Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday February 1

A thriving February market day, store cattle and store lambs particularly well sold.

76 Dairy Cattle. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a much smaller entry failed to satisfy the excellent demand for all types of stock. The fresh milk was very dear and sold to £1980 and £1800 from RC Taylor. Others £1900 from Snook Ltd; £1880 from DA & AP Gillbard; £1800 from R Puddy & Son; £1800 from EC & LK Parker and £1800 from CRJ & SA Bishop. £1710 for a Danish cross heifer from Snook Ltd.

Fewer cows forward sold to £1400 from Deptford Farms.

A consignment of 25 incalf heifers, 8 months incalf , topped at £1550 and also £1520, £1480 (3x) and £1450 from R & J Ledger from Kent, to average £1265.

Heifer calves to £160 (2x) from AE Allen & Sons.

READ MORE: Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday January 25

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

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a tremendous entry of 753 strong stores, part of 1133 with the stirks met a flying trade. Best cattle really wanted and looked very well sold.

Top was £1330 for a very well grown Charolais steer (21m, FA) from JC & PA Chapple, Musbury, who sold a similar Blue at £1250 (19m, FA) a further Charoais at £1235 (21m, FA) and a Limousin at £1185 (21m, FA). Further best Limousin steers at £1260 (20m, FA) from SJ Williams, North Newton, who sold a very smart Blonde at £1195 (24m, FA). An outstanding run of Limousin steers from MJ & C Plowright & Son, Stogursey, topped at £1240 (30m, FA) when another achieved £1220 (18m, FA) and probably the best pen of cattle ever sold through the market at £1180 (15x 17/21m, FA!) £1145 (18m, FA) and £1040 (10x only 9/18m, FA). Forward black Limousin steers at £1210 (2x 21/22m, FA) AW Selley & Son, Ash Mills. Exceptional conformation Limousin steer at £1130 (18m, FA) from DD & ME Purchase, Kentisbury. Well grown Limousins at £1115 (21m) JG Warfield, Yeovil; £1095 (17m, FA) J & B Hull, Tiverton; £1065 (2x 26m, FA) Stowell Bros, Churchstanton; £1060 (3x 16/17m, FA) P Moon & Sons, Blackborough and £1045 (4x only 13/18m, FA) Hanchard Farming Partnership. Further better forward Blue steers at £1195 (27m, FA) DA Kidner & Son, East Huntspill, who sold another quality steer at £1120; £1190 (21/22m, FA) and £1060 (2x 23m, FA) CWM & GN Bolt, Huntsham; £1115 (23m, FA) LM & V Haskell, East Stoke; £1100 (only 17m, FA) DD & ME Purchase again; £1085 (3x 25/26m, FA) H & M Thorne & Son, Umberleigh; £1080 (2 x 24m, FA) G Tucker & Son, Upottery; £1075 (25m, FA) Stowell Bros again; £1050 (30m, FA) and £1005 (22/26m, FA) DA, CMJ & LA Tottle, Marston Magna; £1035 (3x 19/22m, FA) AK & CM Quick, Buckland St Mary; £1010 (2x 17m, FA) AG Ludwell & Son, Bradworthy and £1000 (8x 20/23m, FA) S & KA Hamlin, Templeton. Further better Charolais £1165 (21m) JG Warfield again; £1095 (4x 15/20m, FA) J & B Hull again; £1090 (4x 20m) Manor Farms, Langport. £1070 (20m, FA) JC & FF Dovey, Dorchester; £1010 (2x 20m, FA) and £1000 (2 x21/24m, FA) DA & CMJ & LA Tottle again. Blonde steers at £1130 (19m, FA) £1095 (20m, FA) and £1075 (19/22m, FA) DD & ME Purchase and £1095 (only 15m, FA) J & B Hull again. Simmental steers to £1040 (27m, FA) DA, CMJ & LA Tottle again, who sold others to £1000 (20m, FA).

Native steers still in a very rich vein to £1155 for an Angus (27m, FA) AC House & Son, Thornfalcon. Further Angus £1095 (3x 22/24m, sire) A Burland, Spaxton; £1065 (3x 17/18m, sire) CJ Mear & Son, Chard; £1060 (23m, FA) CWM & GN Bolt again and £1020 (5x 19/21m, FA) DP Leaney, Corfe. Herefords to £1145 for two suckler bred types (20m, FA, Sire) from K & M McEwen Smith, Bristol. Others £1025 (22/23m, sire) A Burland again; £1025 again (4x only 14m, sire) and £1000 (3x only 13/14m, sire) Hanchard Farming Partnership again.

Dairy bred steers wanted to £945 for a Friesian (23m) JG Warfied again. Danish Red at £890 (27m, FA) and £840 (26m, FA) JC & FF Dovey again. Fleckvieh (19m, FA) Ireosa Ltd, Winterbourne Abbas, who also sold a Friesian at £810 (only 15m, FA). Holsteins £805 (8x 39/51m, FA) MF & MV Attwell, Somerton; £775 (2x 28m) AG Chaplin & Sons, Langford; £725 (3 x21m, FA) Latham Partners, Ilfracombe and £720 (8x 12/21m, FA) MJ Frampton & Son, Broadwindsor.

