Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday November 16

A very fast stirk trade to £1000 & 3001 store lambs met a flying trade to £93.50.

88 Dairy cattle. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a super entry despite some of the vendors having to return home due to the M5 being blocked at Weston Super Mare. The trade continued strongly for the best but second quality and frail heifers with faults were very difficult to sell.

Best heifers to £2000 for a super pedigree red and white heifer from H Maskell of Carmarthen, who sold his heifers from his car seat stuck on the motorway!! 2 other pedigree (VG) heifers from JG Morgan, Tewkesbury sold to £1940 and £1920. Non pedigree to £1820 from RL & ME Trott. Also at £1820, JC Palmer. Others £1790 and £1780 R Maskell & Partners; £1780 and £1750 AR Edwards & Son and £1720 Ham Farm Partners.

A sprinkling of cows to £1620 and £1460 Deptford Farm; £1380 RL & ME Trott and £1340 British Friesian from Ham Farm Partners. Calved Jersey heifer £960 PA Cleave.

A run of early 2020 due crossbred cows and incalf heifers from Seligman Farm, Winchester met a very selective trade, when only younger types were wanted and sold to £980 and £940 for incalf heifers and £910 and £900 for young cows due in January. Calves to £120 x2 for Holsteins from PT Bale & Son. With so many crossbreds on the market there was limited interest to £80.

730 Store cattle and grazing cows. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a large mid November entry of 730 store cattle, 17.5 per cent up on last year’s and part of 1096 with the stirks. Trade similar but reduced strength and less forward cattle on offer pegged the leading prices.

Top was £1170 for two well grown suckler bred Charolais steers (22/25m & FA) from RP Elston & Son, Dulverton. Further well framed suckler bred Charolais at £1155 (19/21m & FA) JC & PA Chapple, Musbury; £1100 and £1005 (4x 19m & FA) JG Warfield, Yeovil; £1035 (2x 19m & FA) CA & MA Ralph, Taunton; £1070 (only 18m) and £1010 (18/21m) G Webster, Umberleigh. Limousin steers peaked at £1155 (21m & FA) from JC & PA Chapple again, who sold another at £1065 (20m & FA). Further Limousin steers £1150 (20m) LR House, Bridgwater, who sold others at £1080 (19/21m); £1070 (24m) P Brown, Ashill, Cullompton; £1035 (4x 26/27m) RW Brunt, Weston Super Mare; £1020 (only 15/19m & FA) DF Rawlins, Ashill, Ilminster; £1000 (18m & FA) JA Selway Ltd, Biddisham and £1000 again (27m) GT Heyward, Chilton Polden. Blue steers rose to £1095 (3x 22/24m & FA) IG & GS Roberts, Norton Fitzwarren. Others £1050 (27/28m & FA) Habberfield Bros, North Newton; £1050 again (26m & FA) AJ Paulley, Bridport; £1030 (only 15m & FA) SER Hunt, Kilve; £1015 (18m & FA) JA Selway Ltd again and £1000 (6x 26/27m) RW Brunt again. Simmental steer at £1000 (32m) WA Ketley & Sons, Essex.

Native steers sold to £1125 for a grand feeding, pure South Devon (28m & FA) from JP Matthews & Son, Torpoint, who sold others at £1110 (23m & FA) £1100 (5x 19/27m & 1 x 31m & FA) £1085 (20/26m & FA) £1025 (30m & FA) and £1020 (11 x 19/24m & FA). Fleshed Herefords to £1100 (3x 29m, FA & sire) RH Webb, Langport. Others to £990 (26m, FA & sire) AJ Paulley, Bridport. Angus peaked at £1060 (2x 22m & sire) TE Cary, Pylle. Others £1000 (20m, FA & sire) Arscott Partners, Upottery; £1000 again (24m & FA) AJ Wrayford, Newton Abbot; £990 (23m & FA) IG & GS Roberts again and £980 (2x 21m & sire) N & J Reed, Langport.

Dairy bred steers topped at £980 for a Montbeliarde (27m & FA) AJ Paulley again. Friesian at £880 (22m & FA) from IG & GS Roberts again, who also sold a Holstein steer at £780 (21m & FA). Kiwi, Norwegian and Friesian at £875 (5x 26m & FA) CL Hichens & Sons, Truro. Fleshed Holsteins £855 (2x 19m & FA) JA Selway Ltd again. Further Holsteins £775 (13x 22/26m & FA) from FA & LM Elworthy & Son, Swimbridge.

