Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

After a weekend of Storm Tempest and flood it is remarkable that 579 cattle and 2,412 sheep managed the journey to Bakewell.

Trade in all sections was more than satisfactory with plenty of highlights for the top-quality animals.

There were 297 store and breeding cattle, a very useful entry for the time of year and the numbers had clearly attracted a full line up of buyers, several from a considerable distance.  Steers sold to £1,590, heifers £1,580 and feeding bulls £1,280.

In the breeding section, cows and calves reached £1,480 and in calvers £1,210.

The finished cattle section was well supported with 120 on offer.  Top figures 336p/kg and £2,204 per head.

The average for the 55 heifers was a cracking 280.5p.

The 94 OTM and Feeding cows sold on a solid trade with top figures 220p and £1,957.

The average was a useful 151.0 pence.

Another decent entry of calves with 68 forward, Bulls sold to £420 and heifers £320.

Over in the sheep shed it was a full house for a Monday with 1,851 lambs.

Top figures 318p and £160.18 per head.  The SQQ average emerged at 255.02 pence.

There were 534 cull sheep with ewes selling to £196 to average £98.27.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The dreaded 13^th December is nearly upon us.

If you are selling Finished or Cull Cattle or Sheep we need to know if:

1. You are Farm Assured
2. You have a VAN Number

or

3. Neither of the above apply

We will be announcing the status of your stock at the time of sale

If you have already got your vet attestation number then please let us have it, either write it on the top of your Market Declaration or let us have a copy of the form from your vets.

Please make sure your name is on the form from the vets.

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

Thursday 14^th December: Thursday Lunchtime Sheep Sale

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A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY: 19^TH JANUARY 2024 – HPLS STORE CATTLE SALE

BAKEWELL MARKET CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS

Thursday 21^st December: No Market

Monday 25^th December: No Market

Tuesday 26^th December: No Market

Thursday 28^th December: Regular Thursday Lunchtime Sheep Sale

Monday 1^st January 2024: No Market

Tuesday 2^nd January 2024: Market

94 Barren, OTM and Feeding Cows overall average 151.1p/kg or £1010

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)     

Numbers good and trade very similar to the last couple of weeks with little change expected before next week when cows will be wanted again for the final sale before Christmas shutdown.  Only a few continental suckler cows on offer today with the best looking very well sold and up to 220p or £1751 for a Limmy x cow (9yrs) from Mark Sweetmore who had another at 219 or £1957.  Better sorts 190p plus with the best of the Herefords 175-185p.

Results:

Gross Prices:

49 Black & White and ex dairy cows ave 142.2p/kg

The best dearer but the bottom end a little less.

Clean OTM heifers (under 36 mnths) 169-198p

Best fed cows 155-165p

Big Holsteins 145-150p

Parlour Cows 120-140p

Smaller cows under 110p

The best today:

 2 OTM Bulls

2 OTM Steers

115 FINISHED CATTLE – overall average 266.6p/kg (Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

Good numbers and trade outstanding for the in-spec well bred and fed cattle, but some smaller or leaner sorts not quite as marketable.

Next Week

Monday 18^th December

The last opportunity of the year to sell cattle and they will be wanted with all buyers at this stage wanting cattle to kill before Christmas.

Any Questions, give me a call on 07801 530899

30 Young Bulls ave 238.8p/kg

Best bred Limousin 276-299p with the top seller today being a lovely well-fed Limousin from John Ottewell, Calow making 299p or £2146.  7 Dairy bulls today saw a Holstein make 235p or £1612 with S Horns up to 210p.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

34 Steers ave £272.5p/kg

Well fed and bred cattle a proper trade, not dissimilar to last week’s show day. Geoff Evans won the race and sold at 328p (£2204) with another at 320p with 4 from Peter Gaunt at 321,321, 320 and 318p.  4 Herefords to 250p, 4 Angus to 280p and 2 Lincolns to 252 and a Longhorn made 239p.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

51 Finished Heifers ave 280.5p/kg

Following on from last week’s show and some superb cattle at the top end, 7 best bred cattle topped 320p with the winner at 336p for a Blue x from David Warttig, Thurgoland.  Stan & Geoff Evans had 332p (£2098) and Down Lownds at 325p (£2093).

12 Natives with Angus at 284p and Shorthorns at 256p.  A big 31 mnth old pure Limmy made 307p or £2185 from Mark Hambleton, Alstonefield.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

STORE & BREEDING CATTLE – (Auctioneer Alastair Sneddon)

A decent entry for the time of year with a very mixed selection on offer.  Quality was very variable, but everything found a ready market at an appropriate price.

The sale started with a few Breed Cattle which included:

Feeding Bulls

Steers

A good many young cattle on offer including some nice suckled calves, but also dairy crosses, all sold well.

Not too many strong cattle, but those that were on offer were very well sold.  Angus crosses attracting the usual interest.

Sample Results:

Heifers

Quality very mixed with a number of cattle very small for their age within the entry.  They found a ready market at appropriate prices.

A shortage of top-notch sort, but all looked well sold, either as individuals or in well matched bunches.

Sample Results:

68 Calves (Auctioneer: Meg Elliott)

Blue Bull to £420

Blue Heifers to £320

A good entry of calves with plenty of buyers around the ring saw the best, a British Blue bull from the Seals family of Shirland top the day at £420.  They had a second bull to £380 and a Blue heifer to £320.  Hereford bulls from the Minshalls of Tean reached £275 with Holstein bull calves from the same home to £138.

Friesian bull calves topped at £155 from Shirts of Over Haddon

1861 Lambs & 551 Ewes & Rams (Auctioneer Peter Oven)

A very good entry of 2412 head of sheep included 1861 lambs.  Trade set off to a flying start for all types with the best butchers lambs to 318p/kg with heavy weight butchers lambs to 310p/kg and over weights to 290p/kg.  Top gross price £160.18/head.  Overall average 255.02p/kg which included several lots of smaller plainer sorts.

Leading Prices: –

Averages:

551 Cull Sheep

A larger entry of 551 cull ewes and rams saw demand very brisk for all types right from the start.  The Hadfield family at Chamber Farm topped the market for the second week running with their pen selling at £190/head.  The best 10 pens all over £155 to average £173.  Best Suffolks in the £130-£145 bracket with heavy Mules in the £85-£90 bracket.  Heavy horned ewes £55-£75

Ewes to £196                Ave £99.32

Rams to £169               Ave £120.73