Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

2024 is proving to be rather different to 2023.  It was 7 degrees when we opened the gates and had struggled to only 14 degrees by mid-afternoon.

On the equivalent day 12 months ago it was 30 degrees and hay was being made.

With no chance of haymaking, farmers came to market and there were 720 cattle and 1,085 sheep on offer.

There was another decent entry of 410 store & breeding cattle with yet more new buyers and vendors finding their way to Bakewell.

Steers sold to £1,610, heifers £1,510 and feeding bulls £1,530.

In the breeding section cows and calves sold to £1,780 and Limousin stock bulls to £3,120.

In the finished cattle section numbers were well up with a total of 164 head on sale.

Top figures 330p/kg and £2,285.

The average for the 79 heifers was 278.8p indicating a slight easing in prices.

There were 105 OTM and feeding cows with trade well up to expectations top figures 274p and £2,223 with the average looking particularly healthy at 187.4p.

Calf numbers down a bit this week at 41, but prices well up with bulls to £490 and heifers £410.

Sheep in relatively short supply as the continuing cold weather is not helping lambs to thrive.

There were 356 Spring lambs on offer with top figures 456p/kg and £206 per head.

This means that the average for lambs in the 39-45kg bracket was 169.22.  The SQQ average was 400p and the overall average 402.5p.  Hogg numbers down to 321 and starting to scrape the barrel.  The best on offer sold to 400p/kg and £194.40 with the SQQ average 337.4p.

408 cull sheep with trade again very strong.

Ewes sold to £223 to average £138.80

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

Thursday 13^th June: Thursday Lunchtime Sheep Sale

Friday 14^th June: Farm Sale at Brumlea Farm, Bonsall

We have been asked to inform you

The funeral of

Robert Parker

Of

 Derby Hills Farm, Ticknall, Derbys

Will be held on

Tuesday 18th June at 11.00 am

At St George’s Church, Ticknall

105 BARREN, OTM AND FEEDING COWS overall ave 187.4p/kg or £1270

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)     

Just over 100 cows and overage cattle again and trade continues to be strong and certainly no less than last week.  All of the better bred cows are still clearly over 200p/kg with the pure bred Lims and well fed x breds 220p.  Best today topped at 274p for a OTM clean Limousin heifer from Craig Schofield, Cheadle that grossed a superb £1868 whilst similar heifers from Margaret Heath made 271p (£1707).  Cows are still wanted and are good to sell, don’t undersell your cows.  The best way to achieve the maximum value is to sell them on their legs in Bakewell Market.

Results

Gross Prices:

30 Black & White and ex dairy cows ave 184.3p

They actually look dearer but some very smart B/W’s today with the biggest up to £1,800.

4 overage clean 215-228p

Best big fed cows 189-195p

Holsteins 170-185p

Leaner sorts 150-160p

Only a few under 150p

The best today:

6 OTM Bulls

6 OTM Steers

166 FINISHED CATTLE ave 266.1p/kg

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

A fantastic entry of cattle with 60 more than last week and 20 more than the same week last year.  The mounting pressure of the deadweight drops have finally affected the live price and the clean cattle are little less.  Still good and strong competitive bidding on all lots but at slightly lower levels.  All the nicer cattle still nicely over 300p/kg.

39 Young Bulls ave 246.4p/kg

A good show of bulls and some lovely quality this week, trade strong with the bottom end bulls nicely propped up by the religious festival later in the week.  The top end as ever look after themselves with a super Blond from Messrs James at 309p (£2163) and David Goddards best at 300p (£2268).  13 B/W’s today sold to 235p for Alf Sims at £1,780 for Neil Massey.

Results:

Gross Prices:

46 Steers ave 262.2p/kg

Good numbers and trade against the dreaded deadweight drops.  Messrs Hazledine topped at 310p for a posh Blond from Messrs James and Mellor also over £3/kilo with their trio over £2000.  10 Natives to 278p for a Hereford from P Brennand with 6 B/W steers all looking well sold today.

Results:

Gross Prices:

79 Heifers ave 278.8p/kg

A bumper show of heifers today and quality at the best end was good.  26 heifers (1/3 of the entry) sold over 309p/kg with an awesome B Blue from Peter Gaunt leading the way at 330p (£2085) with Geoff Evans at 321p twice and 318p x3 and Micheal Wynne sold 6 Limmys to 319 at 316p etc.  11 Natives had Angus to 270p for JP Wayne.

Results:

Gross Prices:

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

Another excellent entry of 410 store & breeding cattle with the selection even more varied than usual.  A strong trade from start to finish with all types keenly sought.

The sale commenced some 47 Breeding Stock which included:

Sample Prices:

59 Feeding Bulls

Sample prices as follows:

171 Steers ave £1,150

Some marvellous cattle in the entry hence the outstanding average price at £1,150.

All types finding a ready sale with Angus and Herefords just as popular.

Harder cattle commanding the usual premium, but all selling very well.

Sample Results:

133 Heifers ave £983

A very high average for heifers this week indicating the level of trade and the quality of cattle in the entry.

Some nice level bunches keenly sought after as the following prices demonstrate.

Sample Results:

41 CALVES (Auctioneer Ivor Lowe)

Less about today with trade dearer than seen in recent weeks with bulls to £490 and stronger continentals regularly upward of £400 and heifers upwards of £300 to a top of £410.

A very limited entry of B/W’s today and many more could have been sold to vendors; advantage.

The prices below tell the story.

Bulls

Lim                      £490     D Fotherby & Sons, Wormhill

Lim                      £450     WJ & DM Madin, Holymoorside

B Blue                 £445     G Matkin, Idridgehay

Blond                  £480     SG Potter, Bonsall

Sim                      £340     G Matkin, Idridgehay

Saler                    £335     JF Hayes, Shottle

Angus                 £255     JW Brandrick & Son, Beamhurst

Hfrs

B Blue                 £410     TN Palfreyman & Son, Flagg

Lim                      £310     D Fotherby & Sons, Wormhill

Hfd                       £330     JW Brandrick & Son, Beamhurst

677 LAMBS & 408 EWES & RAMS

(Auctioneers Peter Oven & Mark Elliott)

A total entry of 1,085 sheep included 356 new season lambs.  Demand increased as the day went on with best stronger lambs seeing the best demand, with several pens grossing over £200/head to peak at £206.  The best butchers lambs to 456p/kg, heavyweights to 440p/kg and overweight to 434p/kg and the overall market average 402.54p/kg.

Leading Prices: –

Averages:

Old Season Lambs

Meated old season lambs still in demand to peak at 400p/kg and a top gross of £194.40/head.  Overall average 337.4p/kg.

Leading Prices: –

408 Cull Sheep

A total of 408 cull sheep attracted very brisk bidding for all types with best Texels to £223, meated mules in the £140-£160 bracket and heavy horned ewes in the £100-£120 bracket.

Ewes to £223                Ave £138.80

Rams to £189                Ave £146.60