Market reports

HALLWORTHY

Kivells report on February 18 a tremendous run of store cattle topping out at £1330 for a pair of Charolais cross steers from W E Uglow of Trelash, with a second pen of five British Blue steers at £1220. D H Dawe &

Son of St Dominic ran in next with an outstanding pen of Hereford steers with tremendous depth to £1210. David Routly of Tresparrett saw his run of dairy cross cattle away at £1175 for a long red Limousin cross steer. David Key of Wadebridge first through the ring saw his strong run of Limousin cross steers to a top of £1135 for a deep and well-developed steer and a pair red steers with tremendous rounds to £1105. The Biscombe Family of Camelford saw their front end of a cracking run to £1145 for a British Blue cross steer and a fleshy Simmental cross steer to £1100. Paul Mitchell was rewarded for a strong run of cattle with his top to £1140 for a deep bodied steer, with a second pair to £1080. Top spot in the heifer section going to W E Uglow with a super heifer with a super carcase to £1230, and a second pair to £1120. Rick Cobbledick saw his British Blue with a strong outlook to £1120. Paul Mitchell had a great run and saw his front end Saler crosses to £1080, with Charolais crosses to £1095. D Routly saw his well-defined Limousin cross to £1080. C Hutchings of Lostwithiel saw his strong pair of

Devon crosses to £1050. Younger cattle stole the show with 12m pedigree Simmental steers from Mr J Buckland who saw an absolute storming pair to £1200, then his second trio with length and power also at £1200. The Trudgian Family of Bugle saw their best of a run of 12m Charolais steers to £940 and £890, with the best heifers to £840. A record entry for many years of 105 stirks, with a ballistic trade after thinking it couldn’t get any dearer topping at £660 for a 9m Aberdeen Angus steer from C Hill of Downderry, with his Simmental steers at £625, and 9m Blondes at £620, his Beef Shorthorns raced away to £600, with his heifers looking a massive price at £655 for a 9m Charolais, and £590 for Aberdeen Angus, and £565 for his Blondes at 9m. Darren Hooper had a run of 24 forward cattle making £600 for a 6m British Blue steer, £575 four times for 6m Aberdeen Angus steers, with others at £570 five times, with heifers not far behind at £555 five times at only 5m. Up next was Mark Button back again reaching £480 six times for his 7m Limousin steers and £435 for 5m Aberdeen Angus steers, yet again his heifers looked the dearest with 5-6m Limousins at £425 three times, £410 three times and £400 eight times. We had a lovely run of young weaned Herefords from Chris Roose of St Teath who made £400 for 11 steers and £380 for nine of his heifers. Philip Stanfield of Liskeard had a run of young stirks, topping at £550 for his Aberdeen Angus steers at 8m, £505 for British Blue steers also at 8m and British Blue bulls to £485, with other younger Aberdeen Angus steers at £430. Heifers reached £415 for British Blue 8-9m and

Friesians reaching £260. An entry of 25 calves and a serious trade for the third week of selling rearing calves at Hallworthy, they topped at £310 for a lean Hereford bull calf for A T Bayly of Launceston who made £275 for his heifers. Philip Stansfield of Liskeard had a run of calves topping at £245 for his British Blue bulls with others at £235, £230, £225 and £220. Limousin bulls made £245 and £185, with heifers reaching £225, £195 twice and £170. Russel Nute of Tintagel had three Hereford bulls in around 25-28 days old look very well sold at £200, £185 and £180. In the sheep pens, a good entry of 283 draft ewes for the time of year and a flying trade from start to finish, with John Hicks of St Merryn topping the day at £129 for his Charollais ewes. Albert Gynn topped the Suffolk cross ewes at £125.50. Mules to £97 from Graham and Robert Heal of Starapark. Scotch Blackface ewes to £68 from Messrs S & T Cornelius of Black Thorne Park. A smaller entry again of 268 fat hoggs met a very strong trade with an overall average of 280.2p, which is unheard of before for this time of year. Several pens over 285p to a top of 289 for two pens of 45kgs £130. Followed by C A Statton of Badgall, Launceston who realized 288p 46kgs £132.50. 21 pens realized £130 and over to a top of £132.50 for a pen of 48kgs from Colin Baker of St Columb. What a trade for the 228 store hoggs and a lot more could have been sold. Overall average of £102 and selling to a top of £116 from Colin Baker of Nanswhyden, who also realized £115.50 twice, and £114 with other pens. Steve Lyne of Cardinham realized £111 for his first pen of Suffolk crosses. A flying trade for couples (17 ewes and 28 lambs) with several doubles over £240 and to a top of £270 for a continental cross from Paul Taylor of Roche, followed by Ricky Tremaine of Tintagel who realized £260 with his Polled Dorset. Singles topped at £190 again from Paul Taylor with three other pens at £180 also from Paul. A good entry of 134 in-lamb ewes with the highlight of the day being the flock dispersal of pure Cheviot ewes from the late Victor Rickard. His first pen of flock age ewes realised £220 and his second pen made £185, both going to North Devon. Just a few new season lambs on offer which met a strong trade and a lot more could have been sold, top per kilo was 290p for 41kgs £119 from Jake Cleave of Tregildren, and top per head was £125 from N B Alford of St Tudy.

