SIMMENTALS CONTINUING TO TOP COMMERCIAL SALES AT UK MARKETS THROUGHOUT OCTOBER

by Nicky Moreton | Nov 14, 2024 | 2024 Market Briefs, 2024 News, 2024

In a sale of UTM heifers at Frome on 30th October, heifers from DAM Marklove topped at 260p/kg and £1577 for Simmental x. In the cull cows best shape Grade 1 cows from the same seller topped at 234p/kg for a Simmental x grossing £1662.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 30th October and a sale of dropped calves, heifer calves sold to £410 for a Simm presented by S Gormley.

United Auctions, Stirling on 30th October 2024 sold 1226 Store Cattle and 273 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Young Bulls  sold to £1650 gross for a 597kg SimmX from Shawsmill.

In a sale of 295 calves at Carmarthen on 30th October, the top price was £470 for a 1-month-old Simmental bull from an excellent pen of calf from Jones, Ty Llwyd Mawr, who had others at £445.

Market Drayton’s sale of 314 store cattle on 30th October saw heifer prices top at £1630 for a 618kg heifer from C Hollinshead & Son.

10-MONTH-OLD SIMM SUCKLED CALVES TOP HALLWORTHY AT £1520
At Hallworthy’s second season sale of suckled calves on 29th October, what a sale! Top spot went to Mr J Buckland & Son of Penzance with his usual run of Pedigree Simmental Steers with depth, length and tremendous fleshing.  His pen of four at 9-10 months, which had 1st in the best bunch, sold to £1520 and with a single to £1500.

At Ashford on 29th October, and a sale of 464 store & breeding cattle, numbers of single suckled calves increasing with a cracking run of 6 – 8 month old Simmental steers from Betchworth Estate to £1030.

At Wooler on 29th October and a sale of store cattle, Harrison & Hetherington saw a great trade throughout with pence per kilo topping at 322ppk from Chatton Park for a pen of Simmental.x Bullocks. The same vendor had other Simm bullocks at 311.3p, 309.5p, and 307.8p.

At Salisbury Livestock Market on 28th October and a sale of UTM finished cattle, top price per kilo of 263p went to a Simmental x steer from Lulworth Castle Farms which grossed £1756.84. In the sale of OTM clean cattle, strong farm assured slip heifers from The Manor of Cadland dominated at up to 258p or £1479.06 for a Simmental x.  In the UTM finished cattle, top price per kilo of 263p went to a Simmental x steer from Lulworth Castle Farms which grossed £1756.84.

SIMM STIRK TOPS AYR AT £1830
Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 171 Calves and Stirks at their weekly sale at Ayr on 29th October. Stirks Topped at a whopping £1520 for a Beautiful Simmental Cross Heifer off Messrs MacDougall, Muirhouse.

On Monday 28th October at Caledonian Marts, Stirling, 672 Store Cattle and Suckled Calves were forward. Bullocks sold to a top of £1830 for a Simmental from W & M More, Castle Rednock, Port of Menteith. Heifers sold to a top of £1820 for Simmentals from D Gibb, South Mains, Bearsden.

At Lanark on 28th October, and Lawrie and Symington Ltd’s primestock sale, young bulls were topped by Simms from East Merkland at £2024 per head.  On the Monday, and a sale of calves and stirks, topping the sale was an exceptional 6 month old Simmental x bull calf from Littlegill Farm, realising £910.

C&D Auctions held their fortnightly sale of Store Cattle (450) in Dumfries on  28th October 2024. Heifers topped per head at £1540 from High Auchneel.  Other Simm heifers from Larglea sold to £1430 x 2.

12 FIVE-MONTH-OLD SIMMS AVERAGE £1012 AT GAERWEN, ANGLESEY
On 25th October at  Gaerwen Auction Centre, Anglesey, W Hughes, Ty Mawr, Llan took 12 Sim X bull calves 5/6 months, to return an average of £1012. All calves out of Kilbride Farm Marksman that was bought privately last autumn.

At Thainstone on 24th October, Aberdeen & Northern Marts held a sale of cast cows and bulls from Orkney consignors. Beef Cows Sold to £1,930 gross for a 848kg Simmental from Drydale Farms, Stromness.  Mature Bulls Sold to £2,140 gross for a 1150kg Simmental from A Clark, Quoydale, Hoy.  On the same day, and a sale of prime heifers top gross was £2048.75 gross for a 745kg Simmental Cross from Rogiehill, Skene.

In a sale of 136 stores at Market Drayton on 24th October, the heifer trade was topped at £1430 for a 626kg Simm heifer.

On 23rd October, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 654 head of adult breeding cattle at Thainstone.   Heifer with Heifer Calf sold to £2950 for a Simmental Heifer from South Blachrie, Fyvie. Cow with Bull Calf sold to £2850 for a Simmental Cross Cow from Law Farm, Insch. Cow with Heifer Calf sold to £2950 for a Simmental Cross Cow from West Maldron, Torphins. Top price for Simmental Heifers was £3200 for a pair, calving February to a Limousin Bull from Mr Watt, New Noth, Gartly.

In a sale of store cattle at Truro on 23rd October, the trade for steers up to one year old was led by a Simmental x to £1380 for Mrs PE Williams of Penzance. In a sale of rearing calves on the same day, topping the heifer section was a Simmental x selling for £310 on behalf of Messrs A D & J A Bray from St Martin, Helston.

£1910 GRANTSBANK SIMM HEIFERS TOP STIRLING STORE CATTLE SALE
United Auctions, Stirling on 23rd October sold 1059 Store Cattle and 335 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Heifers (496) sold to a top gross of £1910 for a 640kg SIMX from Grantsbank.  On the same day a section of 68 rearing cattle was topped at £800 for Simm X heifers from Doldy Farms, Glenisla.

