Well, we have the barn all set up for the Suffolks lambing next week. I've left the ewes out a little longer this year as I feel it keeps them fitter and healthier overall. However, now the long, hard frost has broken, they'll be coming inside over the next few days.



Over the past few weeks, we have been snowed under with seasonal sale reports and it has been great to see some stellar prime, dairy and calf trade taking place across the markets, both large and small. Christmas sales are dwindling off now, as the marts take a well earned break before new year selling kicks off.

Pedigree sales have quietened down and the dizzy heights reached at some of the summer events seem a lifetime ago.

Note must be given to our Irish breeders across the water who are maintaining the superb pedigree trade. At the Northern Stars Texel sale of in-lamb gimmers held at Ballymena market, a new Northern Irish female Texel record of 19,000gns was set. This was paid for a gimmer from Richard Henderson’s Ballynahone flock, in the shape of an ET-bred Duncryne Uber Cool daughter which sold to the Jim Innes of the Strathbogie flock, Huntly.



Picking out some highlights from the late festive fixtures, and at Colchester, top price was 400p/kg for the champion, a Limousin heifer from W.A. Ketley and Sons, Fingringhoe, while at Dumfries, the supreme honours went to a 535kg British Blue heifer from Niall Goldie and Ben Radley which sold to 360p/kg.

At Truro, the reserve locally-bred champion, a heavy Limousin cross steer led the prices at 390p/kg for S. and T. Penellum, St. Newlyn East.

Looking at lamb prices, and Truro's winners also sold well, going to 300p/kg for exhibitors G.B. Renfree, Quethiock, while at Gaerwen, the winning pen of 42kg Beltex crosses from Gareth Rowlands, Bryndernog, hit 357p/kg.

Dairy trade at Sedgemoor's Christmas Cracker was a led by the Leswidden herd owned by T.J. and C.M. Dauncey, Penzance, who sold the EX92 fourth calver Leswidden PS Chrissey for a top price of 2,400gns. Sedgemoor also hosted the dispersal of the renowned Quaish herd of Limousins owned by Nick and Lisa Hill and family, Somerset, which topped at 5,400gns for some quality cows and heifers with calves at foot.

Have a good week,

Steph.

Sales coming up this week...

Thursday, December 21  - Welshpool will be hosting a sale of 111 in-lamb ewes as well as nine empty ewe lambs on behalf of the Shropshire and Border Texel Club
Friday. December 22 - Wright Marshall will be holding its Christmas prime stock sale at Beeston Castle Auction
Saturday, December 23 - Hawes Auction Mart will be running a Christmas sale of dressed poultry
Wednesday, December 27 - Newark Livestock Market will be holding its sale of fat lambs, cull ewes and store lambs

Well it's been seriously cold with us experiencing some unbelievably sub-zero temperatures. Amazingly we were hardly touched by snow, unlike many areas which saw an abundance of it!

We've had a couple of disasters with the Suffolk ewes. One ewe aborted twins and the following day died and another started lambing quads, all before their time and sadly born dead. It's likely one died and poisoned the others.  Let's hope our luck changes. 

Well it’s been somewhat of a dryer week, with some sharp, crisp mornings. The harder ground has helped folk put slurry out on their fields. We’ve brought the Suffolks closer to home in readiness for lambing. They are due to lamb at Christmas and we’ve just started to feed the ewes to hopefully encourage more milk. They are hungry beggars and just about ambush me when they spot the arrival of their cake!

At Carlisle, there was some serious Texel female trade, with a Strathbogie gimmer from Jim Innes, Aberdeen, making 16,000gns to Charlie Boden of the Stockport-based Sportsmans flock, who then took another from the Strathbogie pen at 12,000gns. Suffolks also went under the hammer, topping at 9,400gns for a gimmer from Gary Beacon's Lakeview flock.

