Excellent trade at market

Market Drayton Livestock Market saw excellent trade with five cattle reaching 150p/kg. There was a good trade throughout especially for well-fleshed cattle with these receiving premium prices.

As Bernie Hutchinson said: "It is great to see some superstars back to go before our expanding ring of buyers, with heifers to 155.5p, steers to 154p and bulls to 128p."

Bulls sold well with one man dominating the entry-topping bulls with a medium Limousin weighing 508kg at 128p to gross £650.24 for the regular Welsh vendor and further bulls to 128p, 124.5p, 120p x 2 and 119p. Mr Ian Mainwaring of Oteley also deserves a mention for his Limousins to 124p and 120p.

Heavies reached 115.5p twice for a Belgian Blue weighing 608kg and a Limousin weighing 608kg to realise £702.24 from M. E. G. Bennett, Woodseaves.

Native breeds reached 106.5p for an Aberdeen Angus from Ian Dutton, Styche, and Ian also topped the Herefords at 105.5p.

There was a mixed entry of Black and Whites forward with the good, bad and ugly going before buyers. Trade peaked at 103.5p for a bull weighing 502kg to generate £519.57 from John Bourne, Sound. The overall average returned at 99.5p.

There was also a cracking trade on steers with all grades and weights keenly contested from best Continentals to Black and Whites. Trade hit the dizzy heights of 154p for a Limousin weighing 584kg to gross £899.36 from Martin Davies, a new vendor from Hereford.