The market report from Sedgemoor Auction Centre for Saturday, 10 August is as follows. The total stock was 4855 head.

A soaring dairy trade to £2120. The highest store cattle average since May and an improved store lamb trade.

63 Dairy cattle. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a reasonable entry of 63 dairy cattle met another strong trade as demand soars when many more could have been sold. Top of £2120 for a commercial heifer sold by RJ Goss & Son, bred by KAM Farming. A further 8 exceeded the £2000 barrier at £2050 from M & K Churchill; £2020 from ET Summerfield and RJ Goss & Son. Others at £2000 from R Popham, FG Summerhayes and Deptford Farms and J Snook x2.

Cows again saw fierce demand when the 39kgs 2nd calver from AR Edwards & Son sold to £1820. £1800 from RL & ME Trott. There is no doubt that fresh milk is wanted and auction is the best way to realise full value.

Calves to £240 from RL & ME Trott.

947 Store cattle, sucklers and stirks.

553 Store cattle and grazing cows. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report an excellent August entry of 553 stores, over double last year’s equivalent week and part of a tremendous 947 with the stirks, sucklers and grazing cows met a very bright trade. The highest average was achieved since May. Throughput around the Country is currently tight for stores and it may well be best to sell early this Autumn. An ongoing difficult slaughter trade due to continuing bad press and a Brexit day of October 31st may well bring further uncertainty. A bird in the hand on the current trade might be worth two in the bush.

Top was £1180 for a grand Blue steer (24m & FA) from KD & KA Morgan, Wiveliscombe, who sold others at £1150 (3x 22m & FA) £1045 (22m & FA) £1040 (3x 21/22m & FA) and £1035 (21m & FA). Further feeding Blues at £1080 (2x 21/22m & FA) PD & SA Godfrey, Lopen; £1040 (21/22m & FA) AW Selley & Son, Ashmill and £1005 (27m & FA) AW Fisher & Son, Oakford. Limousin steers rose to £1165 (28m & FA) from Cornwall. Further Limousin steers £1080 (2x 21m & FA) AW Selley & Son, Ash Mill; £1060 (2x 23m) RB Robson, Altarnum; £1055 (16m & FA) from Holsworthy and £1030 (5x 20/22m & FA) from RJ, GM & AJ Tucker, High Bickington. Charolais rose to £1120 (3x 26/28m) G Webster, Umberleigh. Others £1110 (18m & FA) Cornwall; £1080 (23m & FA) CM Parker & IF Burnett, Templeton; £1005 (32m) BM Churches, Cheddar and £1000 (2x 26m & FA) RD Middleton & Son, Chumleigh. Simmental steers to £1030 (26m & FA) A Baker, Meare. Blondes to £1000 (21/22m) RH & FJ Ellicott, Raddington.

Native steers in great demand to £1100 for Angus (27m & FA) from Messrs Urch, Draycott. Further Angus £1095 (11x 21/25m, FA & sire) from BJ Wallbridge & Son, Toller Porcorum, who sold others at £1060 (4x 20/26m, FA & sire) £1040 (5x 21/24m, FA & sire) and £1015 (2x 20/22m, FA & sire). More Angus at £1095 (21m, FA & sire) CM Parker & IF Burnett again; £1090 (18/20m, FA & sire) SJ Williams, North Newton; £1070 (20m) Cornwall; £1070 (4x 21m & sire) KJ & AM Knapp, Almonsdbury; £1065 (22/24m & sire) and £1050 (3x 24m & sire) M Burnett, Exford and £1060 (4x 22/23m & sire) and £1005 (3x 22/25m & sire) BJ Wensley, North Newton. Hereford steers sold to £1095 (26m & FA) JM & JM Baker, Meare. Others £1030 (19/20m, FA & sire) RE & AM Pearse, Sidbury; £1010 (25m, FA & sire) BJ Wallbridge & Son again; £995 (22m, FA & sire) RB Robson again and £990 (24m & sire) Cox Partners, Pitney. Shorthorn £1040 (16/17m & sire) MH & BM Janes, Raglan, who also sold a South Devon at £1025 (16m). Further Shorthorn at £1020 (27m & FA) CM Parker & IF Burnett.

Dairy bred stores sold to £985 for a red Fleckvieh (18m & FA) from P & D Symes, Misterton. Others £950 (19/26m & FA) from TE & SJ Popham, Cannington. Friesians at £935 (3x 33m & FA) from BA & L Male, Fivehead. Holsteins £780 (36m) J & VS Huxtable, North Molton.