At Market Drayton’s sale of 137 clean cattle and young bulls on 23rd October, Emma Crust topped the trade with heavy Simmental steers selling to 312p (£2,021.76).

On 23rd October Harrison and Hetherington held their weekly sale of calves at Carlisle. 394 forward and saw a packed ringside of buyers keen to stock up making calves the hottest trade for some time. A & AE Harrison, Roung Hill, Wigton sold 3 month Simmental Bulls to £570 to feature amongst the leading prices.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 23rd October, suckled cows and calves sold to £1700 for a Sim Cow with a Char Bull Calf at foot presented by B Sheridan.

On 23rd October at Frome, and a sale of 82 reared calves, well-presented Simmental steers from KJ Withers sold to the top price of £705 and their Simmental heifers to £648 (also top price).

At Ballymena’s sale of store cattle on 22nd October, bullocks at 501kgs and over were topped by a 520kg Simm at £1650 from L Anderson, Kilwaughter.

At Quoybrae on 21st October, Aberdeen & Northern Marts held a sale of weaned calves, store & breeding cattle. Store bullocks sold to £1,580 gross for a 527kg Simmental from West Watten (Thomson). Store heifers sold to 300.4p for a 486kg Simmental Cross from Lower Milton, Wick and £1,490 gross for a 581kg Simmental cross from Park View.

6-MONTH-OLD SIMMS SELL TO £1085 AT PENRITH
Penrith & District Farmers’ Mart LLP held their fortnightly Sale of 289 Store Cattle of all classes on 21st October. First time vendor Messrs NW Graham & Son, Tortolocate Farm, Egremont, sold 6-month-old Simmental bulls to £1085 & £995 for a pair, whose consignment of 5-6-month-old bull and heifer calves averaged £903.33!

At Castle Douglas on 21st October, Wallets Marts sold OTM Cattle, and Store Cattle. 193 Store Cattle sold to 306.8ppk for Simmental bullocks from Glenturk Farming.

At Bentham on 18th October there was a ‘sensational trade for all classes of suckled calves with averages well up on 2023.’ A tremendous run of Charolais and Simmental x steers and heifers from Fishwick Farms met with electric bidding with the consignment going on to average £1211 for 67 calves (+£142 on the year). A run of 20+ pure Simmentals from E & M Fairhurst sold to £1500.

At Thame on Friday 18th October, and a sale of 161 store cattle, RS and GDH Alderman sold his run of heifers to the top price of £1590 for Simmental X.

On 18th October and a sale of beef breeding cattle at Exeter, the Dispersal of the Chegwidden herd of pedigree Simmental cattle on behalf of Viv Hall of Penzance sold to a top call of 4,000gns for “Chegwidden Florence’s Jasmine” a 2018 born cow with an April born heifer calf at foot. Other outfits sold to 2,700gns for “Chegwideen Dilys’s Matilda” a 2021 born cow which sold with her heifer calf sired by Coose Jericho. Another similar outfit made 2,200gns. Simmental heifers topped at 2050gns for “Chegwidden Bambino’s Nini”. Bulls topped at 3,000gns for “Chegwidden Maximus 21” a 2021 born bull.

On 16th Oct Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly sale of (563) store cattle at Carlisle. Simmental heifers from Auchengray Farm sold for £1820 to feature in the top end prices. On the same day and the weekly sale of calves, young calves saw a hot trade all day. Messrs Nash, Philgowan, Newton Stewart was up to £590 for a lovely 2 month old Simmental calf.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 16th October, steer prices reached a height of £1930 for a 755kg Sim (256.00) presented by J Mackle.

At Shrewsbury on 15th October and a sale of 82 calves, strong 4-5 month-old Simmental heifers topped the day from CJ & L Tams, who achieved prices of £605, £590 and £570.

At Ayr, Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 132 Calves and Stirks on 15th October. Stirks sold to £1300 for a pen of Simmental Cross Bullocks off Messrs Kerr, Broom.

At Salisbury Livestock Market on 15th October and a sale of barren cows and bulls, beef cows saw Simmentals top at up to 214p or £1796.18 from Sid and Jinty Brown.

In a sale of calves and stirks at Lawrie & Symington’s Lanark market on 14th October, On-Milk calves topped at £340 from two vendors, including Craigthornhill with their two month old Simmental bull calf.

At Exeter’s sale of prime cattle on 14th October, a neat Simmental from Adrian and Bradley Bowden topped the heifers at £1427 (550kg x 260ppk).

TORWOODLEE SIMMS AT £1720 TOP HEIFERS AT DUMFRIES STORE SALE
C&D Auctions held their fortnightly sale of 779 Store Cattle in Dumfries on 14th October 2024. Heifers per head were topped by Simmentals at £1720 & £1640 from Torwoodlee. Heifers per kilo were also topped by Simmentals at 334.5p/kg from Dollard. In the section of (239) organic cattle, organic heifers per head were topped by Simmentals from Outer Blair at £1660, and £1550 x2, and also per kg at 352p/kg.

A ‘great offering’ of 80 Prime steers and heifers forward at Borderways weekly Primestock sale on 14th October at Carlisle. In a flying trade, Messrs Stamper, Rose Farm, Cockermouth sold best Simmental cross at £2266.79 for 783kgs.

At Sedgemoor on 14th October and a sale of UTM, OTM, and OTSM cattle, heifers rose to £2,000.37 for an OTM Simmental from R Bigwood.

At Bakewell and a sale of finished cattle on 14th October, the heifer gross prices were led at £2224.80 by a 720kg Simm from RG Bacon, Wadshelf. In a sale of 60 calves on the same day, heifer calves were topped at £260 by a Simm from G Matkin, Idridgehay.

At Selby on 12th October, a good show of quality store cattle saw Simmental heifers to £1490 & £1420 from WJ Hollingsworth to feature in the leading prices.

