6 The Chronicle, Thursday, 26th April, 2012. www.chronicleseries.co.uk

Markets

Chelford

FRESH CALVES (154): 95 bull calves averaged £173.18, 50 heifer calves £231.10. Black and whites p on the week to average £93 across the board with best calves from £150 to £228 followed closely y cattle at £225. Mediums from £100-£150 with very few in the nder £50 category. Natives on a similar trade to previous weeks, including eight-week-old Angus ulls to £342 and similar age heifers to £295.

Fresh Continental calves led by a smart Simmental to £400 but top rice a Limousin to £405. Blues to £390. Heifers remained on a storming trade with a number hitting the £300 mark and many more etween £250-£300.

Bulls: Holstein x (21): (£94.29) to £225; Friesian (20): (£92.80) to £228 (Wildboarclough); Ayrshire (5): (£62.40) to £125 (Brereton); Hereford (6): (£227.83) to £265 (Gawsworth); Simmental x (11): (£318.91) to £265 (Endon); Limousin x (6): (£277.33) to £405; Blonde D’Aquitaine x (2): (£210) to £230 (Church Lawton); British Blue (6): (£273.33) to £390 (Sutton); Jersey (1): (£263.33) to £390 (Sutton); Shorthorn (5): (£105.40) to £155 (Byley); Aberdeen Angus (12): (£268) to £342 (Betchton).

Heifers: Holstein x (1): 24) to £24 (Siddington); Hereford (7): 204.71) to £285; Simmental x (9): 261.33) to £300 (Smallwood); Limousin x (20): 253.70) to £300 (Macclesfield); Blonde D’Aquitaine x (1): 152) to £152 (Church Lawton); British Blue (5): 260) to £300 (Byley); Aberdeen Angus (7): 174.29) to £295 (Betchton Heath.

POULTRY (745 HEADS): a somewhat unusual sale where hybrid layers surpassed expectations for the time of year with Black Rock ullets reaching up to £32 each, a level more commonly associated with pure breeds of same quality.

Isa Brown pullets also faired well, reaching £15, while Bluebells achieved £10.

A variety of pure breeds attracted interest with Welsummers achieving £20, Black Cochins £18, Light Sussex £15, lemon cuckoo Niederrheiner £14, silver Campine £13, Marans £11.

Relatively few bantams were entered with Light Sussex bantam trios reaching £10 per head. A beautiful pair of Peafowl achieved £44 each.

As might be expected by the time of year, young chicks, ducklings and goslings were much in evidence. Goslings attracted between £5-£8. Ducklings £2, Chicks 50p. Broody hens with chicks achieved £16.

A sizeable entry of pigeons made sound prices with Rollers at £10, Nuns and Helmets £9, Fantails £4.50.

Rabbit prices were up generally this week, fetching £6-£7 and a slightly reduced entry of hatching eggs stabilised prices somewhat at between £1-£7 per dozen.

STORE AND BREEDING CATTLE (202). Dairy cattle: one of the biggest shows of dairies seen for some time, well-received by the buyers with fresh heifers to £1,950 and £1,720 (twice). Smaller heifers to £1,560 and in-calf models to £1,510. Small maiden heifers to £620 and Jersey heifer calves to £150.

Beef breeding cattle a small, select entry the highlight of which was a small herd dispersal of the Leam herd of Pedigree Simmentals on behalf of S Fairfax, of Grindleford. Pedigree cows with bull calf at foot peaked at 2,220gns (£2,331) to a local Simmental breeder, bulling heifers to 1,380gns (£1,449) and maiden heifers to 900gns (£945) at 12 months. A pair of bulls from the same stable, just 13 months, sold to 1,480gns (£1,554).

Black Hereford heifers in-calf to Limousin raced away to £1,100 and Pedigree Hereford bulling heifers peaked at £870.

Store cattle: a big show of stores once again, but it must be said, a definite shortage of good forward Continental grazing steers and heifers. Short keep cattle, on the whole, looked well enough sold with powerful Angus steers at £1,240 and Blues £1,140, and a pen of Simmental cross to £1,135. Hereford cross sold to £970 and a young Limousin cross (the last lot of the day) made £840. Fleshy heifers peaked at £950, Blues to £940 and a fleshy Hereford sold for £925.

