Sedgemoor Livestock Market report for Friday May 29 and Saturday May 30

58 Dairy Cattle. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a reduced entry of fresh milk heifers, which continue to be in short supply returned prices over £2000 for the very best. FG Summerhayes & Sons home bred pedigree heifer sold to a joint top of £2040, together with a fresh commercial heifer from A Ractliffe. Others to £2020 and £1960 from RJ Goss & Son; £1950 from Snook Ltd and £1920 from Arrijan Farming. No less than 22 heifers sold for £1700 to £2040, showing the quality on offer. Only 10 cows forward sold to £1880 for a 2nd calver from R & M Lougher & Son of Bridgend. Dispersal sale British Friesian cows from PJ Lowman sold to £1540. Only one incalf heifer forward due end June sold for £1460 from GJ & FL Robertson.

Read more: Sedgemoor Livestock Market report for Friday May 22 and Saturday May 23

1016 Store Cattle and Grazing Cows. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a phenomenal entry of 1016 store cattle, 20 per cent up on the year and part of 1384 with the stirks, met another very strong trade, £54/head up on last year’s equivalent week. Fleshed cattle generally dearer again. All other classes as dear.

Top was £1375 for three grand, fleshed Charolais steers (3x 23m & FA) from JM Crang, Cadeleigh. Further well grown feeding Charolais at £1275 (20m) LE Sweetland & Son, Musbury; £1195 (2x 23m & FA) KLH Sweet, East Huntspill; £1140 (20m, FA & dairy bred) RA Reed, Seaton; £1100 (4x 20/21m, FA & dairy bred) JPT Reed & Son, Southleigh; £1095 (3x 18/23m & FA) RJ Maltby, Long Bredy and £1055 (2x 21m & FA) IR Worth, Shirwell. Blue steers peaked at £1285 for an extremely shapely yet lean type from MKJ Reed & Son, Blackborough. Forward Blue at £1225 (24m & FA) AC House & Son, Thornfalcon; £1155 (19m & FA) RAG Davey, Butterleigh; £1145 (9x 23/24m & FA) GI Douglas, Clevedon and £1140 (5x 19/21m) LE Sweetland & Son again. Fit at £1140 (only 14m! FA & dairy bred) SER Hunt, Kilve. Feeders £1105 (5x 20/25m, FA & dairy bred) MJ & RE Searle, Waggs Plot; £1105 again (8x 19/23m, FA & dairy bred) Quick & Sons, West Monkton; £1095 (2x 20/21m, FA & dairy bred) JPT Reed & Son again; £1090 (4x 21/23m & FA) IR Worth again; £1085 (4x 18/19m & FA) DJ & RJ Newton, East Knowstone; £1080 (7x 21/24m & dairy bred) RB Robson, Altarnun; £1080 (only 15m & FA) GJ & HR Browse, Butterleigh and £1060 (2x 15/19m, FA & dairy bred) AG Ludwell & Son, Bradworthy. Limousin steers rose to £1235 for four well grown suckler types (18/19m) LE Sweetland & Son again, who sold another at £1185 (19m). Three more best types (19/21m & FA) from R Jones & Son, Dulverton at £1190. Leaner suckler bred Limousins at £1165 (23m) and £1085 (2x 21/23m) from AW Hiles & Son, Congresbury. More Limousins £1155 (19m & FA) DJ & RJ Newton again; £1150 and £1015 (both only 15m! & FA) C Moon, Blackborough; £1130 (26m & FA) EA & DA Ellis, St Ives; £1090 (3x 24m & FA) PA Cleave, Bude and £1075 (25m & FA) D Marshall, Badgworth. Suckler bred Simmentals to £1160 (2x 21/23m) £1080 (23 & 24m) and £1065 (3x 22/23m) P & A White, Roadwater. Forward dairy bred Simmentals at £1125 (2x 18m & FA). Blonde steers at £1125 (2x 23m & FA) IR Worth again. Others to £1080 (25m & FA) GJ & HR Browse again.