On 11th & 12th October, Aberdeen & Northern Marts held a sale of store cattle from Orkney Consignors. Bullocks Sold to 328.5p per kg for a pen of six 490kg Simmentals from W R & A Moar, Lower Stanger, Birsay. Heifers Sold to £1,750 gross for a pair of 598kg Simmentals from J & M Smith, Lower Cornquoy, Holm.

On 11th October at Thainstone, Abderdeen & Northern Marts sold 888 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves. Leading price per kg for bullocks 301-350kg was Calier with SimX at 318.2p; and Oldwhat Mains with SimX at 300.6p.

In a sale of stirks and suckled calves at Exeter on 11th October, a brisk trade throughout saw Simmental cross steers (7m) from JHR Southwood of Copplestone fly to £770 and top the day.

On 11th October at Ballymena and a sale of 310 calves, heifers topped at £650 for a Simm from M Patterson, Nutts Corner.

On 11th October at Thame, demand was very strong for the older cattle topping at £1820 for a pen of Simmental steers from Sulham Estates & Farms at 19 months who went on to sell other pens at £1808 and £1805. Sulham Estates also topped the heifers with £1700 for a Simmental at 19 months.

In a sale of cast & 130 OTM cattle at Lancaster Auction Mart on 11th October, Simmental steers sold to 259.5p/kg from EJ&PE Burrow, Storth.  Top grossing in the cast was a Simmental cast bull from E Rossall, Pressall at £1995.60.

COLTFIELD YOUNG SIMM BULLS SELL TO £2703 AT THAINSTONE PRIME CATTLE SALE

At Aberdeen and Northern Marts sale of prime cattle on 10th October, young bulls sold to £2703 gross for a Simmental from Wester Coltfield, Kinloss.  On the same day and a sale of Beef feeding cows (113),  top price was £1650 for a 746kg Simmental Cross from Acrestrype, Auchterless.

On 10th October at Ballymena, and a sale of 445 cattle, beef cows were topped at £2306 for a 790kg Simm from W Hopes, Ballywater.

On 9th October, United Auctions Stirling sold 1910 Store & Native Bred cattle and 296 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls, & 104 Rearing Cattle.  Young Bulls averaged 202.01 to 272.60p per kilo for a 576kg SIMX from Nettlingflat and £1570 for a 576kg SIMX from Nettlingflat.

In a sale of feeding/breeding bulls on 9th October at Monmouthshire Livestock Centre, the trade topped at £970 for a 4-month-old Simmental from EM Miles & Partners, Gelligaer.

At Truro on 9th October, Simmental cows & calves from Mr E White of St Buryan, Penzance made £2720; £2500; £2300; and £2250.  In-calf heifers from the same home made £2000, with bulling heifers to £1900.  A sale of suckled calves saw Simmental steers up to 7-months-old at £900 for Messrs Nankervis, Zennor, St Ives, with heifers from the same home up to 7-months-old at £800. Steer suckled calves at 8-12-months-old saw Simmental x to £935 for Messrs Roberts, Gweek, Helston.

On Wednesday 9th October at Brockholes Arms Auction Mart, Garstang, and a sale of rearing calves and weanlings, topping the day’s trade was a Simmental bull calf from J D Loftus at £505.

At a sale of 72 cull cows at Frome on 9th October, the top price was £1492 for a Simm from HJ Marklove, Purton.

At Ballymena’s store cattle sale of over 400 head on 8th October, heifers over 501kgs were topped by a 610kg Simm at £2040 from H Sinnamon, Pomeroy.

At Ashford Market’s sale of 439 store cattle on 8th October, continental bred cattle were topped by Simmental cross steers, 18 months, at £1400 from Wood Farm Partnership

BUFFS SIMMENTALS TOP GISBURN AT £2450

At Gisburn on 5th October, a cracking turn out of beef breeding cattle saw the Buffs herd of Simmentals from G Tattersall & AR Hargreaves meet a huge crowd of interest, with cows and calves topping at £2450. In calf heifers topped at £2050 for Simmentals from G Tattersall & AR Hargreaves.

HARVIESTON SIMMS TOP CASTLE DOUGLAS CALVES AT £1530

Wallets Marts had forward 975 Spring born calves at their sale at Castle Douglas on 5th October.  Bullocks sold to £1530 for Simmentals from Messrs Forster, Harvieston.

At Thainstone on 4th October, Aberdeen & Northern Marts held a sale of store cattle from Orkney consignors.  Heifers Sold to £1,690 gross for a 512kg Simmental and to 330p per kg for a 512kg Simmental from K & K Morgan, Swanny Farm, Swannay.

At Thame on 4th October and a sale of 156 store cattle, John Flanagan topped the heifers with a single Aberdeen Angus X Simmental at £1600 and Simmental X from the same farm at £1460 at 18 months.

£2100 PANTMEINOG SIMM STEER TOPS CARMARTHEN PRIME SALE

On 4th October, Carmarthen Livestock Mart held part one of their prize cattle autumn fair.  Trade was electric with the top price on the day being £2100 for a Simm steer from EA Davies, Pantmeinog.

On 4th October and a sale of 147 calves at Exeter, bulls topped at an impressive £380 for a very young but sweet Simmental bull sold by MR & KM Pring of Broadclyst.

At a small sale of cattle on behalf of Shetland consignors at Thainstone on 3rd October, cast Cows sold to £1,870 gross and 224.7p per kg for a 832kg Simmental from S & E Ridland, Berga, Wester Skeld.

