Livestock & Dairy: Leek Market

Another busy day at Leek, and the highlights being the trade in dairy and sheep sections.

Two smart dairy heifers sold to £2420 and £2340 from regular vendor John Allan, Tutbury.

Demand for hogget’s is still on the rise, with a very solid trade across the board. Top prices of 256p/kg and an SQQ average of 229p/kg, with the whole entry averaging over £100 per head!! Ewes again, a very strong trade selling to £146 and averaging £92.67 overall!

Good demand for barren cattle, with stronger sorts selling to 133p/kg, and average of 101.98p/kg for nearly an entire entry of black & whites.

Pigs were harder to sell this week, with averages back, and a top of 120p/kg for bacon pigs, and weaners to £36.

Shortage of better calves this week, but trade still good and a top of £338 for a Simmental bull.

BARREN COWS (36);

Selling time – 10:00am

Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894)

Similar numbers and a strong trade, especially for the more stronger and meated cattle, selling to 133p/kg for a 700kg Friesian from S & J Ryder, Dilhorne, with other Friesians to 129p/kg for a 745kg cow from R & M Green, Whiston, and 126p/kg for a 770kg cow from J & C Hudson, Ipstones.

Other top prices;

123p 855kg Holstein – G E Brookes & Partners, Loxley

123p 855kg Holstein – J Fernyhough, Swythamley

122p 820kg Holstein – P G R Sales, Leek

120p 875kg Holstein – Red Earth Farms, Rudyard

120p 820kg Holstein – J Fernyhough, Swythamley

120p 770kg Holstein – W G & J Clark, Bradnop

119p 710kg Holstein – G E Brookes & Partners, Loxley

117p 685kg Holstein – WE Turnock & Sons, Onecote

Top headage price of £1051.65 for the 855kg Holstein from G E Brookes & Partners, with others to £1051.65, £1050 and £1000.40. Overall average of 101.98p/kg or £685.70 per head.

CLEAN CATTLE;

Selling time – 10:45am approx.

Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894)

A real shortage of quality and numbers this Tuesday. A 710kg Limousin bull sold at 172p/kg from J G Curtis & Son, Basford to gross £1221.20.

DAIRIES (55)

Selling time – 11:00am

Auctioneers – Meg Elliott (07967 007049) & Mark Elliott (07973 673092)

A steaming trade at Leek on Tuesday saw two very stylish heifers from the Leaventhorpe Herd of John Allan (Pictured) reach £2420 and £2340 respectively both heading to Andrew Hulme of Basford.

A powerful heifer from Derek Davenport of Brereton reached £1980 to Messrs Minshull with another from Messrs Phillips of Winkhill at £1900 to Messrs Parkes of Melton Mowbray.

All classes and breeds were keenly sort after including two small herd dispersals with more needed to satisfy the rising demand. The commercial milkers averaged a superb £1553.

PIGS (123)

Selling time – 9:15am

Auctioneer – Graham Watkins (07976 370894)

Pig were harder to sell this Tuesday, with prices back on the week.

Pork pigs topped at 113p/kg for a trio of 74kg pigs from W Gregson, Preston, with a pen of five 73kg pigs from P J Barker, Shepshed.

Cutting pigs sold to 106p/kg for 78.5kg pigs from J & B Fentem, who also sold cutters at 104p/kg, 101p/kg and 100p/kg,

Bacon pigs sold to 120p/kg for 104kg pigs from PF & PD Parsons, Whitchurch, with a 93kg pig at 115p/kg from S Bailey, Knypersley, and 112p/kg for 92kg pigs from the same vendor.

Heavy pigs topped at 105p/kg for 113kg pigs from J G Belfield, Sheen and 101p/kg and 100p/kg from the same home.

Cull sows topped at 68p/kg for a 205kg sow from R A Watson, Fenny Bentley, with G & I Middleton of Dereham selling Norfolk sows at 65p/kg, 63p/kg and 62p/kg, and a 258kg sow at 61pkg from J Tabbenor, Heague.

A pen of eight store pigs sold at £36/head from Angus Lockett, Rushton Spencer.

Averages;

Pork Pigs (17) av 107.44p/kg or £77.89/head

Cutting Pigs (13) av 96.43p/kg or £80.03/head

Bacon Pigs (61) av 108.43p/kg or £102.85/head

Heavy Pigs (20) av 100.38p/kg or £112.51/head

Cull Sows (9) av 54.37p/kg or £142.99/head

CALVES (95)