Marts reports

February 15th

J. J. MORRIS reports: A large company of buyers at the mart with trade on store cattle still fairly strong, with many buyers advising that numbers are in short supply on a national level. All classes once again sold to a very strong demand with a total clearance. A large entry of in-lamb ewes saw a good trade on those that had been scanned. Ewe and lamb couples sold to a very strong early season trade, particularly given the weather.

Grazing cows: Overall average £1/kg or £660 per head, top £1,100, British Blue, Cole, Horse Park Farm, Cresselly.

Store cattle (268): Heifers: Hereford maximum £950, average £680; Aberdeen Angus maximum £865, average £700; Charolais maximum £910, average £820; Simmental maximum £1,175, average £872; Limousin maximum £1,045, average £630; British Blue maximum £785, average £570.

Steers: Friesian maximum £960, average £495; Holstein Friesian maximum £600, average £596; Hereford maximum £985, average £945; Aberdeen Angus maximum £925, average £892; Charolais maximum £960, average £840; Simmental maximum £995, average £902; Limousin maximum £1,375, average £805; Jersey cross maximum £910, average £910; Swedish Red maximum £410, average £390; Montbeliarde maximum £410, average £380; British Blue maximum £1,235, average £925.

Young bulls: Welsh Black maximum £560, average £530; Hereford maximum £500, average £500; Charolais maximum £640, average £640; British Blue maximum £630, average £590.

Heifers overall average £700. Leading prices: £1,175, Blaeneifed Farms Ltd, Blaeneifed; £1,045, Murrow, Brownslade Farm; £950, Beynon, Cross Farm; £910, Lewis, Llangwathen; £865, Philips, Parsonage; £860, Thomas, Nolton Cross Farm.

Steers: Overall average £750. Leading prices: £1,375, Iscoed Farms Ltd, Iscoed Uchaf; £1,235, Greggor, Cwmderryn; £1,100, Brown, Deer Moat; £1,065, Evans, Coed Howell; £995, Hawkins, Blaenwerneirch; £990, Eynon, Plasybedw; £985, Griffiths, Llysyfran Farm; £970, Brown, Ashbrook.

In-calvers: Overall average £67, top £790, Thomas & Co Ltd, Pantyrhuad Farm, Llanddowror.

Breeding bulls: £950, Limousin, Jones, Jacobs Park, Narberth.

Cows and calves: £1,220, Davies, Bronygaer; £1,070, Eynon, Plasybedw.

In-lamb ewes: £85, £80, £78, McDonald, Tycerrig.

Ewes and lambs: Overall average £50, top £152, Evans, Delfryn, Brynhoffnant.

Haverfordwest

February 18th

BJP MARTS reports: Calves (34): Overall average £75.62. Bulls: Hereford (4) average £165, maximum £198, Bevan, Eweston; Friesian (22) average £50, maximum £155, Owen, The Holmes.

Heifers: Hereford (2) average £150, maximum £212, Owen, The Holmes; Limousin (2) average £135, maximum £152, Riggs, Goree; Aberdeen Angus (4) average £63, maximum £95, Davies, Brunt Farm.

Store cattle (28): Overall average £594.29. Steers: Hereford (7) average £696, maximum £1240, Davies, Romans Castle; British Blue (1) £855, Davies, Romans Castle; Limousin (12) average £548, maximum £640, Ruell, Trefayog; Beef Shorthorn (1) £460, Davies, Llwyncelyn; Aberdeen Angus (1) £255, Davies, Llwyncelyn.

Heifers: Hereford (1) £800, Davies, Romans Castle; Limousin (5) average £565, maximum £610, Phillips, Gwndwngwyn.

Whitland

February 18th

J. J. MORRIS reports: Approved hoggets sold well and cull ewes and rams sold to an improved trade.

Approved hoggets (500): Overall average 182.69p/kg. Top prices: 208p, 40kg, Marlsborough Farms Ltd. Marlsborough; 201p, 40kg, Davies Pantybugail: 199p, 40.5kg, Davies Morfa Farm.

Light maximum 187, average 177.45; standard maximum 208, average 185.02; medium maximum 193, average 180.83; heavy maximum 190, average 182.12; others maximum 166, average 153.76.

Non-approved hoggets: Overall average 170p/kg or £60 per head.

Cull ewes and rams (264): Heavy ewes overall average £58.61, lighter types £24.25. Top prices: £83.50, Jones, Pencaerau Bach; £83, Williams & Son, Llwynbychan; £81, Howell, Clubland Farm.

Rams overall average £65.30, top £82, Marlsborough Farm Ltd, Marlsborough.

In-lamb ewes: £98, Colledge, Gwarmacwydd.

Barren cows: Overall average 102p/kg or £710 per head, top £1000, 850kg Friesian, Hancock & Co, Penllwyn.

Carmarthen

February 19th

BJP MARTS reports: A more mixed entry as far as quality was concerned, which showed in the overall averages. Nevertheless the first quality animals were still in good demand.

Dairy cattle (28): Cows (5) average £1168, maximum £1320; heifers (12) average £1620, maximum £2120; recorded cows (1) £1300; recorded heifers (10) average £1766, maximum £2300.

Top prices: £2300, £1950, Jones, Pengelli Uchaf; £2250, Jones, Llwydcoed Isaf; £2120, Brown, Penybanc Bach; £2100, Blaengelli Farm Ltd; £1950, Evans, Cwmcloch.

Calves (365): Bulls overall average £195.71. Hereford (24) average £177, maximum £370, Kitson, Rhosgoch Ganol; British Blue (61) average £206, maximum £350, Chetwynd Farms Ltd; Charolais (10) average £219, maximum £305, Davies, Sprinkle Farm; Simmental (9) average £211, maximum £290, Jones, Danyrallt; Limousin (24) average £191, maximum £260, Plasgwyn Farms Ltd; Aberdeen Angus (6) average £149, maximum £202, Dent, Maencoch; Saler (2) average £182, maximum £188, Evans, Cilgwyn Uchaf; Friesian (149) average £34, maximum £128, Davies, Plain Dealings.

