6 The Chronicle, Thursday, 2nd June, 2011. www.chronicleseries.co.uk

Markets

Leek

Good entries in the dairy and store cattle sections helped rovide a truly buoyant market last Tuesday. Fifty milkers were handled. Store cattle saw a draft of suckler cows and calves with a top price of £985 for strong cows, which sold to average £729.

This was just £10 per head off the barren average of £716, with animals in that section selling to a top price of £1,264.50p. Trade for medium grade cows is the dearest seen. A similar comment can be made with regard to calves, with 121 selling to a top price of £328 for bulls and heifers to £250, with heifers averaging £191.

Spring lamb was slightly easier for a similar entry to a week ago, although hoggets have dried up fast.

CLEAN CATTLE (16): a good selection for local demand saw medium steers (prime) to 164p for Limousins with others to 158.5p. Heavy steers topped 171p for prime Limousins with others to 157p. Light heifers topped 149.5p for prime Limousins with mediumweights to 146.5p and heavyweight Limousins to 168p. Simmentals to 158p. Young bulls to 139p for heavy Limousins. Quality price reporting, steers:

rime 171p (160.1p); heifers: rime 168p (155p); commercial 130p (125p); young bulls: prime 139p; commercial: 123p (122p). Top price steer: £1,193.20, heifer £890.40.

OVER 30-MONTH STOCK (64): a straight price throughout seeing best Continental cows to 143p for a Charolais with Belgians to 141.5p. Angus to 135p and MRI to 134.5p. Best Shorthorns, finished, to 133p and straight from the parlour at 130p. Grade one cows (127p); Grade two cows to 119.5p for Friesians (107p); grade three cows to 94p. Grazers to 113p.

DAIRIES (59): a massive entry of dairies at Leek saw 50 head of milkers with plenty of uyers round the ring making them a swift trade. Top call went to David Higgott, of Northampton for a fresh heifer giving 27kg. She went to Phillip and John Brown, of Norton Farms, Stone, at £2,050. Other heifers were to £1,920 and £1,900 twice over. £1,920 went to Messrs Belfield, of Sheen for a 5gls heifer clinched by Mr J Fernyhough, of Swythamley. Richard Lomas, of Calow and Messrs Bennett, of Whiston both had £1,900 for their heifers.

Cows peaked at £1,700 for a fresh third-calver from the Bellingham family, of Brackley,

orthampton, going to Messrs Brailsford. Q1 heifers (8) to £2,050 (£1,898); Q2 heifers (17) to £1,740 (£1,568); Q2 cows to £1,700 (£1,463).

STORE CATTLE (59): a real good entry after over 500 the revious Saturday and bidders for all categories including cows. Limousin cross cows served by the Limousin to £985 with others at £815 and £810. Strong Hereford cows (fourth calf plus) to £785 and Piedmontese young served cows to £858. Limousin cross steers (April 10) to £572 with a £600 Limousin steer (July 09). Hereford heifers (July 10) at £305.

BUTCHERS’ LAMBS (276): trade very similar to the previous week seeing lightweight lambs to 241p. Standardweights topped 273p, with others at 270p (252p). Medium lambs topped 280p with others at 278p and 276p (257p). Heavy lambs to 255p. Top price £122.82p. Old season lamb topped 195p for heavy weights and 188p for over-weights. Top price £112.80.

Quality price reporting, lambs: 280p (276p); prime 270p (254p);

commercial 228p (227p). Ewes with lambs at foot realised £215 for a full-mouthed ewe with doubles, with a six toothed ewes with doubles to £180. Ewes with singles to £150. Average for the section £134.50p.

CALVES (121): best quality calves are still a roaring trade with bulls topping at £328 for Limousins with others to £310 (£248). Blues to £310 with 14 averaging £222. Simmentals to £298, 13 averaging £250. South Devons to £272. Herefords to £242 (£187). Quality Friesians to £150, 19 averaging £73. Heifers saw a top price of £250 for Blues with eight averaging £204. Limousins £245, 11 averaging £193. Simmentals to £238, 15 averaging £196. Charolais to £222. Herefords to £180.

Chelford

FRESH CALVES (124): 49 Black and White calves to £162 (£61.18).

New buyers kept the trade bubbling, especially for Black and Whites.

Bulls: Holstein x (41): (£58.44) to £162 (Lower Withington); Friesian (8): (£75.25) to £160 (Biddulph Moor); Hereford (2): (£100) to £148; Red (1): to £68 (Astbury); Simmental x (11): (£248.36) to £320; Limousin x (1): to £292 (Bradwall); Shorthorn (4): (£89.25) to £140; Aberdeen Angus (13): (£157.46) to £250; Montbeliarde (2): (£212) to £226 (Astbury).

