Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday March 21

Tremendous trades across all sections. Dairy to £2200, Store Cattle to £1285, Store Lambs to £129.50, Cull Ewes to £231 – a new record.

83 Dairy Cattle. Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a super trade for the best and good for the rest as buyers stock up in these uncertain times. Cows were in demand today when a classy second calver from R & M Lougher & Son of Bridgend sold to £2200. Others from the same Vendor sold at £1900. Other cows to £2100 and £1500 from RJ Barns, Norwich, Norfolk. Pedigree Ayrshire heifer £1380 from AD Bolderston, Norfolk. £1800 and £1520 from J Trott; £1680 from Deptford Farms.

Best heifers to £2140 and £1900 from JG Morgan, Tewkesbury. Others £1980 from DJ Cheacker; £1900 and £1880 from W Green & Sons, Warminster; £1900 from Snook Ltd; £1820 from P Snell; £1820 from Deptford Farm; £1820 from AP Ractliffe; £1820 and £1800 from Venn Farm Partnership; £1800 from AKJ Reed & Son. Crossbred heifers £1720 from Venn Farm Partnership.

Incalf heifers to £1050 CB Powell & Son and calves to £200 (2x) from RL & ME Trott.

1088 Store Cattle and Grazing Cows. Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a massive Spring entry of 1088 store cattle, part of a phenomenal 1525 with the stirks met a tremendous trade. Best cattle and Angus and Herefords continue to be very well sold. Generally a very good show of cattle on offer, when a higher proportion of better cattle were on offer.

Top was £1295 for a forward Limousin steer (21m) from LE Sweetland & Son, Musbury, who sold a further good Limousin at £1125. Top drawer Limousin steers at £1270 (4x 20/23m & FA) and £1220 (23m & FA) from WJ Bown, Catcott. Well fleshed Limousins £1270 (22m) £1240 (18m) and £1190 (25m) LR House, Dunwear. Well grown Limousins £1230 (21m & FA) and £1120 (24m & FA) IG & GS Roberts, Norton Fitzwarren; £1205 (22m & FA) £1185 (4x 24/26m & FA) £1175 (5x 21m & FA) £1170 (3x 22m & FA) £1160 (5x 23m & FA) £1155 (5x 17/19m & FA) £1150 (3x 18/19m & FA) and £1110 (22m & FA) all from ET Summerfield, Oxford and £1100 (17m) MG Trevelyan, Wrangway. Blue steers rose to £1250 for a forward type (24m & FA) from A Bray, Wrantage, who sold others at £1150 (2x 22m & FA). Good Blues at; £1120 (5x 21/25m & FA) IG & GS Roberts again. Fit Blue steer £1110 (18m & FA) SER Hunt, Kilve. Outlying Blues £1100 (22/27m & FA) CJ & PH George, Truro. Some smart Charolais steers forward at £1225 (20m) and £1190 (4x 21/22m) SC Norman Salway Ash; £1205 (6x 16/21m) and £1175 (2x 21m) LE Sweetland & Son again; £1165 (21m & FA) LF & JM Heywood, Loxbeare and £1165 again (only 15m & FA) HR & BM White, Watchet. Pure Simmentals rose to £1175 (4x 19/22m & FA) ME Sampson & Son, Upottery. Others to £1095 (2x 22m & FA) A Bray again. Blonde steers to £1155 (19m & FA) ET Summerfield & Son again.

