Sedgemoor Livestock Market report for Saturday, December 12

The total stock was 5203 head.

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report pedigree Simmental cow and calf at 5000gns.

64 DAIRY CATTLE

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report an entry made up of mainly milkers saw another excellent trade for all types. Overall the quality was not up to last week’s levels resulting in fewer over £2000. Older cows were harder to sell whilst young cows attracted a lot of interest.

Top price was an impressive £2350 for a powerful 2½ year old Lydace heifer entered by R Puddy & Son, who had others to £1780. Two quality non pedigree heifers to £2120 and £2100 from JWO Marsh & Partners; £1920 GJ & FL Robertson; £1920 A Ractliffe; £1900 Lawrence & Tapp; £1840 (2x) Snook Ltd and £1800 P Snell.

Fewer cows forward when demand was greater to £1780 for Lougher & Son of Bridgend and £1620 DEW & WE England, British Friesian 2nd calver from Cardiff; £1520 and £1500 M & K Churchill & Son and £1500 RL & ME Trott.

670 STORE CATTLE & GRAZING COWS

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report best cattle in short supply and about £40 or £50 up on the week. An entry of 670 stores, near 100 up on the year and part of a massive 1235 with the stirks and sucklers saw the market full in the second week of December.

Top was £1340 for a forward Angus steer (20m, FA & sire) from A Bray, Wrantage, who sold longer term Angus at £1255 (18/19m, FA & sire) and £1085 (6x 18/20m, FA & sire).

Further well grown Angus steers £1235 (21/23, FA & sire) ND & RD Webber, Lydeard St Lawrence; £1095 (2x only 13m! FA & sire) JH Balment & Son, Brayford; £1165 (21m & sire) MA Francis, Malmsbury; £1155 (8x 24/28m & sire) and £1115 (5x 25/27m & sire) R Stevens & Co, Oakford; £1135 (21m, FA & sire) BJ Stephens & Sons, Locking and £1125 (3x 20m, FA & sire) H Webb & Son, Henley. A Shorthorn steer (21m & FA) achieved £1235, also from H Webb & Son. Herefords topped at £1180 (23m & FA) from AC Rich, Dowlish Wake. Others £1065 twice. 26m, FA and sire from ND & RD Webber again and 19m, FA and sire from BJ Stephens & Sons again.

No fleshed continental steers forward but some super quality was on offer. Suckler bred Limousins at £1330 (21m & FA) and £1300 (20/21m & FA) LC & AD Hoare, Clayhidon; £1270 (20m & FA) and £1190 (2x 20m & FA) JA, RA & RD Stanbury, East Knowstone; £1240 (3x 17/24m) and £1200 (20/21m) RWM Westlake & Sons, Churchinford; £1225 (27m & FA) and £1115 (18/20m & FA) H Webb & Son again; £1205 (19m & FA) WJ Bown, Catcott; £1200 (25m & FA) K & N Crang, Mudford and £1195 (3x 19/28m & FA) R Chaddock, Butleigh. Good dairy bred Limousins at £1165 (8x 18/24m & FA) AC Rich again. Others £1140 (26m & FA) and £1100 (24m & FA) ND & RD Webber again and £1105 (20m & FA) WVJ Green & Son, Wick St Lawrence. Smart suckler Simmentals met calls of £1275 (19/20m) and £1195 (3x 18/19m) from RW Brunt, Worle. Further good suckler bred Simmentals at £1235 (4x 20/21m & FA) and £1230 (21m & FA) from H Webb & Son again. Dairy bred Simmentals at £1080 (6x 15/24m) DR & SM Reed & Son, Burlescombe. Black Blue at £1255 (19m & FA) WJ Bown again. Dairy Blues £1235 (23m & FA) and £1135 (16/20m & FA) TH & CL Johnson Ltd, Membury. Further suckler Blue at £1155 (22m & FA) from Ward Farms Ltd, East Buckland. Quality feeding Charolais £1230 (5x 18/20m & FA) and £1160 (19m & FA) WJ Bown, Catcott; £1190 (20m & FA) £1180 (6x 19/20m & FA) £1155 (6x 13/20m & FA) and £1090 (6x 17/21m & FA) JR, RA & RD Stanbury again; £1160 (2x 13m & FA) JH Balment & Son again and £1120 (2x 18m & FA) H Webb & Son again.

Dairy bred steers keenly sought to £1085 for Fleckvieh (6x 19/23m & FA) from AC Rich again, who sold others at £990 (3x 20/21m & FA) and £975 (20m & FA). Further Fleckvieh at £935 (23m & FA) P & D Symes, Misterton. Friesian steers to £1035 (20m & FA) CJ Mear & Son, Chard. Others £945 (3x 25/30m & FA) GF & DV Bussell, Sampford and £910 (20m & FA) AC Rich again. Holstein steers £900 (27m) R Stevens & Co again; £885 (23m & FA) TH & CL Johnson Ltd again; £855 (27/28m & FA) Tytherington Down Ltd, Warminster and £850 (20/22m) AD & SKA Darley, Whitechapel.