Heifers: Hereford (4): (£144.25) to £174 (Siddington); Charolais x (1): to £190; Simmental x (10): (£184.90) to £245 (Gawsworth); Limousin x (2): (£217) to £238 (Bradwall); British Blue (8): (£201.88) to £255; Aberdeen Angus (10): (£124.30) to £190.

HEADS POULTRY (978): although the weather was wintry, the large number of family lots, hens with their chicks testified to spring being truly here. Depending on the number and rarity of their young prices for these ranged from £12 to £22.

The plentiful supplies or Warren and Warren type hybrids again depressed the prices for these with older birds achieving 50p each while high quality point-of-lay pullets struggled to achieve up to £6.

Some interesting lots included a range of different species of pheasants, gold, silver, reeves, blue necked which achieved prices ranging from £12 - £14. Ornamental waterfowl remain popular, Crested Pochards and Apricot Calls £18 each.

Other best prices included Buff Cochins £20, Rhode Island Red pullets and white silkies £14.

STORE AND BREEDING CATTLE (170): in the dairy and beef breeding cattle there was a decent entry in both departments, a grand total of nine in the dairy section saw top call of £1,660 for a second calver from Messrs Hilliary of Middleton.

Mick Gillet sold fresh calved heifers to £1,530 with further young heifers from D Stoner to £1,270.

The trade of the day was reserved for some very smart maiden heifers from the Royle family, yearling by RSVP led the way at £720 with similar heifers by Drake and Matson at £530 and £480.

The sucklers were dominated by a nice consignment of pedigree Herefords from John and Mo Parker of the Wirral. Top price of 1,110gns was paid for a home-bred heifer with her bull calf at foot. Further lots to £1,000, £900 and £880. A pair of smart maiden heifers from E Combs sold to 730gns at 13-months-old.

In the store cattle were 79 steers to £990 and £930.

A shortage of good forward heifers saw Blues at £900 and Limousins at £865. Young heifers in strong demand throughout, but many buyers keeping the corn price firmly back of their mind.

Young bulls were a similar story to lately. Strong bulls in forward condition sold to £890 for Mr Dale of Rushton. £510 bought the best of the Black and Whites and younger, long keep sort were around £400.

PIGS (44): best shaped white pigs (42kg) to £61.

Prices £/head: £61 Landrake x large White at 42kg; £50 Gloucester old spot at 67kg; £44 Black at 60kg; £40 Gloucester old spot at 25kg; £37 Pietrain x at 19kg; £36 coloured to 40kg.

STORE AND BREEDING SHEEP: the 30 ewes with lambs at foot saw a Swale ewe and twins at £180 and a Suffolk ewe and twins at £190.

Other prices: Welsh mule and twins at £162; Masham ewe and single at £152; Suffolk ewe and single at £148; Swale ewe and single at £128.

FARM PRODUCE (18 LOADS): for the third week running another total sale. Trade was helped by the wintry weather. Top price hay small bale £252, one week barley straw £142 and then £252 for hay. Are the rumours true about the east Cheshire farmers ploughing in their spring corn?

Prices: first quality small bale hay to £252 (£252); first quality big bale hay to £195 (£195); small bale barley straw to £100 (£100); big bale barley straw to £94 (£88); big bale wheat straw to £82 (£74); first quality wrapped haylage to £108 (£75).

EGGS (1,855 DOZEN): free range – extra large to £1.30; large to £1.15; medium to 80p; small to 50p. Cage: extra large to £1.05; large to 80p; medium to 70p; small to 40p. Much smaller entry of duck and goose eggs met a fast trade: 151 dozen duck £210 (£1.80); 162 goose eggs £1 (85p); 21 turkey eggs 60p; Blue Buff Orpington to £3.40 per dozen; quail to £1 per dozen; Jersey giant to £3 per dozen.

NEW

CHESHIRE

POTATOES: prices vary every week for new potatoes unusually down, 64 bags sold from £17 to £20.

Still demand for old season selling to £3.50 for Wilja and £3 for Nadine.

VEGETABLES: the first summer cabbage of the year sold to £8 per dozen.

Prices: summer cabbage x 12 £8; spring cabbage x 10 £3.50; flat lettuce x 12 £3; mixed lollo lettuce x 12 £6; webb x 12 £3.50; leeks x 10lb £3; rhubarb x 7kg £4.25; washed carrot x 12.5kg £2; washed parsnip x 12.5kg £2.

CULL COWS, BULLS AND OTM CATTLE (103): 56 Black and White cows to £1,013.80 (£652.80).

