Market reports

HOLSWORTHY

Kivells report on January 27 an entry of 214 cattle forward and selling to a top call of £1,250 for smart steers in from Messrs Trewin of Abbotsham, with best heifers to £1,155 for Messrs Stanbury & son of Broadwood. The 175 calves topped at £470 for John Elliott of Bradford, with others at £430 from the same good farm. Best heifer calves came in from Messrs Knapman Farms of South Molton at £360. In the sheep pens, an entry of 269 cull ewes saw the best to £116.50 for Messrs Martyn-Uglow of Hornacott, with prime hoggs to £124 for Alec Vanstone and the premium set at 256p/kg on behalf of R&K Squire of Honeychurch, North Tawton. Overall average for all prime hoggs stood at 246p/kg. Just a few couples topped at £160 for Ross Millman.

HALLWORTHY

Kivells report on January 28 an outstanding run of quality cattle which saw a tremendous trade, followed by the younger cattle at a premium. Top spot going to W E Uglow of Trelash with a cracking run of British Blues, topping for a pen of five steers at 24m to £1195, and a second pen of three away at £1165. The Strongman Family of Ladock saw their superb run of Charolais cross steers away at £1140 for a strong pen of four cracking boys. D Key of Wadebridge saw his run of Limousin and Shorthorn steers to a top of £1150 for a strong long Limousin steer and a pen of four Shorthorn crosses to £1130 and £1095, all around 20m. R T Crabb of Marshgate saw his front end of Limousin cross steers to £1090 for a strong pen of black steers, and a second pen at £1070 twice. F L Chapman of Blackwater saw his pen of five British Blue steers with plenty of potential away to £1045. Heifers few and far between, but what was entered was sold extremely well with the Strongman Family topping out at £1150 for a pen of 10 beautiful stretchy heifers. W E Uglow closely followed with a pen of three British Blue crosses away at £1080. F Chapman next in with a pen of five fleshy British Blue crosses to a top of £950. What a trade for the younger cattle but quality all the way, with the top spot going to A Hart of Bugle with a pair of sensational 11-12m Simmental steers to £1170, and a second pen away at £1075. H Stephens of Liskeard saw his young powerful Charolais cross steers to £1015, and M Button of St Tudy saw his 12m dairy cross steers to £910. Another handy entry of 30 stirks with the trade on fire, up £65 a head on last week’s trade with younger aged cattle. Top today at £540 for a bunch of six smart 4-6m Limousin steers in from Mark Button of Bodmin, who had other 6m Charolais steers at £520, Charolais heifers at £510 and Limousin heifers at £500, all around the same age. The Aberdeen Angus heifers looked the dearest at £460 for a bunch of three at 5m. Ian Vanstone in from Beaworthy had four nice Limousin stirks forward, one steer and three heifers all at around 5m hit £500 for his steers and £500 for the three heifers. A total of 75 stirks on the book for tomorrow, plus the first sale of baby calves. In the sheep pens, a smaller entry of 164 draft ewes and a flying trade for every breed and grade, up around £12 to £15 ahead. More ewes needed please. Top on the day was £137 for a pen of Texel ewes from David Broad of Tintagel, followed by Mrs N Alford of St Tudy who saw her Texel realise £131. Suffolk cross Mules topped at £127 from Clare Pedlar of St Wenn. Mules topped at £98, and hill-bred ewes to £75. A smaller entry of 212 fat hoggs but the trade was on fire, up 30 pence per kilo with an overall average of 269.6. A lot more could have been sold as buyers orders were left unfilled. A total of 20 pens realised 270p and over to a top of 290p for a pen of 42kgs £122 from Tim Harris of St Tudy, who also had five other pens over 280p. Top per head saw some of the highest price per weight of hoggs for quite a while, top call was £130 for 48kgs from Steve Cobbledick of Poundstock, followed by Derick Daniel of Lower Wheatly who realised £128 for 47.2kgs. There were 10 pens over £124. All 98 store hoggs were very much sought after, topping at £108 from George Williams of St Kew, who also realised £105.50 for his other two pens. Followed by Mr P Tucker of Fetchersbridge who realised £107 with his pen of Texel crosses. Just a few couples on offer met a steady trade and topped at £150 for a Dorset cross single from Ricky Tremain of Tintagel.