At the younger end, there were one or two notable sorts around £800, to £835.

Bulls sold reasonably well. A pure-bred Limousin sold to £900 and the best of the Angus peaked at £855. A young pure Blonde sold to £690 and young suckler bred Limousins to £650.

Steers: Aberdeen Angus cross, 24 months, £1,240; British Blue cross, 22 months, £1,140; Simmental cross, 23 months, £1,135 (Betley x3); Aberdeen Angus cross, 24 months, £1,075 (Betley x 3); British Blue cross, 14 months, £1,005; Limousin cross, 19 months, £990 (Rushton); Limousin cross, 10 months, £970; Hereford cross, 20 months, £970 (Byley x 3).

Heifers: Blonde cross, 26 months, £950 (Sandbach); British Blue cross, 16 months, £940; British Blue cross, 19 months, £930; Hereford cross, 18 months, £925; Limousin cross, 12 months, £905; Aberdeen Angus cross, 24 months, £885 (Byley); Limousin cross, 13 months, £880; Hereford cross, 20 months, £880 (Byley x 3).

Bulls: Limousin cross, 23 months, £900 (Haslington); Aberdeen Angus cross, 22 months, £855; Aberdeen Angus cross, 22 months, £750; Blonde cross, eight months, £690; Limousin cross, nine months, £650; Aberdeen Angus cross, 10 months, £600 (Haslington); Holstein (10 months,

Public Notices

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£540 (Haslington); British Blue cross, 13 months, £475 (Haslington).

PIGS (360): the 30 cull sows and boars saw more on offer, with 26 seeing the best to 75p (67.7p) and four boars 59p (56.35p); feeding sows from 60-69p. There were 126 butchers’ pigs, which sold to 120p. Prices: seven porker to 113p (105.18p); 53 cutter to 120p (94.80p); 49 baconer to 115p (101.99p); 16 overweight to 114p (101.33p); 126 overall averaged 99.39p.

The 204 store and breeding pigs was another good entry and met a good demand for best-shaped pigs. Suckler weights (14kg-19kg) selling up to £32. Prices: £/Head Weight Vendor £54 at 60kg; £50 at 46kg; £38 at 39kg; £34 at 42kg (Mow Cop) £32 at 34kg; £31 at 31kg (Biddulph); £30 at 20kg.

In the breeding section, gilts and piglets realised £175, £175 and in-pig sows £160, £130.

STORE AND BREEDING SHEEP (428): there were 153 ewes with lambs at foot, and prices eased after last week’s flying trade. Prices: Zwartbles ewe and twins £210; Texel ewe and twins £208; Mule ewe and twins £202; Texel ewe and single £172; Mule ewe and single £166; Suffolk hogg and single £170. The 32 cade lambs sold from £10-£31 (£186).

Twenty-nine store hogs sold to £75.

The market has the first sale on behalf of the Northern Dorset Breeders Club on Saturday, 11th August.

FARM PRODUCE (36 LOADS): more big bale barley straw meant an ease in big bale wheat straw prices. Small bale hay trade was boosted by a quality load selling for £140/tonne with big bale hay selling to 3145/tonne with six loads at or above the 100/tonne mark. Big bale barley sold at £98/tonne with good demand with big bale wheat straw to £88/tonne with value to be had from the six loads entered.

A singular small bale wheat straw load sold for £80/tonne while a similar load of oat went to £92/tonne. Mixed trade for haylage and silage the former selling to £82/tonne for 8.6 tonne load, the latter peaked at £42/tonne but demand was not evident.

RED MARKET, CULL COWS AND BULLS (30): black and white cows to £1,009.36; Hereford bull to £1251.84. Prices eased slightly but black and whites still sold to 123p. Simmental 128p and a 30½-monthold Limousin 147p.

EGGS (1,087 DOZ): Barn saw large at £1.35, medium £1.25, small £1. Goose to £1.

POTATOES

AND

STOCKFEED (842): Wilja to £3 (£2.50); Piper to £3.25 (£2); Celine to £2.50 (£2.50); Nadine to £1.50 (£1.25); Celine to £2.50 (£2); carrots (650) to £31.20 (£1.20); rolled barley to £3.50 (£3.50); potatoes to £1.25 (£1.25); rolled oats to £4.25 (£4); hay to £3.50 (£2.25); 100 x washed Nadine x12.5 kg to £2.50; baker x 40 £5.50 (£5.50).