Meated cows just as dear. Plainer sorts less some hat racks 10p less. Eight bulls forward to average £1,109.19. Twelveyear-old Limousin cow topped the market 954kg x 149p = £1.421.46.

Note the top prices per head 12 animals in the £1,000 club. Prices for meat will hold for a few more weeks and plainer ones will again be harder to sell.

Cows: Limousin x at 954kg 149p or £1,421.46; British Blue x at 960kg 133p or £1,276.80 (Gawsworth); Charolais at 765kg 140p or £1,058.40; Black at 752kg 138p or £1,037.76

(Brereton); Hereford at 748kg 138p or £1,032.24; Limousin x at 732kg 140p or £1,024.80; Aberdeen Angus at 846kg 121p or £1,023.66 (Warmingham); Friesian at 740kg 137p or £1,013.80 (Alsager); Holstein x at 766kg 132p or £1,011.12 (Siddington); Holstein x at 736kg 136p or £1,000.96; Aberdeen Angus at 720kg 137p or £986.40 (Gawsworth).

Cull cows: Holstein x (42): (106.74p) to 136p; Friesian (14): (114.16p) or 137p.

BUTCHERS’ SHEEP (996): 444 new season lambs followed by 338 old season lambs, top spot for lambs from 298p for 37.5kg Texel x from Andrew Bennett, Bollington and 40kg Charollais x R Heath, Ukinton. Old season lambs to 228p for 45.2kg Texel x (R Garton, Alderley) and 52.2p Texel x (P Sherlock, Mouldsworth); overall average, lambs 264.2p, old season lambs 192.1p.

Top quality lambs once again from several vendors, with Andrew Bennett and Helen Heath sharing the top spot and plenty of excellent lambs over 280p.

Averages: spring lambs: premium to 298p (285.2p); prime to 284p (274.5p); others to 258p (252p). Old season lambs: premium to 228p (218.5p); prime to 212p (209.5p); others to 195p (187p).

CULL EWES AND RAMS (214): a few more on offer met a similar trade with best big ewes looking better value for money compared with plainer sorts. Top price Suffolk ewes £107, overall average ewes £67.72, overall average rams £69.88.

BUTCHERS’ CATTLE (75): lighter numbers selling on a stronger trade overall average back over 150p (including everything) recording a good 4p increase on the week.

Top honours at 217p, with a handy heifer, steers got to 186p. Anything with shape and finish looked very well sold with good breaking heifers to 172p and prime steers to 163p.

A cracking show of bulls topped 193p and 187p (twice). Meat was strongly contested throughout regardless of breed — Black and Whites got to 169p and 167p from Gordon Andow.

Prices: steers (13): to 186p (157.48p); heifers (17): to 217p (160.42p); bulls (45); to 193p (146.74p); overall average (75): 151.88p.

Steers: premium (1): to 186p; prime (11): to 163p (157.27p); other (1): to 137p.

Heifers: premium (3): to 217p (194p); prime (12): to 172p (155.83p); other (2): to 142p (141.5p).

Bulls: premium (4): to 193p (188.25p); prime (8): to 177p (168.6p); other (33): to 157p (137.3p).

54th show nears

The 54th national show and sale on behalf of The British Blue Cattle Society will be held on Friday and Saturday, 1st and 2nd July, at Chelford Agricultural Centre.

Car vandalised

Thieves stole a sat nav from an unlocked car parked on Seddon Street, Middlewich, last Saturday night.

They also snapped off the windscreen wiper and indicator stalks, and the gear paddles from the side of the steering wheel.

Latest borough plans

Cheshire East Council has received the following planning applications.

Alsager: Mr and Mrs D Ball, 83, Audley Road, single storey side extension to provide study, utility room, additional bathroom and enlarged kitchen; Mr G Minshull, 168-170, Crewe Road, detached garage; Mr G Williams, 47, Heath End Road, single garage.

Congleton: Allied Homes (Cheshire), land off Windsor Place, construction of 14 dwellings, widening of Windsor Place and demolition of group of domestic outbuildings/garages; Mr and Mrs Oakes, 1, The Grange, single storey rear extension; Mr A Eckert, land off Lamberts Lane, use of land for commercial livery purposes; Mrs Redfern, 6, Greenacres Road, erection of front entrance porch (single storey); Vodafone / O2, Jubilee Mill, Brown Street, removal and re-location of three 3g Vodafone antennas, installation of three 3g new O2 antennas and ancillary development.