£4250 SIMM COW WITH CALF TOPS THAINSTONE BREEDING CATTLE TRADE

At Thainstone on 2nd October, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 210 head of adult breeding cattle. The annual show & sale of breeding cattle kindly sponsored by James Milne Chartered Accountants, was judged by Neil Robertson, Carbrotack, Cairnie. The Reserve Champion went to W & M Ewing, South Blachrie for a Simmental Cross Heifer with a Limousin Heifer calf which sold at £3750 too W J Jack & Son, Woodend. The top price of the sale  was £4250 which went to C & M Emslie, Law Farm for a Simmental Cross Cow with a Charolais Cross Bull calf which was purchased by J Durno, Mansefield.  Heifers with Bull Calf (22) averaged £3243.18 per head & sold to £3850 for a Simmental cross Heifer and a March Born Charolais Cross calf from Law Farm, Insch. Heifers with Heifer Calf (36) averaged £3150 per head & sold to £3750 for a Simmental Cross Heifer and a July Born Limousin Cross calf from South Blachrie, Fyvie. Cow with Bull Calf (66) averaged £2918.31 per head & sold to £4250 for a Simmental Cross Cow with a March Born Charolais Cross calf from Law Farm, Insch. Cow with Heifer Calf (40) averaged £2603.75 per head & sold to £3900 for a Simmental Cross Cow with an April Born Charolais Cross from Law Farm, Insch.   In Calf Cow (19) averaged £1985.79 and sold to £2200 (X2) firstly for a Simmental Cross from, Law Farm, Insch & secondly for a Simmental from Cairntack, Belhelvie.

In a sale of 230 store cattle at Holsworthy on 2nd October,  top call on the day was £1795 for two well farmed Simmental steers from Messrs TW Owen & ML Vanstone, Holsworthy, who also sold two 24mth Simmental steers £1710.

On 1st October, and a sale of store cattle at Holmfirth, Simm steers from RA Asquith sold for the day’s top price of £1545 to J Hobson & Son.

On 1st October at Ayr, Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 164 Calves and Stirks with all types dearer on the week. Top Price Calf was £570 for a Thumper of a Simmental Cross Heifer off Messrs Howat, Burnton.  At a sale of cows on the same day, top price per head was £1800 for a Simmental from Pinclanty.

PART THREE OF THREE: FROM HUNTLY TO HAILSHAM, SIMMENTALS ‘DOING THE BUSINESS’ AT SALES AROUND THE UK!

by Nicky Moreton | Oct 11, 2024 | 2024, 2024 Market Briefs, 2024 News

Here is the third and final part of what has been a bumper month of Simmental market briefs for September, and featuring snippets from a mighty 33 markets around the UK. Markets highlighted in the month have included:

STIRLING; LANARK; CARLISLE; SEDGEMOOR; EXETER; THAINSTONE; DUNGANNON; HUNTLY; TIREE; TRURO; SKIPTON; BALLYMENA; MELTON MOWBRAY; BAKEWELL; GISBURN; CASTLE DOUGLAS; HEXHAM; LANCASTER; DUNGANNON; FROME; AYR; SALISBURY; HAILSHAM; DUMFRIES; HULL; SWATRAGH; PORTREE; MARKET DRAYTON; HOLSWORTHY; GARSTANG; TAVISTOCK; DARLINGTON; & QUOYBRAE

The Simmentals bread and butter is there well established maternal qualities of fertility, easy calving, milk in abundance, and ability to rear a quality calf year on year. As one commercial producer recently said: “Simmental is the ‘Tesla’ of upland suckler beef production!’

Establishing evidence based facts of the breed’s abilities, economic performance, and green credentials, analysis of AHDB data has shown Simmental gives beef producers more. Industry leading age at slaughter whether sired by a Simmental or out of a Simmental dam, significant reduction in finishing costs, and lower emissions meeting environmental challenges.

The ‘ultimate combination’ for Daily Carcase Gain has been shown as the progeny of a Simmental bull out of a Simmental dam, and with the highest rates of DCG, attained by both Continental and Natives sires, being for progeny out of Simmental dams.

These latest market briefs again highlight the all-round added value Simmentals can deliver as they top prime, store, breeding, suckled calf, rearing calf, and cull sections at the respective sales. Many of the other market leaders will be out of Simmental, and Simmental X dams.

Given these tremendous economics for beef producers, BSCS Norman Robson said in his recent report to breeders: “Our realistic aim should be to have a bit of Simmental in every suckler cow in the country.” There’s More to Simmental!

SIMMENTAL BULLOCK AT £2120 TOPS CARLISLE STORE SALE
At H&H’s sale of store cattle on 11th September at Borderway, Carlisle, all classes were a ferocious trade throughout with plenty buyers ringside ensuring vendors leave happy. Topping the day at £2120 was a Simmental bullock from Messrs Stewart, Craigour, Moffat.
In a sale of prime cattle at Frome on 11th September, best grade Simmental steers from WD Guley & Son topped at 295p/kg and £1884.

SIMMENTALS TOP STEERS & HEIFERS AT BORDERWAY WEANED CATTLE SALE 💥
Also on 11th September at Carlisle, Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly sale of weaned cattle where the 229 forward were rewarded with a fantastic trade. Leading the steers at £1560 was a single Simm from Mr Bewley, Lockerbie whose run of 7 went to average £1368.57. Heifers topped at £1400 for a Simmental again from Mr Bewley, Lockerbie.

In a sale of store cattle at Truro on 11th September, the youngest steers sold to £1290 for a cracking 13-month-old Simmental from N H Semmens & Son Ltd of St Levan, Penzance. On the same day, in calf Simmental x heifers topped their section at £1375 for Messrs R H & C D Care of St Buryan, Penzance with others from the same home at £1355.

At Lanark’s primestock sale on 9th September, beef cows topped at 299p per kg for a Simm from Muckraw.

In a small sale of OTM steers at Bakewell on 9th September the top price was £1738 for a Simm from R Wood, Middleton. The special entry of Simmental cattle from Storer Smith Simmentals attracted plenty of interest with cow and calf outfits to £2,550, in calf cows to £1,950 and maiden heifers to £1,580.

