THE MARKET report from Sedgemoor Auction Centre for Monday, March 23, is as follows. The total stock was 2094 head.

A dramatic drop in the lamb and hogg trades.

(92) UTM & (8) OTM Prime Cattle. Auctioneer’s comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a slightly reduced entry of 100 prime cattle met a brighter trade.

Top was 200ppk for a very shapely Limousin heifer from CA Retallack, Dulverton, who sold further better type Limousin heifers at 199, 190.5, 189 and 180.5 and Blue heifers at 188.5 and 186.5ppk. Shapely red Limousin heifer at 197.5ppk from Habberfield Bros, North Newton. Good red Limousin heifer at 180.5ppk from L & A Maddock & Co, Wiveliscombe.

Steers rose to 196.5ppk for a very shapely black Limousin from CA Retallack again, who sold further Limousin steers at 189.5, 188, 182.5 and a Parthenaise at 185.5ppk. Well fleshed Hereford steer at 187.5ppk from IF Ford & Partners, Elberton. Further smarter Limousin steers at 183.5ppk from Habberfield Bros and 181.5ppk (2x) from RW Darby, Bridgwater. Further Hereford steer at 181.5ppk from D Barnes, Yarcombe.

Steers sold to a tremendous £1,355.20 for a 880kg Limousin from R & G Speed, Axminster. 802 and 794kg Charolais at £1,315.28 and £1,290.25 from RE Webber, Stringston. Limousin steers at £1,262.48, £1,188.83 and £1,185.20 from RW Darby, who also sold a Hereford at £1,204.05.

Heifers sold to £1,178.21 for a Charolais (687kg) from BA Richards, Williton, who sold another at £1,146.47. Charolais heifers from RE Webber at £1,138.94, £1,134.00 and £1,098.90.

51 Barren Cows and Cull Stock Bulls. Auctioneer’s comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a slightly reduced entry of 50 barren cows met a similar level. A general reduced level of quality on offer so trade was certainly no worse.

Top was 127.5ppk for a shapely Limousin cow from GW & RI Parsons, Chilton Polden. Bodied Charolais at 116.5ppk from EF Case & Son, Withycombe. Angus at 109.5ppk from CJ & J Lang, Moorland.

Sucklers sold to £938.99 for the 806kg Charolais from EF Case & Son.

Dairy breeds peaked at 118.5ppk for a good meat Swedish Red (683kg) from PJLS Farms Ltd, Ashcott, who also sold a fleshed Holstein at 114.5ppk. Good Friesians at 115.5 and 109.5ppk from DR Clapp, Pitminster. Further better meat Holsteins at 113.5ppk, MJ & JR Dyer & Son, Whitestaunton and 110.5ppk from MM & EH Lucas, Puckington.

Dairy breeds sold to £939.78 for a grand 908kg Holstein from MM & EH Lucas, who sold others at £907.30 and £906.10.

1013kg Charolais bull at 99ppk and £1,007.94 from MJ & DA Johnson Ltd, Membury.

1871 Finished Lambs and Hoggs. Auctioneer’s comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report an announcement early on Monday morning that export borders to France were closing had a dramatic effect on the trade today as many buyers’ orders were cancelled. This caused the largest drop in a week ever seen at Sedgemoor. The best sold to 183ppk from P Coles. Others 182ppk from R Kearn; 180pk from JR & LM Hutchings and SG Stacey and 179ppk from ER Gillbard.

Heavier hoggs sold to £90 (2x) from AE Vile & Son. Others £87.50 from ER Gillbard and £85 from J Sprake & Partners (2x) JG & WE Down & Son, DS Rousell, BB Akerman, MB & CJN Ayre and DH & RJ Wall. Overall average £75.96.

The entry of 265 new season lambs saw an even more dramatic drop with the best to 202ppk from DA Kidner & Son and 200ppk from AW Kingston & Son and CJ Fowler.

Top prices per head more £89 from P Brooks. Others £88 from AW Kingston & Son and £85 from Thornhill Farm (Dorset) Ltd, DA Kidner & Son and HJ & HB Case Ltd. Overall average £74.40

72 Cull Ewes and Rams. Auctioneer’s comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a large entry of 172 cull ewes and rams sold to a firm trade to a top of £115 for ewes from LA McAllister and £105 for rams from TJ Mitchell to average £77.23.

READ MORE: Sedgemoor Livestock Market report, Saturday March 21