Holmes Chapel: I Westman, 30, Middlewich Road, orangery, garage and front porch to semi detached dwelling; Mr and Mrs W J Taylor, 19, Grasmere Drive, demolition of existing rear conservatory and construction of new rear conservatory; Mr S Barr, 4, Grasmere Drive, two storey side extension.

Middlewich: James Foley, 33, St Ann’s Road, change of use of building from residential dwelling to a dental practice; Mr M Swain, 22, Poplar Drive, rear single storey extension and replace boundary privet hedge to boundaries facing poplar drive and ash grove with 1.5m high post and fence panel.

Rural: Caroline Brown, land to the north of, Bull Gate Lane, North Rode, general permitted development order — proposed building; Cheshire East Council, Brereton Green public open space, Newcastle Road South, Brereton, public art, totem pole; Daniel Taylor, land between 11a and 9, Chelford Road, Somerford, application for a non-material amendment — reference 10/3016c; Duchy of Lancaster, Daisy Bank Farm, Mill Lane, Barthomley, erection of new agricultural general purpose building incorporating three bays occasional sheep/lamb housing, one bay to be used as a grain store and one bay used for general implement store; E Ward and Son, Whitethorn Farm, Watery Lane, Astbury, agricultural worker’s dwelling; Food For Thought Bakery, 89, Crewe Road, Haslington, side extension to provide a unisex / disabled toilet for customer and public use; Kevin Dean, 224, Sandbach Road, Rode Heath, application for a new planning permission to replace an extant planning permission in order to extend the time limit for implementation, to erect two storey detached dwelling on part of existing garden; Mr G Smith, Redesdale House, Old Knutsford Road, Church Lawton, variation of condition 03 on application 8/23676/3; Mr Moss, Cresswell Farm, Chells Hill, Church Lawton, application for approval of reserved matters following outline approval; Mr P Dunning, 1, Pear Tree Cottages, Dog Lane, Brereton, single storey front extension and first floor side extension; Mr R Bradbury, 243, Congleton Road North, Schola Green, replacement dwelling; M Randal Smith, 12a, Boulton Close, Malkins Bank, extension to time limit; Ms J McNeill, 89, Crewe Road, Haslington, change of use from class a1 shop to class a3 cafe includes ground floor extension 2m beyond rea wall; The Bs Sheppard 2003 Settlement Trust, Piggotts Hill Farm, Congleton Lane, Chelford, change of use from agricultural land (sui generis) to a private mixed recreation development (ancillary to the enjoyment of the main house, Mallerstang, class c3) comprising a cricket pitch, a siting area for the erection o a temporary marquee, equestrian; William Beech Skip Hire, Betchton Cottage Farm, Cappers Lane, Betchton, retrospective application for the construction o building to cover existing sorting and re-cycling area.

Sandbach: Mcdonalds Restaurant, Middlewich Road, non material amendment to planning permission; Mr and Mrs Tappin, 6, Mill Hill Drive, three storey extension to side; S R Williamson and Sons, Walnut Tree Farm, Walnut Tree Lane, Bradwall, variation of conditions on planning permission 09/1129c; Zoe Mulliner / Greg Meddings, 7, Elworth Road, demolition o existing garage and the construction of a new garage/ utility to side and lounge/kitchen extension to the rear.

Firm’s fourth failure to raise a 3G phone mast in Congleton

The fourth attempt this year by WFS Telecommunications to erect a phone mast in Congleton has failed.

The latest plan, for a 45ft 3G mast at Bromley Farm Community Centre in the middle of a newly refurbished play area, was refused by Cheshire East Council last week.

A planning officer’s report questioned why the company wanted the mast on a play area when there was a nearby train station and factories with more suitable sites.

Congleton Town Council had previously rubbished the plans, with Coun David Brown calling them “ridiculous.”

The company acting on behalf of O2 and Vodaphone said the mast was needed to provide a good signal for mobile phone users who required 3G signals, used for IPods and Blackberrys.

Planning officer Gemma Broadbent, who refused the mast, stated in her report: “There are other alternative sites which have not been explored or explored fully by the applicant within the coverage area which could achieve the required coverage and have a lesser impact on the visual amenity of the area.

“These would include the railway station area and the factory to the south. Similarly, positioning the mast in the adjacent agricultural land may be another option that has not been fully considered. It is essential that all alternative sites are explored, and this has not been done.

“It would be an alien and intrusive feature. The proposed development is not acceptable.”

Planning permission for a mast at Congleton train station has existed for three years, although it has never been built.

The other three sites that WFS had applied for were Congleton Cricket Club, Rood Hill and Biddulph Road. The company has submitted another application fo Astbury Street. The Chronicle, Thursday, 2nd June, 2011. www.chronicleseries.co.uk

U3A sale to go ahead as tribute to chairman

Congleton U3A says it owes it to its late chairman, killed in a motorway crash, to forge ahead with its annual plant and book sale.

