THE MARKET report from Sedgemoor Auction Centre for Saturday, January 18, is as follows. The total stock was 4663 head.

Another busy market when store cattle sold to £1340, cull ewes £170, store lambs £109 and dairy heifers £2000.

77 Dairy Cattle. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt reports of improved milk prices going forward fired up the trade for all types. A lack of real top quality reflected in the results, when not too many were over £1800. Those in the £1400-£1600 bracket looked dear against the best. Top price £2000 for PA Cleave, Bude. Other heifers £1940 Arijan Farming, Glos; £1750 S Harris, Dorset; £1720 DG Waterman Partners; £1710 R & M Lougher & Son, Glamorgan; £1700 RJ, HA & MR Popham also AP Ractliffe.

Cows to £1780 Deptford Farm. Crossbred cows to £1400 Snook Ltd.

A good run of 20 incalf heifers from MR & J Cheyney of Winchester sold to £1420, £1380 and £1360 (2x) to average £1245.

Yearling heifers to £600 (2x) and £595 (2x) B Stanley & Sons, Bridgend.

Calves to £215 (4x) ET & E Dare & Son.

READ MORE: Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday January 11

574 Store Cattle and Grazing Cows. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a medium entry of 574 stores, up on the equivalent week in 2019 and part of 889 with the stirks, met the continuing improved trade. Recent improvements in finish prices have given buyers heart and trade is approaching last year’s levels.

Top was £1340 for a forward Limousin steer (21m & FA) from JC & PA Chapple, Musbury, who sold further forward Limousin steers at £1265 (20m & FA) and £1250 (22m & FA) and a forward Charolais (20m & FA) at £1275. Well fleshed Limousin at £1325 (23m & FA) from IG & GS Roberts & Sons, Norton Fitzwarren. Better type feeding Limousin steers at £1240 (23m & FA) DA Kidner & Son, East Huntspill; £1200 (21/24m & FA) and £1110 (2x 20m & FA) GJ Cottrell, Sampford Peverell and £1130 (24m & FA) JR Bailey, Pilton. Further Charolais £1140 (2x 20m & F) AC House & Son, Taunton and £1085 for a superb pure bred (only 12m) from NA McInerney, Thorverton. Well grown Blonde steers at £1185 (23m & FA) £1100 (21m & FA) and £1075 (25m & FA) HE & AM Bale & Sons, Umberleigh. Fed Blue steer at £1180 (25m & FA) IG & GS Roberts & Sons again. Further good Blues at £1175 (21m & FA) CJ Mear & Son, Chard; £1160 (4x 24/27m & FA) Snook, Yeovil; £1155 (21m & FA) DA Kidner & Son again; £1135 (23/24m & FA) CWM & GN Bolt, Huntsham; £1080 (26/27m & FA) AC House & Son again and £1065 (6x 25/27m & FA) SJ & AM Reed, Uplowman.

Native steers in another rich vein to £1185 for Angus (2x 23m, FA & sire) from KF Board & Son, Hewish. Further better Angus £1180 (25m & FA) J & EM Phillips, Ilton; £1180 again (4x 26/27m, FA & sire) and £1070 (3x 26m, FA & sire) Snook Ltd; £1170 (2x 23m, FA & sire) CM Parker & IF Burnett, Templeton; £1165 (25m & FA) £1120 (24m & FA) and £1110 (28m & FA) HE & AM Bale & Sons; £1110 (27m) G Clark, North Molton; £1105 (26m & sire) and £1060 (25m & sire) A Burland, Spaxton; £1090 (4x 21/23m, FA & sire) TE & J Middleton & Son, Ashreigney; £1085 (2x 20m, FA & sire) DJ & SE Merrett, Potterne; £1010 (26m, FA & sire) IJ & SA Bell & Son, Cossington and £1005 (only 17m, FA & sire) CJ Mear & Son again. South Devon steers at £1105 (22m & FA) MH & BM Janes, Raglan and £1005 (4x 18/20m & FA) DP & MG White, Dalwood. Hereford steers sold to £1095 (25m & FA) RH & AM Turner, Stockland. Others £1090 (24m, FA & sire) and £1060 (26m & FA) IG & GS Roberts & Sons again; £1070 (4x 25/26m, FA & sire) Snook Ltd; £1065 (18m, FA & sire) PA, IA & GA Robertson again and £1030 (23m, FA & sire) DJ & SE Merrett, Devizes.

Dairy bred steers in great demand to £1245 for a tremendous Fleckvieh (23m & FA) DJ & SE Merrett, Devizes, who sold fit Holsteins at £990 (4x 23/28m & FA) £970 (25m & FA) £965 (23/25m & FA) and £905 (19/20m & FA). Further Fleckvieh £1130 (21m & FA) IG & GS Roberts & Sons again and £900 (25m) GJ Thomas, Cowbridge. Further fleshed Holsteins and Friesians £970 (3x 20/21m & FA) PA, IA & GA Robertson again; £955 (6x 26/27m & FA) F & EJ Strawbridge, Axminster.

