Stags, auctioneers at Tavistock Livestock Centre report an excellent entry of 346 cattle and 188 sheep at their July Fair Sale met a cracking trade from start to finish.

The sale included the annual special sale of Galloway and Moorland cattle which also included a number of quality entries.

Topping the days prices at £1,620 was a seven year old Pedigree Limousin Bull from Mr JH Vanstone of Tavistock.

Younger breeding bulls sold to £1,060 for a 12 month old Charolais for Mr SJ Hatherleigh of Tamerton Foliot. A lovely run of cows and calves sold to £1,570 for a seven year old Pedigree South Devon with her two month old South Devon heifer calf at foot from Collacombe Farm Ltd of Lamerton.

Other similar outfits sold to £1,510, £1,480 and £1,420. There was some excellent runs of quality store cattle on offer and the trade was very strong for all ages and breeds. Topping the store cattle was £1,205 for an 18mo Limousin cross steer from Mr AJ Eggins of Roborough who also sold 15mo Limousin cross steers to £1,105 and £1,050.

Next best at £1,160 was a 26mo South Devon steer from Messrs G Abel & Son of Peter Tavy; who also sold 24mo Fleckvieh steers to £1065 and four 17mo Limousin cross steers to £1,005. Heifers were in very strong demand selling to £1,100 for a pair of 26mo Limousin crosses from Mr JH Vanstone of Tavistock who also had other heifer pens at £1,005, £995 and £975. The same vendor sold four 17mo Limousin cross steers at £1,135. Other noticeable prices included £1,115 for four 18mo Limousin cross steers from Messrs WH & M Tucker & Son of Brentor who has other pens to £1080. £1060 for a 19mo Charolais cross steer from Messrs WA & EJ Uglow of Milton Abbot who has other steers to £1,050.

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£1,000 for 15mo Charolais cross steers from Messrs RA, LK & DR Cole of Lydford and £935 for four 19mo Stabiliser cross steers from Messrs AR & MC Radmore of Sheepstor. The Medland Family had a lovely run of cattle which topped at £1,030 for 22mo South Devon steers with his younger cattle selling to £920 for a pair of 14mo Charolais cross steers. Younger store cattle saw a strong trade with five 14-15mo Charolais cross steers to £940 for Messrs RE Doidge & son of Stoke Climsland; £980 for five 13-14mo South Devon steers for Mr RH Murrin of Bere Alston; £855 for 9mo Charolais cross steers from Mr P Skelley of Shaugh Prior who also has seven 9mo Charolais cross heifers to £750; £800 for a pair of 13-14mo Aberdeen Angus steers for Messrs WKJ & MR Harding of Throwleigh and £780 for 13mo South Devon steers from Messrs G & R Cundy of Lamerton.

The day started with the grazing cows which were in great demand topping at £1,080 for a Charolais (NFA) from Messrs WA & EJ Uglow of Milton Abbot who had other £1,025 and £1,000. The special sale of Galloway and Moorland cattle probably saw the trade of the day with a bunch of seven 18-20mo Blue Grey heifers from Messrs WH & A Willcocks of Ivybridge selling to £960. Other prices included £780 for three 22mo Shorthorn cross heifers from Messrs GTJ & AR Medland of Tavistock. £820 for an in-calf five year old Pedigree Riggit Galloway cow from Messrs Coaker & Geen of Postbridge and £960 for a 25mo Whitebred Shorthorn bull from Mr A Hargreaves of Bude.

A quiet day in the sheep pens with a very small entry of hillbred couples to start the day topped at £40 per life for Welsh cross BM outfits from the Cole Family of Tavistock. A pleasing entry of 132 store lambs topped at £80 for Texel crosses from Mr G Nankivell of Tavistock with other pens to £75 from Messrs WH & M Tucker & Son of Brentor. Zwartbles to £72 from Mr L Mills of Tavistock and the further pens from the Cole Family of continental cross lambs at £68.50, £64 and £63. A shorter entry of grazing ewes met a firmer trade with the top for a pair of Texels from our own Miss GA Rogers of Sydenham Damerel at £104 with a Zwartble ram from Mr L Mills again at £75. Suffolk crosses from Mr KJ Watson of Postbridge and Mr G Nankivell of Tavistock both at £64.