Heifers very keen to £1060 for Angus (25/26m, FA & sire) from BJ Wallbridge & Son again, who sold others £980 (7x 22/25m, FA & sire) £970 (5x 27/29m, FA & sire) and £965 (6x 22/25m, FA & sire). Further Angus £955 (21m, FA & sire) TE & SJ Popham again. Devon heifers to £955 (33m & FA) BL & MJE Bartlett, Over Stowey. Shorthorn £900 (16m & sire) MH & BM Jones, Raglan again. Herefords to £890 (28m) G Webster again.

Continental heifers to £1040 for smart red Blondes (2x 26m & FA) from NM & CL Norris, Kilton. Charolais to £1035 (2x 23m & FA) from TE & SJ Popham again. Others £990 (30m & FA) NM & CL Norris again; £910 (3x 19/26m & FA) RE & AM Pearse again and £905 (27/28m) G Webster. Blue heifers to £940 (2x 22m & FA) and £900 (21m & FA) KD & MA Morgan again.

Further Blues £910 (25m) S Tinkling, Cleeve. Limousin heifers peaked at £930 (22/25m & FA) from AW Fisher & Son again. Others £925 (25m) G Webster and £920 (25/26m) J Keedwell, Chew Stoke. Simmentals to £925 (23m & FA) TE & SJ Popham again. Holstein heifer at £915 (33m & FA) SJ Cheacker, Pilning.

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

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report another impressive entry for the monthly suckler sale included a reduction sale for ‘Moynton’ Charolais on behalf of P Old and herd’s manager M Yandel of Dorchester, Dorset, which produced the day’s top price of 2800gns for the 2017 born bull Moynton Nougat by Mame Gucci, when other Moynton bulls sold at £2250, £2080 and £2000. Their cows and calves sold to £1920 for the 2014 Jasmine with her April born bull calf at foot. Others with calves sold to £1900 and £1800 when cows and heifer calves sold at £1700. A well bred incalf Charolais heifer Marne Nutmeg from R Tremayne of Helston sold for £2100.

23 of the 24 bulls forward sold to a continued improved trade with Limousins at £2650 from CJ Dare & Son. Others £2150 from N Skelton; £2000 S Legg & Son, who also sold Charolais to £2200 and £2000. British Blue bulls to £1600 from JA Quick and 18 month old Simmental at £1520 from Halomark Ltd.

The stronger cow and calf trade of last month continued with a grand consignment of Limousins from the Skelton family of Lynton, which sold to £2700 for a 4 year old Killerton sired cow with January born bull calf at foot. The 6 year old cow Irene with her May born heifer calf at foot sold for £2250, when others sold at £1850 and £1800 for the same Vendor. £1750 from CJ Dare. Incalf British Blue cross heifers sold to £1160 x3 for Manor Farm, Langport.

From the native breeds Hereford cross cows and steer calves sold to £1260 and £1220 for P Skelly of Plymouth and Aberdeen Angus cross cow and steer calf at £1220 for Bohetherick Farm, Saltash, Cornwall.

9 Grazing cows (pre-movement tested). Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a useful entry of grazing cows sold to £920 for an Angus (FA) from BL & MJE Bartlett, Overy Stowey. Others to £845 (x2) for Limousins from P Skelley, Shaugh Prior.

222 Busk calves and stirks. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a slightly larger entry on the week was met by a firm trade for all on offer. Few top quality stirks forward when the best sold to £735 from N Herrod for a 17m Limousin steer. Few other strong Limousin on show £665 (12m) from EA & DA Ellis and £605 (13m) also from N Herrod. Charolais to £705 for a smart 9m old from JLG Dorse. Others to £700 x4 (13m) from DP Perrin; £680 (15m) from EA & DA Ellis and £665 x4 (8m) from JD Burrough. British Blues to £680 x2 (14m) from RH Gibson & Son; £660 x2 (10m) from JD Burrough and £655 (15m) from RH Gibson. Herefords also from JD Burrough to £650 x2 and £640 x2 (8m). Simmentals to £625 x3 (10m) from BK Hockey. Others to £595 (14m) from J Beach.

Heifers generally lacking quality but sold to £635 x4 (15m) from N Herrod, when others sold to £615 x4 and £535 from AR Fewings. Simmentals £560 x2 (15m) from J Beach. Others to £510 x3 (14m) and £480 from BK Hockey. Blues from JD Burrough to £555 (16m) and £550 and £545 a young Blue (9m) from S & F Walker to £455 x2. Angus from RG Rowe to £530 (12m). Others to £500 (13m) from C & SG Dibble. Herefords to £485 (8m) from J Beach and Charolais to £445 x2 (13m) from the same Vendor.