The Black and White sale, also held at Borderway, saw bids hit 9,000gns for the red and white heifer Eastford Absolute Hotspot Red from Eastford Holsteins. A couple of first time sales were recorded, including the first heifer to be offered from the Futuredream Jersey herd of James Evans, which made 7,500gns. The first daughter of the two-time national Italian champion Toc-Farm Allen Amyly EX96 was also sold, hitting 7,000gns for Messrs Lawrence. Christmas sales are well underway, with vendors and buyers alike ensuring local fixtures are well supported. Numbers are good and prices for well fed cattle are strong. At Pateley Bridge's prime cattle sale, the beef champion, a British Blue cross heifer from Liam Rodney, set a new market record of 395p/kg (£2,666). Salisbury's prime show saw mother and sister duo Sarah and Nicola Harrison, Bramshaw, take champion and reserve open beef, champion baby beef and champion un-haltered beef, before topping the price list with a Limousin cross steer at 322p/kg. Prime lambs are also making good money. At Cockermouth, the winning pair of Texels from Bill Skelton sold for £220/head (415p/kg), while at St Asaph, the champion commercial lambs from H.C. Williams led the bids at £152/head (390p/kg). Cull trade is slightly down on the week and stores should pick up as we get into the New Year. Have a good week, Steph.

Sales coming up this week Friday, December 8 - Harrison and Hetherington will be holding the Red Ladies Derby to include 175 pedigree Limousin cattle on behalf of the British Limousin Society at Borderway Mart Saturday, December 9 - Richard Turner will be running the Christmas Prime Sheep Show at Gisburn Mart Sunday, December 10 - Newark Livestock Market will be holding its Mart's the Heart-sponsored Nottinghamshire Christmas Primestock Show Monday, December 11 - Caledonian Marts will be having its Martinmas Show and Sale of 10,000 store lambs and also feeding ewes at Stirling Livestock Centre

A slightly dryer start to the week, which has been a blessing following the horrendous conditions where many folk were affected by flooding. Our lane was literally a river and water sat on the land for a few days after the local river burst its banks. We are coming to the last of the winter shows now and the Christmas sales are really kicking in. Thainstone's Christmas Classic fixture saw a centre record broken by a Texel gimmer from Robbie Wilson's Milnbank flock. After standing as pre-sale champion, it hit 4,500gns, topping last year's record price of 4,200gns. Cattle trade was also strong, with each of the haltered champion and reserve victors selling for more that £3,000. The champion, a Limousin cross heifer from Harry Brown, Maud, sold for £4,600.

At LiveScot, Lanark, Crieff-based exhibitor Wilson Peters took the beef title for the second consecutive year, this time with the seasoned British Blue-sired heifer Miss Tees. It later sold for £3,600 to Anthony Kitson Butchers of Yorkshire, who was also bidding at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, where they took home another champion, Phil Price and Julie Roger's March-2016 born Limousin heifer Mouse. Newark's Winter Warmer sale saw some quality females sell to 3,800gns for a Texel from Charlie Boden. The Southdown breed also had reason to celebrate as a shearling gimmer from Jonathan Long's Chaileybrook flock soared to 2,500gns, setting a new breed record. Welshpool hosted the Blue Beauties sale on behalf of British Blue breeder Rhys Millichap, which topped at 6,500gns for Rhymil Madonna, an ET daughter of Bringlee Blackstar.

Elsewhere, prime cattle numbers have increased on the week, with vendors looking to satisfy the increasing demand for Christmas meat, which should only increase as we get further into December. Prime lamb prices are remaining relatively stable, despite lower numbers. Commercial milkers also seem to trading well and pedigree dairy trade hots up this weekend with the anticipated Black and White sale at Carlisle. Have a good week, Steph.

