An excellent entry of 412 cattle and 965 sheep were forward for the November Fair sale at Tavistock Livestock Centre, Stags auctioneers report.

The day's business began with the cattle sale where the top price was £1340 for a 41/2 year old Hereford x Cow with her 6mo Angus x calf at foot from Mr S Jones of Yelverton , in the same section in calf cows sold to £840 twice for 2 6year old and 7 year old South Devon Cows (due Mid March to South Devon) from Messrs DP & JM Parsons of Launceston.

In the main section of Store Cattle a total of 385 were forward and met a decent trade from start to finish. The ring was busy throughout with plenty of potential purchasers looking to secure quality cattle prior to winter. Topping the store prices was £1055 for a 29mo Charolais x steer from Mr RA Cole of Bere Alston; who also had a 18mo Limousin x steer to £1040; 6 18mo Charolais x steers to £1025; and 2 23mo South Devon steers to £1000.

Other top steer prices included £990 for a 27mo Charolais x steer from Messrs Skelly of Wotter; £980 for a 16mo British Blue x steer from Mr S Jones of Yelverton; £950 for 4 18mo South Devon steers from Mr J Cossens of Peter Tavy; £940 for a 19mo Charolais x steer from Messrs SA & NS Mudge of Horndon, £900 for 3 17mo Welsh Black steers from Messrs DH & C Legassick of Sheepstor; and £900 for 18mo Aberdeen Angus steers from Messrs WKJ & MR Harding of Throwleigh.

Heifers were probably not so sought after as the steers but still made strong money. Topping the trade at £890 was a 15mo Charolais x heifer from Mr AP Legassick of Tavistock. Next best at £825 was a 19mo Charolais x heifer from Messrs BJ & L Landick of Sampford Spiney.

There were some good consignments of Galloway steers which topped at £895 for a pen of 3 23mo Galloway steers from Mr T Roskilly of Tavistock.

There were some excellent runs of cattle with other prices including £890 for a 18mo Limousin x steer from Mr HT Davis of Chagford; £790 for 8 10-14mo Charolais x steers from Mrs J Littlejohns of Peter Tavy whose similar aged heifers sold to £725; £720 for 4 17-19mo South Devon heifers from Messrs G & R Cundy of Lamerton; £705 for 4 17mo Saler x steers from Messrs Westcott Farms of Brentor; £850 for 10mo Charolais x steer from Messrs GTJ & AR Medland of Tavistock; £820 for 18mo Aberdeen Angus x steers from Messrs Abel Bros of Peter Tavy; £880 for 4 19mo Welsh Black Steers from Mr AP Legassick of Tavistock; and £720 for 13mo Limousin x steers from Mr DJ Skelly of Ivybridge.

There were a few grazing cows which topped at £610 for Messrs J & G Nankivell of Tavistock and Breeding Bulls sold to £900 for a South Devon from Messrs DP & JM Parsons of Launceston.

A fantastic entry of sheep for November Fair saw just shy of 1000 sheep penned with a lively trade seen throughout. The most challenging trade of the day was for Breeding Ewes with young Cheviot Ewes for Mr WJ Carter of Camelford topping at £60 looking reasonable value to those still seeking breeding stock at this late time in the season. Ewe lambs topped at £59 for Mr K J Watson for Suffolk x lambs with the same vendor also achieving £56.

A bumper entry of over 750 store lambs sold to a brisk trade helped by the recent uplift in prime prices and the notable attendance of several new buyers seeking to purchase both short and long keep lambs. Top price was seen for Messrs M & A Cole of Yelverton who’s fantastic run of over 150 lambs topped at £74 four times for Cheviot x lambs with further pens of Suffolk x lambs reaching £69 four times for the brothers. Mr G Nankivell of Tavistock also received a strong price for well grown Suffolk lambs with his small entry topping at £73. Other notable prices included Mr G Martin of Mary Tavy who sold Suffolk x lambs to £67, Mr J Best of Pensilva, Cornwall was rewarded for his trip seeing his smart shorn Texel x lambs top at £66 with others at £65. Messrs FG & DM Penwill of Tavistock also reached £65 for Suffolk’s while regular consignor Mr AP Legassick of Tavistock enjoyed a healthy trade with Mule weathers topping at £64.50.

Although continental bred lambs stole the headlines there was also increased demand for hill bred lambs with Miss K Hand of Shaugh Prior selling Greyface Dartmoor ram lambs to £61 and Mr I W Doidge of Whitchurch selling Exmoor Horns to £53.50. Scotch lambs also enjoyed good competition with regular vendors Mr T Roskilly and Mrs R Dance both topping at £47.50 for Scotch Wether lambs and Scotch Ram lambs respectively. A good entry of just over 100 Grazing Ewes topped at £76 for a good pen of Suffolks from Messrs JSM Mudge & Son of Lewdown who sold others to £67 matching Mr LC Branfield of Princetown’s price who sold a shapely Texel x ewe.

READ MORE: Tavistock livestock market report, Tuesday October 29