‘HARD WORKING, NO NONSENSE’ SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALES AT MARKETS AROUND THE UK AND INCLUDING AT:

LONGTOWN; SHREWSBURY; AYR; HEXHAM; MELTON MOWBRAY; CASTLE DOUGLAS; GISBURN; THAINSTONE; SALISBURY; DINGWALL; DUNGANNON; LANARK; WHITLAND; STIRLING; BAKEWELL; THAINSTONE; HUNTLY; FROME; AND CARLISLE
It’s the third and final part of Simmental Market briefs for February further highlighting the Simmental breed doing the business for commercial beef producers around the UK.

Analysis of AHDB’s National Beef Evaluation (NBE) data (December 2023) showed that Simmental sired progeny have a superior Daily Carcase Gain in comparison to Continental sired, and Native sired progeny. This latest analysis was in addition to the first release in October 2023, which showed that Simmental sired calves finished on average over five weeks earlier than those by all Continental sires, with these calves costing on average over £70 less to finish, and resulting in significantly reduced CO2 emissions. Furthermore, Continental sired calves out of Simmental dams finished over four weeks earlier than the average of all suckler dams.

The latest Market Briefs include:
C&D Auction Marts Ltd held their February sale of 428 store cattle on Tuesday 13th February 2024 at Longtown. A quality show of younger cattle were forward. Bullocks peaked at £1,800 for a Simmental x from JDM Thomson, Newlands, Eaglesfield.

In a sale of weanlings at Shrewsbury on 13th February, steers just a flyer from the first to the last with 98 sold peaking at £1040 for a Simmental from the top of the Stiplestones from EM Chidley.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 166 Calves and Stirks on 13th February at Ayr. Top Price Calf was £730 for a Simmental Cross Bull off Messrs Harper, Kaimhill.

At Hexham’s Primestock Sale on 13th February, leading the sale of Cast Cows & OTMS with a young, shapey Simmental x cow was Messrs H & D M Forster, East Wharmley which realised 238.5ppk.

In a sale of 368 store and breeding cattle at Melton Mowbray on 13th February, breeding cattle to start saw C Holtom up from Coventry selling Pedigree Simmental Bulls to a top of £2500 for “Meriwell Naughty Boy”.

Wallets Marts on 12th February at Castle Douglas, sold OTM Cattle, and Store Cattle. 368 store cattle sold to a fantastic trade and a top of £1980 for both Simmental and Luing bullocks from Messrs Black, Hillside. Heifers to £1920 for Simmentals from Messrs McKinnel, Drumneil and Bulls to 299.2ppk for Simmentals from East Kirkcarsewell.

In a sale of store cattle at Gisburn on 10th February, clean cattle sold to a high of £1720 for a hard fed Simmental heifer from Melvin Noblet.

Aberdeen and Northern Marts on 9th February sold 1,220 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves at Thainstone. Heifers (436) averaged 325p and sold to 399.3p per kg and £2340 gross for a 586kg Simmental Cross from Caskieben, Kinellar.

On 8th February, 769 cattle were sold at Salisbury Market’s Candlemas Sale. Feeding cattle met another insatiable level of demand. Topping the Continentals was a ring full of Simmental heifers from James Whittle at an eye watering £1630 (589kg).

£2070 SIMMENTAL SETS MARKET RECORD FOR STORE CATTLE AT SHREWSBURY
The first sale of February 2024, 246 STORE CATTLE, will be marked in the record books at Shrewsbury Auction Centre. A relentless and fearless trade was witnessed from the very first hammer of the day. Never before have Feeding Store Cattle in Shrewsbury sold for over £2000 but they peaked at £2070, for A K & C E Lloyd of Leighton, Welshpool for a Simmental Steer weighing in at 755kg.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 640 Store Cattle at their sale in Ayr on 8th February. Young Bulls sold to £960 for Simmentals off Auchentibber or 313p.