Heifers overall average £139.03. Charolais (17) average £181, maximum £320, Lloyd, Pantmarchog; British Blue (46) average £163, maximum £300, Chetwynd Farms Ltd; Simmental (6) average £149, maximum £290, Thomas, Gelligatrog; Limousin (33) average £120, maximum £228, Plasgwyn Farm Ltd; Hereford (22) average £103, maximum £180, Thomas, Llwynhelig; Saler (1) £122, Evans, Cilgwyn Uchaf; Friesian (1) £120, Davies, Penrhiw Farm; Aberdeen Angus (6) average £83, maximum £115, Thomas, Cwm Farm.

Newcastle Emlyn

February 20th

Dai Lewis Auctioneers reports: A respectable number in all sections, considering the bad weather. Hoggets saw a flying trade throughout, selling much higher than national and local trends at the beginning of the week. Stores again saw a fast run, with the ewes reaching the highest average of the year so far.

Hoggets: Light maximum 167, average 167.1; standard maximum 186, average 183.4; medium maximum 191, average 188.8; heavy maximum 187, average 185; others maximum 165, average 160.1.

Overall average 186.3p/kg. Leading prices: 191, 188, 186, 185, Evans, Dyffryn Brodyn, Blaenwaun, Whitland; 189, 186, Davies, Lletty Prys, Llandysul; 188, Evans, Blaenbidernin Uchaf, Cwmann, Lampeter; 187, 186, 185, Hughes, Blaendyffryn, Capel Iwan, Newcastle Emlyn; 187, Jones, Betws, Bronwydd, Carmarthen; 186, Williams, Wenfro, Blaenycoed, Carmarthen; 185, 184, Jones, Penparc, Rhydlewis, Llandysul; 185, Thomas, Cwmdyllest, Pontsian, Llandysul; 182, James, Pwllybroga, Aberporth, Cardigan.

Store hoggets: Overall average £48.21. Top prices: £50, Langley, Cwmyronnen Uchaf, Pontarsais, Carmarthen; £50, Mcfadzean, Pwllyheirn, Blaencillech, Newcastle Emlyn; £39, Hywel, Cnwcyronnen, Blaenporth, Cardigan.

Cull ewes: Overall average £61.46. Leading prices: £92, £84, Thomas, Blaenparc, Cribyn, Lampeter; £75, Evans, Delfryn, Cynwyl Elfed, Carmarthen; £70.50, Bowen, Brynteilo, Penybont, Carmarthen; £70, James, Fynnoncripil, Ponthirwaun; £66.50, £53.50, Rees, Tydu Vale Caravan Park, Cwmtydu; £60.50, Thomas, Llygadyrhaul, Whitemill, Carmarthen; £59.50, Hughes, Blaendyffryn, Capel Iwan; £58.50, Belgrove, Aberdyfnant, Llanfyrnach; £58, Jones, Betws, Bronwydd.

Butcher’s rams: Overall average £58.50. Top: £60, Evans, Blaenbidernin Uchaf, Cwmann; £57, Annwyl, Abercefel, Tregroes.

Carmarthen

February 20th

BJP Marts reports from the weekly store cattle sale. Barren and overage cattle (74): Tested barren cows (15) average per kilo 103.18p, average per head £648, maximum per kilo 158.70p, maximum per head £960; untested barren cows (56) average per kilo 98.90p, average per head £629, maximum per kilo 158.80p, maximum per head £1100; bulls (1) 112.50p/kg or £990; overage steers (2) average per kilo 160p, average per head £1005, maximum per kilo 160p, maximum per head £1010.

Fat cattle (5): Overall average 182.52p/kg (£1283); maximum 187p/kg.

Store cattle (281): Steers: Up to 18 months (71) average £818, maximum £1130; 18-24 months (74) average £1003, maximum £1380; 24+ months (18) average £1028, maximum £1275.

Heifers: Up to 18 months (37) average £681, maximum £1000; 18-24 months (61) average £897, maximum £1070; 24+ months (11) average £872, maximum £1130.

Steers overall average £920.71.

Charolais (57) average £1061, maximum £1380, Thomas, Maesyrhiw; Hereford (19) average £893, maximum £1275, Jones, Gerlyd Farm; Aberdeen Angus (7) average £723, maximum £1260, Davies, Lanfryn; Limousin (48) average £908, maximum £1150, Richards, Clawdd Ddu; Simmental (4) average £983, maximum £1125, Thomas, New Inn; British Blue (14) average £811, maximum £1065, Richards, Clawdd Ddu; Blonde D’aquitaine (1) £930, Douch, Llwyngwyn; Friesian (11) average £609, maximum £745, John, Llangwyddfan; Montbeliard (1) £700, Rowsell, Troedyrhiw Farm; Ayrshire (1) £465, Davies, Tynewydd Farm.

Heifers overall average £820.69.

British Blue (15) average £807, maximum £1130, Thomas, Cilyllyn; Charolais (31) average £863, maximum £1070, Davies, Cwmbychan; Limousin (40) average £793, maximum £1070, Davies, Cwmbychan; Blonde D’aquitaine (8) average £999, maximum £1050, Roberts, Glanrwyth; Hereford (11) average £803, maximum £990, Rowsell, Troedyrhiw Farm; Friesian (1) £720, Richards, Blaencedw; Aberdeen Angus (3) average £445, maximum £445, Richards, Blaencedw.

Sheep section: Old season lambs: Overall average 173.13p.