At Borderway’s Primestock Sale, Carlisle on 9th September, a 740kg Simmental heifer from Messrs Stamper, Rose Farm, Cockermouth sold for a mighty £2319.9 to feature in the leading prices. On the same day in the prime bulls, Simmentals from Messrs Marshall, Starlaw Farm, Bathgate sold to £2346.50 for 805kgs.

In a sale of cull cows at Exeter on 9th September, Simmentals topped the section with one from David Hoskin at £1425 (752kg x 190ppk) then a couple from Kathleen and Lewis Slade of Widecombe in the Moor drew £1301 (746kg x 175ppk).

In a sale of breeding cattle at Gisburn on 7th September, continental outfits sold well with Simmentals at £2120 for Brogden Farms. Feeding cattle were well bid for and sold to a high of £1290 for a Simmental cow from Stephen Duckworth.

SIMM CROSS HEIFER WITH CALF AT FOOT SELLS TO £4000 AT THAINSTONE
On 6th September at Thainstone, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 799 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves & Breeding Cattle. Breeding Cattle sold to £4000 for a Simmental Cross Heifer with a Limousin Cross Heifer Calf from Upper Sauchen, Inverurie. On the same day and at a sale of 245 store cattle from Orkney consignors, bullocks sold to £178 gross for a 638kg Simmental from J&J Smith, Upper Cornquoy, Holm.

Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly sale of 241 Store Cattle and Suckled Calves and the first sale of September (6th) did not disappoint. A small but mighty entry of young bulls saw Mr J J & JM Sanders, Bavington Hill Head have a run of Simmental and Simmental cross bulls that peaked at £1980.00 and levelled off at £1670.00.

At NWA’s Lancaster Mart on 6th September and a sale of cast and OTM cattle, beef stock bulls sold to £2044 for a Simmental.

SIMMENTALS AT £495 TOP EXETER CALF TRADE
The biggest entry of calves seen in Exeter this year, on 6th September, with the 220 sold meeting a very fierce trade. Top call was £495 for some outdoor reared Simmental bulls and steers at 3-4 months old presented by South Battisborough Farm, Plymouth who sold more to £450 and £435 x2. The trade of the day was a run of younger Simmentals, all around a month old, from KG & SRJ Wotton of Dittisham making an impressive £420, £340, £315.

In a sale of cast cows and bulls from Orkney consignors at Aberdeen & Northern Marts, Thainstone, on 5th September, beef cows sold to £2,030 gross for a 836kg Simmental from Harvey & Son, Wattle, Birsay and to 253.2p per kg for a 628kg Simmental from S & J Sclater, Lower Hobbister. On the same day and a sale of 198 cows and bulls, boning cows sold to £1090 for a 598kg Simmental cross. In a sale of prime cattle, under 30 months bullocks sold to £2478.60 gross for a 1020kg Simmental from Wester Coltfield, Kinloss.

In a sale of rearing calves at Gisburn on 5th September, Simmental x bulls from J & RJ Parsons topped at £450 and to the lead breed average of £384.
United Auctions on 4th September at Stirling sold 1453 store cattle and 169 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Heifers (513) sold to a top gross of £1815 for a 594kg SIMX from Pittenkerrie.

In a sale of 140 store cattle at Holsworthy on 4th September, several fleshed heifers saw a top call of £1480 for a Simmental heifer from Mr B Stacey, Bradford others to £1400. Simmental heifers from Messrs T & J Adams & Son, Torrington, made £1440.

On 4th September at Brockholes Arms Auction Mart, Garstang, and a sale of 64 Cull Cows, Heifers and Bulls, the sale topped at 196p/kg for a Simmental from Eccles Farms which grossed £1499, another cow from the same home maxed in the lump at £1539 weighing 865kg.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 4th September, weanling heifers sold to £1300 for a 440kg Sim (296.00) presented by H Anderson.

Stags auctioneers at Tavistock Livestock Centre reported on a quality entry of cattle forward for the annual St Johns Cattle Fair on 3rd September, with a very strong trade for all cattle on offer. A small entry of Cows & Calves sold to £1450 for a 15yo Simmental x cow with her 1 month old steer calf at foot from Messrs FDH Hocking & Son of Bradstone.

At Ayr on 3rd September, and a sale of breeding cattle, heifers and calves saw a Simmental and Heifer calf top at £2050 from Bruntland.

At Hexham and Northern Marts on 3rd September, and a sale of cast cows and OTM, top grossing cow came from Mr J J & J M Sanders, Bavington Hill Head with an outstanding pure Simmental selling to £2262.00 to J A Jewitt (Meat) Ltd, Spennymoor. Making the worthwhile trip up the A1 was Mr C F Parker, Newsham Grange, Darlington who sold Simmental x cows to 215.5ppk.

At Darlington on 2nd September and a sale of cast cows, store & breeding stock, the feeding firms continue at full throttle with the summer store trade remaining ‘as good as ever been witnessed’. A scattering of young bulls was again in wonderful form topping at £1655 for a 13-month-old Simmental from E Parsons, Newstead Farm, Little Stainton.

C&D Auction Marts held their fortnightly sale of Store Cattle in Dumfries on 2nd September. Simmental Heifers sold to the top price of £1520 from J B Paterson & Co, Hartbush. Other Simms sold to £1460, £1450 Balnagleck, and £1350 High Auchneel. Simmental bullocks from Dressertland topped the ppkg at 336.2p/kg.

At Quoybrae on 2nd September, Aberdeen & Northern Marts sold 1067 store and breeding cattle at their anniversary show and sale. Heifers (475) averaged 283.7p or £1,366.70 per head (+0.4p or +£59.15) on the year) and sold to 341.9p per kg for a 430kg Simmental Cross from 3 Forss, Thurso.

