‘MONEY MAKING’ SIMMENTALS DOING THE BUSINESS AT MARKETS AROUND THE UK IN DECEMBER

by Nicky Moreton | Jan 6, 2025 | 2024 News, 2024 Market Briefs, 2024

SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALES AT: ABERDEEN; BAKEWELL; DINGWALL; DUMFRIES; SEDGEMOOR; EXETER; GISBURN; STIRLING; CARLISLE; MONMOUTHSHIRE; SKIPTON; MELTON MOWBRAY; TRURO; HEXHAM; THAME; HUNTLY; LONGTOWN; CROOKLANDS; DUNGANNON; MALTON; SALISBURY; MARKET DRAYTON; DALMALLY; WHITLAND; THIRSK; CARMARTHEN; BALLYMENA; AYR; LANARK; SWATRAGH; AND DARLINGTON.

Renowned for its maternal qualities the Simmental breed, through SRUC & AHDB’s National Beef Evaluations, has evidenced its terminal strengths for carcase traits and is the UK’s number one ranked continental breed for age at slaughter. This, coupled with its growth advantages, daily live weight gain, and ability to produce beef from grass, sees Simmental’s ability to deliver a green beef product with a reduced carbon footprint, and increased profitability.

Nest Simmental Bull Sale is at Stirling on 17th February and where 159 bulls are entered: https://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i4.dll?1=3E373E37&2=2928&3=56&5=2B3C2B3C3A&11=50505B

See here,  the latest Market Briefs of Simmentals topping sales around the UK in December.

In a sale of cast cows and bulls at Aberdeen and Northern Marts on 30th December, beef finished cows: (29) averaged £1980 and sold to £2290 for a 886kg Simmental Cross from Braigiewell, Echt.

On 30th December at Bakewell and a sale of barren, OTM, and feeding cows, cows peaked at 250p for a young 566kgs, 35 month old Simmy from Steve Thompson

On 23rd December at Dingwall, Dingwall & Highland Marts held a sale of prime cattle. Prime Heifers averaged 312.9p per kg and sold to £1,958.40 gross for a 640kg Simmental cross from Bridgend Farm, Dingwall selling to John M Munro, (Butchers), Dingwall.

C&D Auctions Ltd held their fortnightly sale of OTM Cattle in Dumfries on 23rd December 2024. OTMs sold to £1700.50 gross for Simmental cross cow from TI Bell & Son, Cormaddie. On the same day and a sale of store cattle, Simmental Bullocks topped at £1480 from B Ramsay Ltd, High Auchneel.

In a sale of busk calves and stirks on 21st December at Sedgemoor, top price flew to £1250 (2x) for pure Simmentals from R & J Cook. Further Simmentals sold to £890 (2x 9m) KNK Farm Partnership.

A super entry of 154 calves at Exeter just before Christmas on 20th December sold to a flying trade with a packed ringside of buyers! Top of the day was £495 a Simmental bull, the best of a good run from William Hosegood & Family of Zeal Monachorum who sold others to £480, £465, £385 & £380. Young Simmental bulls sold very well to £410 x3 & £325 x2 for Keith & Shirley Wotton of Dartmouth.

At Gisburn Auction Mart on 19th December and a sale of 180 rearing calves to finish the year, £610 was the top price and from Chadwick & Leaver, Southfield with an absolutely stonking Simmental bull calf at 1m/5days.

United Auctions at Stirling on 18th December sold 214 Store Cattle and 232 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Heifers (95) averaged 293.56p to 331.00p per kilo for a 429kg SIM from Culnoag and £1670 for a 550kg SIM also from Culnoag.

On 18th December at Carlisle, Harrison and Hetherington conducted their final weaned bull and stirk sale of 2024. A total of 113 were forward to meet another trade in keeping with the Festive Season, joyful and triumphant. Heifers topped at £1680 for a Simmental from Messrs Johnstone, Kimmeter. In a sale of calves on the same day, Simmental heifers from Roundhill sold to £575.

In a sale of weaned calves at Monmouthshire on 18th December, a Simm steer from LL & LM Price made £555 to top the prices.

Skipton Livestock Market held its fortnightly Sale of Young Feeding Bulls, Store Bullocks & Heifers, and Breeding Cattle on 18th December with 201 head of cattle forward. Feeding Bulls trade was on fire with young Simm x bulls leading the way and sold to £2160 from IJ Pratt, Hebden Bridge. In the store sale, NJ&S Pinder of Hallfield sold Simmental bullocks at £1980 and £1950.

At Melton Mowbray on 18th December and a sale of 181 calves & reared, beating the calf trade, twice, with the slightly older calves was Bevin & Co, Nr Rugby with Simmental x Bulls to £650.

At Truro’s sale of 91 rearing calves on 18th December, leading the way was a smart young Simmental x bull selling for £390 on behalf of Messrs A D & J A Bray from St Martin, Helston.

In a sale of prime bulls at Carlisle on 16th December, Simmental crosses sold to £2269.68 for 784kgs from Messrs Fox, St Johns Kirk, Biggar and to feature in the leading prices.