Native steers continue in very rich demand. An exceptionally well covered Hereford hit £1200 (23m) from PD Gooding, Pawlett. Further well fleshed Hereford at £1190 (19m, FA & sire) GW Herrod, Axminster; £1105 (20m, FA & sire) RA Reed again; £1090 (2x 25m, sires & FA) and £1035 (21/23m, FA & sire) MJ & RE Searle again; £1065 (25m, FA & sire) LJ Hall, Burrowbridge. Angus peaked at £1170 for two strong types (26/27m) from SR Davies, Banwell. Others £1165 (7x 25m & sires) Manor Farms; £1150 (3x 19/20m, FA, dairy bred & sires) and £1110 (20/21m, FA, dairy bred & sires) from RA Reed again; £1135 (26m, FA & sire) PJ Huxtable, Bratton Fleming; £1100 (25/26m) T & B Down, Hewood; £1060 (2x 25m, FA, sire & dairy bred) GW Herrod again and £1030 (3x 21m & sires) APD Gray, Ilton.

Dairy bred steers really wanted to £1050 for Fleckvieh (3x 18/20m & FA) from AW Selley & Son, Ash Mill, who sold another at £1010 (20m & FA). Further good Fleckvieh £990 (16m & FA) Dillington Farms, Whitelackington and £975 (23m & FA) GJ & HR Browse again. Fleshed Friesians at £1030 (6x 21/23m & FA) and £965 (21/27m & FA) A Male & Sons, Kingsbury Episcopi. Fleshed Holsteins £975 (19m) HJ Bult & Son, Holford. Framed Holsteins £920 (6x 23/28m & FA) DA Smoldon, Umberleigh; £905 (25m, FA & Friesian) BAC & HM Trim, Combe Raleigh; £890 (6x 19/23m & FA) and £850 (6x 19/27m & FA) G Pople & Sons Ltd, Sharpham and £875 (6x 16/21m & FA) K Milverton & Son, North Petherton.

Heifers sold to a huge £1270 for a massive Hereford (20m, FA & sire) from GW Herrod again. Further Hereford heifers at £1035 (23m, FA & sire) RH & AM Turner, Stockland; £1010 (4x 20/24m, FA & sire) £950 (3x 19/20m, FA & sire) A Small & Son again; £975 (26m) JM Mullis, Minehead; £960 (6x 22m, FA & sire) D Hodges, Templecombe and £900 (20/21m) RH Mabbett & Sons, Winscombe. Angus heifers to £1170 (21m, FA & sire) from A Small & Son again, who sold others at £1025 (4x 20/24m, FA & sire). Others £1070 (24/26m, FA & sire) RJ Maltby again; £1040 (2x 20m, FA & sire) and £940 (6x 18/21m, FA & sire) RA Reed again; £1030 (22/24m, FA & sires) RH & AM Turner again; £1025 (24/26m, FA & sire) PJ Huxtable again and £985 (17/20m, FA & sire) Arscott Partners, Upottery.

Continental heifers rose to £1135 for a fit Blue (20m & FA) from GW Herrod again. Further fit Blues £1105 (15m & FA) £1070 (18m & FA) and £1015 (18m & FA) all from SER Hunt again. Others £1090 (20m & FA) RA Reed again; £1065 (20m & FA) TH & CL Johnson, Membury; £1060 (26m & FA) Holwell Farm Ltd, Colipriest; £1030 (21/24m & FA) AC House & Son again; £1000 (2x only 17m & FA) AG Ludwell & Son again and £990 (10!x 18/23m & FA) Quick & Sons again. Smart Limousin heifers at £1135 (3x 23/25m & FA) PA Strawbridge, Offwell, who sold another at £1095 (20m & FA). Simmentals peaked at £1070 (23m) P & A White again, who sold others at £960 (5x 21/24m). Saler heifer at £1070 (19m & FA) PK & RJ Heard, Cheriton Fitzpaine. Fleckvieh heifers at £1060 (25/27m & FA) DA Smoldon again. Charolais sold to £1035 (25/27m & FA) from KLH Sweet again. Others £1015 (7x 19/23m, FA & dairy bred) and £980 (24/26m & FA) RJ Maltby again.

Norwegian heifers at £955 (2x 29m & FA) from DA Smoldon again, who also sold Fleckviehs at £950 (3x 22/25m & FA). Holstein heifer at £950 (37m & FA) from RG Greenway & Son again.