Heifers topped at £1105 for a shapely black Limousin (20m) from LR House, Dunwear, who sold a fit Charolais at £1090 (20m) well grown South Devon at £1000 (18m) and a forward Limousin at £995 (21m). Fit Charolais at £1095 (26m & FA) RP Elston & Son again. Fleshed Blue at £1090 (25m & FA) IG & GS Roberts again. Well grown Blue £975 (21m & FA) Arscott Partners, Upottery again. Fit Blues £950 (only 15m & FA) and £910 (only 18m & FA) SER Hunt, again. Further Limousin heifers £1070 (19m & FA) SJ Williams, North Newton; £1040 (21m & FA) LJ Ralph, Trull; £935 (3x 28/29m) D Crosier, Middlezoy.

Best native heifers to £1000 for a Hereford (20m, FA & sire) JA Selway Ltd again. Further good Herefords at £960 (19m, FA & sire) IG & GS Roberts & Sons again and £880 twice from AJ Paulley, Bridport (26m & FA) and NJ Paulley & Son, Bridport (26m & FA).

Angus peaked at £955 (26m) MJ Fletcher, West Buckland. Others £905 (21m) P Brown again; £890 (30m, FA & sire) RH Webb again and £875 (19m, FA & sire) JH, MB & DJ Jewell, Taunton. Devon at £875 (28m & FA) RC & K Wright & Son, Dunkeswell. South Devons at £850 (4x 20/22m & FA) JP Matthews & Son again.

26 Grazing cows (pre-movement tested). Auctioneer's comments:

A larger entry of feeding cows saw a top of £1005 for a British Blue cross cow from AH & LR Read. Holstein at £900 from H Atwell, Street.

365 Busk calves and stirks. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a quality entry of stirks saw a continuation of the fast trade. Only stirks small for their age were met with some resistance. Top price of £1000 (13m) for an excellent Limousin steer from EA & DA Ellis. Further Limousin steers to £845 (only 6m) and £810 (only 5m) EA Cox & Son; £820 (12m) £780 (11m) £755 (12m) £690 (12m) and £665 (10m) P Brown; £740 (13m) CG & EM Baker; £730 (8m) £730 (7m) £720 (8m) and £700 (8m) NJ May; £725 (9m) CA & MA Ralph; £720 (7m) F Biss and £700 (10m) J Evetts. British Blues to £875 (15m) EA & DA Ellis, who sold others to £755 (17m). Further British Blues to £820 (8m) ST Matthews; £805 (6m) and £670 (6m) AH & LR Read; £722 (9m) P Brown; £660 x5 (7m) JA Naish; £634 x5 (9m) and £605 x3 (8m) MJ & C Plowright & Son. Charolais to £830 x5 (8m) ST Matthews, who sold others to £780 x5 (7m). Further Charolais to £720 (11m) WAM Lee; £675 (9m) and £655 x2 (8m) CA & MA Ralph. Angus to £790 (11m) EA & DA Ellis, when others sold to £700 x2 (8m) ST Matthews and £670 x3 (10m) S Broom. Simmentals to £725 x4 (11m) R & J Cook. Others to £680 (9m) £540 (8m) and £530 x2 (7m) DM & SA Ham. Blonde to £695 (6m) RJ & PJ Northover. Herefords to £670 x2 (14m) FP Hill & Son, who sold others to £615 x3. Shorthorn to £670 (14m) B Calder.

Bulls sold to a top of £915 (8m) for an excellent Limousin from EA Cox & Son.

Heifers sold to a top price of £738 (8m) for a Limousin from NJ May, who sold others to £680 (8m) and £535 (8m). Further Limousins to £688 (11m) £655 (11m) £645 (11m) and £540 (12m) P Brown; £580 (12m) ML Coombes; £525 x2 (11m) Osborne Brothers and £500 (7m) LGW Bagg. Charolais sold to a top of £710 (10m) P Coombes, when others sold to £665 x4 (8m) WC & EM Fewings and £585 (10m) LJ Ralph.

Herefords to £595 B Calder, when others sold to £535 (15m) B Johnston. Few British Blues forward sold to £495 (12m) SJ Crabtree (Farms) Ltd. Simmentals to £465 x3 (7m) J Evetts and £455 (7m) WA Ketley & Sons.

466 Non-export calves. Auctioneer's comments:

Beef Breeds (370) – not able to be exported from market

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report an excellent entry in terms of numbers but again quality was lacking. Trade was a touch better for the top end, which continues to see large demand but the mediums and plainer calves are getting harder to place, as although the fat price is looking like its rising, the industry is still short on cash and enthusiasm. The top priced continental bull and winner of this week’s Mastergen jacket at £345 was a Blue from CJ & JA Reed. The same Vendor also sold at £290 and £280. Other Blues £315 MC Powell; £280 (2x) ES Triggol and £280 CR & JM Carr. Charolais to £335 (2x) for SM & DM Turner and PD & JL Biss. Others from SM & DM Turner £290 (2x) and £280 CE Veysey. Simmentals to £300 R Hares and £290 JR Bucknell. Limousins to £275 DG Bartlett and £220 EA & DA Ellis. Best continentals were £240 plus, mediums £150-£180 and plainer types hard to place. Continental heifers to £325 for a Blue from SE & TL Lye, same vendor sold at £300 and £265. Others £225 Twose Farms Ltd, £225 (2x) CR & JM Carr and £222 CJ & JA Reed. Charolais to £235 and £205 PD & JL Biss and £200 S & DM Turner. Simmentals to £135 KF & LW Mitcham. Limousins to £115 EA & DA Ellis. Best heifers £180 plus, mediums around £100 and plainer types hard to place.

