WHITLAND

FEBRUARY 6TH

J. J. Morris reports a good day’s trading, which included 350 store cattle. A fantastic entry of 259 in lamb ewes was seen and the 21 ewe and lamb couples forward sold to a blistering trade with the first electronically tagged lambs forward.

Grazing cows, bulls and overage cattle: Prices p/kg topped at 134p for a 710 kilo Charolais steer from Bailey, Pensarn which also topped the £/head at £950. Cows sold to an average of 96p/kg and £560/head.

Leading prices p/kg: Charolais (steers) 710k at 134p, 630k at 125p Bailey, Pensarn; Limousin 605k at 108p Thomas, Tir Isaf; Saler 630k at 106p, Limousin 640k at 100p Codd and Lewis, Upper North Hill Farm.

Store cattle (350): A good entry of store cattle forward selling to a good trade throughout which saw the best continental type steers and heifers peaking at £1,030 and £820 respectively. Steers sold to an excellent overall average of £760 while heifers averaged £630. Store bulls reached £545 and averaged £445/head.

Heifers (132): Limousin £820, Belgian Blue £745 Richards, Clawddu Farm; Charolais £790 Belton, Headlands Farm; Limousin/Belgian Blue £790 Jones, Sunnyside Farm.

Steers (201): Belgian Blue £1,030, £955, £940 Thomas, Maesllyn; Limousin £995, £970, £955, Belgian Blue £950 Van Dijk, The Square; Limousin/Belgian Blue £965 Morgan, Myrtle Hill Farm.

Bulls (17): Simmental £545, £540, £435 Owen, Grove Caravan Park; Limousin £475, £448 Morgan, Penrhys Fawr Farm; Belgian Blue £440 £430, £400, £360 Davies, Foel Hendre.

Suckler cows and in-calf cows: Cows and calves topped at £900 for a Simmental from Thomas, Gellideg, with others selling at £870 for a Limousin from Rees, Ty Mawr who also sold a Hereford at £780. In calvers topped at £800 for a Simmental from Evans, Pengelli Uchaf; other leading prices at £795 for a Charolais from Rees, South Wood Farm who also sold a Simmental at £775, Charolais at £760 and £740, Herefords at £755 and £695; £700 for a BB from Carlile, Helyg Fawr.

Ewe amd lamb couples: A large entry drew a significant amount of inquiries with numerous buyers in attendance, resulting in a brisk trade in all sections. Of particular interest to many farmers were several lots of ewe and lamb couples with electronically tagged lambs, which gave J. J. Morris the opportunity to test run the tag reading equipment.

Further demonstrations will be held at Cardigan, Whitland and Crymych Marts on February 22nd, 23rd and 24th at approximately 1.30pm. It is hoped as many farmers as possible will attend these demonstrations to see the system in operation and perhaps clarify the requirements. It was however interesting to see that those couples with EID sold to the top price of £192/head.

The day’s top price of £192 was paid for broker ewes with twin lambs which had been electronically tagged from Evans, Parc-y-Pwll. Other leading prices at £175 for broker and full mouth ewes with twin lambs again from the same vendor who also sold further broker ewes with twin lambs at £155; £165 for a broker ewe with single lamb from Thomas, Cildywyll who also sold further broker ewes with singles at £150; £162 for a three-year-old ewe and her single lamb from Evans, Pantygronw who also sold two-year-olds with singles at £150 and four-year-olds with singles at £145, £142 and £95.

An excellent entry of 259 in lamb ewes saw prices top at £99 for an ewe lamb scanned to be carrying a single from Evans, Pantygronw. Other leading prices at £98 for a 3/4year olds scanned as single and doubles from the same vendor who also sold at £96 for two- year-olds scanned to singles, £90 for three-year-old ewes, £85 for yearlings, £80 for 2/3 year olds, £71 for three-year-olds; £93 and £89 for 2/3 year olds from Walters, Upper Castle Ely who also sold yearlings at £83, £81 for 2/3/4 year olds; £80 for brokers from Williams, Ty Cynog. A pen of store lambs from Rees, South Wood topped at £52.

CARDIGAN

February 8th

J. J. Morris reports – With a total entry of 718 head in the sheep section and 31 calves, a buoyant trade was evident in all sections. Prime hoggets sold to a fast trade. Store lambs again sold well for the time of year and cull ewes, as in previous weeks, saw a fast trade for all sorts. Calves again sold well.

Top prices: 195.4, 193.0 Owens, Glantre, Pontsian; 193.6, 193.3, 192.7, 192.2, 191.8 etc Davies, Pennant, Tanygroes; 192.3, 190.3, 183.0 Hopkins, Clyngwynne, Llanboidy.

Store lambs (33): £64 Thomas, Llygadyrhaul, Little Newcastle; £62, £50 Jennings, Castellan, Blaenffos.

