Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

Bakewell Market Report for Monday 9th November 2020

Decent entries for the first Monday Market under ‘Drop & Go’ rules with plenty of stock in the pens, but very few people in the building and only dedicated buyers around the rings.  For the foreseeable future this is what needs to happen and the Auctioneers thank everyone for their co-operation.

No one needed to worry about trade, with strong prices achieved in all departments and of course Store Cattle vendors were able to watch the sale online.

The Store Cattle section was a little down on numbers with only 337 head on offer, but prices were excellent with steers to £1,140, heifers £1,250 and feeding bulls £1,080.

In the breeding section there was a mixed assortment of cows and calves selling to £1,050 with in calf cows also selling to £1,050.

The Finished Cattle section was well supported with 114 on offer.  Top figures 254p and £1,684 per head.  The average for the 54 heifers was 205.5p giving a good indication of the strength of demand.

123 OTM & Feeding cows a parade with plenty of buying power in operation. Top figures 190p and £1,323 with the average about the same as last week at 114.5p.

There were 77 Calves this week with bulls to £330 and heifers £265.

If cattle numbers were down a bit on the week sheep numbers were very much the other way with almost 2,500 in total.

The 1,684 lambs sold to top figures of 245p and £124.34 and the SQQ average emerged at 197.4p.  Whilst less than last week it is too early to know how this compares with other places.  It is worth noting, however, that the figure for 2019 was 186 pence.

There was an abundance of Cull Sheep with a total of 733 on offer.  Ewes sold to £138 to average £72.28.

Forthcoming Events

Thursday 12^th November: Regular Lunchtime Sheep Sale

Friday 20^th November: Store Sheep Sale, Further Entries invited

Sunday 6^th December: Derbyshire Carol Service – ONLINE ONLY

Friday 11^th December: Final Round Up of Store Sheep

123 Barren, OTM and Feeding Cows Overall Average 114.5p (Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)
Similar numbers to last week and an improved average by 2 pence on the week and they certainly felt better sold.  A full ring of socially distanced buyers at ringside led to a top call of 190 pence for a 32 mnth old Limousin from Paul Willmott, Ashover, with a top cow at 178p (£1310) from Ashford Hall Farm.  Better sorts 150p plus with a good run of feeders today and plenty of bidders for all shapes and sizes.

47 Black & White and ex-dairy cows Ave 107.1p

Definitely dearer and some super top prices.  Messrs Gregory, Sheldon always show a good Friesian cow and todays was 146p with Rogers Ardern’s best two at 144p and 140p (up to £1234) Better sorts 126p plus, leaner Holsteins 108-120p and plain cows generally under £1.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

3 OTM Bulls

114 FINISHED CATTLE – overall average 195.2p (Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

Very similar numbers to last week and generally a better show of quality cattle and an improved overall average by 4 pence.

15 Finished Bulls ave 177.5p/kg

4 big and posh Limousin’s sold at 210 and 209p for Messrs Fearn and Messrs Ottewell.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

45 Steers – overall average 190.1p/kg

A good show of quality cattle and some super top prices, Jack Blackshaw had the top 3 prices at 242,234 and 228p/kg and David Brentnall had 220p.  15 Natives had Herefords to 182p, Angus to 186p, W Black to 197p and Lincolns to 218p.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

54 Finished Heifers – overall average 205.5p/kg

Just like the Steers, tremendous quality at the top end with the top 8 over 240p.  Ashford Hall Farm had a good run of 8 pure Limousins to 254p (twice).  Don Lownds had 246p, 245p and 243p with Messrs Mosley at 244p.  Natives had Herefords to 186p, Angus to 216p and W Black at 209p.

4 B&W non breeders sold well but did little to enhance the averages.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

STORE & BREEDING CATTLE – (Auctioneer Alastair Sneddon)

Numbers down a bit this week with only 337 head on offer.

All regular buyers operating and trade strong from start to finish.

The sale commenced with an assortment of cows & calves with results as follows:

In Calvers included:

Next came some 37 Feeding Bulls with sample results as follows:

128 Steers ave £851

Plenty of interest in all types with Angus & Hereford crosses selling very well.  Continentals at least dear as last week and more cattle could readily have been sold.

Sample prices as follows:

129 Heifers ave £785

A useful consignment of heifers with plenty of demand and solid trade right through as the following prices indicate:

77 CALVES (Auctioneer Ivor Lowe)

Similar numbers forwards and trade again firm for all types.

Best continental bulls saw Simmental to £330, Limousins to £300 and B Blue to £265 with a number of returning purchasers not seen for some time ensuring a strong trade for all commodities.

Heifers slightly lighter on numbers, but again well sold with B Blue to a top of £265.

Black & White calves slightly easier for anything other than the best with these to a top of £175.

2,429 Sheep including 1,696 Finished Lambs, 733 Cull Sheep & 16 Store Sheep

 (Auctioneers Peter Oven & Mark Elliott)

A total entry of 2429 head of sheep included 1696 lambs, demand still very good for the best meated sorts with 19 pens over 220p/kg even heavy weight sorts.  Best butchers’ lambs peaked at 245p/kg for heavy weight sorts with handy weights to 244p/kg.  Overall average 197.48p/kg.

Leading Prices: –

Averages:

Old Season Lambs to 209p/kg – Average 164p/kg

733 Cull Sheep

A good large entry with some Livestock Markets and Yorkshire Slaughterers in turmoil.

The best ewes nearly as good to sell as recent weeks but some second and third grade a little harder to sell.

Top price £138 for Texels from the Newtons at Mansfield with some others at £134 for the Salisbury Family.

Best mules in the 70’s with only a few part pens £75 and above.  A few crossbred suffolks with no fat were good to sell between £86 and £92.

The better types of horned ewes £46 to £53 with grazing types still sought after.

Best Texel rams to £131 and £120 for Smiths at Carlecoates.

Cast Ewes        To: £138          Ave: £72.88    

Cast Rams       To: £131          Ave: £88.13