Sales coming up this week Friday, December 1 - H&H will be hosting the Beltex Crackers in-lamb female sale with consignments from Headlinds flock, Jewitt’s flock, Matt’s flock, Tiptop flock and Withy Trees flock at Borderway Mart Saturday, December 2 - Pateley Bridge will be holding its Christmas prize show and sale of primestock, with show classes for lambs, cattle and young handlers Sunday, December 3 - David Brown Tractor Club will be holdingits annual auction to include DB850 Barn Find, Hurricane Harvester, tyres and wheels, spares and literature at Unit 10 Spinksmire Mill HD9 4AN Sunday and Monday, December 3 and 4 - Bagshaws will be holding its Sunday Carol Service and Primestock Show, followed on the Monday with the Christmas Primestock Sale at Bakewell market Monday, December 4 - CCM will be having a crop and produce sale at 11.45am at Skipton Auction Mart

The weather is back to normal... wet! The ground is sodden and the only ones who appear to be enjoying it are our ducks and geese. We really enjoyed the Mart's the Heart Lake District stockjudging evening last Thursday night. Our stock looked alright in the ring after all and a few folk were really complimentary too, which was nice to hear.

Borderway had a busy weekend of pedigree selling, with Zwartbles hitting 900gns for the pre-sale champion, a shearling gimmer from the Broomfield flock. The Three Nations Suffolk sale saw the Taylor's Ballynacannon flock from Co Londonderry take the top two prices with shearling gimmers at 6,500gns and 6,000gns.

Trade at the final Charolais fixture of the year was consistent with what's been achieved for the breed this season, as bulls sold to 5,500gns and averaged £3,304. Dairy sales have received some positive trade this week, with fresh pedigree heifers being the order of the day. Several lots have traded for over the £2,000 mark, with heifers hitting £2,500 at Beeston, £2,150 at Skipton and £2,100 at Lancaster to name a few. Early festive sales are underway, with higher prime cattle numbers reflecting the festive time of year, resulting in a slight slip in prices this week. Prime lamb trade has also dropped slightly, but should hopefully regain some momentum once we hit December. Store cattle prices remain relatively stable. Have a good week, Steph. Sales coming up this week Friday, November 24 - Wright Marshall will be running its Month End Focus milk sale which includes commercial and pedigree Holstein dairy cattle from leading UK herds at Beeston Castle Auction. Saturday, November 25 - Welshpool will be holding a sale of pedigree Limousin cattle, including a consignment from the Sarkley herd, on behalf of the North West Midlands and North Wales Limousin Club. In addition, there will be a British Blue sale incorporating the Rhymil sale of Blue Beauties.  Saturday, November 26 - CCM will be holding a Mart's the Heart-sponsored Christmas primestock show and sale at Skipton Auction Mart  Tuesday, November 28 - Howkins and Harrison will be hosting the 64th Midlands Produce auction of hay, straw, silage and haylage in bales at Lutterworth Rugby Football Club LE17 4LW

We were busy over the weekend fluking the ewes and putting them out to new pastures. On top of that, at night this week, we've been tidying up sheep ahead of this week's Mart's the Heart Lake District stockjudging evening. I said we'd support the night by taking some Beltex gimmer hoggs to be one of the breeds to be judged. It seemed a good idea at the time, however, I just hope the 600-plus folk who usually attend, aren't too harsh and recognise that although our sheep are good types, they haven't really been pushed. Charolais bulls at Welshpool last Thursday saw a steady trade, topping at 7,200gns and a good clearance rate of 84 per cent. Female Shorthorn's went under the hammer at the FG-sponsored breed sale at Skipton, where the Upsall herd reigned, taking top price billing with a junior heifer at 6,500gns, setting a new centre record for a Shorthorn female. At Carlisle's Whitebred Shorthorn sale, leader was the overall champion, the maiden heifer Blackburn Milkybar, which topped at 5,000gns. Suckled calf sales are still underway, with vendors seeming willing to pay for the best quality. At Middleton in Teesdale, the champion heifer, an 11-month-old British Blue from the White family, Lunedale, sold for £3,500 to the pre-show judge. Feeding bulls are still in demand, leading the trade at several sales across the country. The Allstar herd of pedigree Brown Swiss cattle was dispersed at Exeter, hitting 1,900gns for a dry cow. Have a good week, Steph.

