M Gregory, Peak Forest; £1310 B Blue x

18-19 mnths D Langton, Belper; £805 Fries 16 mnths D Simpson, Castleton; £1260 Blonde x 19 mnths IR Spendlove, Belper; £1045 Lim x 18 mnths IR Spendlove, Belper; £1060 Angus x 18 mnths IR Spendlove, Belper; £1210 Hfd x 18 mnths A Hunter, Hognaston; £940 Hfd x 17 mnths Mrs S Petford, Hints; £1155 Devon 17-18 mnths M Mosley & Son, Rivelin; £1125 Lim x 21 mnths H Young, Peak Forest; £1050 Fries 26 mnths JC Stubbs, Ashbourne; £1290

Lim x 19 mnths GT Rowlinson, Denstone; £1350 Lim x 17 mnths GT Rowlinson, Denstone;

£1150 B Blue x 20-22 mnths

W & C & J Barratt, Combs; £1150 Hfd 18 mnths M Green, Whaley Bridge; £1135 S Horn 18 mnths JH Morten, Whaley Bridge; £865 Fries 23-24 mnths JF Sayles,

Crich; £1030 Angus 20 mnths WH Burgess, New Mills; £1235 B Blue x 25 mnths J & D Skidmore, Chelmorten; £1005 Angus x 23 mnths L Webster & Co, Tissington; £840 Holst 18-21 mnths DJ Webster, Worrall; £1180 B Blue x 25 mnths WT Bunting, Pike Hall; £990 Holst 19-28 mnths WT Bunting, Pike Hall.

144 HEIFERS AVE £802

A useful entry in both bunches and as individuals – all finding a ready market with recent price levels maintained.

Typical Prices:

£590 Lim x 6 mnths GCG Robinson, Longnor; £540 Lim x 4 mnths P Storer, Longnor; £770 Char x 7-8 mnths N & A Pancisi, Stanton; £600 Lim x 6 mnths SR Bardwell, Highlow; £880 B Blue x 15 mnths Miss RJ Stubbs, Hoar Cross;

£710 Char x 5-8 mnths JP & D Helliwell, Oughtibridge; £705 Angus x 13 mnths Messrs Allen, Uttoxeter; £1080 Char x 18 mnths F & P Pilkington, Kniveton; £790 Sim x 13-17 mnths EF Chadfield, Snelston; £850 Hfd x 14-21 mnths LA & H Burtonshaw, Middleton; £1180 B Blue x 17 mnths M Gregory, Peak Forest; £1300 B Blue x 17 mnths D Langton, Belper; £1000 Lim x 22 mnths IR Spendlove, Belper; £950 Angus x 17-19 mnths BG Adams, Brailsford; £1250 Lim x 16 mnths DT Patton, Stretton; £805 Lim x 17 mnths D Langton, Belper; £1160 Angus x 22 mnths H Young, Peak Forest; £905 B Blue x 20 mnths S Tudor, Kingsley;

£800 Hfd x 18 mnths M Green, Doveholes; £1065 B Blue x 22 mnths B Ryan, Huthwaite;

£745 Angus x 17-20 mnths WH Burgess & Son, New Mills; £690 Angus x 18-24 mnths AC Langridge, Fole; £1120 Angus x 22 mnths W & E Lomas, Ashover; £1000 Hfd 26 mnths R & R Bennett, Mellor; £915 Hfd 23 mnths WT Bunting, Pike Hall.

CALVES

A few less calves and a strong trade for all types. Best bulls saw a month-old Limousin at £460 with B Blue to £350 twice.

Heifers equally as well sold with Limousin to £260 and B Blue to £225.

Only a small entry of Black & Whites, which sold at recent rates to a top of £115.

BULLS

Lim £460 DR & S Kirby, Eastmoor; Lim £410 RG & C Gould, Longnor; B Blue £350 JE Seals & Son, Shirland; Lim £290 Pidcock & Matkin, Teversal; W Black £215 DJ & K Mellor, Onecote; Saler

£205 JF Hayes, Shottle.

