Leek market

TUESDAY, MARCH 8

A BRIGHT and sunny Tuesday market with good entries all round. The Dairy Herd Dispersal on behalf of the Brunt family, Moddershall, attracted a good crowd of buyers. They sold up to £2020 with the commercial entry topping the day at £2220.

Hogget’s met a solid enquiry selling up to 314p/kg for the best quality, SQQ average of 257p/kg. Cull sheep still in strong demand selling up to £195 to average £117.82/head.

Barren cows still an excellent trade, with the best to 172p/kg for a Charolais cow with mainly dairy cows forward to average 125.75p/kg overall. Clean sold to 200p/kg for a Hereford steer.

An improved trade for pigs with averages up on the week and the best fat pigs to 117p/kg.

Calves continue to sell well, with the best Blue bulls to £425 and heifers to £262 with 4 month old reared calves at £455.

BARREN COWS (32);

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

A smaller entry and less best beef sorts in today but still an excellent trade. Top price of 172p/kg for a 655kg Charolais from the family of SC Gallimore, Harriseahead who also sold a 605kg Simmental for 149p/kg.

Black & white’s topped at 147p/ kg for a 670kg Friesian from Woodward Partners, Rudyard, with a 625kg Friesian at 143p/kg for S & J Ryder, Dilhorne, 143p/ kg for a 750kg Holstein from DG & JA Ball, Fulford and same for a 650kg Friesian from G W Myatt & Partners.

Overall average of 125.75p/ kg or £1126.60 per head. Top headage price of £1126.60 for the Charolais from S C Gallimore, £1072.50 and £1019.25 for Holsteins.

CLEAN CATTLE;

Selling time – 10:45am approx. Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894)

A small entry and no best butchers cattle forward. Top price of 200p/kg for a 625kg Hereford steer from K Tart, Werrington who also sold a 635kg Hereford heifer for 184p/ kg.

DAIRIES(107);

Selling time – 11:30am Auctioneers – Meg Elliott (07967 007049) & Mark Elliott (07973 673092). A very busy day in the dairy section saw 107 milkers sold which included the herd dispersal on behalf of the Brunt family, Moddershall.

Commercial trade was again very buoyant with 6 passing the £2000 mark topping at £2220 for a heifer from Andrew Mills of Ratcliffe on Wreake. He also had a second to £2140.

The Williams family of Middlewich showed a fantastic run of 6 Norwegian Red and Fleckvieh X heifers with the best to £2200 and others to £2100 and £2030. The bunch of 6 averaged a superb £1981.

The herd dispersal on behalf of the Brunt family saw trade top at £2020 with many others in that £1700-£2000 mark.

Next week we have a big Pedigree Sale which includes a large number of youngstock from the Hankins, Barmick and Snowfern Herd.

We will also have subject to the pre-movement TB test a Special Entry of 37 mainly Guernsey Milkers, In-calf heifers and youngstock due to a family tragedy. Look out for further details on our website and Facebook page on Friday.

PIGS (112);

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

A few less about and trade up on the week. Cutters topped at 96p/kg for a pen of 81kg pigs from J & B Fentem who sold others for 95p/kg, 94p/kg and 85p/kg.

Bacon pigs topped the day at 117p/kg for a 95kg pig from David Goldstraw who also sold 90kg pigs at 111p/kg. A pen of 88kg pigs sold for 100p/kg for

J & B Fentem, with a run from Massie Farms realising 98p/kg x3 and 97p/kg with most pens about 85p/kg and above.

Heavy pigs sold at 83p/kg for a 110kg pigs from Bernard Minshull, and a 126kg pig at 80p/ kg from the same home. Heavy pigs in general are harder to sell on the day.

Sows sold up to 35p/kg twice for a 332kg and 296kg sows from Ray Rowlinson, Ramshorn, with others at 29p/kg twice for MC & EA Beattie.

SHEEP SECTION;

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

BUTCHERS HOGGETS (751);

Another solid entry selling on a steady but solid trade. Best sorts continue to see strong demand, topping at 314p/kg and plenty at 280p/kg and better. Commercial qualities and heavier sorts continue to be difficult to place with a few outlets not wanting to purchase at all, due to the lack of demand.

Best big lambs still adding up, with multiple pens at £135 and better to top at £144.29/ head. SQQ average eat 257p/kg, overall 247p/kg and average per head at £111.50/head.

CULL SHEEP (221);

A slightly reduced entry selling on a solid trade, with best Texel’s to £195 per head from Roger & Simon Bailey. Exceptional Suffolks from Geoff Biddulph selling at £186 and Charollais at £185. Best Mules to £128.

Overall average at £117.82 showing the strong overall trade.

CALVES (124);

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

A good entry of calves today and a solid trade for the best although some second or third quality look good to buy at present.

29 Continental Bulls

The best good to sell and a few exceptional sorts on offer. Andrew Cotton won the day with a superb Blue at £425 (33 days) with other Blues at £400. Top 10 over £322 with mediums £250 - £300 and smaller sorts under £220.

18 Blues av £257 to £425 - FA & TM Cotton

4 Sims av £282 to £335 - P N Holdcroft

5 Lims av £279 to £375 - J W Handford & Sons

2 Cha/blo av £335 to £358 - S J Hooley

27 Continental Heifers

Better sorts found plenty of suitors but the second quality or younger sorts harder work. Two smart Blues at £260 and £262 for Chris Ball. 7 best over £230; mediums £160 - £200 with a few smaller sorts less.

14 Blues av £198 to £262 - DG & JA Ball

8 Sims av £162 to £200 - S & M Huxley & Son

5 Lims av £182 to £198 - N E Goodwin & Son

38 Natives

Similar money but not much quality generally.

7 Hereford Bulls to £185 - B E Wain

17 Angus Bulls to £165 - R Wilkinson & Son

5 Hereford Heifers to £158 Foker Grange Farm.