Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

With the weather forecast suggesting that cold, wet and windy conditions are just around the corner many farmers decided it was time to sell, and we had 878 cattle and 2,621 sheep on offer.  It is pleasing to report that every animal changed hands.

The Store & Breeding Cattle department was well supported with a total of 582 head.  Trade generally good, but longer-term cattle looked better value, perhaps the straw shortage is preying on people’s minds.  Short finish cattle were just as dear as they have been bolstered by the prevailing finished cattle trade.

Steers reached £1,190, Heifers £1,340 and Feeding Bulls £1,210.

In the Breeding Stock section Cows & Calves peaked at £1,850 and Stock Bulls £1,650.

A useful turnout of 114 Finished Cattle with top figures 250p/kg and £1,759 per head.

The heifer average looking good at 202.1p.

OTM and Feeding Cows were out in force with 123 on offer.  Top figures 185p and £1,676.  The average emerged at 123.0p.

59 Calves this week with bulls to £405 and heifers £270.

The Sheep department was the busiest it has been for a very long time on a Monday with 2,621 on total.

The 1,880 lambs sold on a solid trade with top figures 249p and £118.07.  The SQQ average looked healthy at 210.2p

Cull Sheep were also abundant with 642 forward.  Trade was good too with ewes to £149 and the average £71.48.

Forthcoming Fixtures Bakewell Market

• Thursday 24^th September: Thursday Lunchtime Sheep Sale
• Friday 25^th September: Store Lamb Sale, 6,017 Entered, further entries invited

Farm Sale Fixtures

• Thursday 24^th September: Haselour Grange Dispersal

123 Barren, OTM and Feeding Cows Overall Average 123.1p (Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)  

Just a handful more on offer and trade generally very similar for the 57 vendors who sold overage cattle today.  Many thanks for your continued support and I hope that trade remains this good as we go forward.  Top price today was a lovely Limousin cow (11yrs) from DA Bailey, Sutton on the Hill who had others at 178p and 174p.  Better cows generally 150p plus with a number of feeders 130-150p.

54 Black & White and ex-dairy cows Ave 116.6p

Generally similar money with an improved average, but less lean cold cows on offer.  Best Friesians peaked at 142p for Steve Potter, Bonsall with better sorts generally over 130p.  Holsteins 115-125p with leaner or smaller Holsteins 105-115p and only plain cows under £1.

And Gross Prices:

5 OTM Bulls

4 OTM Steers

114 FINISHED CATTLE – overall average 195.7p (Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)  

A good show of 114 head from 41 vendors selling cattle to 21 different accounts.  Many thanks to all vendors and buyers for your continued support at Bakewell.

31 Finished Bulls ave 191.6p/kg

Same numbers and average as last week and some remarkable top prices for weight.  Steven Wells topped the day at 222p or £1,562 for a pure Limousin with Messrs Fearn at 221p or a fantastic £1,759.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

25 Steers – overall average 186.9p/kg

10 Continental, 7 Native and 8 Black & Whites today but a fantastic trade with cattle definitely dearer on the week.  David Brentnall, Underwood shared the top price with Steven Jones at 236p with the best suckler sorts over 224p.  Herefords to 186p, Lincolns to 197p and B&W’s to 171p.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

58 Finished Heifers – overall average 202.2p/kg

A wonderful show and a fabulous average and the top 15 over 226p/kg to a high of 250 for a lovely butchers Limousin from Messrs Perkins, Oughtibridge, Sheffield.  Butchers out in force looking for cattle with more required to fill demand.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

STORE CATTLE – (Auctioneer Alastair Sneddon)

Another very busy week with a total of 582 on offer.

We are just starting to see an easing of price for the longer-term cattle.  Not a great surprise at this time of year, but after such a long run of exceptional prices none the less unwelcome.

Cattle in forward condition with the prospects of rapid finishing were largely unaffected but those animals facing an expensive winter were easier to buy.

17 Feeding Bulls

Sample prices as follows:

37 Breeding Stock

A varied selection which included Cows & Calves.

Typical prices

293 Steers ave £809

A wonderful selection with examples to suit all requirements.

Trade generally strong with some longer keep animals a shade easier.

Top notch types keenly sought, Angus & Hereford crosses selling well.  Black & Whites very well sold.

Sample prices as follows:

 Heifers ave £779

A good solid trade for the large entry with a wide range of size, age and quality.

Stronger heifers selling particularly well with the mid-range not quite as dear as we have seen them, but all animals changing hands.

Typical Returns:

59 CALVES (Auctioneer Ivor Lowe)

Another strong trade, especially for the best with B Blue bulls to £405 and Limousins to £320.

A number of smaller sorts within the entry attracting keen interest with the usual buoyant trade for Black & White bulls with the best to £125.

2,621 Sheep including 1,929 Finished Lambs, 642 Cull Sheep & 50 Store Ewes (Auctioneer Peter Oven)

An outstanding entry of 2,621 head of sheep included 1880 new season lambs.  Demand throughout was very good with best butchers’ lambs to 249p/kg, heavyweight butchers lambs to 246p/kg and overweight sorts to 220p/kg.  Best lambs grossed £118/head with an overall market average of 210.27p/kg.

Leading Prices: –

Averages:

Old Season Lambs to 150p/kg Average 134.41p/kg

Cull Sheep

A tremendous entry of 642 Cull Sheep saw several grazing buyers operating keeping trade well up.  Best Texel ewes peaked at £149/head three times with the top 10 pens averaging £129.70.  Best Mule ewes sold to £88/head with horned ewes to £58.  A total of 33 cull rams on offer included several lots of smart Texel & Beltex sorts to peak at £171.

Cast Ewes        To: £149          Ave: £71.48    

Cast Rams       To: £71            Ave: £126.79  

Breeding Sheep

An entry of 50 breeding ewes attracted brisk bidding with Scotch Mules to £90.