HEIFERS

Lim £260 JF Hayes, Shottle; B Blue £225 Pidcock & Matkin, Teversal.

1001 LAMBS & 373 EWES & RAMS & 10 STORE SHEEP

A total entry of 1384 Sheep included 1001 lambs. Demand very brisk throughout with 18 pens selling over 300p/kg to peak at 334p/kg for butchers’ lambs with heavy butchers’ lambs to 320p/kg and overweight lambs to 286p/kg. Top gross of £155.58/ head with an average of £120/head. The overall average was 277.84p/kg.

Leading Prices:

35.5kg 294p/kg R Wilcockson, Hathersage; 36.6kg 294p/kg R Ede, Ticknall; 36.6kg 317p/kg C Spendlove, Ambergate; 37.7kg 300p/kg FR Platts, Bamford;

38kg 316p/kg Taylor Toone & Sons, High Peak; 39.3kg 311p/kg DM Elliott & Son, Hucklow; 39.7kg 334p/kg P Ritter & Sons, Peak Forest; 40.0kg 302p/kg P Ritter & Sons, Peak Forest; 40.8kg 305p/kg Mosley & Co, Chelmorten; 41.5kg 308p/kg R Mosley & Son, Elton; 42.8kg 318p/kg IR & AD Wildgoose, Scarcliffe; 43.4kg 316p/kg P Ritter & Sons, Peak Forest; 45.8kg 320p/ kg P Ritter & Sons, Peak Forest 47.1kg 300p/kg IR & AD Wildgoose, Scarcliffe; 47.8kg 318p/kg

J & J Walton & Sons, Tideswell; 49.8kg 298p/kg J & J Walton & Sons, Tideswell; 51.4kg 286p/kg R & S Salisbury, Abney; 54.4kg 286p/kg J & J Walton & Sons, Tideswell; 56.4kg 274p/kg R Swift & Sons, Little Onn.

Averages:

Standard: To 317p/kg Average 263.87p/kg

Medium: To 334p/kg Average 283.08p/kg

Heavy: To 320p/kg Average 274.48p/kg

Overweight: To 286p/kg Average 262.79p/kg

373 CULL SHEEP

Top call £161 for well-shaped Texels from the Elliott Family at Little Hucklow. Better Continental crosses all £128 and over with the best 9 pens averaging £149.67. No strong Suffolks forward today. Best horned ewes £74 plus with several purchasers for feeding ewes going home without filling their orders. Big Texel rams to £151 with others at £127.

Bakewell Thursday

1,144 SHEEP INCLUDING 825 FINISHED LAMBS, 258 CULLS AND 61 STORE SHEEP

825 Lambs Average 273.86p/kg An increased entry met with a strong trade for all types. Top prices achieved of 330p/kg and £188 per head. Overall average of just short of £117 per head.

Leading Prices:

36.2kg 330p/kg FH Sargent & Son, Derby; 38.8kg 308p/kg AC Langridge, Fole; 42.0kg 328p/kg B Ford, Lymehandley; 42.4kg 312p/kg

J & J Spillane, Fairfield; 40.7kg 302p/kg D Fotherby & Sons, Wormhill; 48.3kg 289p/kg G Ford, Tunstead; 53.7kg 266p/kg B Ford, Lymehandley; 77.0kg 245p/kg Boden & Davies, Mellor

Averages:

32.1-39.0kg To: 330/kg Ave: 276.03p/kg

39.1-45.5kg To: 328p/kg Ave: 273.12/kg

45.6-52kg To: 290p/kg Ave: 266.44/kg

52kg+ To: 266p/kg Ave: 252.62/kg

258 CULL SHEEP AVE £90/HEAD Top priced continentals to £172 and Mules into the £120s.

61 STORE LAMBS

Generally small lambs on offer and creating significant interest to a top of £80.