Very few Friesians forward when the best sold to £340.

456 Non-export calves.

Beef Breeds (348) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report with the uncertainty of Brexit and the falling beef price the calves have now found a new level across the country. The trade is selective but this week’s entry lacked depth of quality and good calves still met good demand. Top of the day was £448 x2 for reared Blues from NF George, same Vendor £445 and £438. Younger Blues to £340 from JWO Marsh & Partners; £330 from GJ & ED Porter and £325 from TJ & BE Cowley & Son. Reared Limousins to £395 and £380 from NF George. Younger Limousins to £240 from M & S Powell and £235 from T David. Charolais to £380 x2 from EA & DA Ellis and £300 from SM & DM Turner. Simmentals to £330 x2 from RA Plowright. Best continental bulls £280 plus, mediums £200-£250 and plainer types very selective.

Continental heifers to £400 for a suckler bred Charolais from EA & DA Ellis. Other Charolais to £200 from SM & DM Turner. Reared Blues to £385 and £358 x3 from NF George. Younger Blues to £245 from RJ & JM Dobson and £225 from CJ Clarke & Son. Reared Limousins to £310 from JRB Toogood. Younger Limousins to £290 x2 from EA & DA Ellis and £215 from RF & BA Larcombe. Reared Simmentals to £222 for Fullerbrook Farm Partnership, younger to £170 from AA & JM Churchill & Son. Best continental heifers £210 plus, mediums £150-£180 and plainer heifers very selective.

Natives to £385 x5 for a reared Angus from NF George. Younger Angus to £245 from P Frost and £228 from CJ, GR & MS Spiller. Herefords to £360 and £355 x4 from NF George. Younger Herefords to £180 and £178 from CE Veysey.

Native heifers to £160 x2 for a Hereford from O Guest. Others £135 from W & EA Tratt. Angus to £155 and £150 from CG, GR & MS Spiller and £145 from RJ & MA Curtis.

Friesians (108) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a good entry of over 100 dairy sired bull calves met a similar trade. Top of £150 x2 from CJ Clarke & Son. Others £142 and £122 x3 from M Churches and £130 from MJ & RD Russell. Best rearing types £100 plus, mediums £40-70 and plainer types around £20. Norwegian Red to £150 from Fullerbrook Farm Partnership. Montbeliarde to £60 from Fullerbrook Farm Partnership. Dairy Shorthorn to £58 from Williams PFA.

3389 Sheep. Auctioneers comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:-

Store Lambs (1216)

A smaller entry of 1216 store lambs resulted in an improved trade to a top of £89 from C Peach. Others to £80 from K Gribble; £79.50 from CJ Clatworthy; £76.50 from J & J Down; £75 from C Peach and DT Phillips; £73 from S & J Yendole & Butler; £72.50 from T & I Collard and £69.50 from A Tannir. Overall average £56.74.

Cull Ewes & Rams (1188)

A reduced entry of 1188 cull ewes and rams sold to a similar trade to last week, although a larger proportion of leaner types pegged the average. Best continental ewes to £125.50 from K Roberts, when others sold to £97 from the same Vendor. Other ewes to £87 from M Heard; £86 from SER Hunt; £82.50 from P Langdown; £82 from JB & B Hobbs and £81.50 from T Heal and AR Henson x2. Cull rams sold to £110 from Thornhill Farm (Dorset), when others sold to £109 from AR Henson; £96 from JC Salmon and £95 from D Kittow and AR Henson. Medium ewes £45-£65, plainer types £25-£45 and boners generally £15 plus. Overall average £54.

Breeding Ewes (768)

A good sized catalogued entry of breeding ewes sold to a solid trade, when only a handful didn’t find new holdings. Top call was £133 for Suffolk Mule shearlings from Foxhollow Farm Ltd, who sold others at £131 x3. Other Suffolk Mules to £128 from P & S Watts and £125 from LEB Webber. Texel Mules to £128 from J Simons. Others of the same breed to £124 from MA Johnson Ltd. Dorset Mule shearlings to £110. Overall average £102.84, to include a large proportion of older ewes.

Stock Rams (17)

A good selection of rams forward sold to a difficult trade. Top price went to H Carnell of Barrow Gurney who sold a cracking pure bred Texel 2T to £200. A Beltex FM forward from J Buckle achieved £130. Same again next week.

Goats (94)

A very large entry of 94 goats sold to £117 for large billies from Childhay Farming, when others sold to £88 from the same Vendor. Overall average £55.54.