TRURO

Lodge & Thomas report on January 27 a smaller entry of 17 prime cattle standing on or even improving on recent weeks’fantastic trade, with several super cattle. Three Limousin cross cattle from J & J Sawle & Son, Beacon leading the averages to a top call of 230p/kg and £1,534 for their 667kg steer selling to RJ Trevarthen Ltd, Roskrow, also buying their premium heifer at 228p/kg; the heavier 653kg heifer making £1,437 to JV Richards Ltd, Perranwell Station. Premium steers to 230p/kg (220.5p). Prime steers to 194p/kg (181p). All steers average 193.25p/kg. Premium heifers to 228p/kg (224p). Prime heifers to 190p/kg (187.5p). All heifers average 189.17p/kg. Two Limousin cross OTM steers with top 158p/kg and £988 for MD Curtis & Son, Gunwalloe bought by David Ellis, Lelant. A similar size good entry of 44 cull cows with several strong, well-fleshed types all meeting a flying trade. Leading the beef cows was a grand 841kg Limousin cross cow from SM & J Blee, St Martin at 173p/kg and £1,455, with premium Friesian this week 137p/kg for W Marsh & Son, St Stephen, both bought by David King, Exeter. Some big black and whites making big money including £1,162 for AD & JA Bray, St Martin and £1,120 for DJ Heller, Blackwater, both to Dawn West Devon, Hatherleigh, with Mr Heller’s

961kg heaviest Frisian dearest of all making £1,240 to David King. Beef cows to 173p/kg (132.75p). Dairy cows to 137p/kg (106.32p). An increased entry of 123 store cattle with several forward steers and heifers. Leading at £1,290 were a 23m South Devon cross steer pair from JR Stephens, St Winnow with his 22m heifer pair top at £1,070. Another entry this week of 19-21m Limousin cross steers for J Richards, St Keverne all sold from £1,230 to £1,265. A nice run of 20m+ cattle for PJ & JL Bennett, St Mawgan saw South Devon crosses to £1,225 and Aberdeen Angus cross pairs to £1,150. Five Charolais steers 10m for KR Williams, Tehidy realised £895, with same age Limousin heifer trio £650, plus four older 22m Charolais cross heifers all £1,045. A run of 29 grand young heifers on behalf of JS Rodda & Son, Gulval sold to a top call of £980 for a standout Aberdeen Angus cross heifer just 15m. SD strs £1,290, hfrs £1,070, Lim strs £1,265, hfrs £925, AA strs