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

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report grazing cows in demand sold to £1000 for a Hereford cross (2016) cow from HR & BM White & Sons. Others £970, £880 (2x) and £865.

368 Busk Calves and Stirks. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a reasonable entry of stirks saw a continuation of the fast trade for the best stirks. Second quality and stirks small for their age met a selective trade due to the prolonged dry spell limiting grass growth.

Top price shot to £1010 for a top drawer Charolais steer (11m) from PR Rawle, who sold other good steers to £945 (9m). Further Charolais to £910 (13m) EC Farms; £850 (5x 13m) £735 (4x 13m) MJ & C Arthur; £675 JC Salmon and £620 (2x 9m) RE Fewings & Son. Limousins shot to £915 (3x 14m) KC & SM Wilkinson, who sold others to £745 (2x 14m) and a younger type to £650 (9m). Good Limousins from L Habberfield & Sons shot to £885 (5x & only 7m) and £742 (only 6m). Further good Limousins to £845 (5x 11m) Lane Bros; £835 (9m) GRA Miller; £810 (3x 10m) £755 (2x 10m) £752 (2x 11m) C Jones; £805 (13m) £750 (10m) RAD Legg; £700 (12m) £640 (6x 9m) RJ & SR Bunn; £690 (10m) SMA Elsworth; £690 (2x 11m) and £640 (11m) PR Nicholls. Simmentals to £770 (4x 11m) A Warren, who sold another to £640. Angus to £915 (15m) KR & SM Wilkinson, when others sold to £640 (3x 12m); £585 (2x) EC Farms; £600 (5x 11m) G Clark and £585 (12m) Taylors Farm. Dairy bred British Blues to £655 (5x 7m) £655 (5x 7m) and £590 (5x 7m) MJ & C Plowright & Son. Herefords to £645 (3x 14m) AW & RJ Butter, who sold others to £635 (2x 10m). Further Herefords to £585 (6x 12m) MT & K Jackson.

Heifers sold to a top price of £842 (2x 12m) for Charolais from PR Rawle, who topped both the heifers and steers – well done.

Further Charolais to £745 (4x 14m) TJ Jakins, who sold others to £600 (2x 13m) £675 (14m) MJ & C Arthur; £600 (2x) and £550 (6x 11m) RE Fewings & Son. A larger number of Limousins forward sold to £805 (13m) KC & SM Wilkinson, who sold others to £660 (2x 13m). Further Limousins to £680 (2x 8m) £675 (2x 6m) £560 (4x 7m) L Habberfield & Sons; £670 (10m) £600 (7m) £590 (10m) GRA Miller; £630 (13m) TJ Jakins; £620 (3x 10m) £590 (3x 10m) C Jones; £595 (7m) HR & BM White & Sons; £585 (3x 13m) £555 (2x) £550 (3x 12m) AW Hiles & Sons; £585 (2x 11m) Lane Bros; £580 (5x 8m) RJ & SR Bunn; £580 (2x 7m) L Habberfield & Sons. British Blues to £590 (8x 16m) GM Veysey, when others sold to £555 (2x 11m) SJ Perry. Angus to £550 (10m) TJ Jakins and £535 (14m) KC & SM Wilkinson.

Beef Breeds (272) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a smaller entry on offer but with plenty of reared and forward calves available. Top call of the day went to a strong 2 month Blue bull from R & J Webber at £460, when a reared (4m) consignment from D & I Dyer sold to £412, £390 and £382. Another reared Blue consignment for East Avercombe Farm to £398 and £395. Young Blue bulls £342 (2x) GF & DV Bussell. Charolais bulls to £392 and £315 from PD & JL Biss. £390 and £300 from SM & DM Turner; £280 from RG & IR Tapp. Young Limousin bulls to £352 J Stott; £342 from HT & ME Quick and £288 from RL & ME Trott. Simmental bulls to £330 from DE Down & Sons, who sold others to £270 and £242. Saler bulls £332 from EA & DA Ellis.