PART TWO OF THREE: FROM THAINSTONE TO TAVISTOCK, SIMMENTALS LEADING COMMERCIAL SALES AROUND THE UK!

by Nicky Moreton | Oct 10, 2024 | 2024, 2024 Market Briefs, 2024 News

At Salisbury Livestock Market on 17th September and a sale of Barren Cows (57 forward), top price went to cows which were assured, smart Simmentals from James Foot, P & S Foot, and made 210p on two occasions.

PART ONE OF THREE: FROM TRURO TO TIREE, SIMMENTALS TOPPING THE TRADE AT SALES AROUND THE UK!

by Nicky Moreton | Oct 9, 2024 | 2024, 2024 Market Briefs, 2024 News

The latest Simmental market briefs for September feature snippets from a mighty 33 markets around the UK and where Simmentals continue to ‘do the business’. Markets highlighted this month include:

STIRLING; LANARK; CARLISLE; SEDGEMOOR; EXETER; THAINSTONE; DUNGANNON; HUNTLY; TIREE; TRURO; SKIPTON; BALLYMENA; MELTON MOWBRAY; BAKEWELL; GISBURN; CASTLE DOUGLAS; HEXHAM; LANCASTER; DUNGANNON; FROME; AYR; SALISBURY; HAILSHAM; DUMFRIES; HULL; SWATRAGH; PORTREE; MARKET DRAYTON; HOLSWORTHY; GARSTANG; TAVISTOCK; DARLINGTON; & QUOYBRAE

The Simmentals bread and butter is there well established maternal qualities of fertility, easy calving, milk in abundance, and ability to rear a quality calf year on year. As one commercial producer recently said: “Simmental is the ‘Tesla’ of upland suckler beef production!’

Establishing evidence based facts of the breed’s abilities, economic performance, and green credentials, analysis of AHDB data has shown Simmental gives beef producers more. Industry leading age at slaughter whether sired by a Simmental or out of a Simmental dam, significant reduction in finishing costs, and lower emissions meeting environmental challenges.

The ‘ultimate combination’ for Daily Carcase Gain has been shown as the progeny of a Simmental bull out of a Simmental dam, and with the highest rates of DCG, attained by both Continental and Natives sires, being for progeny out of Simmental dams.

These latest market briefs again highlight the all-round added value Simmentals can deliver as they top prime, store, breeding, suckled calf, rearing calf, and cull sections at the respective sales. Many of the other market leaders will be out of Simmental, and Simmental X dams.

Given these tremendous economics for beef producers, BSCS Norman Robson said in his recent report to breeders: “Our realistic aim should be to have a bit of Simmental in every suckler cow in the country.” There’s More to Simmental!

We hope you enjoy part one of three of the September Simmental Market Briefs:

BINZIAN SIMMENTAL SUCKLED CALVES X 7, MAKE £1710 AT STIRLING
On 30th September, United Auctions – Livestock Auctioneers, Stirling, sold 1150 suckled calves. Featuring among the leading prices was a pen of seven pure Simmental bullock calves at £1710 from Fraser Angus, Binzian Farm, Perth. Great to see a group making this money (not just singles), and with the calves at 527kgs, all born in October 2023, sold at under 12-months of age. Two similarly aged 463kg heifers that were not kept for breeding were sold on the same day at £1360. It’s the Simmental heifer calves that Binzian breed them for with the bullocks being ‘more than a useful sideline’! This was every single one of their Simmental bullocks from autumn calving 2023 sold in that pen, and they outsold their top pen of other ‘continental’ sired bullocks, bred from the same Simmental cows, by £10 head! It was repeat buyers purchasing the calves so a general comment that Binzian Farm is ‘on the right lines with the Simmental!’ Breeding replacements and top suckled calves, There’s More to Simmental!

At Lawrie & Symington Limited, Auction Market Lanark’s primestock sale on 30th September, beef cows sold to a top of £1950 for a Simm from Sandilands.

The Borderway Primestock Sale at Harrison & Hetherington, Carlisle on 30th September saw a 1163kg Simmental prime bull from Messrs Goldie, Newbie Mains, Annan sold to £2576.05, purchased by Morgan Helliwell, and to feature in the leading prices.

A sale of 457 busk calves and stirks at GTH – Agriculture & Sedgemoor Auction Centre – Greenslade Taylor Hunt Sedgemoor on 28th September saw the heifer trade topped at £975 for Simms from R Ridout.

Kivells Agriculture Exeter’s sale of 127 stirks and suckled calves on 27th September saw heifers in good demand with the best topping out at £940 for MA Stephens presenting Simmental cross heifers at 11 months. On the same day and a sale of 147 calves, MR & KM Pring of Broadclyst topped the section with three outstanding month old Simmental bulls reaching an impressive £410, £405 & £402.

At Thainstone on 27th September, ANM Group Ltd Aberdeen & Northern Marts sold 952 store cattle, young bulls, and weaned calves. Heifers (247) sold to £1860 gross for a 642kg Simmental Cross from Newbigging, Skelwick.

Also at ANM Group Ltd Thainstone on 26th September, a total of 93 cast cows and bulls were forward from Orkney consignors. Beef Cows sold to 269.7p for a 582kg Simmental from D B Tulloch, Burndyke, Westray.

At Dungannon Farmers’ Mart on 25th September a larger entry of stock saw weanlings sold to £1380 for a 460kg Simm Steer (297.00), presented by B Murphy.

YOUNG SIMMENTAL BULL AT THAINSTONE PRIME SALE MAKES £3143.60
In a sale of 70 prime cattle at ANM Group Ltd, Thainstone on 26th September, records were broken with a tremendous home-bred young Simmental bull from Messrs Stronach, Berryleys achieving a phenomenal £3143.60.
At Huntly, United Auctions – Livestock Auctioneers sold 589 Store Cattle, Weaned Calves & OTMs on 26th September. OTMs sold to 224.9p per kg or £2280 for a Simmental from Corskie, Garmouth.

