Sedgemoor auction report Saturday 8 June

A busy June market.1153 store cattle, stirks and sucklers to £2350 for a Limousin Bull.

52 Dairy cattle. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a smaller entry on offer fuelled the trade to new levels. In fairness we had some really smart heifers forward and the trade reflected the fact. 19 heifers over £1700 with 11 over £1800 to a top of £1930 for A Ractliffe Gloucester. Others to £1920 & £1860 Panda Holsteins; £1920 & £1740 DWT & EG Jones; £920 & £1900 for M & K Churchill & Son; £1900 JG Morgan; £1880 RL & ME Trott; £1880 FG Summerhayes & Son; £1840 & £1780 DJ Cheacker; £1820 RJ Goss & Son; £1750 A & W Vigus; £1750 BG Hutchings & Ham Farm Partners. Only a few Cows forward to £1700 & £1610 from DWT & EG Jones. Incalf heifers to £1150 RC & K Wright & Son.

1153 Store cattle, sucklers and stirks. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report an increased entry of 650 head, 34% up on the equivalent week last year and part of a huge entry for June of 1153 with the stirks and sucklers.

Good cattle continue to sell well but are few in number. Many cattle are still showing the signs of last year’s Summer, being small for their age and running out of time.

Top was £1190 for a fit Angus steer (22m, FA) from BT Wood, Marshwood. Overage Angus steer (31m, FA) at £1125, ML & EE Edwards, Wick St Lawrence. Further forward Angus at £1125 (25m, FA, Sire) T Hiscock, Stalbridge. Further Angus £970 (20/21m, FA, Sire) IR Worth, Shirwell. Further native steers saw Herefords at £1030 (22m, FA, Sire) JC Gay & Son, West Harptree and £970 (21m, FA) T Hiscock again. South Devon at £1005 (25m, FA) RD Middleton & Son, Ashreigney.

Continental steers rose to £1175 for a bunch of well-fed Limousins (5x 23/26m, FA) from AC Rich, Dawlish Wake, who sold others at £1170 (3x 23/26m, FA). Further Limousins £1170 again (24m, FA) ML & EE Edwards again; £1060 smart reds (3x 20/21m, FA) R Jones & Son, Dulverton and £990 (29m) G Webster, Umberleigh. Well grown Blonde steer (31m, FA) also at £1170, ML & EE Edwards again. Charolais also rose to £1170 (29m) G Webster again. Further good Charolais £1115 (25/26m) PR Jones, Week St Mary. Simmental steers peaked at £1165 twice, firstly from WE & AG Taylor, Yeovil (26m, FA) and from BT Wood again (3x 20/28m, FA) who sold another at £1160 (26m, FA). Further Simmentals £1065 (26m) SJ Dallyn, Goodleigh; £1050 (23m, FA) and £1005 (20/24m, FA) JC & FF Dovey, Dorchester.

Dairy bred steers sold to a massive £1185 for a Montbeliarde (29m, FA) from ML & EE Edwards again. Brown Swiss at £1030 (22m, FA) BT Wood again. Fleckvieh at £950 (21m, FA) from DA Smoldon, Chittlehampton. Further Brown Swiss at £820 (26m, FA) T Hiscock again. Holstiens sold at £775 (19m, FA) and £725 (22m, FA) Knapp Farm Ltd, West Pennard; £770 (18/20m, FA) DW Hewlett, Queen Camel; £765 (20m, FA) KD & VJ Palfrey, East Worlington; £750 (24m, FA) SE & RM Fry, Stewley; £730 (3x 20/24m, FA) and £700 (19/25m, FA) DA Smoldon again; £695 (20/21m, FA) R Johns & Son, Coombe Martin; £695 again (4x 21/22m, FA) Latham Partners and £695 again (17m) Jones and Pether, Badgworth.

Heifers topped at £1135 for a well fleshed Simmental (26m, FA) from JC & FF Dovey again. Further grazing Simmental at £985 (26m) SJ Dallyn again. Overage Blue at £1115 (32m, FA) ML & EE Edwards again. Further well fleshed Blues at £1085, £1080 and £1065 (15/16m, FA) from SER Hunt, Kilve. Grazing Blues at £935 (5 x 24m) MT & K Jackson, Lower Weare. Limousin heifers sold to £1095 (29m) from G Webster again. Others £1040 (25/26m) and £950 (3x 25m) P & A White, Roadwater; £1040 (4x 23/26m, FA, fit) AC Rich again; £1020 (25m, FA) RD Middleton & Son again and £970 (21/22m, FA) Casely Farms Ltd, Sherborne. Charolais rose to £1090 (33m) G Webster again who sold others at £1050 (3x 29m) . Further good feeding Charolais at £1000 (25m) PR Johns again. Grazing Charolais at £945 (19m FA) JM Balment & Son, Brayford. Blonde at £955 (23m, FA) T Hiscock, Sturminster Newton.