Leek Market

A good entry of lambs again and another excellent trade with a top price of 309p/kg and £163.20 per head. Cull sheep just as dear with ewes to £171 to average £108. Barrens up in price with the best to 150p/kg, and overage steers to 179p/kg or £1156.

A few more clean cattle about with a top price of 295p/kg for a 530kg Limousin heifer. Dairies continue to sell well with a top or £2,110 and £2,100 for heifers. A full shed of pigs and trade similar to last week, with bacon pigs selling the best up to

133p/kg and 131p/kg.

Strong trade for calves and the best always selling at a premium with Blue bulls to £430 and Limousins to £415 and heifers to £240.

BARREN COWS (55)

A much improved trade this week with a good entry forward topping the day at 150p/kg for a 740kg Holstein from WSW Mills, of Ratcliffe on Wreake, with a

615kg Cross Bred cow at 147p/ kg for A E Ward, Foxt. Limousins topped at 149p/kg for a 595kg cow from MJD Farms, of Alstonefield, with Herefords at 145p/kg for a 700kg cow from G W Mycock & Son, Alstonefield, who sold another 805kg Hereford at 140p/kg and a 735kg Hereford at 138p/kg.

Other top prices include:

138p 760kg Holstein A Povey & Sons, Doveridge; 138p 695kg Holstein H J Whitfield, Doveridge; 137p 785kg Brown Swiss DR & A Shuker, Bosley; 136p 850kg Hereford-gw Mycock & Sons, Alstonefield; 134p 630kg Limousin MJD Farms, Alstonefield; 133p 695kg Friesian DR & A Shuker, Bosley; 133p 730kg Swedish Red GR & D Hawkins, Cheadle; 133p 510kg Friesian DR & A Shuker, Bosley; 132p 735kg Holstein J & R Maydew, Consall.

Overall average up 17p this week at 115.75p/kg or £770.18 per head. Top headage prices of £1156 for a 850kg Hereford from G W Mycock & Son, with other Herefords at £1141.65, £1127 and £1015 with Holsteins to £1110 and £1048.80. One overage 620kg Hereford steer realised 179p/kg for G W Mycock & Son, Alstonefield.

CLEAN CATTLE (9)

A small entry sold on an excellent trade with a top price of 295p/kg for a 530kg Limousin heifer from CH Barnsley, Morridge, with a 520kg Simmental heifer realising 250p/kg for D & J Williams, Basford. A 525kg Aberdeen Angus heifer sold for 210p/kg from Reg Critchlow, of Grindon, who sold another 495kg Angus for 192p/kg. A 610kg Angus heifer made 198p/ kg from Richard Green, Whiston. Steers sold to 193p/kg for a 645kg Angus from G A Wise, Newcastle, who also sold a 635kg Blonde steer for 180p/kg.

Top headage prices of £1563.50 for the Limousin heifer with other heifers at £1300 and £1288.85 with steers up to £1244.85.

DAIRIES

A lovely trade for the quality forward saw the Phillips family of Winkhill top the market for a 26kg heifer at £2,110. They also had a second at £2,100.

Richard Lomas of Calow saw his heifer reach £2,020 with another from Messrs Callwood of Knutsford at £2000. A Montbeliarde x third calver giving 37kg from A Barber of Gnosall reached £1900.

PIGS (185)

A very similar trade to last week with another super entry forward. Cutters topped the day at 133p/ kg for 79kg pigs from D J Pope, Thame, with J & B Fentem & Sons selling a run of cutters at 116p/kg twice, 114p/kg, 111p/kg and 110p/kg.

An 81kg pig made 100p/kg for David Goldstraw.

Bacon pigs sold well, up to 131p/ kg for 90kg pigs from D J Pope, who also sold 91kg and 99kg pigs at 128p/kg, and 89.5kg pigs at 126p/kg, a pair of 95kg pigs realised 127p/kg from PF & PD Parsons, with a pair of 99kg pigs at 124p/kg from Bernard Minshull, and 124p/kg for 88kg pigs from Massie Farms.

