The market report from Sedgemoor Auction Centre for Monday, 1 July is as follows. The total stock was 1321 head.

A quieter cattle sale when more could have been sold to advantage.

43 Prime and untested forward cattle

(39) UTM & (4) OTM Prime Cattle. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a short entry of 43 prime cattle met a fair trade, under current trading conditions. Abattoirs continue to drop their quotes, some as low as 316, so it’s apparent they don’t really want live cattle. Beef coming out of storage stock piled before March 21st and other beef from Countries such as Poland continue to undermine our home trade.

Top was 193.5ppk for a pedigree bred, very smart Limousin heifer from H & JL Parker, Warminster. Just 17m old, weighing 613kg and looking a picture, she was snapped up. Further heifers rose to 178.5ppk for a “butchers type” suckler bred Charolais (512kg) from BA Richards, Williton. Native heifers peaked at 174.5ppk for a Hereford from A Davey, Ashcott, who sold another at 173.5ppk.

Steers topped at 189.5ppk for an adlib fed Simmental from MJ Tuckett & Partners, Exeter. Good red Limousin steer at 178ppk. Native steers peaked at 173.5ppk for a Hereford from A Davey again.

Steers sold to £1,260.38 for a dairy bred Limousin from W Johnson & Son, Dalwood, who sold other similarly bred steers at £1247 and £1,166.02. 713kg Simmental at £1,197.84 from MP & DM Hine, Northay. Native steers saw Angus at £1169, Brightley Farms, Umberleigh; £1,152.30, Habberfield Bros, North Newton and £1,114.75, PRS & EB Scott, Axbridge.

Heifers sold to a tremendous £1,186.16 for the outstanding Limousin heifer from H & JL Parker. Herefords at £1,034.79 and £1,027.12 from A Davey. Blues at £1,028.16 and £1,025.15 from MP & DM Hine.

49 Barren cows and cull stock bulls. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a short entry of cull cows met a good trade at a time when cow beef is wanted, so much so, the best cows are worth more than the bottom end of the clean beef.

To prove that very point, top was 149.5ppk for a superb, young pedigree cow (777kg) from H & JL Parker, Warminster, who sold another very smart pedigree Limousin cow at 143.5ppk. The Parker Family thereby topping both the clean and cull sections. A feat not often achieved. Pedigree Charolais cow at 136.5ppk from AS Cowling, Clatworthy. Pedigree Hereford cow at 129.5 and 124.5ppk from IJ Jennings & Son, Ilminster. Better sucklers 120ppk plus.

Sucklers sold to £1,161.62 for first time Vendors H & JL Parker, who sold a lighter cow at £990.15. Charolais at £1,068.80, AS Cowling.

Black and whites peaked at 120.5ppk for a good meat Holstein from R & S Turner Ltd, Puncknowle, who sold others to 116.5ppk twice. Friesian at 119.5ppk from PJ Lowman, Hemyock. Good meat Holsteins again at 118.5ppk twice and 111.5ppk and 113.5ppk GC Vowles, Axminster. Empty steakers 100ppk plus.

Black and whites sold to £925.49 from G Pople & Sons Ltd, who sold another at £925.49.

1197 Finished lambs. Auctioneers comments:

Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a smaller entry of 1197 lambs sold to an easier trade for the leaner/lighter lambs but to a strong trade for the heavier/thicker types. The best sold to 211ppk from GR Baker & Son. Others 210ppk from G & J Chorley & Son and F Kent & Son; 209ppk from IJ Williams, FG, NK & AJ Gammon Ltd, S & A Bevan, DJ Palmer and WHC & RE Inder and 208ppk from ML & EE Edwards, ND Janes and MJ Keate.

Heavier lambs sold to £103 from J Hawthorne. Others £101.50 and £97 from R Wall; £101.50 from J Osborne; £101 from G & J Chorley & Son; £99.50 and £96.50 from G Vining; £98.50 and £97 from FG, NK & AJ Gammon Ltd; £98.50 from S & A Bevan and F Kent & Son and £97.50 from KC & JM Cooke. Overall average £83.25.

32 Cull ewes and rams. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report sold to £72 from A Lyons.