Heifers flew to £1110 for a Limousin (25m & FA) from PA, IA & GA Robertson again, who sold well fed Blue heifers at £1045 (17/20m & FA) Limousins at £1045 again (4x 19/23m & FA) £990 (3x 15/20m & FA) and £900 (4x 17/18m & FA). Further fed Blue heifers at £1090 (25/26m & FA) IG & GS Roberts again; £1015 (4x 21/24m & FA) Arscott Partners, Upottery; £1000 (22m & FA) CJ Mear & Son again; £960 (3x 23/25m & FA) KF Board & Son, Hewish; £950 (4x 26/27m & FA) SJ & AM Reed, Uplowman and £920 (2x 24m) BJ & AM Jordan. Blonde heifers £1060 (23/27m & FA) and £1010 (3x 23/25m & FA) HE & AM Bale & Sons again. Charolais at £1020 (33m & FA) M Jones, Twitchen; £955 (5x 20/21m & FA) JR, RA & RD Stanbury, East Knowstone and £940 (only 13m) NA McInerney again. Simmental at £915 (2x 25m & FA) WJ Harraway, Thornbury.

Native heifers rose to £1090 for an Angus (27m) from G Clark again. Further Angus at £1005 (20m, FA & sire) CJ Mear & Son, Chard; £935 (24m, FA & sire) TE & J Middleton again; £925 (2x 23/25m & FA) J & EM Phillips again; £905 (24m) BJ & AM Jordan again and £900 (14m, FA & sire) MH & BM Janes again.

315 Busk Calves and Stirks. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a larger entry of stirks sold to an even stronger trade. Steer average up £40 on the week, when a great number of buyers were present keen to source all classes of stirks.

Top price of £860 for a bunch of 8 Simmental steers (9m) from BJ Stephens & Sons, who sold other good steers to £790 (2x 10m) and £782 (4x 10m). Further Simmentals to £830 (2x 10m) £750 (2x 10m) £745 (2x 9m) £700 (10m) and £642 (9m) FA Kingcott & Son. Charolais to £855 (10m) RM & FR Thorne, when others sold to £800 (11m) £660 (11m) R & N Gregory; £780 (3x 11m) £780 (2x 10m) £745 (3x 10m) LD & GA Norman; £780 (3x 9m) and £770 (4x 10m) RJ Winzer; £740 (4x 7m) and £740 (5x 7m) Westcott Farms and £730 (3x 11m) CJ Wyatt. Limousins to £850 (2x 9m) A & P Bradford, who sold another at £675 (9m). Further Limousins to £840 (3x 10m) FA Kingcott & Son; £810 (3x 10m) £760 (5x 8m) £715 (6x 9m) RM & FR Thorne; £765 (4x 9m) C Jones and £645 (4x 9m) from JP Green & Son. Blonde to £820 (11m) R & N Gregory. British Blues to £792 (8m) AH & LR Read, when others sold to £785 (11m) NR Hodges. Angus to £785 (15m) CJ Wyatt, when others sold to £735 (2x 12m) PC Pocock & Co; £698 (2x 12m) NR Hodges and £670 (9m) FA Kingcott & Son. Sussex to £750 (14m) PJ Masters Farms. Herefords to £685 (2x 9m) £675 (9m) and £655 (2x 9m) TE & SJ Popham, others to £650 (12m) DJ Peppard.

Heifers sold to a top price of £760 for a British Blue (8m) from AH & LR Read, who sold another to £550 (8m). Further British Blues to £595 (9m) A & P Bradford; £565 (2x 10m) JP Green & Son and £535 (12m) DH Turner. Limousins to £750 J Lawrey, when others sold to £680 (2x 9m) £565 (3x 10m) IJ Williams; £670 (10m) C Jones; £610 (3x 9m) A & P Bradford and £585 (2x 13m) JP Green & Son. Simmental to £715 (2x 10m) BJ Stephens & Sons; who sold others to £675 (4x 10m). Charolais to £685 (3x 10m) RJ Winzer, who sold others to £600 (3x 8m). Further Charolais to £675 (3x 10m) £535 (2x 9m) LD & GA Norman; £630 (14m) £575 (3x 9m) CJ Wyatt. £585 (2x 8m) and £560 (2x8m) Westcott Farms. Shorthorn to £650 J Lawrey, who also sold an Angus to £570 and £520 (5x 9m). Herefords to £495 (3x) SJ Warren.

355 Non - export calves. Auctioneer's comments:

Beef Breeds (283) – not able to be exported from market

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a good size entry of beef calves again varied in quality but saw a few more buyers around the ring. Top of £358 for a reared Blue from G Chugg, same Vendor £335 and £315. Younger Blues to £300 from JL Bartlett; £258 from Cornock Partnership; £280 from Short Bros & Son; £260 from MC Clothier. Charolais to £345 (4x) from GA Quick & Sons; £328 from SM & DM Turner Ltd. Limousins to £305, £300 and £240 from PT & LA Herrod and £205 from MA & NR Bowditch. Simmentals to £275 from RA Plowright and £215 from R Hares.

