No sooner do we see signs of improvement in trade for one category of stock or another, than it turns the opposite way. And so it seems has been the case with prime lambs. But that was last week - let’s hope it's not too prolonged.
Prime cattle, dare I say it, do seem to have held up as of course have culls.
In between showers, hill farmers seem to have managed to get on with shearing and other routine tasks. The Royal Highland Show was, as usual, fantastic, albeit somewhat baltic in temperature on Thursday! This year was the first time we exhibited sheep and I was absolutely made up to get a sixth ticket in a strong ewe class. The lambs we took didn’t put us to shame, but they lacked power when compared to our Scottish counterparts. I don’t know how they do it – it must be the extra daylight!
There are plenty of sales happening this Friday – Frome is holding its weekly sale of store cattle, there’s a mid-summer horse sale at York Auction Centre, and atExeter Livestock Centre there’s a summer sale of 109 pedigree Limousins.
On Saturday, June 27, there is a sale of plant and farm machinery and small tools at Clitheroe Auction. Stratford-upon-Avon market has a Hampshire Down sale and it’s the 11th annual show and sale of Dorset sheep at Llandovery market.
Hopefully we’ll start experiencing some summer weather soon – we need to!
