South Molton livestock market report of January 4 2024

1297 PRIME HOGGS

A bigger number entry this week which was a good way to start the New Year. Overall a very mixed quality entry this week with more leaner hoggs forward and more native bred hoggs also on offer. Trade back slightly on last week but generally overall only 2-3ppk. Heavy hoggs (over 54kg) were back the most and again a large proportion of the entry were between 48-52kgs with these hoggs also back in price to last week. The medium weight hoggs were actually a very similar trade to the last week as the export trade remains much stronger than it was in the run up to Christmas. The increased trade appears to have brought out some stronger numbers this week which has eased the trade so it will be interesting to see how the trade starts next week.

Topping the market with a pair of 70.5kg Charollais hoggs at £170.00 was Mr G Mills & Partners of Witheridge who had other notable pens of hoggs in the top prices including a 66kg hogg to £155.00 and a pen of 56.4kg hoggs to £147.50. Messrs DW & J Jones of Heasly Mill had a good run of hoggs with the best of theirs reaching £160.00 for a pen of 70.3kg hoggs. Other pens to note from the same vendor included a pen of 57.3kg Texels to £155.00, a pen of 57.1kg Suffolks to £151.00 and a pen of 55.9kg Texels to £148.50. £155.00 was achieved once more, this time by a 92kg Charollais x hogg from Mr D Smith of Chulmleigh. Mr R Harding of Bideford saw £152.00 for his 58kg hogg. £150.00 was seen by Mr RJ Evely of  Peters Marland for his pen of 60.3kg Charollais hoggs. £148.50 was seen again by a pen of 55.5kg hoggs from Mr EJ Westaway of Newton Tracey.

Top price pence per kilo was 291ppk, which was seen twice this week for pens of 42.5kg Beltexs and 42.4kg Texels both from Messrs TH & PM Bolt of Huntsham. The same vendor also had pens to 281ppk for 42kg hoggs and 280ppk for 42.4kg hoggs. Mr KA Hill of Bideford saw the best of his hoggs to 286ppk for a 47kg Texel. 280ppk was seen twice more, firstly by Mr RE Latham of Popham for his 46kg hogg and secondly by Messrs GF & PJ Warne of Umberleigh for their pen of 45.3kg hoggs. 279ppk was achieved twice, firstly for Messrs GW Jones & Sons of South Moton for their 44.4kg hoggs and secondly for a pen of 43.1kg hoggs from Messrs PR & JA Ley of Alverdiscott.

52 STORE HOGGS

A disappointingly small entry of store hoggs this week, with a trade and ring full of buyers that could have seen many more sold. Best trade for larger framed hoggs but with a demand for all grades. As the fat trade stays firm, more store lambs are required for a fortnights time. Please pre book all store hoggs.

£127.50 was the top call for store hoggs this week for a pair of Suffolk x from Messrs Lucas & Ridge of Chulmleigh. The same vendor had another hogg achieve £95.00. Miss JM Robins of East Anstey saw the best of her Texel hoggs reach £96.00 and £85.00 was seen by Mr RJ Beckley of Black Dog for his pen of Charollais x hoggs.

354 EWES & RAMS

A bigger entry this week and overall a better quality entry with fewer leaner ewes on offer and more bigger heavier ewes forward. More buyers around the ring this week and trade stronger as a result. Some pens of bigger ewes would be at least £10 per head up on last week and overall most ewes were up over £5 per head. Best trade for those well fleshed and well bred ewes as well as the well framed 3/4 meat ewes. Again a big contingent of the entry were Mule ewes and they would be up in the trade especially those that were well covered. The smaller leaner ewes were also dearer with a few more grazing buyers around the ring this week. The cull ewe trade looks likely to hold as numbers remain tighter than before Christmas. Best Suffolk Mules this week £130.00 plus and best Mules this week £105.00 plus.

Top call for ewes this week to £144.00 for a Suffolk ewe from Messrs Cook Partners of Georgeham with also had  pen of ewes to £137.50 from the same vendor. Closely following behind was a Charollais ewe to £137.00 from Mr KA Foxford of Huntsham. Mr RJ Evely of Peters     Marland saw the best of his Suffolks achieve £134.00 with another pen to £127.00. Messrs RH Dymond & Son of Croyde saw his pen of Suffolk ewes reach £129.50 with Messrs A & S Hoskin of Bishops Nympton seeing their pen of Suffolks to £128.50 and another pen to £119.50.  Messrs JB & MA Turner of Harracott saw their Texel ewe to £120.50.

Top ram price this week to £120.00 for a Suffolk ram from Messrs RH Dymond & Son of Croyde. Mr MJ Selley of South Molton saw his Suffolk rams achieve £119.00 twice.