Beef prices lead to keen demand for store cattle
The improved price of finished cattle in the beef ring has generated an unprecedented demand for stores at Shrewsbury Auction Centre where prices of up to £958 for steers and £905 for heifers were recorded at last Thursday’s catalogue sale.
Top price for steers went to a quality Charolais cross weighing 575 kilos from
Mr J. Byrne, Smokey Lane Holding, which was closely followed by £952 for a 545-kilo Charolais cross from Messrs M. and G. V. Ellis and Son, Penllys. Messrs G. H. and Z. Brown took third place with £945 for a 545-kilo Limousin cross.
Messrs M. and G. V. Ellis and Son also topped the price per kilo section with £2 per kilo for 440 Kilos. Messrs R J. and G. D. Talbot of Moat Farm also achieved £2 per kilo for a 410-kilo Charolais cross steer.
A pair of 535-kilo Blonde D’Aquitaine cross heifers presented by Mr Dave Egerton, Oakfields Farm topped their section as they peaked at £905. Hot on his heels was George Brown. The Rock, making £850 for a bunch of Limousin cross heifers weighing 465 kilos.
The top price per kilo went to Mr John Willis for a pair of young British Blue heifers, which made 191p per kilo. Second was Mr Billy Jones of Cwm Duggan, whose heifer made 184p per kilo for a Limousin weighing 390 kilos.
Overall steers averaged £781.51 per head, with an average price per kilo of 165.52p and heifers averaged £578 per head with an average price per kilo of 157p.
A record entry of nearly 100 bulls sold to an average price of £547, peaking at £788 per head and a top price per kilo of 237p. Top price per head went to Mr Derek Davies of Peplow and the top price per kilo went to Mr John Willis of Broome Farm.
A special entry of 59 Friesian/Holstein bulls from Messrs S. R. Machin Ltd averaged £536 per head (125p per kilo), demonstrating the value of rearing them.
"The clean cattle were as good as we have seen for many years, if ever," said auctioneer Allen Gittins. "It was a tremendous show of strength and quality and I strongly advise farmers to take advantage of the excellent trade at the moment."
Entries are now being accepted for the next sale on Thursday, March 19. Mr Gittins appealed to vendors to enter their cattle as early as possible so that buyers may be contacted in good time for the sale.