£1,150, hfrs £855, Mont strs £1,065, Char hfrs £1,045, BB strs £990, hfrs £950, Flk strs £885, Sim hfrs £850, WB hfrs £780. 12mo – AA hfrs £980, Char strs £895, BB strs £750, hfrs £795, Lim strs £710, hfrs £650. An improved trade on recent weeks for the entry of 65 calves, with good demand from plenty of buyers. Older British Blue bulls to £370 and a four-week-old Blue £300 for DJ Heller. Month-old British Blue cross heifers £245, £238 and £218 from three different vendors. A month-old Aberdeen Angus cross £248 for JR, PM & DW Treleaven, Trenarren and Friesian bulls from LT Harvey & Sons, Newbridge at five weeks old to £145 and £125. BB bulls £370 (£253), hfrs £280 (£198), AA bulls £248 (£219), hfrs £125, Lim bulls £245 (£167), hfrs £270 (£201), Sim bulls £245, hfrs £172, Hfd bulls £198, hfrs £128, Fries bulls £145 (£78). Four-month-old Limousin cross stirks leading for RG Olver & Son, St Stephen with males at £420 and heifers at £390. In the sheep section, an entry of 158 hogs saw Truro’s top prices and averages up on the week and exceeding expectations given the national picture of easing hog prices. Three-quarters of pens exceeded the £100 mark and eight vendors £110+. Top prices peaked at £129 for a pen of quality Texels from RA Coad, Cubert purchased by R Withers, Probus. Other notable entries from PTR & PE Jones & Son, Crantock with a run of 36 hogs averaging £113, and a run of 24 from GM & JA Olver, Lanivet averaging £112. Again setting the premium at 279p/kg were a pen of 43.3kg Texels from RA Coad, followed by a single from T Blake, St Stephen at 275p/kg, all bought by RJ Trevarthen Ltd. Medium to 279p/ kg (249.17p). Heavy to 256p/kg (228p). Overweight to 222p/kg. SQQ average 249.17p. An entry of 88 cull ewes and the trade continues to be strong, with more required to meet buyer demand. A wide variety of shapes and sizes, but with trade nevertheless punchy, ewes selling to £103 for a pair of Texels from RA Coad, and a Dorset ram overall top at £110 for DJ Lobb, Little Polgooth. First quality to £103 (£89). Second quality to £72.50 (£66). Cull rams to £110 (£106). Sheep to £91. A continued good trade for the 59 store sheep. A mixed entry of that were overall smaller bodied than last week. Nevertheless, strong prices were achieved from a keen contingent of buyers topping at £85 for a penful of medium / large stores from KS & L Dodd, Old Kea averaging £80.50. Medium to £70 (£68). Two small consignments of breeding sheep included a small entry of BM single couples averaging £120.50 (£60.25/life). Three pens of FM unscanned ewes sold to £120.

SOUTH MOLTON

Stags report on January 28 a smaller show of 856 prime hoggs this week, with most markets finding it hard to source numbers. A very mixed quality entry with quite a few hoggs now beginning to show the weather but a lot more hoggs lighter and a lot less thicker types on offer. This undoubtably helped the SQQ average but also a definite increase in buyer demand which was apparent from early in the morning. Buyers phoning continuously to know how many hoggs we had; which was very different to last week when they wanted to talk the trade down. The rise in trade throughout this week has brought out huge numbers of hoggs which indicates they are going to remain short for the foreseeable future which should keep the trade very strong. Best trade for the export hoggs (42-46kg) with a number of pens over the 280ppk mark. Hoggs are still being exported however it is being reported that there is still plenty of paperwork delays and added costs. Heavy hoggs also dearer this week, with so many forward and buyers keen to secure them. Topping the days sale at a storming £156 to 80kg Charollais crosses from Mrs M Tapp of South Molton who had other 70kg Charollais crosses to £150 and 60.4kg Texel crosses to £145. £139 to 60kg Suffolk crosses from Mr LJ Ley & Partners of Goodleigh with £137 to Mrs Tapp’s fourth 53.5kg Texel crosses. £136.50 to 63kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs J & J Watts of Goodleigh with £135 to 57.3kg Charollais crosses from Messrs DJ & RA Woollacott of Yarnscombe. 56.6kg Charollais crosses from Messrs GE & EJ Nicholls of West Anstey rose to £134.50 whilst 54kg Pure Texels from Mr AJ Dart of Chulmleigh achieved £133.50. £130 to 67kg Charollais crosses from Mr G Palfey & Son of Stoodleigh with £128 twice; the first to 53.2kg Texel crosses from Messrs Holland Partnership of Warkleigh and the second to 49kg Charollais crosses from Mr PG Nicholas of Ilfracombe. A huge 77 pens hit over the £120 mark and only four pens realised less than £100. Best pens rose to 286ppk to 42.7kg Texel crosses from Mr RF Jones of Heasley Mill with 283ppk to 42.9kg Charollais crosses from Messrs JB & MA Turner of