SIMMS LEAD BULLOCKS, HEIFERS, AND YOUNG BULLS AT UA’S SALE OF 1714 STORE CATTLE
United Auctions – Livestock Auctioneers on 25th September at Stirling sold 1714 store cattle and 333 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls and 161 rearing cattle. Bullocks (934) sold to a top gross of £1910 for a 622kg SIMX from Gillandersland, and who had others at £1840 & £1820. Heifers (696) sold to 343.90p per kilo for a 471kg SIMX from Ormsary Est. Young Bulls averaged 214.65p to 282.20p per kilo for a 326kg SIMX from Gibblaston and £1050 for a 476kg SIMX from Spott HF. Also sold were 161 rearing cattle of mainly spring & summer born stirks forward. Sale was topped at £940 for a SimX Blk from Mr W Thompson, Greenlands.

Borderway’s sale of over 700 store cattle at Harrison & Hetherington Carlisle on 25th September saw a Simmental steer from Messrs Potts, Chapel House, Brampton sell for £1950 to feature in the leading prices.

At Tiree on 25th September and a small sale of 35 cattle (United Auctions – Livestock Auctioneers), cast cattle sold to £1310 for Simmentals from D Macarthur, Middleton.

Lodge & Thomas – Agriculture & Auctions Truro’s first prize sale of suckled calves, kicking off the autumn sales, saw a good entry of 107 calves. The younger calf classes were won by the choice calves, mainly Simmentals, of a superb entry from Messrs A P & S R Hooper of Castle an Dinas. Steers up to 7-months-old were topped by Simmental x to £1020 by the Hoopers, and with others at £950. The same vendors had Simm x heifers up to 7-months-old at £755. Steers 8- 12 months old were topped by Simmental x to £1140, again for the Hoopers, and with others at £1090.

At CCM Auctions Skipton Auction Mart Livestock Auctioneers fortnightly sale of breeding cattle on 25th September. G&A Gaythorpe brought forward an entry of outfits and in calf as part of their retirement sale. It was the last outfit into the ring which topped and in the shape of a second calved Simmental 3 months back incalf with a strong Parthenaise bull at foot realising £2100.

On 24th September at Ballymena Livestock Market sale of just under 300 store cattle, heifers were topped at £1785 for a 640kg Simm presented by W Dodds, Ahoghill.

In a sale of 78 prime cattle at GTH – Agriculture & Sedgemoor Auction Centre – Greenslade Taylor Hunt Sedgemoor on 23rd September, the top price per head was £2,061.83 for a 743kg Simmental heifer from R Bigwood.

A Simmental prime heifer from Fred Chanin of Thorverton topped Kivells Agriculture Exeter’s sale of prime cattle on 23rd September when realising £1664 (620kg x 269ppk).

Wallets Marts had forward OTM Cattle, Store Cattle and Store Lambs on 23rd September at Castle Douglas. OTM Cattle were a roaring trade and sold to £2028.42 for a Simmental cow from W Taylor, Little Galdenoch.

In a sale of prime cull cows at Melton Mowbray Market Melton Mowbray on 23rd September, the top price went to JS Agricultural Services with a Simm X, 829kgs, and £1570.96. On the same day and a sale of 198 store and breeding cattle, a super run of continental x cattle from Ben Smith led the way with the top of these being a Simmental X steer seeing £1420.

At Bagshaws LLP Bakewell on 23rd September, a small sale of OTM bulls saw prices led by a seven-year-old Simmental at £2067 from CE Dronfield & Son, Ashover. On the same day a Simmental Young Bull made £2044.26 from BE & TR Robinson, Abney.

In a sale of breeding cattle at Gisburn Auction Mart on 21st September, a Simmental bull from G Tattersall & AR Hargreaves lead the trade at £1900. Cows and calves topped at £1950 for a pedigree Simental cow and calf from E & M Fairhurst. In the store sale, Simmental steers topped at £1580 from AD Morton Ltd.

On 21st September at GTH – Agriculture & Sedgemoor Auction Centre – Greenslade Taylor Hunt Sedgemoor and a mighty sale of 1179 store cattle, Simmental steers sold to £1780 from KA & HJ Sparks & Son to feature in the leading prices. Other Simmental steers made £1600 for RD Churchill, Hawkchurch.

Hexham and Northern Marts at their weekly sale of store cattle on 20th September had forward an increased entry of 479 top quality sorts. Cattle 10 months and under were led by Simmental x heifers at £1250 from Burdonside.

In a sale of 187 calves at Kivells Agriculture Exeter on 20th September, heifer calves sold to a top of £400 for an outstanding month old Simmental heifer from Yendell Farms of Morchard Bishop.

PART THREE OF THREE: SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES IN AUGUST AT 32 MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

by Nicky Moreton | Sep 11, 2024 | 2024 News, 2024, 2024 Market Briefs

Analysis of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) data has shown Simmental gives beef producers more. Industry leading age at slaughter, whether sired by a Simmental or out of a Simmental dam, reductions in finishing costs, and lower emissions meeting environmental challenges. The ultimate combination for Daily Carcase Gain has been shown as the progeny of a Simmental bull out of a Simmental dam, and with the highest rates of DCG, attained by both Continental and Native sires, being for progeny out of Simmental dams. It’s tremendous economics for commercial beef producers.