Sales coming up this week Friday, November 17 - Harrison and Hetherington will be hosting the Three Nations sale of Suffolk sheep at Borderway Mart Saturday, November 18 - Hawes Auction Mart will be holding its Christmas show and sale of store cattle, beef breeding cattle and cull cows Saturday and Sunday, November 18 and 19 - Bagshaws will be hosting the English Winter Fair 'The Midlands Premier Primestock Event' at Bingley Hall ST18 0BD Monday, November 20 - C&D will be holding an implements and machinery sale at Longtown Mart

It is starting to feel very wintery, it’s been white on a number of days with hard frost this past week.

I had a great day at Agri Expo last Friday. What a line-up of quality stock!


Salers made headlines this week when breed records were broken at the Farmers Guardian-sponsored sale at Castle Douglas. Pre-sale champion, Bacardi Legend, from Roy and Adam Crocket topped at 15,000gns, contributing to a pedigree bull average of £5,810, which was up a superb £1,048 on the year.

Dungannon market saw two new centre records set this week. At the annual Northern Irish Charolais club sale, both male and female trade peaked at 8,000gns, with the leading heifer, Battleford Lola from Bartley Finnegan, Moy, achieving a new centre record for a Charolais female. Holstein bulls sold to a strong trade at the same venue, topping at 6,700gns and leveling at £3,820, setting a new centre record average for black and white bulls.

Several female sheep sales have taken place, including the dispersal of the Wedderburn Charollais flock, held on behalf of Jonathan and Janet Corbett at Worcester mart. Prices hit 3,900gns for a shearling. Suffolks sold to 3,200gns at Beeston, for the second prize ewe from Jimmy Douglas of Fraserburgh from his Cairness Flock.

The cracking feeding bull trade seen over the past few weeks has steadied slightly, but still remains strong.  Prime cattle prices are holding up, however numbers remain fairly tight. There has been some improvement in the prime lamb trade, not a lot, but it’s going in the right direction.

Have a good week,

Steph.

Sales coming up this week Friday, November 10 - Harrison and Hetherington will be hosting the annual in-lamb Suffolk sheep show and sale on behalf of the Suffolk Sheep Society at Borderway Mart Saturday, November 11 - Hexham and Northern Marts will be holding its annual autumn collective and vintage machinery sale of 1,000 lots Tuesday, November 14 - The Christmas prize show and sale of feeding bulls and store cattle will be held at Barnard Castle Auction Tuesday, November 14 - Penrith Auction Mart will be holding a sale of pedigree Dairy Shorthorns

We had our first hard frost on Monday, however it has turned mild again. I wish it would stay frosty for a decent spell, as it's much healthier for the stock than this mild, damp weather of late.


We had a routine TB test this week and we were on tenderhooks, especially as recently there were issues with badgers found with TB just south of where we live. Fortunately, we have had the all clear, which was a huge relief.

Welsh cob sales at Builth saw the Welsh section D filly foal Llwynhywel Crackling Rose make £10,000. Swaledale rams are continuing to make big money, selling to £60,000 at Hawes.

It's suckled calf sale season once again, and they seem to be a strong trade. No doubt some people are picking out those with show potential to go and have some fun with.

Breeding cattle are also in demand, with plenty of people looking to buy cows and calves. At Barnard Castle, M. and B. Coulthard dispersed a suckler herd to £3,600 for a British Blue cow and calf outfit, while at Hexham, breeding cattle trade hit £3,100 twice, for Limousin breeding cows with calves.


Blue Grey heifers sold at Newcastleton, hitting £1,920 for a heifer sold with a Limousin calf at-foot.

In the prime ring, cattle numbers remain fairly tight, and lambs are seeing a small sign of improved averages, but better quality lambs are still making more than £100.