SOUTH MOLTON

Stags report on February 18 a bigger entry of prime hoggs this week although still back on last year as number nationally remain very tight. Again, a very mixed entry with a few more lighter hoggs forward this week. Trade if anything slightly easier than last week but still very strong. All classes of hoggs were wanted and yet again more buyers in attendance looking for them. Best trade for the handyweight continental bred sorts which is still mainly export driven. Processors reporting that carcasses are getting across the water but there is still continued delay with the paperwork. The real heavy hoggs still in demand despite a lack of home retail trade and the lighter sorts still being wanted by everyone. Top today at £146 to a 70kg Pure Texel from Mr N Rottenbury of Heasley Mill with £143 to another 73kg Pure Texel from Messrs J & H Searle of Ash Mill. Closely followed at £142.50 to 64kg Charollais crosses from Messrs RH & GA Morrish Ltd of Torrington with £138 to 75kg Charollais crosses from Messrs GE & EJ Nicholls of West Anstey. £136 to a super heavy Pure Suffolk from Miss A Mogford of Nomansland with £133.50 three times; the first to 44kg Charollais crosses (303ppk) from Mr EF Thorne of Tawstock; the second and third both to 48.3kg Suffolk crosses from Mr CR Mildon of Bishops Nympton and Messrs A & C Rowland of Bampton. £132.50 three times; the first to 51kg Charollais crosses from Mr MJ King & Sons of Iddesleigh; the second to 50kg Pure Suffolk again from Miss A Mogford and the third to 48.5kg Texel crosses again from Messrs J & H Searle. £132.20 to 49.1kg Charollais crosses from Mr AA Milton of Chapelton closely followed at £132 to 47.6kg Charollais crosses again from Mr MJ King & Sons. Another 11 pens broke over the £131 barrier. Best pens at 303ppk to shapely 44kg Charollais crosses from Mr EF Thorne of Tawstock with 302ppk to 39.5kg

Charollais crosses from Messrs GF & PJ Warne of Umberleigh. 301ppk to 43.2kg Charollais crosses from Mr BJ Mogford of Landkey with 300ppk twice; both to 41.1kg Charollais and 42.6kg Texel crosses from Messrs TH & PM Bolt of Huntsham. 293ppk to 40.6kg Texel crosses from Mr B Elston of Rose Ash with 292ppk to 45kg Texel crosses from Messrs G & P Kivell of Ashreigney. 291ppk to 44kg Suffolk crosses again from Mr B Elston with 289ppk twice; the first to 45.2kg Charollais crosses from Messrs WJ & MA Stoneman of Chulmleigh and the second to 44.5kg Charollais crosses again from Mr BJ Mogford. Another two pens at 288ppk; the first to 43.3kg Charollais crosses from Mr GR McLeod of Swimbridge and the second to 44kg Charollais crosses from Messrs J & J Watts of Goodleigh. 287ppk to 41.4kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs GR & RJ Ward of Iddesleigh with a storming seven pens at 286ppk; the first and second pens to 43.7kg and