Harracott. 282ppk to 44kg Charollais crosses from Mr GR McLeod of Swimbridge whilst 45.2kg Texel crosses from Mr ME Snell & Son of Knowstone rose to 281ppk. Two pens at 280ppk; the first to 42.2kg Charollais crosses from Mr EF Thorne & Son of Tawstock and the second to 43kg Texel crosses from Messrs A & P Tapp of Heasley Mill. 279ppk to 42kg Charollais crosses from Messrs Turner’s second pen with 278ppk four times; the first to 39kg Charollais crosses from Messrs Irwin & Sons of Mariansleigh; the second to 41kg Charollais crosses from Mr G Dart & Sons of Molland; the third to 43.9kg Texel crosses from Mr RW Tapp & Son of South Molton and the fourth to 44.5kg Texel crosses again from Messrs A & P Tapp. 277ppk to 40kg Charollais crosses from Messrs GF & PJ Warne of Umberleigh with 276ppk twice; the first to 40.8kg Charollais crosses from Messrs WJ & MA Stoneman of Chulmleigh and the second to 44.5kg Texel crosses from Mr AW Fisher & Son of Oakford. 275ppk also hit twice; the first to 44.1kg Charollais crosses from Messrs D & J Baker of Yarnscombe and the second to 46.1kg Texel crosses from Mr MGN West of Combe Martin. A short show of 68 store hoggs but another flying trade to match the prime trade just moments before. Top at £108.50 to Suffolk crosses from Mr M & Mrs L Gardiner of Ash Mill with Charollais crosses from Mr MC & Mrs EA Cole also of Ash Mill at £103. Texel crosses from Mr WR Hale of Ilfracombe to £92 with a pen of Mules from Mr D HancockTeasdale of Clapworthy Mill at £89.50. Texel crosses from Messrs RJ & MS Radford of Mariansleigh at £89 with the overall average at £88.13. A similar number of 329 cull sheep to last week and generally a decent quality entry with a number of strong ewes forward. Trade as with the hoggs dearer for all forward and up £3-4 per head on last week with some of the bigger ewes up £10 per head. Again a shortage of number nationally is keeping the trade very strong and the bigger, leaner ewes look the dearest sold. Scanners are reporting that there are not too many barren ewes about so it is easy to think that this trade will continue. We re seeing more scaled hoggs coming forward and they are also very strong money and generally just £15 behind the clean hoggs. Best Suffolk Mules £105 plus and best Mules back over the £90 mark up to £106! Best ewes at £130 today to shapely Beltex’s from Messrs Tester &

Edwards of East Anstey who also sold Blue Texels to £126. Pure Charollais’from Mr R Irwin of Kings Nympton rose to £125 followed at £119 for similar Charollais’again from Messrs Tester & Edwards who also had Pure Beltex to £116.50. £115 to Pure Charollais’from Mr D Smith of Chulmleigh with Mr Irwin also selling Texels to £114. £111.50 to Suffolk Mules from Messrs IP & L Stagg of Barnstaple with £110 to Texel crosses from Mr M & Mrs L Gardiner of Ash Mill. £109.50 to other Charollais’from Mr D Smith with Texel crosses from Mr G Webster of Umberleigh following closely at £109. Messrs Tester & Edwards also sold other Charollais’ to £108 with Suffolk Mules from Messrs BJ & DE Griffiths of Burrington at £107.50. Two pens of Texel crosses from Mr R Weaver of Umberleigh and Mr RP Williams of Winsford rose to £106.50. It was definitely a day for Charollais rams today with the best at £129.50 from Mr G Palfrey & Son of Stoodleigh others at £128 from Messrs Kimbland Partnership of Barnstaple and £126 for Mr RP Williams of Winsford.

