TUESDAY, MAY 4
A QUIETER sale following a very wintery Bank Holiday weekend, with numbers back this week.
However, no shortage of trade in the sheep section with 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 & white’s.
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);
Selling time – 10:00am
Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894) 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.
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);
Selling time – 11:30am
Auctioneers – Meg Elliott (07967 007049) & Mark Elliott (07973 673092)
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.
Next week we have a herd reduction of 30 fresh Friesian cows and heifers from Messrs Kennerley together with a group of 12 Pedigree British Friesian in-calf heifers due end of June onwards to the Limousin from Messrs Cresswell.
PIGS (158);
Selling time – 9:15am
Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894) 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 7 sows from one vendors, with others at 54p/kg and 52p/kg.
SHEEP SECTION;
Selling time 11:00am
Auctioneer – Robert Watkins (07929 946652)
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 per head!!
More numbers now required each week please!
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.
CULL SHEEP (248);
Another strong entry selling on an exceptional trade. Best ewes to £166/head for Charolais ewes closely followed by Texel’s at £158, £152 etc.
Big Mules topped at £117 with plenty at £90 £100. Best Suffolk ewes to £151.