Best of the Best for Bank Holiday blowout

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Well, the nights are drawing in and there feels a nip in the air. That said, the grass is showing a surge of growth, so for some, there may be hopes of a second cut. More positives which may provide a short lifeline if the promised Indian summer comes off. Folk may benefit from keeping stock outside longer and, in turn, make savings on the scarce supplies of winter feed and bedding. Fingers are crossed!
We’ve brought home my favourite Shorthorn ahead of calving, the heifer we showed last year at The Royal Highland Show. She’s due in the next few weeks. The only problem is that she knows the lay of the land pretty well and has the most annoying habit of going walkabout. We have had to go and fetch her twice in past few days from two of the neighbours. Last week I caught her blatantly crossing the river to explore pastures new.
As the commercial sheep sales are around the corner, it will be interesting to see how this pans out on the number front. The harsh winter reported low lambing numbers, where ahead of lambing, many ewes were in bad fettle. Lambs were either lost or ewes struggled to raise what did survive. Even though money is tight, there still should be demand for breeding ewes which surely should show favourable trade. Time will tell.
Trade on the pedigree front has seen some remarkable prices over the Busy Bank holiday weekend. Sheep sales saw Texel ram lambs sell to 125,000gns at the Scottish national sale at Lanark for Rhaeadr Best of the Best from Myfyr Evans, Denbigh with shearling gimmers selling to 16,000gns, and achieving a record average at the English national sale at Worcester.
Prime lamb trade seems to be holding up reasonably well and store lamb sales seem to be going exceptionally well, according to market reports, as grass is finally starting to grow in some areas. There still seems to be some caution among store cattle buyers particularly for younger types as concerns about lack of feed over winter remain, but demand is still there for the best animals closer to finishing.

Harrison and Hetherington held its sale of implements, tractors and small tools, with the top price going to a Hurliman XB Max 110 with loader selling for £14,000. While on Friday, Penrith and District Farmers’ Mart LLP held its quarterly collective sale of tractors, vehicles, plant machinery and small tools. £16,000 was achieved on two lots: firstly for a 06 reg Massey Ferguson 6465 Dyna 6, with more than 7000 hours on the clock, and this was matched shortly after with a 07 reg JCB 53660 Loadall.  
Sales coming up this week
  • Thursday, August 30 – Barbers will be holding an Evening Sheep Fair, which will be a catalogued show & sale of all classes of breeding and store sheep at Market Drayton Livestock Market 
  • Friday, August 31 – Kivells is holding a dispersal sale of 150 Limousin cross and British Blue cross suckler cows and calves on behalf of Messrs H.J. Keast and Son of Crediton at Exeter Livestock Market
  • Saturday, September 1 – Melton Mowbray will be holding a Machinery and tack sale at Melton Mowbray Market 
  • Sunday, September 2 –  Ruthin Farmers its holding its 17th Annual show of Llyen sheep at Ruthin Farmers Auction

Jemma Naish

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