Stags auctioneers at Tavistock Livestock Centre report a decent entry of cattle, sheep and fodder at the March Fair sale.

A total of 228 cattle and 359 sheep met a near complete 100 per cent clearance with all stock generally meeting a strong trade.

The day started with the sale of cattle which topped at £1170 for two 23mo British Blue x steers from Messrs D & K J Bragg, Tavistock; who also had another similar pen to £1090.

Heifers sold to £1080 for a 26mo Limousin x from Mr A J Eggins, Roborough who also had other pens to £1035.

Next best was £1060 for a 24mo South Devon from Messrs N A & M F Holt-Martyn, Tavistock.

Notable trade was for a super run from Mr E Distin, Botus Fleming who had four 21mo Limousin x steers to £1120.

He also had 30mo South Devon steers to £1045 and £1030 and three 19mo Limousin x heifers to £915.

Other prices included £1070 for a 17mo Aberdeen Angus x steer from Mr J W Hillson, Bere Alston; £925 for three 18mo Limousin x steers from Mr H T Davis, Chagford; £915 for three 24mo South Devon steers from Messrs W P Dawe & Son, Lamerton; £960 for 25mo Limousin x heifer from J H Vanstone, Tavistock; £900 for a 23mo Aberdeen Angus heifer from Messrs C Pearse, Chagford; and £875 for 17mo Aberdeen Angus steers from Messrs W K J & M R Harding, Throwleigh.

Probably the dearest cattle were the younger cattle with prices that included £670 for a pen of four 10mo Devon steers from Messrs D & A Hutchins, Tavistock.

The sale started with the grazing cattle which topped at £1060 for a South Devon cow from Messrs N A & M F Holt-Martyn, Tavistock.

Cows and calves sold to £1000 for a Hereford cow with her 3mo Charolais x heifer calf at foot for Mrs J Luxton, Plymouth; and In Calf cows sold to £860 twice for two South Devon cows, due April from Messrs G & J Goddard, Yelverton.

A smaller entry of 359 sheep which included the full range of couples, store lambs and grazing ewes all sold to a solid trade although more selective than previously seen, largely due to the persistent wet weather and relatively late time in the year for buying store hoggs.

Couples topped at £75 a life for single Suffolks and £47 a life for Scotch doubles, with harder bred types the hardest to place.

Store hoggs topped at £117 for heavy hoggs from Mr JSM Mudge & Son of Lewdown, Okehampton.

Mr S Reddicliffe of Tavistock also enjoyed a buoyant trade selling Charolais x lambs for £107.50 and £96. Messrs B J & L Landick of Yelverton sold Suffolks to £95 with other pens to £70 and £66.

Mrs J Littlejohns of Tavistock topped at £83 for Texels and Mr N W Kilfedder of Tavistock sold final draw Suffolks to £76.

An improved entry in both quantity and quality saw ewes top at £103 for Suffolks from Mr J S M Mudge & Son of Lewdown who also sold further pens to £100, £96 and £75.

Other Suffolks for Mr R Cole of Yelverton topped at £94 with Mr R H Murrin of Yelverton also selling Suffolks to £93 and topping the rams sold with Charollais to £95 and £82.

Wethers from Mr N W Kilfedder of Tavistock looked well sold at £86.50.

Only 30 per cent of the sheep were pre-entered and Stags asks that vendors please notify them of entries well in advance of sales.