Native heifers sold to £1020 for Angus (4x 19/20m, Sire) from PD & SA Godfrey, Lopen. Further Angus £1015 (22/26m, FA, Sires) AC Rich again; £975 (22m, Sire) SJ Dallyn again; £960 (2x 18m, FA, Sire) JH Balment & Son, Brayford and £955 (25m, FA, Sire) RD Middleton & Son again. Hereford heifers to £955 (2x 24m, FA, 1 Sire) IR Worth, Shirwell.

284 Suckler cows, calves and stock bulls. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report another very large entry to include 3 annual consignments and several mini dispersals, as more people reduce and disperse from suckler cow enterprises than those setting up or expanding. It was not surprising to see a more difficult trade. Outfits are averaging £200 a unit less than 12 months ago.

Demand still remains the strongest for the best stronger cows with continental steer calves which continue to attract considerable interest and sold to £1350, £1320 and £1260 for G Ellis, Cornwall. Others to £1320 B Calder: Limousin cross with steer calf to £1280 for JT Bartlett and Devon cows with calves to £1240 TJ Jakins, Plymouth. Hereford heifers with good steer calves in demand to £1220 for RH Webb, who had Charolais x heifers to £1200 and £1190. Angus heifers to £1200 MJ Rogers.

British Blue x cows with heifer calves to £1200 B Calder; £1180 Barn Owl Farm. Charolais cows and heifer calves to £1180 RH Webb. Hereford £1140 N Naish. Fewer Stock bulls forward met plenty of demand up to £2000, with resilience at levels over £2000. Top price achieved by Martin Harrison’s Limousin bull at £2350. Charolais bulls all sold to £2000 x2 for DT Daniel, Launceston and x 2 for PC Old, Dorchester. Angus bulls to £1850 JPT Reed, who’s Hereford realised £1800. Simmentals to £1600 TJ Jakins. Maiden Pedigree Simmental heifer from D Barker sold for £1000.

18 Grazing cows. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report lean and shapely Parthenaise cow at £975, P Webber, Axbridge, who sold another at £870. Holstien heifer at £855 (49m) GL Groves & Son, Sutton Mallet. Cull bulls to £1050 (29m) R Coate, Broomfield.

218 Busk calves and stirks. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a smaller entry of 218 as we enter the Summer months saw an improved trade, which got dearer as the sale progressed.

Steers - Top price of £945 for a Limx steer (11m) from RJ Gooding who sold another to £830. Other Lims to £705 and £625 from RJ & SR Bunn (10m); £665 from NJ May and £575 from J Sherwin. Simmentals to £925 (12m) from Chegwidden Farm who sold a second to £810; £630 FA Kingcott & Son; £610 DM Barker. British Blues from Melanie Forward (9m) to £810. Few other strong Blues entered. Charolais (9m) to £775 from BL & MJE Bartlett with another to £748. A bunch of 5 from RE Fewings to £735. Herefords to £700 (11m) from M Burke and £685, Melanie Forward also saw a pair to £685. Very few Friesians on show

saw a good trade with a pair (8m) to £355 from Chancellors Dairy who saw Angus to £680. Any well bred Angus with named sires were keenly sought. Others to £645 from RJ & SR Bunn; £600 JH Brewer.

Heifers – A slightly improved heifer trade on the whole saw the best to £850 for a very shapely British Blue (12m) AD Bulled & Sons. Few other strong Blues. Limousins to £650 again from Melanie Forward and £640 from RJ Gooding: £635 from EJ & RJ Mills; £630 RJ & SR Bunn; £620 NJ May. Charolais to £610 (x3) from BL & MJE Bartlett with a following pair to £595. Simmentals to £605 from J Drew and £600 from Chegwidden Farm. Blondes to £602 from RM Prouse. Angus to £600 from P Ruby. Others from CG Stanbury £580.

Bulls – A larger number of bulls forward than normal, met by an improved trade. Top price £795 from J Drew (9m) for a Limousin. Other Lims to £710 (8m) from FA Kingcott & Son who also had a Sim x (8m) to £605. AD Bulled & Son saw a consignment of mixed breeds to £590 for Blue bulls; £560 and £535 for Herefords and £560 for a Shorthorn.