Heifers in tremendous demand to £1190 for an exceptional Limousin (18m, FA) from MJ & C Plowright again, who sold a further Limousin at £1030 (18m, FA). Forward Limousin at £1155 (24m, FA) DA Kidner & Son again. Quality feeding Limousin heifers at £1130 and £1100 (both 22m, FA) from S & P Boyer, North Newton; £1110 and £1000 (both 14m, FA) from R Takle, Exton; £1020 (19m, FA) K & M McEwen Smith again; £990 (3x 30/31m, FA) JM & JM Baker, Meare and £960 (19/20m, FA) AG Ludwell & Son, Broadworthy.

Charolais heifers to £1080 (18m, FA) JR, RA & RD Stanbury, East Knowstone, who also sold a Limousin at £950 (21m, FA) further Charolais to £1040 (4x 16/17m, FA) J & B Hull again; £1025 (6x 18/21m, FA) and £950 (5x 19/21m, FA) JC & FF Dovey again. Blue heifers to £1100 for a fit type (29m, FA) from AJ Paulley, Broadoak. Further Blues at £990 (21m, FA) LM & V Haskell again; £985 (24/25m) EW Ganfield, East Huntspill and £920 (4x 17/22m, FA) AG Ludwell & Son again. Blondes to £995 (16m, FA) J & B Hull again.

Native heifers sold to an exceptional £1100 (29m, FA, Sire) for a fit Hereford from NJ Paulley & Son, Broadoak. Further well grown Hereford at £995 (29m, FA, Sire) from AJ Paulley, Broadoak. Suckler bred Hereford at £1000 (3x 18/19m, FA, sire) for suckler bred types from K & M McEwen Smith again. Angus to £1005 (20m, FA, sire) DP Leaney again. Others to £985 (4x 22/23m, FA, sire) AE Vile & Son and £940 (26m, sire) MG Trevelyan, Wrangway.

16 Grazing Cows (pre-movement tested). Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report medium entry of grazing cows sold to £910 for a 2010 born Hereford cow from P Skelley.

384 Busk Calves and Stirks. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a larger entry when there were a high proportion of smaller, younger stirks forward saw a continuation of the good trade for the best.

Top price of £925 (9m) for an outstanding British Blue heifer from AH & LR Read, who sold others to £775 (8m) and £645 (8m). Further British Blue heifers to £620 (14m) WR Strawbridge & Son and £590 (13m) PT & LA Herrod. Limousin heifers to £750 (9m) RJ & SR Bunn, who sold others to £710 (10m) £675 (2x 10m) £660 (2x 10m) and £625 (3x 9m). Further Limousins to £690 (2x 9m) £665 (3x 8m) PF Popham; £675 (10m) J & S Creed & Doyle; £675 (3x 9m) £670 (2x 9m) A & P Bradford; £670 (2x 10m) £575 (2x 10m) DR Biss; £650 (3x 11m) S & D Wilson and £585 (9m) AL Popham. Blonde heifers to £700 (9m) and £605 (2x 7m) S Gooding. Charolais heifers to £690 (3x 10m) P Marke when others sold to £645 (17m) £580 (12m) CJ & J Long; £645 (10m) £610 (10m) R Barrow; £620 (3x 11m) S Ryan; £605 (2x 9m) J Hallett; £595 (9m) D Sheldon and £580 (7m) RJ Langford. Angus heifers to ££560 x2 (12m) £540 x2 (12m) WR Strawbridge & Son; £550 x4 (10m) £505 x2 (10m) A Robertson and £525 x3 (12m) TJ & MJ Lloyd & Partners.

Steers sold to a top of £870 (10m) for a Limousin from J & S Creed & Doyle, who sold further good steers to £865 (9m) £850 (10m) £840 (10m) and £795 (10m). Further Limousins to £852 x3 (8m) £850 (8m) £830 x2 (8m) £768 x2 (9m) £735 x3 (7m) for a good run from PF Popham; £810 x2 (10m) A & P Bradford; £785 x4 (9m) £775 x4 (9m) £755 x2 (10m) RJ & SR Bunn; £785 x2 (8m) £765 (7m) AL Popham and £780 (10m) £760 x4 (10m) DR Biss. Angus to £868 J Hallett when others sold to £735 x3 (13m) WR Strawbridge & Son and £695 (11m) S Ryan. Charolais to £830 x2 (10m) P Marke who sold others to £800 x5 (11m) S Ryan and £765 x2 (10m) R Barrow. Simmentals to £825 (12m) P Coombes. British Blues to £792 PH & GO Green; £780 (9m) AH & LR Read; £755 R & J White & Son; £705 (9m) £698 (9m) AJ Bennet & Son. Pure Salers to £765 x4 (9m) and £680 x4 (8m) M Light. Blonde to £700 (6m) S Gooding.

