Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

Nearly as busy as a normal Monday the May Day market attracted 508 cattle and 1,178 sheep.

We seem to have gone from Winter to Summer in the space of a week and a couple of dry days it perhaps won’t be long before someone is hoping for rain.

A decent entry of store & breeding cattle with a total of 356 on offer.

Nearly all the regular buyers were present and trade was as strong as ever as purchasers competed hard for grazing cattle in particular.

Steers sold to £1,680 and heifers £1,620.

In the breeding section a Limousin bull made £3,250 with a Limousin at £2,650.

A few less finished cattle with 75 on offer and an odd buyer missing, but prices were well up to expectations.  Top figures 335p and £2,314 with the average for the 40 heifers looking good at 295.8p.

Just 60 cull cows this week with trade strong and top figures as follows: 270p/kg and £2,156 per head.  The average was a substantial 182.2p.

Calves rather thin on the ground, but clearly sought after with bulls to £408 and heifers £360.

In the sheep section there were 128 Spring lambs selling to 550p/kg and £243/head.

The SQQ average was 495p and the average gross price for a lamb in the 39-45kg range was £208.83.

Hogg entries gradually reducing, but still 631 on offer.  Top figures 457p/kg and £242.49 per head.

The average gross price for a hogg in the 39-45kg weight range is £163.95.

A surprisingly large entry of 373 cull sheep saw ewes to £240 to average £139.33.

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

Thursday 9^th May: Thursday Lunchtime Sheep Sale

60 BARREN, OTM AND FEEDING COWS overall ave 182.2p/kg or £1223

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)     

A cracking good Bank Holiday entry of 60 cows was met by a near full ring of buyers and a solid price throughout.  A B Blue x grazing cow topped the market at 270p (£1485) for Messrs Barlow, Froghall with a pure Limmy from Neil Pearson at 248p (£1815) also sold for feeding.  Top meat cow was a big pure Lim from Ashford Hall at 228p (£2156) with their other cow at £2028.  An excellent day again with more needed every week.  For any queries about Barren Cows speak to me on 07801 530899.

Results

Gross Prices:

20 Black & White and ex dairy cows

A few less about but similar money to last week.

Better sorts 165-180p

Parlour cows 130-150p

 2 OTM Bulls

75 FINISHED CATTLE ave 285.1p/kg

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

Not so many down considering the day and no abattoirs open but a real trade throughout.

11 Young Bulls ave 230.2p/kg

Just a few and a real price for all.

Results:

24 Steers ave 291.1p/kg

A lot better sample than last week with the average miles up as I would have expected.

Suckler bred continentals sold up to a high of 330p for a posh Blue x Limmy from James Wardman with James and Margaret Heath at 328p for 2 pure Lims.  Angus to 298p and Hfd to 280p.

Results:

Gross Prices:

40 Heifers ave 295.8p/kg

One of the best averages ever with the butchers and wholesalers all competing hard for the specials on offer. First into the ring and making the top price of the day 385p was Messrs Hazledine Farms, Watnall with Dennis Prince, Back of Ecton close behind at 330p.  11 Angus sold to 325p/kg.

Results:

Gross Prices:

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

An excellent May Day Bank Holiday entry of 356 store & breeding cattle attracted nearly all the regular buyers and possibly due to the improved weather resulted in a tremendous trade from start to finish.

Well matched bunches commanded a premium with bidders trying that bit harder to secure a part load at one hit.

The sale started with a few Breeding Stock which included:

Sample Prices:

There was also 16 Feeding Cows which sold to £1680 and £1500.

Feeding Bulls

166 Steers ave £1,082

All types in great demand.  Plenty of interest in the young cattle.

Angus & Herefords popular as usual.

The results speak for themselves.

Sample Results:

157 Heifers ave £966

A good selection with broad appeal and plenty of highlights.

Sample Results:

17 CALVES (Auctioneer Ivor Lowe)

Just a small Bank Holiday entry but those forward rewarded with a terrific trade for all with B Blues seeing Bulls to £408 and Heifers to £360.

All types equally as well sought after with the entry not including any B/W dairy bred calves.

Bulls

B Blue                 £408     TN Palfreyman & Son, Flagg

B Blue                 £365     GV Matkin, Kirk Ireton

Lim                      £370     DF & A Wainwright, Cold Eaton

Saler                    £292     JF Hayes, Shottle

Hfd                       £275     JW Brandrick, Beamhurst

Hfrs

B Blue                 £360     BD Hudson, Ipstones

B Blue                 £280     D Fotherby & Sons, Wormhill

Saler                    £180     JF Hayes, Shottle

AA                        £150     Springfield Farms

759 LAMBS, 373 EWES & RAMS & 44 STORE SHEEP

(Auctioneers Peter Oven & Mark Elliott)

A very good Bank Holiday entry of £1176 sheep included 128 new season lambs.  Demand very brisk throughout with best butchers’ lambs to 550p/kg for lighter weight sorts and 548p/kg for heavier types.  Top gross of £243/head and an overall average of £195/head.  The SQQ was 495.09p/kg.

Leading Prices: –

Averages:

Old Season Lambs

Quality is still wanted, best butchers types to 448p/kg with heavyweights to 457p/kg and a top gross of £222/head.  Overall average 375.13p/kg.

44 Store Sheep

A total of 44 ewes and lambs attracted a lot of interest with 2 Zwartble doubles to £245, Singles to £170, Valais Blacknose x to £180 and Jacobs to £130.

373 Cull Sheep

An excellent entry of 373 culls met a flying trade right from the start with a pen of 8 heavy Texels from Peter Furness in the first pen selling at £240/head.  Texel x ewes sold to £196 with Blue Texels to £185, heavy Mules in the £135-£150 bracket.

Ewes to £240                Ave £139.33

Rams to £188                Ave £130.94

Goat to £139                 Ave £85.58