360 Non export calves. Auctioneers comments:

Beef Breeds (302) – not able to be exported from market

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a smaller entry forward when generally an improved quality of younger calves than the previous week were on offer. Top of the day went to G Ellis for a strong reared (5m) Blue bull at £462. Younger Blues to £360 for DH Creed and £350 for J & D Tilbee and RL & ME Trott. Charolais bulls to £380 for SM & DM Turner Ltd, when others sold to £345 for BL & MJE Bartlett and CE Veysey. Simmental bulls to £345 for DG Ham, who sold others to £340 and £275. Limousin in short supply when a reared bull sold to £335 for Baker & Son. Young strong Lims to £328 for H & N M Wall & Sons and £305 for Higher Farm. Native bulls to £298 x3 for reared Aberdeen Angus from F E Hill & Son. Similar reared Angus to £292 x3 for Ansdell Farm. Younger Angus bulls to £275 for DA & WG Jones. Hereford bulls to £285 for N L Reeves & Sons, when others sold to £275 for DWT EG & PW Jones and £265 AW Hewlett & Son. Continental heifers to £320 for a suckler bred Charolais from SJ Hall & Son. Other strong Charolais heifers to £255 and £240 from SM & DM Turner. Young Blue heifers to £285 and £265 for DH Creed, others to £260 x2 for L Timewell and Knapp Farm. Simmental heifer to £260 for KF & LW Mitcham when other Sims sold to £200 for DG Ham and £195 again for KF & LW Mitcham. Lim heifer to £240 for strong sorts from H & N M Wall & Sons and HT & ME Quick, who sold others to £220. Native heifers to £250 x2 for JR Bucknell for 3m Herefords. Younger Hereford to £190 for Bayley Partners. Reared Angus to £220 x3 for FE Hill & Son. Younger to £175 for CG GR MS Spiller and Luscombe Farms.

Friesians (58) – not able to be exported from market

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a smaller entry of dairy sired calves met a continued decent trade when the best sold to £200 and £185 x2 for 3m black and white steers. Strong but younger Friesians to £120 for Ireosa Ltd; AA House & Sons and J & EM Phillips & Sons. Norweigin to £205 for RJ Tucker & Sons. Best rearing types £80+, Mediums £40-60, Plainest generally in excess of £20.

1538 Sheep. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:

Store Lambs (438)

A tight entry of 438 Store lambs sold to a similar trade. Pure bred Charollais Ewe hoggs sold to £108 from RJ & LA Mitchell & Voke. With other hoggs to £94.50 from ML & EE Edwards and £92 from Alstone Court Partners. New season lambs sold to £92.50 from J Cox; £90.50 from F & S Webber and £87.50 from R Chaddock. Overall average £65.01

Cull Ewes & Rams (1052)

A much reduced entry of 1052 cull ewes and rams sold to a competitive trade, but at lower levels for all grades. Texel ewes to £110 from EJ Gwyn. Other best ewes to £98 from JE Churchill; £90 from RJ & LA Mitchell & Voke, and S Bye & Son; £89.50 from RD Burrough & Son; £85.50 from JE Churchill; £85 N Hoskin. Cull rams sold to £92 from S Bye & Son. Overall average £61.81

Couples (132E & 174L)

Numbers continuing to lower when 132 ewes with 174 lambs at foot were penned. Trade holding firm when strong outfits met competitive bidding. Strongest doubles to £235 (£78.33/Life) from OO Ham. Other best sorts to £230 (£76.67/Life) from JH & HJ Diment, who sold others at £172 (£57.33/Life). Best from H Atwell to £170 (£56.67/Life). Singles to £168 (£84/life) from JH & HJ Diment, who sold others at £155 (£77.50/Life). Other singles to £148 (£74/Life) from TG & MG Woof and RG & E Powell; £145 (£72.50/Life) from H Atwell. Overall average £55.75/Life.

Orphan Lambs (6)

A handful or orphan lambs forward sold to a top of £23 from R & BJ Woollacott. Overall average £11.83

Goats (50)

A good entry of 50 goats saw cull nannies to £90, £88 and £82 from Bagborough Farms. Others to £79 from C Ainge. Overall average £81.05

212 Pigs. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a larger entry when all sections sold to a wonderful trade. Trade continues to get stronger.

Weaners (66)

All weaners sold to powerfull bidding, many more could have been sold to meet buyers demand.

Top of the day £58 for a pen of 9w/o Maxigrow x and £50 from AA House.

Cull Sows & Boars (26)

Good entry and strong trade.

Best to £232 from R J Compton. Others to £218.

Best Boars to £194 and £188 from J Baker and Ford Ford & Co.

Breeders (1)

Saddleback Sows with litter of 13 sold at £315 from G R Davis.

Forward Stores (105)

Another good entry with more lighter weights forward, all weights sold to a flying trade. Another good entry from L E Miller & Son to £138 for two good pens and £130 for the remainder of the run. £128 for well conformed pigs from T Stone, lighter porkers to £102 from M Burke