On the 13th December and a sale of store cattle on behalf of Orkney consignors at ANM’s Thainstone Market, bullocks sold to 339.5p per kg for a 480kg Simmental from D P Nicholson & Co, Quoys, South Ronaldsay.

Hexham & Northern Marts held their weekly sale of store cattle (244) on 13th December. In line with recent weeks and correlating to a buoyant prime trade, no fewer than twenty lots exceeded the coveted figure of £2000 and all classes were in great demand. In the cattle 30+ months, Simmental X steers from Will Davy, Warton, made £2000. In the 17-22 months bracket, Simmental x steers made £2030 from Satley.

In a sale of 115 store cattle at Thame Farmers Auction Mart on 13th December, M/S Masters topped the steers with a single Simmental 22 months at £1710, others from the same pen sold at £1685 on two occasions.

In a sale of 161 calves at Exeter on 13th December, heifers topped at £455 for a weaned Simmental heifer from Ben Drury.

On the 13th December at Thainstone, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 288 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves. Bullocks up to 300kg led by Fleck (SimX) £1030, 375.9p; bullocks at 301-350kg topped by Cairntack (SimX) £1160, 351.5p; heifers between 401-450kg topped by Cairntack (Sim) £1485, 349.3p. Breeding Cattle (39) sold to £2600 (X9) for in calf Simmentals and (X4) Cows with calves at foot from Cairntack, Belhelvie.

United Auctions Huntly 12th December 2024 sold 130 Store and OTM Cattle along with 480 Store lambs. Heifers (52) sold to average 297.4p per kg, selling to a top gross of £1830 for a 590kg SimX from Braehead, Huntly.

At Longtown on 12th December, C&D Auction Marts Limited saw cast cows continuing to meet a competitive trade. The sale topped at £1,485 for a Simmental from Archbank Farming Co., Moffat.

On 12th December and a sale of store cattle on behalf of Shetland consignors at Aberdeen and Northern Marts, Thainstone, bullocks sold to 376p per kg for 274kg Simmentals from D G Flaws, Fleck, Dunrossness.

J36 Crooklands Livestock Auction’s held their Christmas Show of Calves & OTM Cattle, Sale of Calves, Stirks, OTM Cattle & Store Cattle, on 12th December. A full row of weanlings and stirks for the final sale of the year, saw nicely reared Simmental cross steers from JA Law, Carnforth sold to £820 and who also sold heifers at £700. Younger heifers sold to £580 for a Simmental cross.

United Auctions at Stirling on 11th December sold sold 474 Store Cattle and 315 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Bullocks (250) – Averaged 313.20p to 360.60p per kilo for a 355kg SIM from Ashmore & Strone. Young Bulls (21) – Averaged 302.88p to £1360 gross for a 459kg SIM from Low Bowhill.

On 11th December at Carlisle, Harrison and Hetherington held their penultimate weaned bull and stirk sale at Borderway Mart. A total of 193 went under the hammer. 45 bulls sold to a top of £1960 from Messrs Goldsbrough, Moffat for a fantastic Simmental bull.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 11th December, fat cows sold to £1500 for a 765kg Fleckvieh (196.00) presented by H McGuigan.

At Malton on 10th December, SF Stubbings, Woodhill Farm, Sledmere, East Yorks sold five Simmental bulls 17m – 20m to a top of £2504.18, and with others at £2460.75, £2436.63, £2292, and £2256.38.

At Salisbury Livestock Market on 10th December and a sale of barren cows and bulls, Richard and Steph King’s super Pure Simmentals sold to top price of 237p or a near record return of £2336.82, only one barren cow sold at Salisbury has ever come to more.

On 9th December Caledonian Marts, Stirling held their final store cattle sale (367) of the year with all cattle in serious demand! Bullocks averaged an unbelievable 338.72p per kg (including Dairy bred), selling to a top gross of £1660 for a pen of Simmentals from D McKenzie, Ardgate, Gartocharn.

On 9th December at Market Drayton, and a sale of 140 barren cows, cull bulls, and overage clean cattle, bulls sold to £2,018.24 for a Simmental from APJ Dairies Ltd.

On 9th December at Carlisle, Harrison & Hetherington’s sale of prime cattle an entry of 74 prime bulls met a flying trade. M/s Houldey, Kirtleton House, Lockerbie sold 736kgs Simmentals to £2307.36 and £2305.75 for 802kgs to feature in the top prices.

On 7th December and a sale of store and breeding cattle held by United Auctions at Dalmally, the small entry of breeding cattle was topped at £1640 for a SimX, in-calf heifer from K Taylor & Son, Dall.

At Thainstone on 6th December, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 571 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves & Breeding Cattle. Bullocks (144) averaged 321.1p and sold to £2100 gross for a 744kg Simmental from Home Farm, Rothienorman. Heifers (244) averaged 319.8p and sold to 372.3p per kg and £2040 gross for a Pair of 548kg Simmental Cross from Sauchenbush, Echt.