VEGETABLES

(757

PACKAGES): dirty carrots £3.50; washed carrots £3.50 (£3): onion per 20 kg £4.50 (£4.50): cabbage Tundra per 6 £1.75 (£1.25): cabbage Savoy per 6 £1.50 (£1.25): cabbage hard per 6 £2 (£1.50): parsnip per 5kg £3.50 (£3.50): cauliflower per 6 £4 (£3.80): leek per 5kg £2.50 (£1.50): rhubarb 60p (28p); lettuce flat per 12 £2.75 (£2.25): Gatwick per 12 £4.50 (£4.25).

CULL COWS AND CULL BULLS (79): 50 black and white cows from £322.50 to £1,159.92 (£730.06).

A much smaller entry of cows met an easier trade for plain cows with 17 out of 79 selling for under 100p. Good cows all over 140p and the last animal sold, a 40-month Blue bull 199p.

Cows: Blonde x at 712kg, 189p or £1,345.68; British Blue x at 688kg, 177p or £1,217.76; Limousin x at 770kg, 151p or £1,162.70; Friesian at 716kg 162p or £1,159.92; British Blue x at 642kg, 176p or £1,129.92; Hereford at 672kg, 168p or £1,128.96; Limousin x at 640kg, 175p or £1,120; Holstein x at 798kg, 140p or £1,117.

Cull cows: Holstein x (39): (116.78p) to 160p; Friesian (11): (123.55p) to 162p; Hereford (6): (142.32p) to 182p.

BUTCHERS’ SHEEP (973): lambs to 240p for 40kg Texel crosses from G and M Platt and Son, Gawsworth; old season lambs to 220p for 42.5kg Texel crosses from R and S Bailey, of Rushton Spencer; overall average for lambs 215p with old season lambs 191.1p.

As the bad weather continues, many wholesalers are complaining about stores full of overweight carcases that are difficult to move. This has a knock-on effect on all weights and grades, and demand has been sluggish all week. New season lambs have also come forward quickly with large numbers ready. Supply exceeded demand this week by some considerable margin. Fair to say that trade was a little difficult.

Averages: lambs: premium 240p (229.5p): prime 218p (215p): others 204p (201.5p).

Old season lambs: premium 220p (2075p): prime 205p (201p): others 184p (176.5p), Top five pens per head: £98.90, £96.60, £962, £96.22, £96, all Texel crosses. The 146 cull ewes and rams averaged £80.23 for ewes with rams £76.50.

Texel cross ewes to £114, £110; Suffolk cross ewes to £106; mule ewes to £106 (twice). More weatheraffected sheep showing the effects of a few wet nights. Trade easier throughout, with only the best meated sorts in real demand. Plenty of those plain, half-meated types around, mostly from £70-£90.

BUTCHERS’ CATTLE (89): once again, a top 10 all over 210p and dominated by a couple of long distance vendors. Messrs. Baldwin top for the second week on the bounce: – 258p/kg was their best but more importantly returning an average of 225p or £1277 per head. All meated cattle were in contention from the outset regardless of size or breed. Angus x to 194p and a Friesian steer at £1,230. Grand show of bulls: 217p top call a handy Blonde and great to see Messrs Hughes made the long but worthwhile trip from Bangor selling to 198p.

One of the best entries of black and whites for several weeks, to 188p and several others over 180p and a top price of £1,227.

Quality prices: 21 steers to 227 (192.63p); 30 heifers to 248 (1856p); 38 bulls to 217 (180.36p); 89 overall averaged 185.02p.

MACHINERY SALE (11th April): Ride-on lawn mowers saw a Honda selling for £700 and a Husqvarna selling for £580. Two large dove cotes made £200 and £140 each. Large demand for good quality lawn mowers and machine implements is expected for the next sale as demand for such items is always high heading into the summer.

Vehicles etc: Massey Ferguson 675 £3,000; John Deere ride-on mower £1,575; Massey Ferguson 130 £1,575; Ford Iveco £1,150; John Deere ride-on mower £1,075; Skoda Fabia £900; four berth caravan £425; 2T tipping trailer £350.