PART TWO OF THREE: SIMMENTALS TOPPING COMMERCIAL SALES IN AUGUST AT 32 MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

by Nicky Moreton | Sep 11, 2024 | 2024, 2024 Market Briefs, 2024 News

SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALE SECTIONS AT: SEDGEMOOR; SKIPTON; SELBY; ABERDEEN; GISBURN; HALLWORTHY; CARLISLE; MARKET DRAYTON; DINGWALL; SALISBURY; MALTON; BAKEWELL; RUGBY; HEXHAM; THAME; CROOKLANDS; THIRSK; SHREWSBURY; STIRLING; EXETER; WHITLAND; LUDLOW; FROME; MELTON MOWBRAY; DARLINGTON; CARMARTHERN; AYR; MONMOUTHSHIRE; DUMFRIES; BALLYMENA; PENRITH; AND SWATRAGH

Analysis of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) data has shown Simmental gives beef producers more. Industry leading age at slaughter, whether sired by a Simmental or out of a Simmental dam, reductions in finishing costs, and lower emissions meeting environmental challenges. The ultimate combination for Daily Carcase Gain has been shown as the progeny of a Simmental bull out of a Simmental dam, and with the highest rates of DCG, attained by both Continental and Native sires, being for progeny out of Simmental dams. It’s tremendous economics for commercial beef producers.

It’s part two of three of Simmentals topping store, prime, breeding, cull, and calf sale sections at markets round the country in August 2024.

Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly sale of 224 Store Cattle on 23RD August with trade throughout the sale being very strong and with no let-up in trade on short keep cattle. Leading the sale with a Simmental cross steer at £1960.00 was Mr Douglas Green, Longlea. At £1760 was a thick Simmental cross heifer from Riding Mill producer Mr R M Johnston, High Fotherly.

On 23rd August at Thame Farmers Auction Mart Ltd sale of 264 cattle, a large entry for the TB Exempt Sale met a strong trade for all. Red Lion Farms topped the steer trade with a trio of Simmental steers at £1620. Dave Alder sold his single suckled Simmental x heifer at £1685 to top the sale.

North West Auctions Jct 36 sale of 115 calves and stirks on 22nd August saw a top call of £530 achieved by MH&AR Robinson, Kendal for a Simmental bull.

In a sale of 200 store cattle at Hallworthy on 22nd August, the Heifer section was led by the Backway Family with four cracking Simmental x Heifers at £1590. The same vendor sold four Simmental x Steers at £1500 at 16 months old and three other Simmentals at £1420 at only 14 months old!

At Thirsk’s sale of 166 cattle on 22nd August, the best grossing cull cow at £1908.59 was a Simmental X from F & D Cornforth, Old Byland purchased by JA Jewitt Ltd, Spennymoor.

In a sale of store cattle at Shrewsbury on 22nd August, store bulls were topped at £1050 for a 405kg Simm from Messrs Griffiths Farms Ltd. A 645kg store heifer from the same vendor sold for £1695. 19 month old Simm steers from R&EM Lightfoot sold for 318.3 ppk.

In a sale of stirks at Gisburn on 22nd August, a proper mix of bulls, steers and heifers both dairy and suckler bred all away nicely with some real highlights in the sale including a beautiful red roan Simmental x heifer topping the sale at £1520 from Mark Taylor.

United Auctions, Stirling, on 21st August, sold 959 store cattle and 211 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Bullocks (504) sold to £1930 for a 675kg SIMX from Mollandhu. Other SIMX bullocks from the same homemade £1880, £1860,& £1840. Beef Cows (168) sold to £2440 for a 968kg SIMX from West Mains.

On 21st August and a sale of 269 store cattle at Market Drayton, a 520kg Simmental from D&A Warrington topped the heifers at £1460.

In a sale of cull cows and bulls at Exeter on 19th August, the cull cow section was headed by strong Simmentals from Andrew and George Palk of Marldon with the better two rising to £1438 (788kg x 183ppk) and another close at £1435 (702kg x 205ppk).

At H&H’s 50th anniversary primestock sale at Carlisle on 19th August, steers sold to a day’s top of £2352.52 for a 824kgs Simmental from Messrs Harrington, Hosket Hill, Carlisle purchased by Mr Eric Hall. On the same day, and a sale of prime bulls, Simmentals from Messrs Paxton, South Milmain Farm, Stranraer sold to £2239.74 for 828kgs.

In a sale of barren cows and OTMs at Whitland Mart on 17th August, a strong demand for all classes of cull cattle saw non-tested cows selling to £1,510 for a Simmental from Owen, Cefnypant, with tested cows sold to £1,440 for a 740kg Simental from Griffiths, Rhos. In the sale of 343 store cattle, Young Bulls sold to £1,480 for a Simmental from Jones, Tegryn.

In a sale of TB restricted store cattle on 16th August at Ludlow, steers were topped at £1530 by Simm X’s, with the heifers also topped by Simm X’s at £1550.

At Aberdeen & Northern Marts, Thainstone, on 15th August, a sale of cast cows and bulls saw beef feeding cows (67) Sold to £1595 for a 768kg Simmental Cross from Raefin, Keith.

In a sale of prime cattle at Caledonian Marts, Stirling, on 15th August, beef OTMs averaged 185.26p per kg or £1335 per head selling to £1960 for a Simmental from J Brown, Greencraig. OTM males sold to £1860 for a Simmental from R Wardrop & Son, Easter Coates.

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, on August 14th, sold 119 store cattle, 85 adult head of breeding cattle and 50 OTM cattle. Cow with calf at foot (68) sold to £2,650 gross for a Simmental cross cow and calf from Balnuran, Culloden Moor. Cow in calf (12) sold to £1,800 gross for a Simmental cross from Balnuran, Culloden Moor.

In a sale of cull cows at Frome on 14th August, a quality Simmental cow from D & GJ Stevens soared to 226p/kg and £1632 to lead the sale.

At Market Drayton’s sale of 200 store cattle on 14th August, steers were topped at £1,700 for some Simmentals from D & A Warrington.