43.3kg Texel crosses from Messrs TH & PM Bolt of Huntsham; the third and fourth pens to 43kg Suffolk and 41.6kg Texel crosses from Mr RF Jones of Heasley Mill; the fifth to 44.8kg Texel crosses from Messrs M & ML Gillbard of East Worlington; the sixth to 43.3kg Charollais crosses again from Messrs GF & PJ Warne and the seventh to 46kg Suffolk crosses again from Mr EF Thorne. Just two new season lambs on offer today being 44kg Charollais crosses at £134 (305ppk) from Messrs J & H Searle of Ash Mill, more needed in the next few weeks as demand for them grows. A very similar number entry of cull sheep today to last week but still smaller numbers than we would expect at this time of year. A comparable trade to last week with again more buyers in attendance, as with the hoggs numbers are short nationally and could go shorter yet. All ewes are wanted but the real thick ewes are discounted. Best trade for the bigger, leaner sorts with numerous pens over the £100 mark. Best Suffolk Mules £101 plus and best Mules all £90 plus. Best of the rams peaked at £137.50 for a grand Pure Suffolk from Mr R Lawrence of Iddesleigh with £115 to Texels from Messrs Keely & Stevens of Burrington. Best ewes to £117 for a pair of shapely Pure Charollais’from Mr MA Milton of Chapelton with £114 to a Texel from Messrs RJ & MS Radford of Mariansleigh. Pure Suffolks from Miss A Mogford of Nomansland at £113 with Suffolk Mules from Messrs GE & EJ Nicholls of West Anstey at £11.50. Further Pure Suffolks from Miss A Mogford at £109 with a cracking run of Suffolk Mules from Mr WB Manley & Son of Hemyock saw his best pens to £107. £105 to Texel crosses from Mr MGN West of Combe Martin whose second followed at £103, the same value as Pure Suffolk from Mr R Lawrence of Iddesleigh. £102.50 to Texel crosses from Messrs Keeley & Stevens of Burrington with Mr WB Manley & Son’s second pen at £101.50. Closely followed at £101 to Suffolk Mules from Messrs Keeley & Stevens with £100.50 to Texels from Messrs TH & PM Bolt of Huntsham. £100 twice; the first to Texel crosses from Mr T Greenslade of Uplowman and the second to Suffolk Mules from Mr JC Webber of Burrington.

TRURO

Lodge & Thomas report on February 17 an increased entry of 32 UTM prime cattle met with a blistering trade, yet again improved on recent weeks with the highest prices and averages not seen before except at Christmas primestock sales. Premium steers to 240p/ kg. Prime steers to 214p/kg. All steers average 217.32p/ kg. Premium heifers to 243p/kg. Prime heifers to 217p/ kg. All heifers average 215.68p/kg. A similar number of 36 cull cows to last week but containing fewer heavy, large framed cows but demand remaining at high levels for all on offer. Beef cows to 157p/kg (127p). Dairy cows to 146p/kg (109p). An excellent entry of well over 200 head (245) of store cattle on offer this week with many younger cattle forward but trade remains ‘on fire’ with more buyers in attendance. A fine consignment of Limousin stores forward from RG, EJ & JA Williams, St Martin saw a pair of fleshy 21m steers top the store section at £1,270. A super entry of young, well-grown cattle from MC Bone & Son, Madron included a single shapely British Blue cross topping the heifers at £1,190. Lim strs £1,230, hfrs £910, BB strs £1,200, hfrs £1,190, AA strs £1,085, hfrs £950, SD strs £1,080, Fries hfrs £975. 12mo - Lim strs £960, hfrs £750, Sim strs £825, SD strs £820, hfrs £940, Char strs £800, AA hfrs £825, BB hfrs £795. A reasonable entry of 57 rearing calves with several stirks saw prices improve across the board reflecting the continued surge in store cattle and finished cattle prices. Char bulls £335, hfrs £230, BB bulls £310 (£276), hfrs £235 (£198), AA bulls £305 (£257), hfrs £205 (£176), Lim bulls £262 (£205), hfrs £232 (£205), Hfd bulls £248 (£206), Sim hfrs £205. Stirks – BB males £435, Lim hfrs £65, Sim hfrs £325. In the sheep section, an entry of 220 hogs.

