Good demand at market

There was a firm level of demand right the way through at Ludlow Market.

Medium steers: Best quality to 119p (average 116.5p), standard quality to 113p (109.1p), also rans to 104.5p, overall average 107p.

Heavy steers: Best quality to 122.5p ( 117.2p), standard quality to 113p (108.5p), also rans to 104.5p, overall average 108.2p.

Light heifers: Best quality to 116p, also rans to 92.5p, overall average 106p.

Medium heifers: Best quality to 124.5p (117.2p), standard quality to 112.5p (107p), also rans to 103p, overall average 107.5p.

Heavy heifers: Best quality to 133p (119.5p), standard quality to 112.5p (106.9p), also rans to 103.5p, overall average 111.4p.

Bulls: Mediums to 122.5p (104p), heavies to 126.5p (107.6p). A considerable number of poorer quality Friesians in this week's entry reduced the averages.

Barren cows & OTMS cattle: Still a good level of demand by comparison with the under-30-months cattle. Genuine cows up to 102.5p and an average of 71.3p. Prices were as follows: Grade 1 cows to 102.5p (91p), Grade 2 cows to 78p (74.18p), Grade 3 cows to 69.5p (66.26p), Grade 4 cows to 59p (47.5p), steers to 82.5p (70.4p), heifers to 99.5p (83.8p), bulls to 71.5p (66.63p). Overall average 71.3p.

Finished sheep: Trade was very difficult. The complete lack of demand for hoggets has now knocked its way into the spring lambs.

Supermarkets are advertising New Zealand lamb at 50 per cent off, and figures from EBLEX show that, in the month of March, something like 55 per cent of the lamb consumed in the country was imported.

Certain supermarkets appear to have set out their stall and this doesn't include giving strong prices for home-produced lamb. Quality was at a marked premium.

Understandably, plenty of vendors had got their lambs heavy. Over two-thirds of the entry of spring lambs were well over 40kg. Obviously this doesn't help.

Prices were as follows: Light lambs to 120.0p (120p), standard lambs to 125p (114p), medium lambs to 120p (108.2p).

Export quality lambs sold up to 125p and average 114.5p with home-trade lambs to 108p (105.6p).

Plenty of buyers for hoggets as there were the spring lambs, but just no steam in them. Standard hoggets to 100p (94.2p), medium hoggets to 101.5p (93.7p), heavy hoggets to 92p (86p).

Export quality hoggets sold up to 101.5p and average 96.1p with home hoggets to 94p (91.2p).

The only bright part of the sheep trade continues to be the ewes, selling to £55.50 and an average of £41.06 and rams to £57.50 (£47.50).