Ayrshires sold to 3,000gns at the ninth national sale at Carlisle, paid for the pre-sale champion, West Mossgiel Miss Modern 28 (EX 91) from Stuart Gilliland.

Agri-Expo is this Friday in Carlisle. Come and visit the Farmers Guardian team at stands 121 and 53 for exclusive subscription offers.

Have a good week,

Steph.

Sales coming up this week Friday, November 3 - Leyburn Auction Mart will be holding its Christmas store lamb show and sale Saturday, November 4 - Wallets Marts will be hosting the Salers Society sale at Castle Douglas, which is a Mart's the Heart-sponsored sale Monday, November 6 - 1,800 spring suckled calves will go through the ring at Stirling Agricultural Centre Wednesday, November 8 - A Mart's the Heart-sponsored sale of pedigree beef shorthorns will take place at Skipton Auction Mart

Well the British Farming Awards went down well. It was packed out with a host of folk from the farming industry.

The Mart's the Heart winners were presented with their awards and there were plenty of supporters there to help them celebrate in style. A fun night was certainly had by all.

Swaledale prices hit a high of 90,000gns last week at Kirkby Stephen for a shearling ram from Hutchinsons. It sold to Richardsons at Ghyll House, Dufton.

Stirling trade was topped with Simmentals having a record-breaking female price of 28,000gns for Boddington Estates Sterling Bacardi's Hawaii. Clive Houldey had a great day topping the Simmental bull trade at 22,000gns with Manor Park Hansome and making 18,000gns with his champion bull.
Aberdeen-Angus bids hit 17,000gns for the pre-sale champion Linton Gilbertines President S021, from the trustees of the late Gordon Brooke, while the dispersal of the well-known Cheeklaw Angus herd soared to 20,000gns twice, for a cow and calf and a maiden heifer.

Shorthorn bulls topped at 12,000gns for another pre-sale champion, Chris Mallaber's Grovewood Jackson. Averages were well up on the year.

An 11,000gns high was realised in the Limousin prices for Ronick Mckinley from R. Dick, who also took the pre-sale supreme with a different bull, Ronick Moose.
Two Charolais bulls made 12,000gns and averages in this section were up also on the year.

There were plenty of bull buyers about for the time of year, but it was the ladies who ultimately led the way.

Prime cattle trade continues to be good with numbers fairly tight and this is filtering through to the store rings where demand is strong. In spite of some spectacular price in the pedigree rings the prime sheep trade remains very steady, although some markets have reported a slight lift at the beginning of the week, so hopefully things will start to improve as we head towards Christmas.

Have a good week.

Steph.

Sales coming up this week Friday, October 27 - Wright Marshall will be holding its Month End Focus Milk Sale together with the Dairy Shorthorn Society’s Annual Autumn Show and Sale at Beeston Castle Auction Saturday, October 28 - Armistead Barnett is hosting a complete dispersal sale of tractors, vehicles, machinery, deadstock and dairy equipment at Esp Ford Farm, Kendal Monday, October 30 - The Irish Limousin Cattle Society is holding its annual premier show and sale at Roscrea Market Tuesday, October 31 - 1,700 suckled calves will go under the hammer at Exmoor Farmers Mart – Cutcombe Market

We braced ourselves as storm Ophelia blew in at the start of this week causing disruption and damage. There were a fair few trees down and power cuts around us, but on the whole, we came off unscathed.

We scanned the Suffolks and 48 per cent had taken to the AI, a bit disappointing if I'm honest. General feedback I've had from other breeders is similar to myself. Not sure if it's down to the wet, inconsistent weather or what.



The top end Limousin bull trade was on fire at Carlisle at the weekend, topping at 70,000gns for Ampertaine Magnum from the McKay family, Northern Ireland, with averages significantly up on the year. 

The Balbithan herd of Charolais was dispersed at Sedgemoor setting a centre record of 17,500gns for the cow Balbithan Faith and a new breed record average of £8,550.65.