Forward heifers in very short supply. Top was £1185 for a fit dairy bred Blue (21m & FA) from RE & AM Pearse, Sidbury, who sold good type feeders at £1010 (7x 17/20m & FA). Well framed suckler bred Blue heifers at £1150 (22m & FA) and £1090 (26m & FA) Ward Farms Ltd again. Further dairy Blue at £970 (19m & FA) PD & SA Godfrey, Lopen. Suckler bred Simmentals at £1170 (4x 19/20m) RW Brunt again. Others to £965 (18m & FA) BJ Stephens & Sons again. Half meat suckler bred Limousin at £1115 (19m & FA) from R & S Dare, Spaxton. Young suckler bred Limousins at £980 (14m & FA) and £970 (2x 14m & FA) from RJ Gooding, Somerton. Red Limousin £970 (22m & FA) GJ & HR Browse, Butterleigh. Dairy bred Charolais £1010 (20m & FA) PD & SA Godfrey again.

Native heifers rose to £1135 for fleshed Angus (7x 19/20m, FA & sires) from A Bray again. Others £1000 (21m, FA & sire) BJ Stephens & Sons, Locking; £980 (18m) MA Francis again and £955 (19m, FA & sire) K & N Crang again. Hereford heifers to £895 (28m) Jones & Pether, Badgworth. South Devon at £925 (32m) S Rucklidge, Bicknoller.

15 GRAZING COWS (Pre-movement tested)

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report an entry of 15 grazing cows sold to £755 for a Simmental cross cow from ML Coombes. Others £725 and £710 both from DCP Trump.

96 SUCKLER COWS, CALVES & STOCK BULLS

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a good trade throughout for the suckler section this month. 100% clearance on the bulls forward when Limousins sold at £2500 from AH & LR Read. Angus at £2300 from VE Sellick. Herefords £2000 from DJ & VM Norman.

Limousin cross cows with June Charolais cross heifer calves at foot £1480 from JH Snell. Devon cross cows with AA cross heifer calves back incalf to the Angus £1440 A & R Carpenter, Sherborne, Dorset.

Limousin cross incalf heifers from S & P Boyer sold to £1650, £1420 and £1400 for a Blonde cross all due in the Spring to the Limousin.

READ NEXT: South Molton market report for Thursday, December 10

469 BUSK CALVES & STIRKS

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a huge entry of stirks saw a fast trade from start to finish. All stirks in strong demand.

Top price of £880 (2x 8m) for Limousin steers from EJ & RJ Mills, who sold others to £815 (2x 9m) £805 (2x 8m) £795 (3x 8m) and £790 (3x 9m). Further Limousins to £810 (2x 9m) £800 (9m) £780 (9m) NJ May; £785 (9m) £775 (8m) JA & G Aldworth; £740 (2x 10m) LC & AD Hoare; £670 (6m) KJ Prettejohn; £650 (7m) D Brice; £635 (2x 8m) NP & M Miles and £615 (5x) OJ Howley. Charolais to £825 (8m) MJ & RSM Barrow, who sold others to £770 (2x 8m). Further Charolais to £785 (10m) £780 (2x 10m) AG Evans; £785 (3x 12m) £630 (4x 8m) JE Blackmore and £750 (10m) NJ May again. British Blues to £765 (3x 13m) FJ Powell & Son, who sold others to £695 (4x). British Blue with shape to £720 (9m) KM Burrough, when other good types sold to £690 (2x 9m) £660 (6m) WE Biss. Dairy bred British Blues to £590 (4x 9m) R Ford. Herefords to £675 FJ Hooper, who sold others to £635 (7m). Further Herefords to £630 (3x 9m) TE & SJ Popham and £600 Foxcombe Farm (Somerset). Angus to £655 (7m) R Hares, when others sold to £595, £575 (3x) and £570 Foxcombe Farm (Somerset) again. Blonde to £600 (10m) JC Isaac.

Heifers sold to a top price of £775 for a British Blue from WE Biss, who sold others to £750 and £740. Good British Blue with shape flew to £745 (9m) FJ & CN Burrough and others to £600 (6m) D Brice. Charolais to £740 (10m) RC Andrews, when others sold to £690 (12m) TE & SJ Popham again; £665 (5x 8m) £655 (5x 8m) £590 (4x 8m) MJ & RSM Barrow again; £665 (7m) P Coombes; £640 (7m) JA & G Aldworth again and £610 (2x 12m) JE Blackmore again.