EXETER

Kivells report on January 29 store steers topping at £1440 for a Limousin (20m) from David and Mark Risdon of Broadwoodkelly with younger ones (16m) to £1275 for a trio of from Des Gillbard of Cruwys Morchard whilst much later born Limousin steers (13m) sold to £1235 for James Warren up from Penzance. A pen of four British Blue bullocks (25m) from Nick and Shane Willis of Kennford eased to £1350 apiece with a couple born six months later from David and Pip Luscombe of East Allington drawing £1200 a life, the latter also sold the highest priced Hereford steer (23m) of the day for £1185. Best of the native breed steers saw £1280 for a Devon (21m) from Keith Andrews of Exeter followed by South Devon’s of the same age reaching £1260 for John Hamlin of Newton Abbot, further natives to £1245 for Aberdeen Angus (22m) from David and Pip Luscombe again with young (14m) Angus steers to £1115 for Ray Tratt of Honiton. Simmental steers (18m) from Colin Burrough of Axminster reached to £1175 followed by a pen of three Blonde bullocks born around the same time from Jon Vincent of Staddiscombe, Plymouth which saw £1170 a life. The store heifers section was headed by David and Mark Risdon with a couple of Limousin’s (21m) which both picked up £1300 a life whilst younger (15m) Limousin females collected £1010 for Clive Timms and Family of Inwardleigh. A Devon heifer (27m) fetched £1130 for Richard Hill of Dunsford with Aberdeen Angus (16m) making £1090 for Ray Tratt again and a pair of Charolais heifers (23m) sold at £1080 for CT Holmes and Son of Kings Nympton. A bunch of five matched British Blue heifers (22m) drew £1080 apiece for David and Pip Luscombe whilst ones at (17m) saw £1065 for Clive Timms and Family again. A neat South Devon heifer (22m) topped £1080 for Tony Hervin of Umberleigh. A pleasing entry of sixty organic registered cattle met with plenty of interest and kicked off with a consignment of smart suckler bred South Devon cross types (21m) from John Andrews of Wembury which rose to £1120 for a bunch of four smart steers followed by four heifers of the same breed which sold well at £1060 apiece. A large entry of dairy bred organic cattle from Phillip Hopper of Bude also saw decent money with his Hereford steers (20m) making £960, younger Herefords (averaging 15m) drawing £800 for a pen of seven and Aberdeen Angus bullocks (20m) reaching £975 ahead for four. A single Aberdeen Angus heifer (19m) saw £810 followed by a big bunch of nine Hereford’s (averaging 14m) which took home £690 all again from Phillip Hopper. An entry of 127 cracking stirks looking a wonderful trade throughout the sale. With the best topping at £950 for AW & OS Mann & Partners of Widecombe in the Moor with tremendous Charolais x steers (8m) with another penful reaching £910. Clare Caunter from Buckland in the Moor saw Simmental x steers (9m) to £865 with others off the same farm to £860. Robert Merchant, Moretonhampstead sold South Devon steers (8m) for a decent £855 whilst Robert and Christine Steer from Avonwick reached £780 for Limousin x steers (10m), with younger types to £725 (9m). Further Simmental x steers from Clare Caunter achieved £765 (9m) whilst other South Devon steers of a similar age again from Robert Merchant realised £740. I Jelberts & Sons up from Penzance showed Limousin x steer stirks (8m) topping at £690, whilst similar sorts from Julie Bullock from

Down St Mary at £680. A cracking run of younger stirks from W & R Farming Partners from Bradninch showed Angus (5m) that went on to reach £485 with Herefords off the same good farm levelling out at £400. A shorter show of heifers topped at an impressive £845 for Charolais x (7m) from AW & OS Mann &

Partners. Blue yearlings this time from Darren Hooper up from Saltash levelled out at £630, South Devon heifers from Paul Wakeham up from Uphempston achieved £585 (10m) whilst Limousin’s of a similar age went on to achieve £585 from I Jelbert & Sons. Younger stirks again from W & R Farming Partners hit £480 for Blues with Angus’off the same farm and similar age to £455, £390 and £380. A smaller entry of 87 calves sold to a flying trade! Top of the day was £412 for a Charolais bull from Messrs PA & CM Rogers of Ashprington who sold others to £360 twice. Other Charolais bulls to £325 for Martin & Liz Bennett of Broadhembury. British Blue bulls topped at £335 for Roy Emmett of Cullompton with others to £325 and £310 for Mr DW Rowe of Axminster, £320 for Martin & Liz Bennett, £305 and £300 for Towhill Farm Ltd and £305 for GCB Davis of Tiverton. Limousin bulls to