Continental heifers to £290 for a reared Blue from RA Plowright. Others £285 from RL & ME Trott. Younger to £252 and £248 (2x) from Short Bros & Son and £225 from JL Bartlett. Charolais to £280 (4x) from GA Quick & Sons and £280 from SM & DM Turner Ltd. Limousins to £220 and £200 from P & LA Herrod. Simmentals to £205 from R Hares.

Native bulls to £288 for an Angus from Cornock Partnership. Others £275 from RL & ME Trott; £260 from Loud Partners and £258 ANJ & SJ Gay. Hereford bulls to £220 from MC Powell and £215 from Dolau Ltd.

Native heifers to £250-£200 for Angus from RA Plowright. Younger to £150 from A & G Hardwick Ltd. Hereford heifers to £150 (2x) from RA Plowright and £132 from Ford Partners.

Friesians (72) – not able to be exported from market

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report 72 dairy sired bull calves met a very good trade, which sold to a top of £265 and £200 for reared calves from RA Plowright. Others £170 from A & G Hardwick Ltd and £158 (3x) from FH Chave & Son. Best rearing types £100 plus, mediums £50-£80 and plainer types £20-£40.

3140 Sheep. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:-

Store Lambs (1770)

A reduced entry of 1770 store lambs sold to an equally strong trade for all forward. The best lambs exceeded the £100 mark, to a top price of £109 from EW Ganfield. Others to £100.50 for RM Sparks & Son; £96.50 from Lord & Lady Aldenham; £95 from J Cowling, GB Foot and T Newth; £94.50 from NR Sturrock and RM Sparks & Son; £93.50 from AG Hicks & Sons; £93 from A Buxton and Williams PFA; £92 from Heywood & Sons and RD Cox; £90.50 from EM & AW Perry and £90 from D & PR Rawle and CDG Cooper. Overall average up to £77.37.

Cull Ewes and Rams (1069)

A smaller entry of 1069 cull ewes and rams saw no easing of the very strong demand of recent weeks and if anything the trade was slightly dearer. Best continentals topped at £170 for strong Texels from AR Quick, who sold other ewes to £149, £134 and £113.50. Other best ewes to £149 from Stanbury Farm Partnership; £140 from C Peach; £139 from CA Churchill; £137 from AL Brown; £126 from J & SM Rowland & Sons Ltd; £125 from H Ralph and Heywood & Sons and £123.50 from KA Hill. Cull rams sold to £153 from HM & KI Stowell & Son, when others sold to £129 from AR Quick; £120 from AJ Maddock and £111 from SJ Taylor. Medium ewes £55-£80, plain £25-£55 and boners generally £20 plus. Overall average rose to £79.68.

Breeding Ewes (96)

A large entry of 96 breeding ewes for a non sale week sold to a reasonable level of interest. Beltex cross Charollais 2T/4T ewes sold to £121 and £110 from K Richards. Others to £86 from MJ Buckle. Overall average £80.41.

Couples (59 Ewes & 87 Lambs)

More couples forward, being 59 ewes and 87 lambs, sold to a much stronger trade throughout. Quality far higher than the previous week, which showed in the prices achieved. Best of the doubles to £240 (£80/life) from K Long. Others to £238 (£79.33/life) from L Habberfield & Sons; £228 (£76/life) and £220 (£73.33/life) from SJ Cheacker and £206 (£68.67/life) from R & V Huxter. Singles to £170 (£85/life) from L Habberfield & Sons, who sold another pen at £148 (£74/life). Other strong singles to £160 (£80/life) from K Long. Overall average up by £14/life, due to quality and a sharp rise in trade. Overall average a very strong £68.88/life.

Goats (35)

A similar entry of 35 goats sold to £110 for a large billy from WS & HL Price. Others to £99.50, £87 and £73 (2x) from RG & AJ Habberfield. Overall average £86.07.

Orphan Lambs (22)

Numbers slowly increasing, sold to a flying trade with an average of £22. Top price of £36 twice and £30 was seen 5 times. More again next week.

202 Pigs. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a larger entry sold to another good trade.

Weaners (96)

Large entry when the best sold to a strong demand. Top call £48 from AP & PC Rose. Two pens of well shaped weaners from C & J Chilcott sold to £45 and £44 from A Taylor.

Cull Sows and Boars (18)

Larger entry and again another strong trade when to best sold to £200 for a well framed sow from PF Cole. Many others between £140-£175.

Breeders (2)

Light gilt to £70 from MT Churchill. Boars to £114 from B Stoddart.

Forward Stores (85)

Still a very good trade but a shade easier on our previous sale. Top prices £131 from RJ Phelps; £128 from NF Clothier and £120 from J & R Hopkins and RJ Stevens. Good lights to £92 from TWT Palmer.

Fodder. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a bumper entry of forage for the January collective sale sold to a generally improved trade with more competition throughout.

Prices of note:-

Hay (Ex Farm)

Round Bale £10-£15/Bale

Quad £18-£32/6 String Bale

Silage/Haylage (Ex Farm)

Round Bale £12-£15/Bale

Straw (Ex Farm)

Round Bale Barley £16/Bale

Straw (Delivered)

Wheat £70/Tonne

£20/4 String Bale

Barley £78-£85/Tonne

£16-£19/4 String Bale

Hay (Delivered) £30/Bale/6 String Bale