Leek market

TUESDAY, APRIL 13

BARREN cows were a strong trade once again, selling up to 167p/kg for Shorthorns, and clean to 235p/kg for a Limousin heifer.

The sheep section continues to be on a solid enquiry with hogg numbers slowly drying up, trade peaked at 355p/kg and £179.28, with more Spring lambs forward selling up to 378p/kg or £145.93 per head. Culls ewes are in strong demand selling to £165/ head.

Dairies sold up to £1930 for heifers from D & W Davenport, who sold others at £1820 and £1750. Don’t forget next week is Pedigree Sale!

Calves continue to sell at a pace, with buyers galore for all types. Bulls calves topped at £445 and heifers to £305.

Pigs are in good demand and trade a little steady but averages up on the week, topping at 127p/ kg for bacon pigs.

BARREN COWS (35);

Selling time – 10:00am Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894)

An even stronger trade this Tuesday with some good prices achieved, with buyers after stock. Top price of 167p/kg twice, for a 620kg Shorthorn from M & D Barber, Blore and for a 645kg Holstein from ET & ME Pemberton, Cheadle.

Other black & white’s sold at 160p/kg for a 795kg Holstein from W E Turnock & Sons, Onecote, and 158p/kg for a 785kg Montbeliarde from WG & J Clark, who also sold a 690kg Ayrshire at 157p/kg.

Overall average of 127.65p/kg or £837.18.

Top headage prices of £1272 for Holsteins with others at £1245, £1240.30 and £1132.20.

CLEAN CATTLE;

Selling time – 10:45am approx.

Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894)

A smart 510kg Limousin heifer sold at 235p/kg for Chris Barnsley, Morridge, purchased by Peter Lymer of JW Ash Butchers of Leek. A 465kg Limousin heifer realised 187p/ kg for E E Connor, Bagnall and a 575kg Brown Swiss heifer made 175p/kg for DR & A Shuker, Bosley.

DAIRIES (26);

Selling time – 11:30am Auctioneers – Meg Elliott

(07967 007049) & Mark Elliott (07973 673092)

A stylish heifer from Derek Davenport of Brereton,

Sandbach topped the say at £1930 with others from the same home to £1820 and £1750.

Messrs Bennett of Whiston saw their heifer reach £1820 with two from Malcolm Trevor-jones to £1800 and £1780 respectively.

Cows topped at £1750 for a second week for Adrian Barber of Gnosall.

Next week is Pedigree sale week and in addition to the 40 odd milkers we have an extensive entry on in-calf and served heifers and yearlings included 12 in-calf Shorthorn heifers from Messrs Hollingworth.

PIGS (90);

Selling time – 9:15am Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894)

A similar number of pigs and trade a little stronger on the week. Cutting pigs sold to 119p/ kg for a 82kg pig from S Bailey and a 81kg pig at 118p/kg for RAO Johnson, Hilltop.

Bacon pigs sold to 127p/kg for a 91kg pig from P J Bowers, Mow Cop, with the Parsons family selling pigs at 126p/kg and 124p/kg twice. A pair of 92kg pigs realised 120p/kg for RAO Johnson, and 118p/kg for 92.6kg pigs from J & B Fentem who sold others at 117p/kg.

Heavy pigs sold to 116p/kg for a 113kg pig from PF & PD Parsons, Whitchurch, who also

sold a 118kg pig at 112p/kg and 110p/kg for a 107kg pig from S Bailey, Biddulph and a pair of 105kg pigs at 110p/kg for J & B Fentem.

SHEEP SECTION;

Selling time 11:00am Auctioneer – Robert Watkins (07929 946652)

SPRING LAMBS (75);

A modest entry as lambs struggle to finish with the changeable weather. Trade back as buyers are reluctant to switch onto Spring Lambs until the supply is more certain. A solid trade nonetheless at 378p for the best or £145.93 per head.

BUTCHERS HOGGET’S (207);

Very much a tail end show, selling to very good levels for the best, topping at 355p/kg or £179.28. a very large proportion of ‘raw’ and unfinished types which impacted heavily on the average, pulling it back to 294p/ kg SQQ or 289p/kg overall.

More well finished sorts could have easily been sold.

CULL SHEEP (198);

Nice to see a stronger entry and a solid trade to match. Best Texel’s to £165 from D Doughty, Fulford closely followed behind by Matt Davies at £161. Mainly well bid for to £105 and best Suffolks at £128 . Strong Swales selling up to £70/head and best rams to £148.

CALVES (138);

Selling time – 10:00am Auctioneer – Oliver Hiles (07801 530899);

Good numbers and trade throughout with the store cattle sellers looking to re-stock with quality calvers after good recent sales.

29 Continental Bulls av £296.37 A solid price for all calves with the best looking especially well sold. Three best bulls sold over £400 wit the only Charolais of the day at £445 for Daz Tudor with Limousins to £435