£310 and £305 for Mr CJ Lee of Exeter. Hereford and Aberdeen Angus bulls to £295 for Messrs PA & CM Rogers who also topped a cracking heifer trade at £335 for a Charolais with others from the same farm to £280. Young Blue heifers a flier to £285 for Messrs Lawrence & Tapp of Honiton, £275 for GCB Davis and £255 for Roy Emmett. Simmental heifers sold very well to £270, £265, £260 and £235 for Keith & Shirley Wotton of Dartmouth. Native heifers saw Herefords to £280 (weaned) for Messrs PA & CM Rogers and Angus heifers to £190 for Mr DW Rowe. Friesians a strong trade and topped at £190 for Andrew Webber of Cullompton who sold others to £90 and £80. Another cracking entry of 165 dairy cattle saw a flying trade from start to finish! Buyers were attracted from Wales, Staffordshire and over the South West with again a good number of buyers using the online bidding system. A super quality entry of fresh milk saw serious demand with eight over £2000 to a top of £2150 three times for Richard Kent of Surrey who consigned 12 fresh non-pedigree heifers with others to £2000, £1900 and £1850 and they averaged £1875. Other heifers to £2000 for “Bartonwood Gras Lulu”by Mr Moviestar Mardi Gras from Messrs JS Bird & Son of Axminster who sold another heifer at £1700. A nice run of heifers from Rodney, Jean & Paul Allin of Launceston sold to a strong trade topping at £1950 twice with others to £1900 twice and their consignment of 10 heifers averaged £1759. A fresh heifer from Messrs DH Tupper Farms of West Sussex sold very well at £1800 while two small Jersey cross heifers from GCB Davis of Tiverton were the trade of the day at £1650 apiece. Cows topped £2050 for a second Calver from John & Phil Bird with “Bartonwood Outfitter Dolly” by Wa-Del Outfitter. Other third calvers were a tremendous trade at £2000 twice for GCB Davis and Robert Page of West Sussex. A fifth calver sold exceptionally well at £1550 for Rodney, Jean & Paul Allin. The second dispersal for Messrs

Dallyn Dairy Ltd of Barnstaple saw a cracking trade throughout topping at 1800gns for a smart second calver having calved in March and not due again until August. Fresh heifers sold at 1700gns and 1600gns while a fourth calver sold at 1500gns as well as another three quartered red and white fourth calver selling to a flying trade at £1480. The majority of the cows were Dutch or German imports and there were many late in their lactations and due throughout the spring but that didn’t affect the trade! The overall average for 70 head sold including all faults was £1207. A shorter offering of sheep and boy what a trade, especially for the orphans, store hoggs and grazers. In-Lambers and couples very similar on the week. Chris Hall of Blandford sold weaned orphans to £54 twice, £45 four times and £40 twice as Norman Chanin of Thorverton claimed £41 for his younger sorts and Peter Vooght of South Brent made £40 for his. All 64 averaged £28.20. 1101 store hoggs kept pace with the rising prime trade with nine pens over £120 to a top of £130 and £125 for Eric Gillbard of Thorverton, £128 for Neil Hardy of Morchard Road, £127.50 for Graham Hill of Wiggaton and £124 for

Scott Hamlin of Rackenford. Average £7 better on the week at £100.40. 263 grazing ewes and rams were dearer too with a top of £138 for Emily Pearse of Colebrook, £134 for both Jamie Acton of Cheriton Fitzpaine and Nigel Tucker of Long Drag who had another at £111 and two lots realised £110. Average £82.02. 143 breeders were topped by a pen of four Swiss Valley black nose crosses from John Salmon of Newquay who also had Texel x ewe hoggs at £126.50. In-lamb Dorset’s to £119 for Ryan Willett of Tavistock and £118 for Romney and Highlander crosses from Steve Carpenter of Looe. A near identical entry of couples were a pretty similar trade although the best doubles were dearer and broke the £90 per life barrier twice for the first time this year. Derek Cole of Bradninch sold 7 Dorset doubles at £275 (£91.67/life) whilst the Emmett family of Cullompton sold Suffolk crosses at £270 and Romneys at £265 as well as a single at £180 (£90/life) only bettered by Liam Spry of Braunton who had a Dorset at £185 (£92.50/life). Averages just back slightly at £79.50 per life and £191 per outfit.

