Boost as sheep sales are up

Shrewsbury's livestock market has seen record numbers of sheep being sold during the past six months, in a welcome boost for farmers in the county.

The increase in sales has seen the town's market become the leading sheep market in the country. Nick Hyne, director of Halls Auctioneers, which runs the livestock market, said: "The sheep trade is very, very good at the moment.

"We are holding two sheep sales a week at the moment - the normal Tuesday sale and an extra one on Thursday evening.

"We're getting lambs and hoggets from as far away as Tewkesbury and Daventry, and lambs from Carlisle.

"On both selling and buying this has been the leading hogget market in the country. It's definitely good for local farmers, especially with the spring lambs coming in now as well."

At Tuesday's auction, 5,876 sheep passed through the market compared with 5,249 in the same week last year. During April, there was a 50 per cent increase in the number of hoggets sold and a 100 per cent increase in spring lambs.

The figures compared favourably with Monday's markets at Welshpool - 4,774 sheep - and Ludlow, which had 4,636.

Mr Hyne said they were getting a good number of buyers as well, with some of the major supermarket suppliers visiting the market.

He said they had been impressed by the quality of stock, as well as the quantity and that was down to the farmers looking after their animals well.

Councillor Tudor Bebb said: "We've had record numbers, upwards of 10,000 sheep a week. That's good for local farmers and gives the buyers more choice, which is all good for trade.

"It puts Shrewsbury on the map as well."

Cattle have also been selling well in the county as a "terrific" trade was reported by Halls at Shrewsbury Auction Centre's catalogue sale of store cattle on May 8.

A total of 620 quality cattle went under the hammer in front of a full ring of buyers, many visiting Shrewsbury for the first time, as prices peaked at £900 for steers and £800 for heifers.

By Pam Griffin