Quality cattle keep prices high
A tremendous show of quality cattle penned in Bridgnorth helped produce a trade that managed to maintain its momentum.
Yesterday's regular buyer contingent produced competitive bidding throughout with an average of just under 120p/kg resulting.
With the live markets continuing to drag the price up each week, deadweight centres had to boost their quotations dramatically this week although they are still behind the game.
A large entry of butchers cattle met a remarkable trade with 16 heifers selling on or above 140p/kg to 148.5p/kg. Steers sold to 144.5p/kg.
There was a shortage of good commercial cattle with cattle either being too smart and dear or too shapeless, lean or over-fat.
A firm Over Thirty Month trade saw 695kg Simmental steers to 94.5p/kg, Limousin heifers 550kg to 89p/kg, Blonde cows 730kg to 77p/kg with no best cows forward today. Holstein cows to 74.5p/kg for 645kg.
The young bull trade was tremendous once again with two bulls above 160p/kg to 166p/kg and 5 above 150p/kg.
More ordinary Continentals easily maintained values, with Holsteins also eagerly sought after.
Prices were: 48 steers to 144.5p/kg (average 120p/kg), 167 heifers to 148.5p/kg (average 124p/kg), 136 young bulls to 166p/kg (average 115p/kg), 18 OTM cattle to 94.5p/kg (average 68p/kg).
A total of 1,070 lambs were sold at an average of 107p/kg, the same as last week, with a number of auctions reporting a dip in price of around 5p/kilo.
Ordinary just-finished lambs as in recent weeks were hard to sell, with lean sheep £1/kg. Demand was good with 108p/kg to 112p/kg achieved with just an odd pen over 120p/kg. A 38kg Beltex cross achieved 122p/kg.
Heavier weights sold to £54 and light weights under 34kg to 115p/kg with the Halal trade firm.
A total of 477 ewes were sold. Suffolk cross ewes sold to £51 with large meat most in demand.
North Country Mules sold to £44, Texels to £50, leaner Mules £30 to £40 with the plainer ewes a £1 or so dearer than last week.
Beulahs sold to £26 with smaller lean ewes around £21. Rams were also dearer to £40 and wethers at £32.
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