Natives to £264, £262 and £260 for Angus from CD Griffin & Partners. Others £250 RJ & R Broomfield and £242 NF Clothier & Sons. Herefords to £240 P Frost; £215 RM & DA Fry and £205 Twose Farms Ltd. A couple of extra bidders that focused on Hereford heifers meant the trade lifted for this breed to top at £215 and £200 (3x) Twose Farms Ltd; £165 EC & CS Rowe and £155 House & Sons. Angus heifers to £225 and £215 D & S Salter; £220 and £200 Twose Farms Ltd and £125 CR & J Carr.

Friesians (96) – not able to be exported from market

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a good entry of 96 dairy sired bull calves met much the same trade as previous weeks to top at £140 (3x) and £105 (3x) ES Triggol; £100 Ireosa Ltd and £90 RC Dymond & Sons. Best rearing types £75 plus, mediums £35-60 and plainer types £10-30. Reared Montbeliarde to £305 SE & TL Lye. Fleckvieh to £132 Seaborough Manor Ltd. Shorthorn to £70 CR & JM Carr,

4659 Sheep. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:-

Store Lambs (3001)

As the finished price continues to improve, so the store lambs continue to fly, when a huge entry of 3001 store lambs sold to an even stronger trade! Top price went to GM Veysey at £93.50. Others to £90 from H Vernoum; £88 from PJ Searle & Son; £84.50 from MJ & C Arthur; £84 from PWJ Land; £83 from BJ Jennings and Town & Country Sales (2x); £80 from J Powles; £79.50 from PWJ Land, F Cox and T Bussell; £78 from RAD Legg and £77.50 from NR Sturrock, RAD Legg and VA & SA Lane. Overall average up another £3 to £66.53.

Cull Ewes & Rams (1538)

A much larger entry of 1538 cull ewes and rams sold to an equally strong trade, despite some big runs of hill breeds and leaner types. The best continental ewes sold to £120 and £119 from Oxbridge Farm. Other ewes to £114 from CJ Sage and VA & SA Lane; £109 from MA Heard; £104 from FJ & CN Burrough; £100 from J Sprake & Partners, J & E Nuttall, ME Bryant and SJ & DM Cowling; £99.50 from T Eames and £99 from RL Harris. Cull rams sold to £140 from ME Bryant, when others sold to £126 from Town & Country Sales and £110 from C Martin and MJ & GA Broom. Medium ewes £45-£65, plain £25-£45 and boners generally £20 plus. Overall average rose by almost £4 to £58.26.

Breeding Ewes (92)

A small entry of 92 breeding ewes, which lacked any real quality, sold to £74, £73 and £70 for 6T/FM Mules, running with the ram, from L Littlejohns. Flock age Romneys also running with the ram sold to £71, £64 and £60 from G Grossey. Overall average £68.24.

Stock Rams (11)

A very small entry of 11 stock rams sold to a top price of £165 for a smart Charollais ram lamb from EA Cox & Son.

Goats (15)

A small entry of 15 goats sold to £97 from EW Ganfield, when others sold to £74 from KE Jamison. Overall average £53.07.

Poultry. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a brilliant entry for our November sale when just over 1000 head were forward which sold to a good trade on the whole with a packed alleyway of buyers. Top price went to SR Davies, Eastermead Farm who sold a cracking trio of Cuckoo Marans for £100. 4F Frillback mixed Pigeons forward from C Johns, Banwell were also in demand and achieved £60. The best of the Pheasants was a pair of Swinhoe which also made £60. Other prices of note included Light Sussex which sold at £55 and a trio of white Call Ducks which made £50.

Fodder. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a modest start to the fodder sale season, when buyers generally bid with caution. A good clearance of hay entries and silage as buyers looked to secure early winter supplies. A more difficult trade for straw when very little changed hands on-farm.

Prices of note:-

Hay Round Bale £7-£13/Bale

Square Bale £13.50/Bale

Conventional £2/Bale

Silage Round Bale £8-£25/Bale

Square Bale £20/Bale

READ MORE: Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday November 9