Blackface ram sales have kicked off, hitting £18,000 at Stirling for a shearling from the Calla flock of the Baillie family, Carnwath. The Mackay family, Otterburn, took £18,000 for a Blackie shearling which had taken the pre-sale championship at Hexham's annual sale.

Elsewhere, hill ram sales are well underway with a strong demand for the best, but in the prime ring, lambs are a sticky trade.

In contrast, prime cattle trade continues to be strong, which is no doubt fueling the store trade which remains good.  

It's the British Farming Awards this Thursday, where the Mart's the Heart winners are presented with their awards. If last year is anything to go off, it should be a good night. Maybe see you there.

Steph.

Friday, October 20 - Nock Deighton is holding its annual St Lukes Fair prize show and sale of 400+ store cattle and 3,000 store/breeding sheep at Bridgnorth Livestock and Auction Centre Saturday, October 21 - Penrith Auction Mart will be hosting an on-farm sale of machinery, implements and equipment on behalf of Messrs R. Cookson and Son at Winter Crag, Penrith, CA10 2NF Sunday, October 22 - Day one of the three-day annual Stirling bull sales starts with over 760 registered bulls and females from the Aberdeen-Angus, Beef Shorthorn, Limousin, Simmental, Charolais and Salers cattle societies Tuesday, October 24 - Dispersal sale of the Grindsbrook herd of pedigree Holsteins will be held on behalf of G.J. and C.M. Elliott at Leek Auction

Sales coming up this week

Friday, October 6 - The Dalesbred Sheep Breeders Association annual show and sale of ewes will be held at Bentham Auction Mart.  Saturday, October 7 - Hexham and Northern Marts is holding an on-farm dispersal sale of quality tractors, vehicles and machinery on behalf of Messers G. Byerley and Sons at Welton Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE18 0LJ.  Saturday, October 7 - Newark is hosting the annual Limousin Day show and sale on behalf of the British Limousin Society.  Monday, October 9 - CCM is hosting a special evening sale of Swaledale rams at Skipton Mart.  Tuesday, October 10 - Leek Auctions is hosting a dispersal sale of the NMR recorded British Friesian herd on behalf of F. Barker and Sons.

It’s certainly feeling very autumnal, the days are waning, the air is cooler and the leaves on the trees are on the turn.

I had a fun day on Saturday at the poultry and rare breed sale in Carlisle with the intention of buying a few replacement hens and ducks. I got carried away on an impulse buy and came away with a pigmy nanny goat and kid. Let’s just say the husband is coming around slowly to the idea!

The mart was packed with folk dashing from ring to ring. There was strong trade for Kerry Hills in particular, with a shearling ram topping at £2,900.  Dexter cattle went down well, topping at £2,600 for a bull and waterfowl trade was unbelievable, with a pair of white call ducks selling for £650. You wouldn’t want the fox getting at them!

Elsewhere, sheep sales are in full swing. Mule gimmer lamb trade seems fairly similar to last year. Ram buyers can afford to be selective as there is plenty of choice, but there have been some decent sales over the last few weeks.

Prime lamb prices have taken a bit of a dive this last week so let's hope that starts to improve.

Fat cattle have also been back a few pence, but that doesn't seem to have affected the store trade too much.

Sales coming up this week Friday, September 22 – A genuine dispersal sale of modern farm machinery and implements on instructions from Messrs P. Kemp and Son at Burnhill Green Farm, Wolverhampton, conducted by Halls Saturday, September 23 – A Mart's the Heart-sponsored show and sale of horned and hill going sheep will be held at Gisburn Auction Mart Monday, September 25 – United Auctions will be holding its September show and sale of 1,500 sucked calves Tuesday, September 26 – Greenslade Taylor Hunt is hosting the dispersal sale of the Treludderow herd of 282 pedigree Holsteins to be sold at Sedgemoor Auction Centre