THOSE ALL-IMPORTANT PRICES

KNIGHTON JULY 7

McCartneys reports a small entry of 90 store cattle. All were sold on an excellent trade. Steers averaged £980.92/hd, highest £1195. Heifers averaged £931.81/ hd, maximum £1190. Bulls averaged £1098.75/hd, max £1200. Cows with calf averaged £950/hd, highest £950. Cows averaged £700/hd, maximum £950. On Thursday there was a super trade on both the new season lambs and the cull ewes. Lambs averaged just under 218p/kg up to a top of 224p/kg . Cull ewes averaged £64.06 up to a top of £110 on a total entry of 348. There were eight buyers bidding for the lambs and five buyers bidding for the ewes.

CARDIGAN JULY 3

PRIME LAMBS (526): A good entry of lambs forward saw the best meated types reach 214p (£94) from Davies, Cwmporthman; whilst heavyweights topped at £97.50 from Griffiths & Co, Cilgryman Fawr. The overall average was 200p/kg in line with the national average. STORE LAMBS (26): Reaching £68 were 39.5k lambs from Barrow, Craig Y Fuwch; other leading prices at £67.50 for 41k from Harries, Pentalar; £67 for 41k from Griffiths, Perthi Aur; £61 for 34k from Griffiths & Son, Gilwen. CULL SHEEP (50): The strongest ewes sold to £86 from Johns, Carne Farm who also sold at £76.50; other leading prices at £79 from Cwmbettws Ltd, Cwmbettws; £77.50 from Howells, Upper Glandwr Farm; £77.50 from Lewis, Parcyreithin; £75.50 from Evans, Gilfachrheda Farm; £74.50 from George, Penwernddu. STORE CATTLE AND GRAZING COWS (22): The best overage heifers topped at £1025 for a 700k 57m BB from Jones, Brafle. In the store section a 20m BB steer from the same vendor peaked at £1115; other leading prices at £1070 for a 23m Lim heifer from Thomas, Cwmgloyne Farm who also sold 15m Lim & Hereford steers at £830 and 8-10m Lim steers at £795; £900 for a 28m Lim steer from Morris, Tyriet; £855 for a 23m Lim and 25m AA heifers from Jones, Pensarnddu Fach. Calves (63): An improved entry of calves peaked at £360 for a Charolais bull calf from Parry, Croesgwyn who also sold Charolais heifers at £300 and £290; other leading prices at £282 for a Lim bull from Davies Cyf, Canllefaes Uchaf; £250 for a Hereford heifer from Farnden, Toberton Cottage who also sold another at £225; £220 for a Hereford bull from Davies & Sons, Rhydymaen who also sold Hereford heifers at £195 and £178; £215 for a BB heifer from Pedran Holsteins Ltd, Tymawr Farm. The best rearing black and white bulls calves sold to £108 from Davies Cyf, Canllefaes Uchaf; £95 for a Friesian from Anthony & Partners, Waun Fawr.

MONMOUTHSHIRE JULY 5

LAMBS (1061): Lambs to a terrific demand as all weights improved on a flying trade to give an SQQ of 213.97p/kg lighter weights having the biggest rise as these and standards averaged 212 pence with lights up to 232p/kg (£68.80 30kg) from WE & CW Jones and 231p/kg (£71.50 31kg) from DR & VJ Teague. Standards to 233p/kg (£85.20 36.6kg) from AJ Partner 228p/kg £38kg CR Williams and £87 38.2kg from CG Ball. Strong competition throughout for heavier lambs well over 210 pence with medium weights to 233p/kg (£104.80 45kg) from WGB Miles 231p/kg (£99.20 43kg) from W Pritchard. 230p/kg (£92 40kg) WL & A Windsor & Sons. 226p/kg (£102 45.1kg) from DO & JJO Stephens. Heavyweights to 228p/kg (£105.50 46.2kg) from PC Jenkins. 223p/kg (£102.50 46kg) from RJ Badham. Cull sheep (737): Cull sheep sold to an exceptional trade with fierce competition on all types from start to finish. The strongest ewes regularly £90 plus top of £102 from GR Morgan & Sons, £100 from both DO & JJO Stephens and LH Attewell. Hill types also saw an improvement of £6 - £8 on the week, the best being £60 plus, plenty £50 - £60. Only the very small or plain under £40. Rams sold to £100 from TJ Nicholas and £97 from WN Waters. CALVES: A tremendous show of calves and a marvellous trade throughout. The beef crosses were dominated by British Blues which met a flying trade, Messr GM & RD Jones, Cwmcarvan topped the market with two 1 month old bull calves making £450 a piece. A total of 7 bull calves made in excess of £400, to include: VJ Thomas & Son, Llancarfon – BBX £415. WL & A Windsor, Whitland – BBX £410. Price & Co Farming, Gelligaer – BBX £410. AR Edwards & Son, St Brides – Sim X £410. VJ Thomas & Son – BBX £400. Beef X heifers were also led by BBX with a top of £410 for a smart calf from Twose Farms Ltd, Whitland, who also sold another similar at £400. VJ Thomas & Son, Llancarfon also sold a BBX heifer at £400 whilst DG & GN Watts sold a Limousin X heifer at £390, with GM & RD Janes, selling another BBX heifer at the same money. The dairy bulls met a similarly fast trade with a stunning top of £220 for a grand friesian from AR Edwards & Son, St Brides Wentloog. A superb run from VJ Thomas & son topped at £140, these with others at £130 & £125. Price & Co Farming sold to £138. Only 3 weaned calves forward which sold to £405 for a 5 month old Limousin heifer from NR Scudamore, Llangarron, and £320 for a 3 month old Angus steer for G Morgan, Twyning. BREEDING CATTLE: Six cows and calves forward, which were mostly mature cows. A good black Hereford cow (76m) and her Limousin steer calf (2m) sold to £1460 from JG Thomas, Fforest Coal Pit. Pedigree in calf Hereford heifers sold to £940 & £900 from Messrs Dudley Bros, Tintern. Pedigree Limousin Bull (54m) fetched £1800 from NE Jones, Goytre. STORE BULLS: A small entry of store bulls sold to £900 for a Hereford (16m) from SD Bevan, Newbridge. Blue crosses to £895 (11m) from R Workman, Lisvane. STIRKS/YOUNG STORES: A useful entry of 24 stirks meeting a fast trade and peaked at £930 (8m) for a Hereford Crosses from RT Watkins, Llanvapley, with an Angus cross to the same money also from RT Watkins. The best of the heifers to £735 (10m) from RT Watkins for a Charolais cross. More stirks required every week. STORE CATTLE: A very good entry of 209 store cattle forward with some excellent consignments present. Strong short keep cattle and cattle sired by an Aberdeen Angus Pedigree sire were in particularly strong demand. Feeding steers sold to £1285 (580kg 23m) for British Blue crosses from EJ Jones & Sons, Brocastle. DR & JM Pugh & Son, Llangorse sold some super Limousin crosses to £1255 (525kg 23m). RH & AM Bennett & Son, Dingestow sold Aberdeen Angus crosses to £1245 (600kg 23m) & £1175 (586kg 22m). younger grazing types also in strong demand selling to £1080 (13m) for a Limousin cross for JG Thomas, Fforest Coal Pit. Good grazing type steers regularly 250 – 280p/kg. The heifers continue to meet a fierce trade selling to £1280 (620kg 26m) for Charolais crosses from GT Goldsworthy, Bettws. A tremendous consignment of Charolais cross heifers from SA Dando, Glynogwr sold to £1245 (520kg 20m), £1215 (590kg 21m). All well bred heifers 220 – 240p/kg