Best native bulls to £312 for Angus from Plot Farm Partners. Others £288 from J Morris & Partners; £280 from Plot Farm Partners again. Hereford bulls to £298 W & EA Tratt; £292 from JF Legg & Son and £268 from RL & ME Trott.

Continental heifers to £350 for a smart fresh Charolais from SM & DM Turner, who sold another to £302; £242 from RD Knight & Son and £235 from RG & IR Tapp. Young Blue heifer to £345 from LJ & WI Scott and £288 from Coombes Manor Farm. Older Blue heifers £340 East Avercombe; £335 R & J Webber and £330 from D & I Dyer. Limousin heifers to £255 from HT & ME Quick; £252 from JR Chapple & Son and £225 from Fooks Bros. Simmental heifers to £230 (2x) from DE Down & Son and £202 from DG Ham.

Native heifers to £220 for a shapely Hereford from Arrijan Farming. Others £168 and £160 from RA Plowright and £155 from E Tibbs. Angus heifers to £190 from K Dunster; £185 from GF & DV Bussell and £170 from Fooks Bros.

Friesians (28) – not able to be exported from market. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a small dairy sired entry sold to another good trade when a reared entry from RH Grover & Sons sold to £350, £320, £270 and £240. Younger black and whites to £215 from RG & IR Tapp and £102 and £95 from RL & ME Trott. Best rearers £80 plus, mediums £50-£70 and plainer types £30 plus.

1576 Sheep. Auctioneer's comments:

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:-

Store Lambs (341)

A smaller entry of 341 store lambs sold to a stronger trade for the new season stores and stronger hoggs, although the smaller, leaner and 2T scaled hoggs were more difficult at this late stage of the season. Best lambs sold to £108 from PG & JE Baker. Others to £100 and £97 from L Sewell; £100 from DW Hewlett; £95 from A Jenkins; £94.50 from Williams PFA and AL Quartly; £94 from L Sewell, B Bull & Son, SF & KL Evans and WT Blake; £93.50 from SF & KL Evans; £93 from NJ Cutler and £90 from RT Yeates. Overall average £76.54.

Cull Ewes and Rams (773)

A reduced entry of 773 cull ewes and rams sold to a similarly selective trade, when leaner ewes were easier to place than the overfat types. Best continental ewes topped at £104 from J Harding. Other best ewes to £96 from N Painter; £96, £92, £89.50 (2x) £87 and £86 from DW & AE Enticott; £95 from WGF Chave & Son and N Hoskin; £92 from JR Stanbury; £90 from N Painter and PG & JF Baker and £88 (2x) from J & M Richards & Son. Cull rams sold to £139 from N Hoskin, when others sold to £86 from Brownes Farm Ltd. Medium ewes £50-£70, leaner types £30-£50 and boners generally £20 plus. Overall average £65.39.

Goats (58)

A similar entry of 58 goats sold to £103.50 for strong nannies from DW Ford & Son, who also sold others to £88 and £70. Other goats to £88 from T Paul. Overall average £78.49.

Couples (114 Ewes & 144 Lambs)

A much reduced entry of couples, when 114 ewes with 144 lambs at foot were penned. Despite the lack of rain and grass growth trade remains very strong, being even dearer than previous weeks.

An excellent bunch of doubles from JH & HJ Diment met keen demand sold at £250 (£83.33/life). Other best doubles to £182 (£60.67/life) from E Davis; £172 (£57.33/life) from TR Clements & Son and £162 (£54/life) from LAJ England. Singles sold to £172 (£86/life) from JH & HJ Diment. Others to £170 (£85/life) from GA & JA Fry, who sold others at £162 (£81/life). £158 (£79/life) was achieved by CL Popham and NF Clothier & Sons. Overall average £66.49/life.

Breeding Ewes (146)

A modest entry of 146 breeding ewes for the first catalogued sale of the season sold to a good level of interest. Top call went to J Simons for his Poll Dorset crosses which sold to £144. Suffolk Mules to £122 from LEB Webber, when the same price was achieved by R Hann & W Hooper for their Welsh Mules. Texel cross shearlings to £119 from MJ Ashman. Poll Dorset flock age ewes to £118 from A Taylor. Overall average £106.74.