Forget the top prices, all hogs sold for over £107.50, and the whole entry averaged £126.50!! The finished trade speaks for itself and producers are urged to market remaining finished hogs on the current phenomenal prices. Setting the premium to 308p/kg and achieving top price of £136 for a pen of 44.1kg well finished hogs from a good run from S & SAJ Rickard, Devoran purchased by JV Richards Ltd, Perranwell Station. This was closely followed by a pen of butchers quality heavy weights from TB & MB Osborne, St Eval purchased by RJ Trevarthen Ltd, Roskrow. Standard to 293p/kg. Medium to 308p/kg (299p). Heavy to 282p/kg (261p). Overweight to 244p/ kg (219p). SQQ average 298.6p. A flying trade from start to finish for the 72 cull ewes and all types keenly contested. This week included some super quality and sold to a top price of £115.50 for a single big bodied ewe from Cregan Gate Partners, Grampound Road.

First quality to £115.50 (£98.50). Second quality to £82 (£77). Cull rams to £96.50 (£76). An entry of 100 store sheep with plenty of demand and flying trade to match. All types keenly contested. Prices peaked at

£84 for a pen of Suffolk stores from R Budge, Grampound. Medium to £84 (£82). Smaller to £59. A consignment of Dorset FM ewes with lambs at foot saw doubles sell to £188 (£62.50/life); singles to £170 (£85/life). This week included a flock dispersal of North Country Mule ewes on behalf of RJ Vercoe, Fraddon. The ewes were scanned in lamb and due from March 23. 6T scanned doubles sold to £156 and the entry averaged £150. The TB restricted ‘Orange’ market on February 16 saw a selection of cull cows forward comprising all Friesian dairy cows and selling to 117p/ kg. A good consignment of Limousin cross stores from M & J Rowe, Ashton with 21m heifers to £895 and 16m steers to £815.

HOLSWORTHY

Kivells report on February 17 around 1100 hoggs on offer which met a flying trade right through, with some of the highest prices seen in February and an overall average of 279.4 way up on markets earlier in the week. Several pens around 290p to a top of 292p from Mrs S May of Week St Mary for a pen of 38kgs £111, followed by the Stephen Family of Burscott, Holsworthy who realised 291p for a pen of 40kgs £116.50. A total of 39 pens realised £130 and over to a top of £134 from four different vendors. An entry of