Maureen Jones, (66) and her friend, 68-year-old friend Audrey Buddle, both of Holmes Chapel, died when their car was in collision with a lorry on the M5 south of Birmingham as they were

The Dogfather

Any dog can be rehabilitated heading for a U3A walking event three weeks ago.

The group has decided unanimously to forge ahead with arrangements for its annual plant and book sale, despite the tragedy.

It was at Mrs Jones’s instigation that the first such sale took place last year, and colleagues said she had already made good progress in the planning and arrangements for this year’s event.

David Bartlett, U3A vicechairman, explained: “The sale, which was such a success last year, raising £700 for our two local hospices, was very much Maureen’s initiative. We will miss her energy and ideas in bringing this year’s event to fruition. However, we owe it to her and to her favourite chariand enthusiastic U3Amember. She was full of energy and always the first to offer help at our functions. She would undoubtedly have been one of the hardest workers at this year’s event. It would be a fitting tribute to them both if we could raise even more money for the hospices this year.”

Mrs Jones had already made good progress planning this year’s event.

ties, St Luke’s and East Cheshire Hospices, to make it another resounding success.”

He added: “Audrey Buddle, who was also killed in the accident, was a good friend of Maureen’s

Mr Bartlett said it is very much due to the hard work that Mrs Jones had already put in that this year’s event, next Saturday, 11th June, at New Life Church, can not only go ahead but will be much more extensive than last year.

It will be open to all at 10am, and will include, for the first time, a sale of paintings produced by U3A’s various art groups. These have been exhibited at other functions, including the recent annual meeting, to great acclaim. The U3A artists see this new initiative as both an opportunity to show their work publicly and, through any money raised, to put their artistic skills to a good cause.

SAMARITANS

Biddulph Volunteers urgently required

Develop New Skills to improve your job prospects We have vacancies in all our shops offering many different volunteering opportunities.Ourshopsexist to make money so you will learn typical retail skills such as:

• Putting together window displays to attract customers to the shop and help to present the stock to the best advantage. • Price and display books by category or • Display clothes by type, size and colour. • Sorting donations. Volunteer what suits you - most days and shifts are available

To Volunteer call us now - do it today!! Ring Tom on 0798 990 2173 Share specialist knowledge. You may be able to bring specialist knowledge such as expertise in old and rare books, collectable records, fashion or vintage collectables, or expertise in on-line retailing to help us run an Ebay shop. DIY and Maintenance Shops also need to be kept in good practical order. We are grateful for assistance with painting and general DIY to help keep the shops safe and attractive to members of the public.

If you can’t help by volunteering - can you help by donating goods?

Samaritans are grateful to our sponsors:

Administered through:

We are happy to receive donations at any of our shops:

32/34 Queen Street, Burslem ST6 3EG. Tel: 01782 816227

93 High Street, Biddulph ST8 6AB. Tel: 01782 519238

111 Church Street, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 1DE. Tel: 01782 749759

7

Dealing with a dog’s behaviour issues is an unpredictable process.

A problem you thought had vanished may reappear with a vengeance and it’s precisely at this time you need to stay positive.

Do not dwell on setbacks, concentrate on progress. Count your successes and move on. Do whatever needs to be done but move forward.

Rehabilitating a troubled or disruptive dog is not a science; there are no guaranteed methods. You do need a basic understanding of canine psychology but after that it’s trial and error.

One of the most severe cases I ever handled was Spike, a bull terrier rescued from a dog fighting syndicate. Spike had been stabbed, burned and whipped to make him aggressive and could not tolerate another dog in his vicinity.

I tried all the usual exercises to overcome his fear-fuelled aggression but made little progress.

Determined to find a solution, I walked him with a loaded back-

ack and he calmed considerably.

I discovered Spike liked using his strength so I tied an old car tyre to a harness and called him to me from a distance, inviting him to drag the tyre behind him. It took a little while for him to settle then he loved it.

I fitted out a couple of my senior dogs with harnesses and tyres and had two handlers call them while I called Spike to me. It was a race Spike was determined to win. Ignoring the other dogs, he hurtled towards me beating the others by 20 yards.

I had my answer. From thereon we raced every day with different dogs until Spike’s fears disappeared. The whole process took six months and I still get emails saying what a great companion Spike has ecome. With patience and determination you can rehabilitate any dog.

Read more at vicbarlow.com

AT SPECSAVERS CONGLETON

Congleton Bridestone Centre, Victoria St. Tel: 01260 299 395

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