Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

A very busy market trapped between the two Bank Holiday weeks, although it should be remembered that it is business as usual next Monday 5^th May.

There were 901 cattle and 1,855 sheep on offer with great prices reported in all cattle departments and a solid performance for the sheep where prices are unfortunately well below the 2024 values.

The store & breeding section saw another tremendous trade with 556 head on offer and demand still outstripping supply.

Steers reached a remarkable £2,840 to average £1,582 despite a good many small and young cattle in the entry.  Heifers sold to £2,820 to average £1,410 and feeding bulls peaked at £2,410 to average £1,470.

In the breeding stock section cows and calves sold to £2,250 and 2 stock bulls attracted plenty of interest with a Limousin at £4,700 and a Hereford to £3,650.

A good turnout of 176 finished cattle sold on a similar trade to recent weeks with top figures 434p and £3,434 per head.

The 97 heifers averaged 384.8p and £2,330 per head.

There was a decent selection of 117 OTM and feeding cows with top figures 385p/kg and £3,363 per head.

The overall average was 281p/kg and an astonishing £1,900 per head.

52 calves forward this week with trade remaining very firm, bulls sold to £760 with heifers to £550.

A large entry of 1,855 sheep sold on a solid trade with prices for lambs and hoggs well below last year’s figures.

The were 180 Spring lambs selling to 384p and £167.58.  The SQQ average was 301.0p.

There was a substantial entry of 461 cull sheep selling on a brisk trade with ewes to £278 to average £158.10.

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

Thursday 1^st May: Thursday Lunchtime Sheep Sale

We have been asked to inform you

The Funeral of

Francis Redfern

Of

Flagg

Will take place on

Thursday 15^th May

At

Taddington Church

117 BARREN, OTM AND FEEDING COWS overall ave 281.7p/kg or £1900

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)     

Unbelievable to sell and dearer than ever with each and every cow averaging £1900/head.

Cow numbers are tight nationally and at Bakewell we have a full ring of end users and further finishers who want to buy your overage cattle.  Whilst this remains the case, surely the best way to market your cows is on their legs in Bakewell Market.  Today, all the best cows 320p plus with the top ten over 350p and up to 380p (£2579) for a 1 calf 4 year old Limmy from John Grummett, Smisby who had another at 362p (£2736).

Results:

Gross Prices:

Black & White and ex dairy cows

The best today:

9 OTM Bulls

2 OTM Steers

176 FINISHED CATTLE ave 379.9p/kg

(Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

Very big numbers for the week between the Bank Holiday.  The pressure is being put on the price of the finished product and today the cattle would be a penny or two less.  It is no disaster and cattle are still very good to sell with all the wholesalers and butchers still needing cattle.

30 Young Bulls ave 371.8p/kg

Strong money for all shapes and sizes.  7 over £4/kilo with a cracker jack from John Ottewell at 438p or £3267 with his other at 424p or £3434.  Keith Harrop had 426p twice and 416p.  Tom Robinson at 413 and 4008p etc.  9 B/W’s today up to 354p for RR Mason, Hulland.

Results:

Gross Prices:

49 Steers ave 375.2p

The wholesalers want the cattle but not quite at the sky high prices of weeks ago.  The average is actually 4 pence more than the last sale.  Heavyweights led the day at 430p for a very posh Limmy from Andrew Bowler, Ashleyhay (£3121) with Keith Harrop at 428p (£3158) and handy weights from George Blackshaw at 424 and 421p.  17 natives saw Hereford to 402p and Angus to 378p with 5 B/W’s to 344p.

Results:

Gross Prices:

97 Heifers ave 384.8p/kg

Excellent to sell to the butchers and wholesalers alike with some good well fed heifers on offer to suit every job.  Super star quality rose to 434p twice for 2 heavyweights from PJ Blackshaw and Geoff Evans.   8 over 420p and 4 big girls over £3000.  22 natives today had Angus to 408p and Longhorns to 370p.

Results:

Gross Prices:

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

Another wonderful day’s trading with a capacity crowd of cattle and a packed ring of buyers, don’t forget that the market is on Monday next week despite it being a Bank Holiday.

We are hoping for a decent entry of stores and have some decent entries already in hand.

The sale commenced with some 17 Breeding Cattle which included:

47 Feeding Bulls

Next came 47 feeding bulls.

Sample Results:

244 Steers ave £1582

Plenty of interest at all price levels with remarkable figures achieved.

Big bunches selling well and Angus crosses very keenly sought.

Sample Results:

248 Heifers  Ave £1410

A very varied selection with a good number of small/young cattle in the entry in the early part of the sale.  These attracted plenty of interest and decent prices.

Stronger cattle looking very well sold as the following sample prices will reveal.

Sample Results:

51 CALVES (Auctioneer Ivor Lowe)

Another excellent trade on all types again today with a large gathering of prospective purchasers.

Tops saw B Blue bulls to £760 and heifers to £550 and many more could have been sold to vendors’ advantage.

Bulls

B Blue                 £760     J & J Walton, Tideswell

B Blue x              £580     J & J Walton, Tideswell

Lim                      £575     WJ & DM Madin, Holymoorside

AA                        £492     E Mellor, Over Haddon

Holst                   £375     H Tinker & Sons, Wentworth

Hfrs

B Blue                 £550     J & J Walton, Tideswell

B Blue                 £530     Meadow Place Farms, Youlgreave

Lim                      £455     MR Kidd, North Rode

Char                    £535     PA & J Swindell, Chelmorten

1394 LAMBS & 461 EWES & RAMS

(Auctioneer Peter Oven)

A very good entry of 1855 sheep including 180 new season lambs 1214 old season lambs.  New season lambs saw prices back from recent high levels with best butchers types to 384p/kg and top gross of £168/head.

Overall average 333.22p/kg

Leading Prices:

Averages:

In the Old Season Lambs, a very good show of 1214 of mixed quality saw best meated butchers and lighter weight types a good trade, but leaner and over weight types much harder to place.  Best butchers lighter weight to 360p/kg, heavy to 364p/kg and overweights to 340p/kg, top gross £184/head.

Overall average 301.02p/kg.

Leading Prices:

Averages:

453 Ewes and 8 Rams

(Auctioneers Mark Elliott & Holly Swift)

A superb entry of 461 cull ewes and rams topping today at £278 for Mr Brough at Rake End for a Texel ewe, with plenty of other strong sorts about and buyers forward for all types.

453 ewes with plenty over the £200 mark and the top ten pens have averaged an astounding £232. Plenty of half meated Mules well over £120, big Mules to £180 and horned Swale ewes up to £80-£97.

8 tups today and topping at £258 for Mr Longacre.

Ewes to £278 ave £158

Tups to £258 ave £190