Cull ewes (204): £126, £112, £92, £90 Davies, Trefaes Fawr, Beulah; £115, £86 Evans, Cilfallen, Cwmcoy; £105, £100, £97, £95 Jones, Penralltygwin, Beulah; £96 George, Ffynnon, Blaenannerch.

In-lamb ewes (30): £170, £168, £165, £160, £150 Monahan, Stember Farmhouse, Rose Hill.

Calves (31). Bulls: £268, £230, £195 (Belgian Blue), £135 (Friesian) Grooms, Tyhen, Sarnau; £242 (Limousin) Jones, Blaenhirbant Uchaf, Cwmsychpant; £240 (Limousin) £226, (Aberdeen Angus) Parkes, Pengaer, Eglwyswrw.

Heifers: £218, £200, £185, £138 (Belgian Blue) Grooms, Tyhen, Sarnau.

WHITLAND

FEBRUARY 9TH

J. J. Morris reports – Prime hoggets (458): A fair entry of lambs was seen this week selling to a steadier trade compared to the last few weeks, which saw the premium well meated continental types sell to a top of 185p/kg and £86.50. The medium weight lambs being those between 32 and 39 kilos sold to an average of 175.34p/kg and £63.56/head with the overall market average at 173.70p/kg.

Top prices p/kg: 39k 185p Morgan, Upper Bletherston; 40k 185p Thomas, Tynewydd Farm; 40k 185p, 40.5k 183p Davies, Mount Pleasant; 39.5k 184p Rowland, Brynonnen.

Cull ewes and rams (234): A good entry of ewes and rams was seen with the stronger type ewes being in good demand, which sold to an average of £67. Top prices: £96, £90, £80, £60 Jones, Maesteilo; £84 Thomas, Syke Farm; £83 James, 1 Green Park.

Rams: £93 Jones, Pencaerau Bach; £90 Jones, Penclippin; £78 Underhill, Penclippin. Fat cattle: A small entry of fat cattle saw prices top at 135.50p/kg for a 650 kilo Simmental steer from Nicholas, Dynaston; a 525 kilo Simmental heifer sold at 122.50p/kg from Blackmore, Grondre Fach Stables.

Overage cattle: An overage Charolais heifer weighing 440 kilos sold to a top of 120p/kg from Cooper, Gilfach Chwith, a 495 kilo Charolais steer also from Cooper, Gilfach Chwith sold at 117p/kg. Prices topped at £580 for the 495 kilo Charolais steer and £530 for the 440 kilo Charolais heifer.

Cull cows (11): The best continental cows topped at 113p/kg and £715/head with the overall market average at 85.64p/kg and £512/head. Top prices as follows: Top prices p/kg: Limousin 635k at 113p Roberts, Parke; Limousin 700k at 101p Rowlands, Cilgynydd; Friesian 615k at 89p Windsor and Son, Fforest Farm.

CRYMYCH

February 10th

J. J. Morris reports: Another excellent entry for the time of year with a total of 1,218 head. Store lambs were slightly easier than previous markets due to a short dip in the fatstock trade. Cull ewes maintained a steady trade.

Store lambs (893). Top prices: £82 Sandbrook, Aneddwen, Crymych; £80.50 Thomas, Graig, Hebron; £79 Phillips, Brithdir, Blaenycoed.

Cull ewes (310). Top prices: £80 Havard-Evans, Pensylvania, Crundale; £76 Morse, Caerenfys, Letterston; £70 Lewis, Maesybeddau, Brynberian.

Ewes and lambs (1): £140 Thomas, Gwarllwyn, Glandwr.

In-lamb ewes (14). Top price: £57 Walters, Upper Castle Ely, Red Roses.

Newcastle Emlyn

February 11th

Dai Lewis Auctioneers reports: Another good entry forward in all sections. Hogs maintained their recent end of week strong run with particular demand for standard and medium weight ranges and averaging better than current deadweight trends.

Leading prices: 214.9, 180.0 Jones, Trenewydd, Trawsmawr, Carmarthen; 195.8 Hunter, Trecwn Isaf, Cippyn, St Dogmaels; 193.7, 192.1 Webster, Nantyrefail, Oakford, Llanarth.

Store hoggets overall average £50.72. Top prices: £66, £60 James, Hendrewen, Manorowen.

In lamb ewes overall average £70.90. Top prices: £80, £70, £53 Ede, Gors Bungalow, Rhydargaeau, Carmarthen.

Culls: Rams overall average £77.50. Top prices: £77.50 (2) Davies, Glanwern, Felinfach; £77.50.

Ewes overall average £74.22. Top prices: £110.50, £82.50, £75.50, £70.50 Jones, Meinigwynion Mawr, Gorsgoch; £105.50 (2) Davies, Llettyprys, Llandysul.