Beef breeds (284) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report an improved trade throughout when especially top Blue bulls saw great demand. Top of the day was £350 for a month old Charolais from regular consigner SM & DM Turner Ltd, same vendor £322 (2x). Blues to £340 for a superb young calf from RW Sheldon & Sons, an excellent consignment from CJ & JA Reed rewarded with £338, £330 and £298. Others to £320 from FE Hill & Son and £302 from JA Baker. Simmentals to £340 from DJ Palmer and £295 from HH Cross. Limousins to £312 from RJ Edwards and £240 from KF & LW Mitcham.

Continental heifers to £308 for a Charolais from E Davis. Others £200 from SM & DM Turner Ltd and £180 from JA & K Ladd. Blues to £292 (3x) and £250 (3x) from NF George. Younger Blues to £238 from CJ & JA Reed and £220 from TR & LC Ford. Limousins to £288 (3x) from NF George and £178 from M & S Powell. Only one Simmental to £160 from RD Knight & Son.

Native bulls to £332 (4x) and £330 (3x) for reared Angus from NF George. Younger Angus to £245 from RJ & MA Curtis. Herefords to £300 (4x) from NF George. Younger Herefords to £155 from JR Bucknell.

Native heifers to £322 for a 16 week old Angus from AJ & ES Maltby. £140 (3x) for Twose Farms Ltd and £140 from W & P Craig & Sons. Herefords to £275 from Woodbridge Farm and £240 (2x) from NF George. Younger to £172 from JR Bucknell and £162 from DN Woollacott.

Friesians (25) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report smaller entry met an equally good trade to £118 from Habberfield Farming Ltd. Others £92 from DJ Palmer and £90 from MJ & JN Dowding. Best rearing types £80 plus, mediums £40-£75 and plainer types still up over £25. Fleckvieh to £320 from RA Plowright. Others £240 from AJ & ES Maltby and £240 from PD & JL Biss. Norwegian (reared) £245 from RA Plowright. Guernsey £65 from Hill & Partners. Montbeliarde £58 from R & J Cottey.

3608 Sheep. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:-

Store Lambs (2086)

A reduced entry of 2086 store lambs sold to an even stronger trade, especially for the best lambs, in line with the finished trade that improved through the week. Top price of £125 went to MD & KE Lanfear for a smart pen of ram lambs. Others to £109.50 from WG & SP Knapman; £105.50 and £104 from C Peach; £104.50 from T Didcock; £103.50 from LJ Lock; £103 from RM Sparkes & Sons and JB & B Hobbs; £102 from MJ Patch; £99.50 and £99 from N Vernoum; £99 from JB & B Hobbs: £98.50 from DGV & RG Crossman and £97.50 from C Harding. Overall average £77.49.

Cull Ewes and Rams (1220)

A slightly larger entry of 1220 cull ewes and rams sold to an equally strong trade for all forward. Best continental ewes topped at £131 from SHA Coombes, who sold others to £120 (2x) and £111. Other best ewes to £118 from H Merriman; £116 from TE Harris; £115 from M & M Alford, P Coombs Ltd and EF Cowling; £115, £114.50 and £107.50 from Thornhill Farm (Dorset) Ltd; £113 from AP Carter, MD & KE Lanfear and TL Attwell (2x) and £112 from CA Churchill. Cull rams sold to £131 from Devon Farming Ltd, when others sold to £127 (2x) from EF Cowling; £124 from PW & MF Baker & Son; £121 from PA Willis and £119 from T Heal. Medium ewes £50-£75, plain £25-£50 and boners generally £20 plus. Overall average £75.59.

Couples (73 Ewes & 107 Lambs)

A few less couples forward, being 73 ewes with 107 lambs at foot sold to a much brighter trade. Plenty of doubles over £200. Best sold to £232 (£77.33/life) from T Salvidge. Others to £225 (£75/life) from K Long; £222 (£74/life) and £220 (£73.33/life) from SJ Cheacker; £220 (£73.33/life) from D Tucker. Best of the singles to £152 (£76/life) from K Long. Others to £142 (£71/life) from L Habberfield & Son and £140 (£70/life) from T Salvidge. Overall average considerably improved at £67.84/life.

Goats (61)

A similar entry of 61 goats sold to £99 from RG & AJ Habberfield, who sold others to £97.50, £88, £76 and £75. A billy from M Brown sold to £98. Overall average £79.35.

Orphan Lambs (56)

Numbers still climbing, saw a continuation of the strong trade. Particularly for the best lambs when all averaged £19. Top of £33 seen twice and £31 three times.

171 Pigs. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a very good show of pigs this week when a full complement of buyers registered a very good trade.

Weaners (37)

Smaller entry, similar trade. The best this week sold to £30 for 10 w/o from A Hares and £26 from R & G Matravers.

Cull Sows and Boars (15)

Super trade to average £165.14. Top of the day for Cornwall sows from WA Williams to £238 and £234. Others from P Clark to £230.

Forward Stores (112)

Lovely entry – good trade with a full compliment of buyers present. The best sold to £133, £131 and £129 for a good run from N Tope & Sons. Others £126 from T Stone and £124 from J & Hopkins.