Implements: Kuhn tedder £6,250; Marshall bale trailer £4,100; Blue 4W tipping trailer £1,700; maize planter £1,350; Einbrock grass harrows £1,100; 4W grain trailer £1,50; McConnel Merling topper £1,000; stone trough £975, £950; diesel tank £825; Lemken 4F plough £700; Dowdswell 4F plough £700; sheep handling system £650; blue metal 2W trailer £450; New Holland baler £450; Trima loader £400; Kuhn fertiliser spreader £375; checker plate £364; small bale wrapper £325; roller £300; bag lift hook £300; five wooden gates £300; Hardi sprayer £275; wooden sided livestock trailer £250.

Leek

With a break in the downpours one or two farmers were clearly intending to work at home, which led to a generally slow start to proceedings. Entries throughout were respectable with a good choice of dairies on offer, from top quality pedigree Friesians, through the spectrum to Jersey heifers. The entry of barren cows contained a high proportion of fattened stock, which goes to prove that the returns are there for those who have the patience to grow their cows on.

As a comparison, barren cows averaged £867 apiece with dairy heifers to average £1,601. Some o the old heads say that this is the proper balance to achieve.

Calves were an astronomical trade, averaging £185 for bulls and £180 fo heifers with plenty of fortnight old calves well into the £300s.

CLEAN CATTLE (15): a light entry of extremely variable quality seeing medium steers to 182p for a prime Limousin from John Brough with premium heavy Limousins to 199p from Eric Mitchell and prime to 184p, also from Mr Brough. Heifers were all heavy, topping 209p for a premium Limousin from Mr Mitchell with another at 204p. Prime Blues to 183p with Simmentals to 176p. Commercial heifers to 174p fo Herefords. Young bulls, commercial, to 158.5p. Top price steer £1,313.40; heifer £1,152.90. Quality price reporting, steers: premium 199p; prime 184p; heifers: premium 209p (205p); prime 183p; commercial 174p.

OVER 30-MONTH STOC (58): a romping trade, topping 175.5p for a finished Charolais with Belgians to 159p and Blondes to 153.5p. Best Friesians to 150p (average for grade one cows 138p); grade two cows to 129p (123p); grade three to 120p (115p).

OVER AGE CLEAN: prices topped 150.5p for Friesians. Market average a whisker under 130p.

DAIRIES (47): another good entry of dairies saw a smashing trade for the best but with lowe end, second and third quality goods harder to sell. Top call went to Arthur Swinson, of Gawsworth, fo a Sterndale Passionate daughter. Sold giving 7gls she was eventually clinched by Mark Hollingsworth fo £2,280. Two reached £2,080; the first from Mr Brown, of Bradwell, sold to Messrs Fernyhough and the second from Messrs Richardson, of Halme End, went to the same purchaser. Three others passed the £2,000 mar with the top 12 averaging £1,995. Averages: Q1 heifers to £2,280 (£1,995); Q2 heifers to £1,770 (£1,547).

BUTCHERS’ SHEEP (280): the cold and wet weather isn’t helping spring lamb coming forward. Standardweights topped 270p with others at 268p (248p). Mediumweights topped 300p (245.7p). Heavy lambs to 250p (245p). Quality prices, spring lamb: premium 300p; prime 270p (246p); commercial 178p.

Old season lamb saw mediumweights to 208p (157p) with heavies to 205p (161p). Top price hoggets £112.20, spring lamb £121.50.

CULL SHEEP (161): a bette entry of ewes producing a top price of £122 with two pens at £120 (£82). Cull rams to £116 (£96).

EWES WITH LAMBS AT FOOT (47): top price of £168 pe couple for doubles (£137).

CALVES (146): a tremendous trade seeing Simmentals to £400 apiece with others at £315 (£325). Blues, strong, to £385 and £368 with younger stock to £348 (£335). Herefords to £330 with others to £315 (17, £231). Blondes to £320. Angus to £295 with others at £288 and £232 (16, £161). Friesians to £245 for strong reared calves with younge stock at £145 (£77).

Heifers saw Blues to £370 with others at £345 (£229). Simmentals to £342 and £270. Limousins to £312 (£254). Welsh Blacks to £240. Angus to £232 (£114 for 11). Herefords to £230 (20, £155).