Heavy pigs sold up to 118p/kg for 110kg pigs from David Goldstraw, Meerbrook, who also sold a 108kg pigs at 101p/kg. 106kg pigs realised 87p/kg for W Rigby &

Son, Chinley and 80p/kg for 111kg pigs from P & N Allen.

Culls sows sold well topping at 59p/kg for a 332kg sow from

A J Green, Dronfield, who also sold 334kg and 320kg sows for 58p/kg and a 182kg sow at 58p/kg for GR & M Garth and 306kg and 305kg sows at 58p/kg from W Rigby & Son, of Chinley.

A pen of 14 weaners weighing 35kg sold for £30/head. Averages:

Pork Pigs (4); av 101.23p/kg or £73.14/head

Cutting Pigs (34); av 105.97p/kg or £85.93/head Bacon Pigs ( 94); av 106.42p/kg or £98.18/head

Heavy Pigs (22); av 83.97p/kg or £95.35/head

Cull Sows (16); av 53.3p/kg or £135.72/head

SHEEP SECTION BUTCHERS LAMBS (845)

A similar entry selling on a solid trade, albeit not quite at the dizzy heights we are becoming accustomed to.

Best lambs still top side of 300p for all pens but generally 280 295p on the day. Best sold on the day was the little lambs at 30-39kg which saw a blistering trade from wholesalers and store purchasers. Best big lambs selling well again to top at 288p/kg for heavy and 270p for overweight’s to £163.20. Overall average 266p/kg SWW or 261p/kg overall.

Sample prices:

271p 30.7kg L & DA Lightfoot, Dilhorne; 309p 38kg A Shaw, Sturston; 304p 38.5kg A Shaw, Sturston; 298p 38kg J L Morris, Cresswell; 292p 38.8kg J Gilman & Partners, Bosley; 287p 37kg

R A Critchley, Denstone;

305p 39.5kg G & A Peach, Clifton; 301p 43kg M Lancaster, Congleton 298p 39.1kg M Lancaster, Congleton; 291p 40.8kg M Lancaster, Congleton; 288p 47.5kg M Lancaster, Congleton; 270p 56kg J J Watson, Marple; 269p

57kg FG & JR Critchlow, Sheen; 240p 68kg H G Nutter, Grindon.

CULL SHEEP (275)

A few less about saw a blistering trade for all types. The sale peaked at £171 for an excellent Texel ewe from David Goldstraw, Meerbrook who saw his run of ewes average an excellent £154/head. Other best Texels sold to £161 from R

& L Vernon and £161 from Alan Wilshaw.

Mules saw a fierce trade today topping at £128 for the very best with Suffolks to £138. Overall average at £108.13.

CALVES (134)

A good number of calves again this week with a good line-up of buyers led to another strong trade at Leek.

42 CONTINENTAL BULLS AV £242

A very strong trade again but a lot of 2nd and particularly 3rd quality calves on offer. Best eight calves topped £360 including four over £400 and a top of £430 for Messrs Shuker, Bosley. Mediums generally £240-£280 with a dozen smaller and plainer calves under £200.

31 Blues av £254 to £430 DR & A Shuker

4 Sims av £226 to £295 JJ & PN Holdcroft

5 Lims av £228 to £415 R J Salt & Partners

33 Continental Heifers av £166.39 Plenty of bidders. Only a handful of better sorts on offer and selling over £240 with a high of £255 for a Limousin from Messrs Whittaker, Bosley. Mediums £150 £200 with smaller heifers under £150. 17 Blues av £176 to £240 R G Emmott

9 Sims av £157 to £250 TD & DA Higginson

6 Lims av £163 to £255 F E Whittaker & Sons

30 NATIVES

8 AA Bulls av £169 to £252 C

Heath & Sons

4 Hereford Heifers av £149 to £205 F J Gould & Son

13 AA Heifers av £113 to £195 R G Emmott

29 BLACK & WHITE BULLS AV £88.17

Strong Friesians sold to £185; Shorthorns to £140 and

Swedish Red to £130. Mediums rearers £50 £80.