Store cattle trade firms up at Bishops Castle

Auctioneers Halls reported a welcome firming in the trade at a store cattle sale at Bishops Castle Auction on November 4

An entry of 285 cattle went under the hammer, with steers averaging162p per kilo and £715 per head and heifers 140p per kilo and £580. Some cattle were as much as £100 a head up on the previous week’s trade.

"After a noticeable drop in trade over the last month or so, it was reassuring to see a large crowd around the ring and a definite firming in the trade," said David Bryan-Jones, of Halls.

"Competition was strong which resulted in some very pleasing prices and some happy vendors.

"The beef trade looks likely to move upwards towards Christmas, which will help the store trade, so vendors would be wise to take advantage of these prices."

The sale started with useful run of bulls from Messrs C. M. Stephens and Partners, The Cote. They sold to a top price of £620 per head for 470 kilos, which equated to 132p per kilo. A lighter bull at 320 kilos sold to 153p per kilo.

First in the ring of the clean cattle was a lovely run of Belgian Blue cross heifers from Nicky Sneade of the Old Hall Farm, which sold to £800, £780 and £765 and weighed from 510 kgs to 560 kgs.

Steers were in good demand and sold to a top price per head of £885 for 600 kilos from Messrs M. E. and G. E. Jones, Hafod. The next highest was £868 for 620 kilos from Mr John Bishop of Shepton Fields.

A number of steers sold to well in excess of £800 per head. Top price per kilo went to Michael Adams at 199p and 191p (355 and 410 kilos). The Moyle brothers were next with a super bunch of Charolais weighing 370 kilos at 185p per kilo.

Heifers welcomed the increase in the trade probably a little more than the steers and sold to a very impressive top price of £860 again from Messrs M. E. and G. E. Jones, Hafod. Next came some super heifers from the Jones family, Trelerney Farm with £830 for 460kg and £810 for 515kgs, with Nicky Sneade’s Belgian Blues coming next.

Heifers sold to a top price per kilo of 181p from Messrs D. E. and M. C. Morgan, Cefn Twlch and 180p per kilo from Jones, Trelerney. A good number sold between 150p per kilo and 180p per kilo.

The next sale is on Thursday, November 19 and entries of suckled calves and weanlings are now being accepted. Next store cattle sale is on Thursday, December 9 with entries closing on December 2. Contact Tel: 01588 638639 or 638755 for more information.