Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

A busy day for the week before the Bank Holiday with 759 cattle and 1,631 sheep on offer from a total of 280 vendors.

Plenty of people in the market too, many taking advantage of the Farmers health MOT Day with a wide variety of stands offering health checks and advice.  Sincere thanks to all involved.

The finished cattle trade continues to slide and is just starting to have a knock on effect in the store ring with the auctioneers having to work harder to achieve the final price which is in fact a little different from what we have seen in recent weeks.

There were 461 store & breeding cattle with steers to £2,270 to average £1,452, heifers reached £2,120 ave £1,321 and feeding bulls sold to £1,800 ave £1,075.

The steer and averages are down on the week, but there were more small and young cattle selling around the £1,000 mark.

There were 124 finished cattle with trade down on the week.  Top figures 394p/kg and £3,163 per head.  The average for the 69 heifers our usual barometer of trade was 339.2 pence/kilo and £2,165 per head.

Last week’s figures were 347.5 pence and £2,272.

A larger entry of 117 OTM cattle sold on a brighter trade with top figures 342p and £3,328 per head.

The average was a healthy 245.0 pence and £1,667 per head.

A decent show of calves with 57 on offer.  Trade still remarkably strong with bulls to £765 and heifers to £630.

In the sheep department Spring lambs are arriving in greater numbers with 376 this week.

Top figures 532p/kg and £247.38 per head.

The SQQ average was 478.2 pence making a typical lamb in the 39-45kg bracket worth £202.52.

We are still finding a few hoggs with 604 on offer.  The best reached 495p/kg and £255.45 per head.

The SQQ average was 426.8 pence making a typical hogg in the 39-45kg bracket worth £190.47.

Cull ewes out in force with 647 forward and a decent trade.  Top price £318 and the average £164.41.

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 21st May – Thursday Lunchtime Sheep Sale

We have been asked to inform you

The Funeral for

Ivan Mear of E&C Mear

Cattle Transporters

Will be held at

All Saints Church

Dilhorne

On Thursday 28^th May

At 11.30am

117 BARREN, OTM AND FEEDING COWS overall ave 245.1p/kg or £1667

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

More numbers and trade very much on par with last week although the average is a little bit less on the week and about 30 pence less than this week last year. The cow meat is very much wanted in Bakewell with strong demand for the best younger sorts, the B/W ex milkers and also the feeding types that look well bid for.  Two lovely 31 month old Limousin heifers from Margaret & James Heath sold at 342 and 331 pence with the best cow being a 4yo Blue x from Lee White, Bamford.

Results:

Gross Prices:

40 Black & White and ex dairy cows ave 208.4p

Best cows 236-250p

Holsteins 220-230p

Leaner cows 205-215p

Plainest end under £2

The best today:

3 OTM Bulls

3 OTM Steers 

124 FINISHED CATTLE ave 329.6p/kg

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

Good numbers prior to the Bank Holiday week with trade remaining challenging and about 8 pence less on the week.

27 Young Bulls ave 307.8p/kg

Trade unfortunately on the slide with outlets complaining of poorer sales.  The Fearn family had the pick of the bulls with their best heavyweights at 383p or £3163 with better suckler sorts 310p plus.

Results:

Gross Prices:

28 Steers ave 326.3p/kg

No fancy average or top prices I’m afraid but a solid trade in the present climate.  Better suckler sorts 360p and about with George Blackshaw at the head of the list at 392 and 380p for fancy shaped Lims.

Results:

Gross Prices:

69 Heifers ave 339.3p/kg

Good numbers and some well fed cattle with weight about but a lacklustre beef trade at present shows itself at Bakewell.  6 best end over 380p and up to 394p twice for Peter Gaunt & Josh Hall with 600kg sucklers.

Results:

Gross Prices:

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

Another full house entry with 461 head on offer.

As stated earlier, harder work for the auctioneers, but respectable prices finally achieved after the additional effort.

The is not unexpected bearing in mind the recent drop in finished cattle returns.

The sale commenced with a few Breeding Cattle

(don’t forget the special entry of 40 calves and calves booked for a fortnights time on Monday 1^st June)

There were 10 tested feeding cows with prices from £1,180 to £2,080 with plenty of interest for what was on offer.

59 Feeding Bulls

A larger than usual number with 59 on offer.

Sample Prices:

183 Steers ave £1452

Plenty of small and young cattle in the entry and not so many stronger sorts on offer.  Many cattle failing to reach the £1,000 mark than we have seen for some time.  Typical prices price to give you an indication of the trade.

Sample Results:

201 Heifers ave £1321

A good level of interest in all types with prices a shade easier.

Some good bunches offered which attracted a premium.  Buyers out in force, but clearly aware that finished cattle returns are falling.

Sample Results:

57 CALVES (Auctioneers Ivor Lowe & Natasha Hall)

A very good entry of calves today with the best bull at £765 for a British Blue from Furness & Taylor and the best heifer at £630 for a British Blue from GW & WL Neville.

Black & White’s up to £200 and Jerseys to £165.

A small entry of 3 month old British Blue Steers to a top of £875 from LA & H Burtonshaw Ltd.

Bulls

B Blue                 £765     Furness & Taylor

Sim                      £725     T Farrington & Sons

B Blue                 £715     GW & WL Neville

B Blue                 £710     NJ Kirk

Fleck                   £630     J & J Walton & Sons

Hfrs

B Blue                 £630     GW & WL Neville

B Blue                 £575     J Cawser

Blond                  £480     SG Potter

S Horn                £475     T Farrington & Sons

Lim                      £455     G & M Limer

AA                        £440     WR & W Hayes

980 Lambs, 647 Ewes & Rams & 4 Ewes & Lambs

(Auctioneer Peter Oven)

A very good entry of 1631 sheep included 376 new season lambs.  Demand for all weights very good with best to a top of 532p/kg and £248/head with the overall average 479.06p/kg.

Leading Prices

Averages

Old Season Lambs

A total of 604 being of mixed quality but demand very good throughout.  Best to 495p/kg and £255/head.  Overall average 426.86p/kg.

Leading Prices

Averages

647 Ewes & Rams

Auctioneers Mark Elliott & Holly Swift

An excellent seasonal entry in the ewes and cull tups with trade strong and something for everyone.

The best strong Texel ewes regularly £220 and above with the top 8 lots averaging £260.50 exactly.  Andrew & Jill Gagie topped the day with real meated strong Texels at £318 with Charlie Boden at £282 and Bernard Archer at £260.

A feature of the day was the Mule trade for the next festival with stronger types £168 plus and the best end with weight hovering towards £200.

A lesser proportion of horned ewes forward today with medium Swales to £130.

24 cull rams with the best from Keith Swift at Red House topping at £249/head.

100% clearance in all sections

Ewes ave £164.41

Rams ave £167.50