Native steers sold to £1250 for an outstanding Angus (25m, FA & sire) from DH Creed Ltd, Martock. Further well grown Angus £1140 (22/23m, FA & sires) MJ & RD Russell, Chew Magna; £1130 (5x 22/23m, FA & sire) A Bray again; £1125 (21/23m & sire) RJ & EJ Collier, Kingsdon; £1120 (20m & FA) G Bown & Son Ltd, Wells; £1105 (5x 22m, FA & sires) and £1090 (5x 22m, FA & sires) GW Herrod, Axminster; £1100 (9x 24/25m, FA & sires) CJ Board & Partners, Lottisham; £1090 (3x 23/25m, FA & sires) and £1050 (3x 28m, FA & sires) LF & JM Heywood again; £1090 (4x 24m & sires) MS Ward & Son, Weymouth; £1080 (4x 25/26m & sires) WR & NA Rich, Northleigh and £1070 (6x 18m & sires) RH Beaty, Walton. Stabiliser steer at £1190 (24m & FA) from LF & JM Heywood again. Herefords peaked at £1130 (21m & FA) GJ & SM Down, High Bickington. Others £1095 (7x 22/23m, FA & sire) A Bray again; £1065 (22m, FA & sire) MJ & RD Russell again; £1055 (4x 23m/24m & sires) and £1050 (4x 23/24m & sires) MS Ward & Son again. Good Shorthorn steers at £1075 (4x 20m) and £1065 (27m) R & M Vickery, Thorncombe.

Dairy breeds peaked at £990 for Montbeliardes (4x 25m & FA) from LF & JM Heywood again, who also sold Fleckvieh at £980 (2x 24m & FA). Good Friesians at £940 (22m & FA) AW Selley & Son, South Molton; £910 (3 x 18/20m) RH Beaty, Walton.

Holsteins at £905 (22m & FA) IG & GS Roberts & Sons again; £900 (10 x 18/22m & FA) G Bown & Son Ltd again; £870 (2x 24m & FA) IF Ford & Partners, Olveston and £830 (4x 21/23m & FA) MH Doble, Beaminster. Further Fleckvieh at £885 (18/19m & FA) AE Selley & Son again.

Heifers topped at a tremendous £1280 for a fleshed Limousin (24m) from LR House, Dunwear, who sold further best type Limousin heifers at £1240 (18m) £1240 again (21m) £1170 (24m) and a Charolais at £1085 (22m). Further top drawer Limousin at £1265 (24m & FA) who sold others at £1155 (20m & FA) and £1040 (23m & FA). Further good Limousin £1100 (23m & FA) J Ridd, Alverdiscott; £1050 (21/23m & FA) AW Selley & Son again; £970 (22m & FA) J Popham, North Newton and £970 again (23m & FA) PJ Betty, Othery. Blue heifers rose to £1125 for a shapely type (18m & FA) from AW Selley & Son again. J Ridd also scored with a Blue at £1100 (24m & FA). Further better Blues £1095 (3x 23m & FA) IG & GS Roberts again, £1075 (23/24m & FA) RD & SA Patch again; £1060 (19m & FA) £1010 (19m & FA) and £995 (14m & FA) SER Hunt again; £990 (4x 20/21m & FA) and £955 (3x 20/21m & FA) GJ & SM Down, High Bickington; £985 (7x 21/22m & FA) CJ & PH George again; £975 (4x 18/22m & FA) G Bown & Son Ltd again and £965 (25m & FA) AJ Bown, Binegar. Pure Simmental heifer at £1120 (22m & FA) RJ Edmunds, Buckland Newton. Further strong Simmentals £1095 (25/26m & FA) and £975 (22m & FA) GJ & SM Down again. Some smart Charolais on offer at £1090 (4x 22/23m & FA) £1055 (4x 22/23m & FA) £1000 (4x 21/23m & FA) and £995 (3x 23m & FA) all from J Ridd again; £1015 (28/29 & FA) Hutton & Sons, Bristol; £995 (4x 20/22m) and £935 (3x 21m) SC Norman again; £980 (10x 18/24m & FA) PJ Betty again and £970 (9x 19/26m & FA) Ham Farm Partners, Creech St Michael. Smart Blonde at £1050 (20m & FA) DG Knight, Colerne.

Native heifers peaked at £980 for Angus (7x 17/21m, FA & sires) from G Bown again. Further Angus £950 (27m) R & M Vickery, Thorncombe; £945 (19/20m & FA) MKJ Reed & Son, Blackborough; £940 (28m) DC & LM Smith, Portishead and £900 (2x 28m & sire) S Boyles, Rose Ash. Herefords at £935 (2x 24/28m) DC & LM Smith again. Others to £905 (only 9m) DR & SG Crank, Rose Ash.

