MARKET REPORTS

Hereford Market Auctioneers report the following prices at their sale in Hereford Market on Wednesday.

Spring lambs (1,189): A reasonable trade up to £56 per head/128p/kg. Far more lambs needed to meet demand with many vendors at Sheep 2008, Malvern. Overall average 122.1p/kg, top price per head £56 for lambs grading 46.5kg Store Sheep: Busier in all sections with the entry of 188 lambs insufficient for the demand. Several customers looking for lambs and a total clearance. Vendors well advised to sort out ram lambs, many farming customers would rather buy bunches of clean mixed lambs. Well bred stores from £36 - £43 with very small Lambs at £20.80, better sorts all at £32. Several ram lambs with bigger sorts from £37 - £44.20. Total clearance.

Breeding ewes (544): The entry included some smaller dispersals as well as good quality consignments particularly of Suffolk cross Ewes on the day. Yearlings topped at £92 with 2 and 3 year olds to £86.50, others from £75 - £81. A nice bunch of 3 year old Charollais cross Mule ewes cleared at £70, with some good shaped Texel cross ewes at £72.50, again for 3 year olds. A grand run of 4 & 5 year old Suffolk crosses ranged from £57 - £69.50 with others from £47.50. Older light faced ewes £36.50 - £54 with a total clearance.

Stock rams (18): The rams only sold to steady interest despite the good quality on offer. Top price of £194.25 for a strong Charollais cross Beltex 4 year old, with a 4 year old Charollais from the same farm at £157.50, other Charollais sheep sold from £73 - £160 for a 2 year old.

Cull ewes (529): A very good trade well in line with last week’s trade, up to £62.50 but many good Ewes £50+ with excellent demand for the grazing and poorer Ewes. Overall average £37.10. Suffolks to £62.50, Continentals £56.20, North Country Mules £45, Welsh Mules £40.20, Speckles £32, Welsh £30, cull rams to £40, cull wethers to £37.50.

Kington Market.

McCartneys of Kington report another excellent store cattle trade at their August sale – held on Tuesday, August 5 – with a smaller number of cattle forward.

The trade on the store cattle was excellent all through and has increased in line with good fat cattle prices over the past weeks.

All cattle forward met with a very good trade and an abundance of buyers from all over the region.

Well-bred cattle were at market premiums.

The quality of the cattle at the sale was good.

August store cattle sale and prices were as follows: Top price paid for cattle on the day was £650 for some Charolais x Heifers from Messrs CJ Davies & Sons.

Steers averaged £1.46 per kg with a top of £1.48 per kg for some Charolais x steers from EO Davies & Sons.

Heifers averaged £1.43 per kg with a top of £1.48 per kg for some Charolais x heifers from Messrs CJ Davies & Sons.

All steers forward at the sale averaged £580 per head with a top of £590 per head.

All heifers forward at the sale averaged £565 per head with a top of £650 per head.

In our September sale of Store cattle and Cows and heifers and calves and breeding ewes we expect a good trade and guaranteed support from buyers.

Please note, all cattle over 42 days of age will need to be subjected to pre-movement tested for TB purposes within 60 days prior to their movement.

The September sale will be held on Tuesday September 2, and entries for the catalogue close on Tuesday, August 26 at 5pm.

For further information on all forthcoming sales call Gareth Wall on 01544 230316 or 07974 143336.

Worcester Market.

The Inaugural Show and Sale of Berrichon Sheep at Worcester enjoyed a keen and sharp demand culminating in a top price of 1,500gns for the Male and Overall Champion from Woodston Manor Partnership.

The Shearling Ram had also won Breed Champion at the Royal Welsh Show earlier this year and previously Reserve Champion at the Three Counties Show 2007.

Purchasers were breeders MC & KD Yeo from Barnstaple, Devon.

Messrs Yeo were successful themselves with a Ram Lamb from their Swincombe flock levelling at 350gns to GD Thomas, Hendy, Pontarddulais, South Wales.

Best supported Shearling Ewe was Female and Reserve Overall Champion from Tom Stayt's "Statesman" flock, she peaked at 900gns also to new breeder GD Thomas.

The "Statesman" flock also recorded a top in the Ewe Lamb section selling to 200gns for the Reserve Female Champion being also claimed by Mr GD Thomas.

Auctioneers: McCartneys, Worcester.