A good line up of bull buyers saw a more mixed quality entry. The were 30 bulls aged 13-15 months averaging £1094 and selling to a top of £1330 from Ian Pratt of Erringdon, whilst 12 month old bulls topped at £1190 with a Limousin from Hayley Baines, whilst a few Autum born bulls are now coming out and again sold to £1190 from the same vendor.

A plain show of feeding cows attracted the usual good company of buyers and a respectable average of £844 for 46 head sold. A few smarter sorts in the £1100-£1200 bracket, topping at £1330 from John Stephenson OF Bordley. Medium types £800-£950 so long as good straight feeders, a few plain sorts down in the 5’s

Strong and older cattle of all grades were a sharp trade today and many more could have been sold, with buyers keen to take advantage whilst we are having some large shows and keep sheds full. Smarter yearling cattle found a ready trade with additional buyers attending the sale from around the country, but a plainer young heifer was still not an easy commodity to place with grazing at a premium during these dry times.

The Suckler Ring gave the first indication that drought is causing buyers to be more circumspect or avoid buying altogether. Despite weather conditions, there were still one or two buyers seeking the best families, whilst the rest of the sale gave plenty of opportunity for those expanding herds, swapping geld cows into outfits, or just looking for cattle to feed.

Prices and Averages

Young Bulls – Continental x average £1006, Native average £760

Charollais x (Av £965)

£1150 £980 DW Barker; £1090 £990 JB&AH Coates; £1070 J&A Smales; £9000 Brown Bros;

Limousin x (Av £965)

£1330 £1250 IJ Pratt; £1260 JE Burrow; £1200 W&A Lambert; £1150 L Driver & Son; £1130x3 E&AM Simpson;

Brit Blue x (Av £1128)

£1290 £1230x4 JM Townend; £1270 £1240 J Baines; £1190 W&A Lambert; £1190 R Holtoyd;

Ab Angus (Av £1027)

£ 1060 A&H Cox; £1020x2 J&A Smales;

Blonde (Av £985)

£1100 £940 PA&D Wells; £1080 TB Moorhouse;

Hereford (Av £1190)

£1190 JE Burrow;

Simmental (Av £1020)

£1140 £1100x3 RD Elliott; £980 JH&J Ryder;

Shorthorn (Av £580)

£580x7 A Wilson;

Top price pen of three or more bulls

Beef Bred Feeding Cows av £844

Store Bullocks – Continental x average £1023, Native average £856

Charollais x (Av £1040)

£1205 £1175 £1155 £1150 £1135 £1130 Blue Hills;

Limousin x (Av £994)

£1250 £1170 GJ Edwards; £1205 CH&OF Hammond; £1190 £1160 THW Assets; £1170 David Sandham;

Brit Blue x (Av £1017)

£1310 MW Harrison; £1210 £1120x2 £1110 DT Houseman; £1145 Blue Hills Beef; £1100 David Sandham;  

Ab Angus (Av £843)

£1145 £1070x4 E Pennock & Sons; £1060 KM&L Throup; £1060 GC Pickup;   

Saler (Av £692)

£770x4 £380 Town Head Farm Products;

Black & White (Av £747)

£1075 £895x3 £875x3 H Downs;

Hereford (Av £865)

£960 Blue Hills Beef; £770 JH&J Ryder;

Simmental (Av £1110)

£1190 £1110 David Sandham; £1135x3 £1075 £1050 Blue Hills Beef; £1120 G&R Bulmer;

Piemontese (Av £1195)

£1250 £1140 GJ Edwards;

Bazadaise (Av £1160)

£1160 David Sandham;

Top price pen of three or more bullocks

Store Heifers – Continental x average £896, Native average £784

Charollais x (Av £883)

£1100 £1080 KP Drinkall; £1080 Blue Hills; £1000 £990 RA&H Bury; 960 £820x2 CW Sutcliffe; ;

Limousin x (Av £865)

£1300 £1120 KP Drinkall; £1180 KA&HL Fawcett; £1170x2 D&A Livestock; £1135 R Nutter; £1120 TWH Assets;

Brit Blue x (Av £939)

£1400 JW Hall; £1260 JM&DE Wood;  1210 £1160 £1120 £1100 KA&HL Fawcett; £1100 MW Harrison;

Ab Angus (Av £790)

£1065x2 KP Drinkall; £1000 KM&L Throup; £910x4 C Wellock; £905 CW Sutcliffe;  

Blonde (Av £924)

£1150 TWH Assets; £1020 £930 Saddle End Farms; £980 £960 £950 £900 TB Moorhouse; £900 A Fawcett;

Pathanaise (Av £1028)

£1160 £1130x2 £1040 JS Stephenson;

Hereford (Av £755)

£830 £790 £700 A Beresford;

Simmental (Av £893)

£930 Blue Hills Beef; £875x2 A Beresford;  

Stabiliser (Av £429)

£635x4 CR&M Wilson; £360x3 £250x2 SK Kavanagh

Top price pen of three or more heifers

Breeding Cattle

Lim x Hfr with Lim Hfr Calf                            to £1200

Lim x Hfr with Lim Bull Calf                           to £1800

Here Hfr with Lim Hfr Calf                             to £1180

BB x Cow with Lim x Bull Calf                       to £2350

BB x Cow with Lim x Hfr Calf                        to £1580

Lim x Cow with Lim x Bull Calf                     to £1420

Beef S/horn Cow with Lim x Bull Calf        to £1700

Beef S/horn Cow with Lim x Hfr Calf         to £1380

Beef S/horn Hfr with Lim x Hfr Calf           to £1280