Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

Another busy market with a capacity entry of store cattle, still catching up after the Easter break.

Other departments also well supported with a total of 885 cattle and 1,084 sheep.

Finished cattle were out in force with 180 forward.

Unfortunately, the long expected downturn in trade arrived today with prices significantly lower than last week.

Top figures were 430p and £3,136 per head these looked respectable, but the average for the 102 heifers was 348.3p some 32p down on the week.

Time will tell whether this is going to be the new normal.

The store & breeding cattle department saw prices marginally easier as finishers seek to buy their replacements at a lower cost, but any reduction in returns was very much less than in the finished section.

With 544 forward the 243 steers sold to £2,680 ave £1,623 and the 249 heifers reached £2,460 ave £1377 and feeding bulls to £2,250.

A big show of 138 OTM cattle sold well with the top figures 316p/kg and £3,373 per head.

The average was a shade down on the week, but still looked good at 244.4 pence.

Calves continue to sell at very high prices with bulls to £810 and heifers £650.

In the sheep section Spring lambs are slow to come forward with only 29 on offer.

Top figures 625p/kg and £251.25 per head.

The SQQ was 570.8 pence making a typical lamb in the 39-45kg range worth 234.7 pence.

There were 667 hoggs, a rather mixed lot as expected at this time of year.

Top figures 476p/kg and £229.51/head.

The SQQ was 409.1p making an average hogg in the 39-45kg weight range worth £186.26.

388 cull sheep on offer with ewes to £280 ave £152.76

DISEASE PRECAUTIONS

The authorities have asked us to pass on the message to everyone to be vigilant with regard to Bio Security.

May we respectfully ask that you use the footbaths and boot wash in order to reduce the risk

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Forthcoming Fixtures

Thursday 23^rd April – Thursday Lunchtime Sheep Sale

138 BARREN, OTM AND FEEDING COWS overall ave 244.5p/kg or £1631

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

More on offer and trade a little less this week with the average 16 pence less, although there was a higher proportion of B/W’s and leaner sorts on offer.  4 better and clean 308-316p with the best cow at 307p (£2468) for PJ Blackshaw with the better end generally 270p plus.

Results:

Gross Prices:

81 B&W Cows overall ave 232 pence

A little bit less but not much.

Better end 226-254p, 7 over £2000

Parlour Holsteins 220-240p

Leaner sorts 210-220p

Plainer end either side of £2/kg

The best today:

7 OTM Steers

1 OTM Bull

180 FINISHED CATTLE ave 341.1p/kg

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

Bigger numbers like everywhere, but less money for all types.

27 Young Bulls ave 343.3p/kg

The bulls faired the best of the finished cattle today and generally no less.  Ben Langton topped the day at 414p (£2484) with Keith Belfield at 399p (£2816) with David Goddard at 396p (£3136).

Results:

Gross Prices:

51 Steers ave 326.6p/kg

All shapes and sizes including some very well finished cattle as well as the usual entry of Natives and dairy bred sorts.  John Cooper had a strong Limousin at 382p with the better end 350p plus.

Results:

Gross Prices:

102 Heifers ave 348.4p/kg

Very big numbers but trade and averages less money on the week.  Best still good to sell with the best 11 over £4 and 430p at the top for Josh Hall, Longnor.

Results:

Gross Prices:

STORE & BREEDING CATTLE – (Auctioneers Alastair Sneddon & Meg Elliott)

A full house entry of 544 head sold very well on the day with trade buoyant despite the reduced returns in the finished cattle world.

The sale commenced with some breeding stock which included:

Feeding Cows

28 Feeding Bulls

Sample Prices:

243 Steers ave £1,623

A good selection well bid for with plenty of highlights for the best.  Some decent runs in well matched bunches attracting a significant premium.

Sample Results:

249 Heifers ave £1377

A good many small and young cattle in the entry, hence the lower average, but plenty of farmer bidders for the longer term cattle and a solid trade from start to finish.

Strong Angus crosses still in strong demand and the smarter continental crosses selling very well.

Sample Results:

23 CALVES (Auctioneers Ivor Lowe & Natasha Hall)

A small entry of calves today with the best bull to top at £810 for a British Blue from GW & WL Neville.

Only 6 heifers on offer with the best at £650 for a British Blue from W Bradbury.

Black & Whites to top at £250.

An entry of 3 Fleck heifers at 5 months old achieved £635/head.

Bulls

B Blue                 £810     GW & WL Neville

B Blue                 £680     GW & WL Neville

AA                        £455     RS Hall

B Blue                 £350     W Bradbury

Hfrs

B Blue                 £650     W Bradbury

B Blue                 £470     GW & WL Neville

B Blue                 £335     AJ Byron

AA                        £325     RS Hall

696 LAMBS & 388 EWES & RAMS

(Auctioneer Peter Oven)

A smaller entry of 1084 sheep included 29 new season lambs.  Demand very brisk with more numbers needed.  Best butchers lambs to 625p/kg and £251/head with an overall average 570.86p/kg.

Leading Prices

In the old season lambs best butchers lambs still very keenly bid for to a top of 476p/kg with best heavies to 460p/kg and overweights to 438p/kg.

Overall average 409.15p/kg.

Leading Prices

Averages

388 Ewes & Rams

Auctioneers Mark Elliott & Holly Swift

A good seasonal entry and buyers for everything from the best to the plain and small.

Best continentals regularly £236 plus with the very best at £280 for David Furness at Monyash.

Middle Mules generally a bit easier but plenty of bidders to mop them up.

Better crossbred continentals £180 plus with plenty £200 plus.

Not many small and hill breeds forward this week but a highlight of this section was a pen of Herdwicks with very good flesh up to £80/head.

In the tups a very varied entry with a quarter of the entry £170 and above and a top of £250 with others at £230 and £220.

Ewes 100% clearance ave £152.30

Rams 100% clearance ave £172.12