SEDGEMOOR

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report on February 1 an excellent 95 prime cattle, when some smart types were on offer, met another very strong, stand on trade. Top was 224.5ppk for an extremely shapely Limousin heifer from WJ Bown, Catcott, who also sold top drawer steers at 223.5 (Limousin) and 212.5ppk (Charolais). Best suckler bred Limousins at 214.5 and 202ppk for steers and 223, 219.5 and 206.5ppk for heifers from T & RT Gazard, Bristol. Very smart heifers at 221.5 twice 205.5 and 200ppk for Limousins and 212.5ppk for a Blue from MP & DM Hine, Chard, who also sold a Charolais steer at 204ppk. Top drawer Blonde steer at 214ppk and Charolais heifer at 213.5ppk from MJ Tuckett & Partners, Exeter. Well grown steers at 210.5 (Limousin) and 209 and 208ppk for Charolais from L & A Maddock & Co, Wiveliscombe. Young 16m Blue steer at 202ppk from SER Hunt, Kilve. Native steers saw Herefords at 198.5ppk twice from both S Middleton, Cullompton and E Vowles & Son, Bristol, who sold another at 196ppk. Further Hereford steer at 197ppk from D Barnes, Yarcombe. Further better type heifers at 210, 205.5 (both Charolais) and 205ppk (Limousin) from HWC & JM Butler, Bristol; 203ppk (Limousin) AFJ Redwood, Clayhidon; 202.5ppk (Limousin) AJ Gay & Sons Ltd, East Harptree; 202ppk (Blue) SER Hunt again and 200ppk for an Angus from G Sloman, Taunton. Steers sold to £1,502.55 for an OTM Blue steer (795kg) from Vigar & Son, Langport. UTM steers at £1,491.36, Charolais from L & A Maddock & Co. Blue at £1,431.72 from Habberfield Bros, North

Newton. Heifers sold to £1,486.28 for a 745kg Limousin from F & S Webber, Enmore. Further heavy heifers £1,486.25 (Limousin) £1,440.56 (Charolais) and £1,400.70 (Charolais) HWC & JM Butler; £1,422.96 (Blue) Habberfield Bros, North Newton and £1,400.44 (Limousin) T & RT Gazard, Bristol. A medium entry of 75 cull cattle met a slightly improved trade again. All classes of culls wanted, feeders, boners, steakers and meat types. Top was 143.5ppk for a Limousin cross (FA) from R Chaddock, Glastonbury. Farm Assured red Devon cow at 139.5ppk from D Barnes, Yarcombe. Non assured South Devon cow at 138.5ppk from GP Tratt Ltd, Weston Super Mare, who sold another at 135.5ppk. Assured Angus cow at 133.5ppk from D Barnes again. Leaner FA Blue at 130.5ppk from PA Strawbridge again. Sucklers sold to £1,101.08 for a South Devon from GP Tratt. Limousin at £1,076.25 from R Chaddock. More flesh on offer on the dairy bred side to 141.5ppk for a 937kg Holstein from MM & EH Lucas, Ilminster, who sold other good meat Holsteins at 140.5 (955kg) 134.5ppk twice (919kg and 888kg). Meat Friesians at 136.5ppk twice from FS Cross & Sons, Bridgwater, who sold others at 130.5ppk twice. Fleckvieh cow at 133.5ppk from NW & SE Legg, South Perrott. Black and white cows sold to £1,341.78 (955kg) from MM & EH Lucas, who sold others at £1,325.86 (937kg) £1,236.06 (919kg) and £1,194.36 (888kg). Further best cows £1178 (863kg Fri) and £1,075.62 (788kg Fri) FS Cross & Sons; £1,176.88 (875kg Hol) RW, JA & AW Barton and £1,053.15 (826kg Hol) W Read Partnership. Better bull trade currently at 119.5ppk twice, firstly for a Blonde bull from J & B Atreidees, Bishops Tawton and again for a Charolais from JE & GR Bowden & Son, Weston Super Mare.