300 draft ewes and again all ewes were very much sought after. A lot more plainer ewes on offer. Top of the day was £116 from Ben Colling of Launceston. Suffolk crosses topped at £114 from Mark Vickery of Kilkhampton and several pens around £95 to £100. Trade still very strong for the 102 store hoggs, topping on the day at £113 from Mr P Chisholm of Hatherleigh. A few more couples on offer with more buyers in attendance. Doubles to a top of £250 from Mr B Glessing of Pyworthy. Several singles around £170 to a top of £190. The part flock dispersal on behalf of the late Johnny Allin of Docton Farm, Hartland met a large crowd of prospective buyers in attendance and a very fast trade was met, with several pens going back to different farms in the Hartland parish and several going to Lostwithiel. Overall average of £170. Suffolk cross 2-4T ewes to £195. Suffolk cross 6-FM ewes to £170. Mule 2-4T ewes to £195. Mule 6-FM ewes to £168. Texel cross 2-4T ewes to £195. Another flock dispersal from Bob Cowell of Helston of un-scanned ewes sold to £160 for two pens. A decent number of 200 rearing calves with a handful of stirks here at Holsworthy today. John Elliott of Bradford stole the show topping the bulls at a massive £525 for only 3m British Blues with other British Blue bulls at £520 and £505 (3m). Darren Furse has a smart run of nearly weaned calves and topped with his British Blues at £380 and reached £370 (x3) for his 2½m Aberdeen Angus steers. Charolais’hit £355 (x2) for a smart young pair of bulls for the Jose family. Mr Oke of Bradford topped the Limousin section with his month-old bull hitting £370 looking very well sold with Darren Furse back in making £340 for his Limousin (3m). Very young Simmentals from Trevor Wellington reached £285 and £258 for Rachel Poole who had South Devon bulls at £360. Plenty of heifers forward with John Elliott racing away to £410 (x2) and £400 (x2) at only 3m. Owen Petherick’s British Blue heifer looked very well sold at £385 (x2) and Darren Furse’s at £340. The Jose family reached £330 for their month-old Charolais heifer and their British Blue at £322. Angus heifers were well bid for making £310 (x2) and £300 again for Darren Furse. Younger Limousin heifers in strong demand with John Tucker of Buckland Brewer reaching £280 and Rachel Skinner’s at £265, both very young calves with other babies hitting £240 for Rob Veale of Halwill. Friesians were very keenly bid for with weaned Friesians steers hitting a massive £272 (x3) for Andrew Gilbert of Sheepwash, £175 for Owen Petherick and £125 for Rachel Poole with younger Friesians between £62 and £92. An entry of 220 store cattle and a much larger crowd of buyers this week. Quality perhaps back on previous weeks. Stronger meat continentals saw a top of £1300 for a Simmental from Messrs JHG Williams of Helston. British Blues topped at £1270 for two good shaped 22m steers from Messrs Banbury of Frankaborough with other British Blue from Mr P Hobbs of Wrasford £1135 and £1130. Single suckled cattle again sold well, Messrs Johns of Hayden saw their Limousins hit £1215 with others £1145 and £1070. A run of outlying South Devon steers from Mr R Dyer of Braunton saw the five strongest steers hit £1130 with heifers from the same farm £965 and £955. Stronger fed heifers from Mr P Hobbs to £1155 (x2) with other Limousins from Messrs Satchell £1090. Holsteins again sold well this week with Messrs James of Stowford topping at £1030 (x3) and others from Mr C Kivell to £920. A larger number of younger cattle saw several good consignments on offer, single suckled 10m Stabiliser steers from Messrs Starr of Bradworthy averaged £800 to £810. Other younger 12-14m continental steers saw plenty £650 - £720. Shapely British Blue cross Friesian from Mrs S Stevens of Woolsery rose to £800 for five 12m British Blue cross Friesian steers. More required! Grazing cows saw Holsteins topped at £845 for a fleshed cow from

Messrs Mitchell of Clawton, with other smaller framed cows from the same farm to £765 and £755. The mid-month February sale saw an improved quality entry of 103 dairy cattle that sold to a very solid trade. Overall the fresh milk trade is slightly easier than in recent months. However, a large crowd of buyers around the ring and a good contingent of buyers on Marteye resulted in a very positive trade today. The fresh milk section comprised mainly heifers and topped at £1,880 for a smart freshly calved Holstein Friesian heifer yielding 29Kgs sold on behalf of Messrs RN & D Jenkin of Helston. The same vendor also had two other heifers sell at £1,850. Richard Reed (enjoying his 50th birthday) had a good trade on his run of heifers topping at £1,650. A limited entry of cows topped at £1,720 for a well fleshed second calving cow sold on behalf of the Bocaddon herd of the Gilbert Family of Sheepwash. Antony and Wendy Vigus sold two super red and white third calving cows topping at £1,520. A consignment of three in-calf heifers sold on behalf of Mr G J Richards to an average of £1,250 and topping at £1,450. A consignment of calves on behalf on the Willsbro herd of Wadebridge sold to an impressive trade with a consignment average of £587. Reaching the top price of £1,200 was ‘Willsbro

