Livestock & Dairy: Bakewell Market

The dove that we sent out last week having returned with an olive branch, the floods seem to be receding somewhat although there was still water on the market drive.

Stock was on offer in good numbers with 732 Cattle and 2,056 Sheep forward.

Most noticeable was a bumper entry of Finished Cattle, the most we have had for a very long time with clean cattle and Bulls totalling 153. Increased numbers have brought additional buyers and trade was firm for the mixed sample on offer/. Top figures 218p and £1,496 do not really do justice, but the 89 Heifers levelled at 179.3p indicating a solid demand.

OTM and Feeding Cattle were out in force with 106 this week. Trade was outstanding with top figure 165p and £1,302. The overall average up 13.9p on the week.

346 Store & Breeding Cattle on offer and a tremendous trade from start to finish with additional buyers operating and highlights at all levels.

Steers sold to £1,090 narrowly beaten by Heifers to £1,105 and Feeding Bulls £830, Cows & Calves topped at £1,060.

A much larger entry of Calves 127 in all saw Bulls reach £310 and Heifers £200.

In the Sheep section there 1,514 Finished Lambs with trade very similar to last week. Top figures 220p and £100.30, the SQQ average 185.3p.

533 Cull Sheep with Ewes to £118 and the average £62.28.

106 OTM, BARREN & FEEDING COWS – overall average 107.4p (Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

What a difference a week makes with trade a lot sharper due to increased orders around the ring and the overall average up 14 pence on the week. That is the beauty of the live auction system, when the demand is high the price improves! Top vendor today was Chris Shenton from Handforth, Cheshire with a trio of pure Blond Cows selling to 165p (£1283) 15-year-old Cow with others at 160p (£1302) and 150p (£1257). Trade generally much improved throughout.

56 Black & White and ex dairy cows ave 100.1p

Average way better and it was the middle grade Cows that saw the best improvement. Best sorts as always good to sell with RE Archer Farms selling Friesians to 133p with better sorts generally over 110p. Medium Cows better sold 90-105p with plain Cows 75-90p.

Sample Results:

Gross Prices:

2 OTM Steers

153 FINISHED CATTLE – overall average 176.5p (Auctioneer Oliver Hiles)

A very big turnout of Cattle with Bakewell proving it can handle the numbers with trade strong from start to finish.

21 Young Bulls ave 166.6p/kg

Trade good with the top Bull over £2 for the first time in a while. Messrs Bennett, Stockport topped the chart at 204p with a Limousin, while big bulls from Messrs Fearn sold to £1496. British Friesians topped at 169p.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

42 Steers – overall average 175.6p/kg

Big numbers again and a solid trade with all the buyers around the ring until the end. Don Lownds had a good run selling to 217,214 and 210p/kg with Richard Naylor’s Big Boy at 209p (£1433)

Sample Results:

Gross Prices:

90 Finished Heifers – overall average 179.5p

A very big turnout, although lacking some superstar quality that I suspect is being saved for 2 weeks’ time for the Primestock Show. Nigel and Julie Birch had a couple of smart Heifers at 218p each with all of the better-bred cattle comfortably over £2.

Sample Results:

And Gross Prices:

STORE & BREEDING CATTLE - (Auctioneer Alastair Sneddon)

Numbers down a bit this week at 346, which is a shame because trade was particularly strong and we could have definitely have sold more Cattle had they been available.

Strong demand at all price points. If you have Store Cattle to sell do not hesitate to let us know. Bakewell buyers would like the opportunity to bid for them.

19 Feeding Bulls

Only a small sample, but all well sold:

98 Breeding Cattle

Plenty of interest in the sample on offer:

164 Steers ave £786

Some strong cattle in the entry hence the average at £786.

Buyers had to work very hard to secure loads.

Angus x very much in demand with some excellent bunches attracting fierce competition. All varieties looked well sold.

Sample Returns:

135 Heifers ave £696

Plenty of interest in all varieties with specimen hunters operating for the best continental crosses. Angus sorts very well sold and trade generally outstanding.

Sample Results:

127 CALVES (Auctioneer Ivor Lowe)

A much-increased entry with more forward than seen for quite some time. Trade possibly a little easier than last week but the entry generally lacking too much in the way of quality.

Best Bulls saw a B Blue from William Madin, Holymoorside at £310 with best Heifers to £200 for a B Blue from Fotherby’s at Wormhill.

Some of the lesser quality Calves would look to offer in some instances less value for money, whilst the Black & White’s changed hands at similar rates to last week, with the best over £100 to a top of £140

2,056 SHEEP including 1,521 Lambs & 533 Ewes & Rams and 2 Store Sheep

(Auctioneers Peter Oven & Mark Elliott)

A total entry of 2,056 Sheep included 1,521 Lambs. Demand back slightly on last week, but still had 24 pens over 200p/kg with 3 pens peaking at 220p/kg. Best big Lambs sold to 194p/kg with a top gross of £100.30/head. The overall average 185.36p/kg

Leading Prices: –

Averages:

533 Ewes & Rams

A great run of Ewes with buyers for all categories. Top call £118 for Texels from both the Moss Family at Abbots Bromley and the Heath Family at Sutton with Simon Clarke (Dunstall Estate) close behind at £117.

The mules a similar trade with the very plainest perhaps a pound or two less. Horned Ewes looked a very strong trade.

Some Boer Goats (young) to £71 with old nannies to £79/head.

Texel Tups to £96 and £94 with others to £88, young Tups to £84.