Holstein heifer at £905 (32m & FA) from MJ Frampton & Son, Broadwindsor. Brown Swiss at £900 (30m & FA) Foremore Ltd.

11 Grazing Cows (Pre-movement tested). Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a small entry of grazing cows topped at £660 for a Holstein Friesian (2016) cow from AE Chudley & Son.

437 Busk Calves and Stirks. Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a good entry of stirks, when there was not the general quality forward of last week sold to a fast trade.

Top price of £955 (14m) for a British Blue steer from HR & BM White & Sons, who sold another to £845 (14m). Further British Blues to £765 (2x & 14m) R & S Vant; £720 (10m) PM Willis and £685 (10m) B Jeffery. Charolais to £895 (3x & 13m) from HR & BM White & Sons, who sold others to £895 (3x & 12m). Further Charolais to £795 (12m) Hutchings & Son; £780 (3x & 11m) from AS Cowling and £750 (8m) B Calder. Limousins to £855 (10m) E & IW Studley, who sold others to £850 (2x 10m) £730 (2x 10m) and £705 (3x 7m). Further Limousins to £850 (10m) B Williams; £818 (5x 8m) £705 (7m) WJ & RA Alford; £830 (4x 11m) £800 (9m) £790 (10m) £755 (10m) B Jeffrey; £800 (12m) J Popham and £750 (12m) WG Vant & Sons. Herefords to £830 (13m) FP Hill & Son, who sold others to £680 (2x). Further Herefords to £705 (2x 14m) SJ Williams; £695 (2x 7m) £650 (7m) B Calder; £685 (3x 7m) M Davey & Son and £680 SMA Elsworth. Saler to £790 (4x 10m) KC & JC Heard, who sold others to £780 (2x 9m). Simmentals to £738 (13m) £725 (14m) £725 (3x 13m) Griffin & Son; £730 (10m) R Hares and £720 (9m) BK Hockey. Devons to £660 (2x) HR & BM White & Sons.

Heifers to £925 (14m) for a British Blue from R & S Vant, who sold others to £805 (11m) £700 (12m) and £665 (10m). Further British Blues to £700 (9m) WG Vant & Sons, £620 (11m) SJ Williams and £595 (12m) G Reason. Limousins to £800 (13m) HR & BM White & Sons, who sold others to £670 (13m). Further Limousins to £755 (11m) £750 (3x 12m) £740 (2x 12m) WG Vant & Sons; £725 (3 x 11m) £680 (4x 12m) RJ Gooding; £705 (3x 8m) WJ & RA Alford; £670 (4x 11m) B Jeffery and £600 (10m) SJ Williams. Blonde to £720 (2x 11m) RJ Gooding and £660 (11m) DG Knight. Charolais to £695 (4x 12m) £650 (5x 12m) HR & BM White & Sons; £675 (4x 10m) AS Cowling. Herefords to £630 (13m) R Hares and £510 BK Hockey. Angus to £610 (17m) G Reason. Simmentals to £570 (4x 13m) and £570 (4x 12m) Griffin & Sons.

Beef Breeds (300) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a good entry of over 300 beef calves met a good trade throughout, not so many smaller calves forward as previous weeks. Top of the day was £390 for 16 week old Blues from M & JE Simpson, same vendor to £355 (3x). Younger Blues to £290 (2x) from JWO Marsh & Partners; £285 from TW & JC Cross. Limousins to £320 (16 weeks) from JW Wyatt. Younger Limousins to £248 from KF & LW Mitcham. Charolais to £310 from SM & DM Turner, same vendor £290 and £282 from CE Veysey to £280. Simmentals to £252 from PT Bale & Sons.

Continental heifers to £330 (2x) and £310 (5x) for Blues (16 weeks) from M & JE Simpson, other Vendors £310 from JW Wyatt. Younger Blues to £238 from J & EM Phillips & Sons; £230 from JWO Marsh & Partners and £228 from PD & JL Biss. Charolais to £295 and £270 (3x) from for SM & DM Turner Ltd. Reared Limousin to £250 from RA Plowright; £245 from Hale Bros. Younger Limousins to £200 from J & EM Phillips & Sons. Simmentals to £195 from JH & DJ Hurford.