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, on 7th February sold 738 store cattle, 21 breeding cattle and 167 OTM cattle. Heifers (344) averaged 296.8p per kg and sold to 388.9p per kg for a 360kg Limousin cross from Glebe Farm, Kiltarlity and £1,980 gross for a 710kg Simmental from Druid Temple Farm, Inverness.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 7th February, Dropped Calves sold to a solid trade to peak at £400 for a Sim Bull presented by E Speers, £390 Sim Bull, £380 Sim Bull, £330 Sim Bull. Heifer Calves sold to £355 Sim presented by E Speers.

Lawrie and Symington sold 628 store cattle were sold at the fortnightly sale at Lanark on 6th February. Bullocks sold to a top of 364.1p for a pen of six 287kg Simmentals from Messrs WA & J Murray, East Crookedstone Farm, Hamilton to level at 313p/kg.

On 6th February at Thainstone, Aberdeen & Northern Marts held a sale of Adult Breeding Cattle. Cow with Heifer Calf at Foot sold to £1,780 for a Simmental with Charolais from Cowfords Farm, New Pitsligo. In Calf Heifers sold to £1,400 for Simmental crosses from New Fleenas, Nairn. In Calf Cow sold to £3,000 for a pair of Simmental crosses from Cairnhill, Huntly.

At Hexham’s Primestock Sale on 6th February, and a sale of cast cows and OTMs, the leading gross cow came from Messrs K Smith & Sons, East Greenridge Farm who sold a Simmental cross to £1901.87.

In a sale of calves at Whitland on 6th February, heifers were led at £290 by a Simm from Messrs Green, Lampeter Velfrey.

On 5th February, Caledonian Marts Ltd, Stirling, had forward 609 Store Cattle and Breeding Cattle at their fortnightly sale. Heifers sold to £1770 for a Simmental from J Drysdale, Forrestmill, Forrestmill.

At Bakewell’s weekly sale on 5th February there was 413 cattle on offer. In a small offering of OTMs, the top price was £2300 for a 10 year old Simm bull from JW Fentem & Sons, Biggin. Mention also to FG&JR Critchlow, Sheen who sold a Young Simm bull at 838kgs for £2329.64. In the sale of 396 store & breeding cattle, a lovely run of Simmentals from the Foster family of Hanch topped at £1790 for two Simmental steers aged 21 & 22 months.

Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 731 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves on 2nd February. Heifers (339) sold to £2300 gross for a pair of 648kg Simmentals from East Backburn, Netherley. On the same day and a sale of store cattle from Orkney consignors, heifers sold to a top of £2,080 gross and 359.9p per kg for a pen of three 578kg Simmentals from A D Miller, Spring Valley, Stronsay.

In Frome’s sale of store cattle on 2nd February, young steers were topped at £1480 by Simmentals from P&S Foot, Portesham who sold other Simmentals at £1355, and £1205.

At Aberdeen and Northern Marts sale of prime cattle on 1st February, 30 to 36 month heifers sold to £2,048.85 gross for a 785kg Simmental cross from Southbank, Skene. On the same day and a sale of cast cows and bulls, bulls averaged £1,735 and sold to £2,270 for a 1,020kg Simmental from Delfur Farms, Rothes.

United Auctions sold 122 Store cattle & OTM’s on 1st February at Huntly. Heifers (58) sold to a top gross of £1460 for a 515kg SimX from Lyne of Linton, Sauchen.

United Auctions, Stirling, on 31st January sold 1283 store cattle & young bulls. Also 212 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls, 163 Breeding Cattle & 44 Rearing Cattle. Bullocks (708) – averaged 299.68p to 356.50p per kg for a 432kg SIMX from Culnoag. Young Bulls (49) averaged 280.63p to 292.80p for a SIMX from Tomanean. Beef Cows and Bulls (172) averaged 175.17p to 254.60p per kg for a SIMX from Mid Auchencarroch and to £1990 for a SIMX from Grieves Cottage.

On 31st January Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly sale of bulls and weaned cattle at Carlisle. Simmental bulls topped at £1590 from Messrs Skelton, Waterloo Farm with others to £1490.