Excalibur Amber 328’, heifer calf boasting nine generations of EX and VG classified cows. This cows’ dam, ‘Willsbro Fedex Roxy 240 ET VG86 SP’, had a yield of almost 12,000 litres in her first lactation. Close behind selling at £1,100 was ‘Willsbro Lambda Ashlyn 292’, a descendent of ‘Tri-Day Ashlyn ET EX96’. The sale also saw a consignment of organic cows and young stock on behalf of Churchill Dairy Ltd of Barnstaple sold to an impressive average for the 25 milking cows (calved October-February) of £1,473. Trade was very strong for this consignment of cattle with additional interest from organic purchasers. Topping the trade at £1,750 was both‘Courtvalley Firebird Petula’a second calving cow yielding 34Kgs of milk at a cell count of just nine and‘Courtvalley Dandy Fairy 3’a freshly calved heifer yielding 32Kgs, with three other cows reaching over £1,700. The youngstock had a flying trade with eight heifers served in January and February selling to a top price of £900 and averaging £833. Bulling heifers selling to a top price of £780 and averaging £702. The herd also sold a consignment of heifer calves selling to a top price of £320 and an average of £308. The cattle were a real credit to the Cook family.

EXETER

Kivells report on February 19 store cattle top at £1415 for a pair of British Blue’s (24m) from Paul Hendy of Kingsbridge with younger (19m) Blue’s to £1235 for the same seller and £1210 for ones (20m) from Martin Berryman also of Kingsbridge. South Devon bred cattle saw a couple of steers (23m) from David Sluggett of Westwood, Broadclyst rising to £1360 apiece and four (21m) making £1280 for Sam Hext of Buckland in the Moor with a pen of later born ones (18m) fetching £1260 for the Tully Partnership of Brixham and £1225 for Rundle Weldhen of Newquay. Limousin steers from Brian Vallance and family of Bickington saw two (22m) return £1345 and a slightly younger single (20m) close at £1340 with four ones hardly a year old easing to £1120 apiece for Bill and Donald Tonkin of Cheriton Fitzpaine. Charolais bullocks (22m) from Roger Oliver of Lower Ashton eased to £1330 whilst other Charolais (19m) ran to £1275 and £1265 for P & O Jemmison of Brayford. British Shorthorn steers (22m) from John Pollard of St Merryn sold to £1320 as did a single Simmental (22m) from David Sluggett again at £1325 and a trio of Aberdeen Angus steers (24m) at £1275 for David Vooght of Luton, Chudleigh. Best of the Hereford bullocks came from Ian Balsdon of Okehampton with one at £1260 (20m) and Blondes (21m) from Martin Curtis of Elberton drew £1140 for a pen of three. A pair of red Limousin heifers (22m) from Brian Vallance and Family topped that section at £1300 apiece with others of that age to £1245 for David and Mary Stark of Denbury and £1140 for Rob Thorn of Chagford, also a bunch of five young Limousin heifers (9 to 13m) from Bill and Donald Tonkin took home £925 a life. South Devon heifers saw a bunch of five from Shillingham Farms of Saltash coming back at £1185 a head and a couple (22m) saw £1040 for Rundle Weldhen. British Blue heifers (21m) returned £1170 for Martin Berryman and £1130 for David Vooght whilst a Blonde heifer from Martin Curtis sold at £1150. Charolais bred females (20m) from P & O Jemmison rose to £1135 for a pen of four with Simmentals (22m) to £1100 for April Harden of South Pool and Aberdeen Angus (23m) ran to £1095 for David Vooght again. A tighter entry on the week met a stand on trade with all types looking extremely well sold. Wonderful British Blue steers from Matt & Vicky Smith down from Thelbridge topped at £1070 with others off the same good farm to £1110 and £890 (8m). Ian Braund across from Whitstone presented cracking shapely Blues which topped at £990 (11m) with tremendous Limousin’s achieving £980 (11m) and £890. Alan Ridgway up from Ipplepen sold cracking South Devon steers (12m) which topped at £930 with others a little younger (9m) achieving £780. AJ Withers & Sons down from Tiverton brought neat Limousin cross steers (9m) which sold at £830 with others from the same good farm levelling out at £800. Bruce Ellett across from Exmouth, back again topped at £825 for Salers (10m) with others to £810 being Limousin steers and Angus’to £770 (8m). Heifers meeting good demand with the top achieving £870 from the Pook family of Galmpton with a pen of cracking Charolais crosses (10m), Matt & Vicky Smith sold a Speckle Park cross heifer for £820 (10m). Blue heifers from Ian Braund levelled out at £800 with the best of the Simental cross heifers from Bruce Ellett reaching £710 (9m). Limousin heifers from AJ Withers & Sons saw £700 (9m), whilst South Devon heifers again from Alan Ridgway topped at £700. The dispersal of the“Oceanview”herd of Beef Shorthorn cattle on behalf of John Pollard of Padstow attracted huge interest attracting buyers from as far as North Yorkshire, West Wales and right across the South West. It was the dam and daughter outfit that stole the show with them together realising 6300gns! “Oceanview Lucky VG85”by Glenisla Explorer sold due in April to Chapelton Kingsley at 3400gns whilst her January born Heifer Calf “Oceanview Lucky Pamela” by Meonhill Fire Fox sold well at 2900gns. The next best cow and calf realised 4150gns with 2018 born “Oceanview Matilda”by Explorer and due in March to Kingsley selling at 2700gns whilst her April born Heifer calf by Annanwater Scotsman sold at 1450gns. 2013 born “Oceanview Glorious EX91”by Belmore Fuel Injected V12 sold due in April to Kingsley for 1700gns whilst her April born heifer calf by Kingsley sold at 2100gns. The only cow and calf sold as an outfit was “Oceanview Kathy VG86” by Annanwater Scotsman, she sold with her August born bull calf at 2500gns. A young July born bull“Oceanview Printer”by Chapelton Kingsley sold well at 1400gns. In-calf heifers met tremendous interest topping at 2500gns for “Oceanview Nancy” by Chapleton Kingsley with others to 2100gns and 2000gns. A maiden heifer “Oceanview Naomi”