Native bulls to £360 for a reared Hereford from JH & DJ Hurford. Younger Hereford to £250 and £240 from Arrijan Farming Ltd. Others £232 from PJLS Farms Ltd. Angus to £315 (2x) from JW Wyatt; £250 and £240 from RW Sheldon & Sons.

Native heifers to £220 (3x) from RA Plowright. Others £200 (2x) Hale Bros and £180 from J & EM Phillips. Herefords to £170 from Lilylane Farms Ltd; £165 from DJ Mogford, £150 RM & CG Drew & Son.

Friesians (59) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a shorter entry of 59 dairy sired calves met a much brighter trade especially as a couple more buyers were present. Top of £130 from MW Nash Farming Ltd. Others £115 from GJ & JM Boyer; £92 from RL & ME Trott. Best rearing types £80 plus, mediums and smaller calves more buoyant than previous weeks. Fleckvieh to £175 from LJ & SF Gould. Ayrshires to £48 from Riddle Farm Partnership.

4986 Sheep. Auctioneer’s Comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:-

Store Lambs (1945)

A slightly smaller entry of 1945 store lambs sold to an equally strong trade for all forward. Top price of £129.50 went to EG & CS Rowe & Son. Others to £120.50 from L Williams; £120 from Snook Ltd, H Attwell and H Edmunds; £117 from T Hyslop; £115.50 from Church Farm Publow; £114 from JM Harper; £113 (2x) from N Sargent; £112.50 from Church Farm Publow and WW Reynolds; £112 from RJ & LA Mitchell & Voke; £110 from V & J Clark Farming and TH & JP Case; £109.50 and £109 from J Hannam; £109.50 from E Wittridge and £109 from EB & JA Webber and J Northmore. Overall average £85.38.

Cull Ewes & Rams (1928)

An even larger entry of 1928 cull ewes and rams sold to an absolute flyer of a trade, probably the dearest seen at Sedgemoor! Best continental ewes sold to a record price of £231 for a Texel from Oxbridge Farm, when others from the same Vendor sold to £192. Other best ewes to £182 from RJ & MA Curtis; £180 from CL Popham; £171 from KA Hill, JA Naish and Chapel Farm Partnership; £170 from JB Pearce & Sons; £165 from RM & FR Thorne; £164 from RJ & LA Mitchell & Voke. Cull rams sold to £195 from PW & L Clist, when others sold to £177 from S & J Yendole & Butler; £170 (2x) from RJ & LA Mitchell & Voke; £169 from Hanchard Farming and £165 from D Gould. A record overall average at £105.87.

Breeding Ewes & Rams (149)

A large entry of 149 breeding ewes sold to £118 from J Cowling, who sold a run of North Country Mule inlamb hoggs at the same monies.

Couples (294 Ewes & 441 Lambs)

Another larger entry of couples, when 294 ewes with 441 lambs at foot were penned. Best of the doubles to £198 (£66/life) from Chapel Farm Partnership. Others to £190 (£63.33/life) from RF Williams; £185 (£61.67/life) from AF Willmington; £180 (£60/life) from G Whitcombe and N & K Forrester. Singles to £158 (£79/life) from Chapel Farm Partnership. Other best types to £157 (£78.50/life) from AF Willmington; £150 (£75/life) from S Darlow; £142 (£71/life) from C & S Sully Farming. Triplets to £200 (£50/life) from Chapel Farm Partnership. Overall average £55.87/life.

Goats (169)

A huge entry of 169 goats sold to £152 from Bagborough Farms, when others sold to £116, £100, £88 and £85 from PA & PJ Ormerod and £102 from Varney Enterprises. Overall average £94.25.

Orphan Lambs (61)

Trade picked up this week when a marginally smaller entry of mainly younger types peaked at £52 for a strong lamb from SJ Tapp of West Buckland. Overall average of £20, best seen for a while.

READ MORE: South Molton market report Thursday March 19