Limousins to £715 (2x 9m) EJ & RJ Mills, who sold others to £705 (3x 9m) £695 (2x 9m) £685 (4x 9m) £665 (8m) £655 (2x 8m) and £635 (4x 8m). Further Limousins to £670 (8m) £635 (3x 9m) JA & G Aldworth again, £665 (2x) WE Biss again and £590 (9m) LC & AD Hoare again. Angus flew to £700 (2x 8m) BJ Stephens & Son, who also sold Simmentals to £695 (3x 8m) and £665 (5x 8m). Further Simmentals to £590 (8m) R Hares again. Herefords to £685 (12m) for a suckler bred with sire from DJ & VM Norman. Further Herefords to £590 F Kent & Son and £590 (4x) from Williams PFA.

354 NON-EXPORT CALVES

Beef Breeds (294) – not able to be exported from market

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a good number of beef calves forward with a selection to suit all types of buyers. Trade on the whole very strong for the time of year when there was plenty of competition for all varieties.

Continental bulls topped at £365 for a 3m Blue from PR Chappell. 1m Blues closely following at £355 from DH Creed; £345 and £330 from MA & NR Bowditch and £328 from DWJ Raffill & Partners. A handful of Charolais (3-4 wks) from SM & DM Turner to £340, £330 and £320. Limousin bulls to £300 (1m) from GC Vowles; £275 from Giles Brothers and £255 RW Partridge & Sons.

A strong reared Hereford bull from NF & CO Ellis & Sons topped the natives at £400. Young Hereford bulls (2m) to £310 from R Foote; £290 from AD Lee; £282 from SJ Loud; £282 from LH, JE & SJ Lyonds. Reared Angus bulls to £320 from Lilylane Farm and PR Chappell. Young Angus bulls to £285 from CD Griffin & Partners; £280 from CG, GR & MS Spiller.

Continental heifers to £350 for a 3m Blue from R Foote. Young 1m shapely Blues to £305 from R & EJ Phillips. Others £290 from WG Ogborne & Sons; £280 from DH & RJ Wall and CG, GR & MS Spiller. Charolais heifers to £290 from WG Ogborne & Son; £230 and £220 from SM & DM Turner. Limousin heifers to £230 from Cornock Partnership; £212 from P Moon & Sons and £205 (2x) from Giles Brothers. Simmental heifers £155 from RL & ME Trott.

Native heifers to £290 for a strong Angus from R Foote. Others £235 from SR Curtis & Son; £230 (1m) from GF & DV Bussell. Hereford heifers topped at £205 from AK & CM Quick; £165 from EG & CS Rowe & Son and £160 from PJLS Farm.

Friesians (60) – not able to be exported from market

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a decent number of dairy sired bull calves saw a strong and competitive trade. Black and whites to £160 from PR Chappell. Others £135 Lilylane Farm; £125, £122 and £120 CM & AR Pearce; £118 VG & MM Greenway & Son. Fleckvieh £150 RL & ME Trott. Guernsey to £97 J & EM Phillips & Son. Shorthorn to £125 TJ Brice. Norwegian Reds to £80 JL Bartlett. Brown Swiss to £122 Lilylane Farm.

3498 SHEEP

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report the following sheep trades:-

Store Lambs (2555) – Friday Afternoon Sale

A much larger entry of 2555 store lambs sold to a very similar trade. Largest of the lambs to £100 from Foxhollow Farms. Others to £98 from GG Gribble; £93 from EF Cowling; £91.50 from R Beer; £91 from P Athay and RM Sparks & Sons; £90.50 from GB Tuttiett; £89.50 from DJ Coles & Son and R Kearn; £89 from M Pickford and C Hancox; £88.50 from D Tucker; £88 from GG Gribble; £87 from DJ Coles & Son, D Tucker, PC Lyons & Son, A Burland and RJ & SJ Dare. Overall average holding firm at £76.39.

Cull Ewes and Rams (929)

An increased entry of 929 cull ewes and rams sold to a much brighter trade, with all grades meeting keener demand – many, many more could have been sold to advantage. Best of the continental ewes to £139 from EJ Gwyn. Others to £128 from EA & DA Ellis; £120 from CW Pearce; £117.50 from EJ Gwyn; £115 from FJ & CN Burrough; £110 from CJ Look & Son; £108 from DP & MG White and CW Pearce; £106.50 from RA Hurd and £106 from JE Vasey. Cull rams to £118 from SD Ives. Others to £116 from S Chilcott; £110 from P Mogford and £106 from G Vining. Overall average up to £77.99.

Goats (14)

A small run of 14 goats sold to a fantastic trade. £130, £95 and £92 from Verney Enterprises for their nannies. Overall average £119.46.

52 PIGS

Greenslade Taylor Hunt report a small entry for the extra pre-Christmas sale.

Cull Sows (2)

Saddlebacks at £32 and £30.

Forward Stores (50)

Similar trade to last week when a good pen of pigs from LE Miller & Son sold to £114. Others to £102. Gloucester Old Spots to £92 from A Horsington.