Meonhill Fire Fox sold well at 24500gns. Other entries saw a three year old pedigree Aberdeen Angus bull at £1480 for Mark & Sam Reed of Awliscombe and a two year old Pedigree Hereford bull at £1300 for Keith Prettejohn of Wellington. Cows and calves saw a two year Blonde x Heifer with a month old Limousin bull calf at £1410 for Mrs K Whitworth of Swindon. A bit more life in the pig trade this week with finished sorts to £138 for one at a massive 152kg from Richard Ovenell of Torrington and going to J May Butchers of South Molton with five averaging 115kg reaching £134 apiece for Nigel and Sandra Tope of Blackawton and selling to Ross May and Family for their Exe Valley Farm Shop at Thorverton. A bit more demand for cull sows this week with one at 224kg making £93 for Richard Ovenell again and bought by‘The Meat Men’of Ilminster with others out of the same pig sties to £88 and £86. The fiery sheep trade continues with another sizable entry particularly in the stores and couples. Just 59 orphan lambs and a top of £40 twice for Barry Mildon and family of Cadbury, £39 for West Upham Farm of Cheriton Fitzpaine and £38 for Paul Parker of Ashburton. Av £25.61. 1860 store hoggs were as dear as we’ve seen them as the quality struggles each week with an overall average of £103 looking more like £106 without the ones sold with faults. 31 pens over £120 to a top of £129.50 twice for David & Lynda Pellow of Sourton who had others at £127.50 and £124.50 as Truro’s Norman Dalgarno sold his best at £128 and G Friend of Zeal Monachorum made £127.50. Keeping hoggs were usually £100 to £115 and smaller April- May fattening sorts were £85 plus. Grazers to £135 for a ram from CTJ Ford of Chulmleigh, £125 for Lee Whitrow of Honiton and £114 for Steve Knight of Highampton. In-lambers to £148 twice for R & P Farming of Mamhead who had others at £120 and a super offering of couples were as fiery trade as we’ve seen this season with 13 pens of doubles selling in excess of £250 per outfit. John Camp of Totnes dispersed his flock to tops of £271, £270 and £252 as Mark & Anita Saunders of Hemyock sold their two pens of doubles at £270 and Edward Pring of Broadclyst saw his best sell at £268, £262 twice and £250 and both Ben Cullen of Exeter and Patrick Parish of Cullompton saw their best make £260. Singles headed by Edward Pring selling pairs of Texel mules at £192, £191, £190 and £188 as Chris & Alison Crudge of Morebath made £190 and Wayne Apsey of Axminster realised £188. Overall averages better at £199 per outfit or £79.56 for all 575 head forward and sold.