Also at Thainstone on 6th December, Aberdeen and Northern Marts held a sale of store cattle on behalf of Orkney consignors. Heifers sold to £1,780 gross for a 558kg Simmental from A Miller, Blinkbonny.

At Thainstone on 5th December, Aberdeen and Northern Marts held a sale of 342 cast cows and bulls. Beef Feeding Cows (150) averaged £1374.30 and sold to £1775 for a 640kg Simmental Cross from Blinkbonny, Stronsay.

At Whitland Mart on 5th December and within a sale of 513 weaned calves, young bulls sold to £1,380 for a 10-month-old Simmental from Davies, Crymych.

In a sale of prime cattle at Gisburn on 5th December, prime bulls met a strong trade. J E Bracken sold a 760kg Simm X to £2386 to feature in the leading prices.

At Thirsk Farmers Auction Mart on 5th December, the OTM section saw a best gross of £1809.78 for a Simmental X from Amblers Lodge Farm, Shipton purchased by E Nield & Partners, Betchton.

On 4th December at Dungannon Farmers Mart, weanlings sold to a height of £1800 for a 555kg Simmental Bull (324.00) presented by K Brady. Fat Cows sold to a height of £1450 for a 715kg Sim (203.00) presented by P Donnelly.

At Melton Mowbray on 4th December and a small sale of breeding cattle, topping was P&F Baker with a 6 year old pure Simmental Cow with calf at foot to £2,000.

In a sale of 339 calves at Carmarthen on 4th December, another big entry through the calf shed met with an absolute flyer of a trade!! Top price of £515 for 2-month-old Simmental bull from Jones TY llwyd mawr,

At Skipton Auction Market on 4th December, and their fortnightly Sale of Young Feeding Bulls, Store Bullocks & Heifers, Breeding Cattle, 308 head were forward. Young feeding bulls were topped by Simmentals from EB Webster at a cracking £2350. In the store sale Simmental heifers from JD Loftus featured in the top prices at £1900.

On 4th December Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd sold 236 store cattle, 70 adult head of breeding cattle and 190 OTM cattle. Heifers (94) averaged 260.0p per kg and sold to 350.1p per kg for a pair of 377kg Simmental crosses from Refouble, Nairn. Breeding cattle (70) sold to £3,400 gross twice for Simmental cross heifers in calf from Rychraggan, Drumnadrochit. OTM prime & feeding cows (190) sold to £2,360 gross for a 1,210kg Simmental from Conon Brae Farms, Torgorm.

An entry of 150 store cattle at Ballymena on 3rd December saw bullosck sell to a top of £2100 for a Simmental from E Gillan, Deerfin.

At Ayr’s Christmas Show & sale of cattle on December 3rd, the show and sale of cull cows was topped by a Simmental at £2340 from Whitehill.

At Lanark on 2nd December, and Lawrie & Symington’s sale of Prime Cattle, Young Bulls Per Head were topped by Simmentals £2442, and £2312 or 295 p and 288p from J Dyet, East Merkland

In a sale of 125 cattle at Swatragh on 2nd December, heifers between 301 to 400kg (p/kg) were topped by a Swatragh producer, for a Simm, 400kg £1270 (318).

Darlington Farmers Auction Mart held special Christmas shows and sales of store cattle and rearing calves in conjunction with their weekly sales of cast cattle, store and breeding stock on Monday 2nd December 2024. Forward were 558 cattle, and 126 calves. In the show of rearing calves, the Wilkinson family of Carrsides Farm got the tap for Reserve champion with a stretchy September born Simmental bull calf. Come sale time this calf also got the day’s top rice of £615.

On 2nd December, Bakewell Market held their Christmas Primestock Show & Sale. In a sale of barren, OTM, and feeding cows, the trade was topped at 278ppkg for a 32 month old Simm from Mosley & Co, Chelmorten.

Market Drayton’s sale of 604 rearing calves on 2nd December saw a remarkable trade and with the top price for continental heifers being £395 for a Simmental from RD.&A. Roe & Son, Gnosall.

At Sedgemoor on 2nd December, and a sale of UTM, OTM, and OTSM cattle, a new record OTM heifer price was set at 296.5ppk for a Simmental from EJ Collins & Son, Chard. Also on the same day, 52 cows forward with 11 entered into the show. Class 13A saw the beef cows meet a firm trade rising to 219.5ppk for a Simmental from R Bigwood.

NOVEMBER MARKET BRIEFS: SUPER SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALES AT 38 LIVESTOCK MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

by Nicky Moreton | Jan 6, 2025 | 2024 News, 2024 Market Briefs, 2024

MARKETS INCLUDE: GISBURN; THAINSTONE; THAME; HUNTLY; STIRLING; DUNGANNON; TRURO; WOOLER; MELTON MOWBRAY; LANARK; SALISBURY; SEDGEMOOR; CARMARTHEN; LANCASTER; DINGWALL; OSWESTRY; MALTON; BAKEWELL; MARKET DRAYTON; DARLINGTON; LUDLOW; BALLYMENA; CROOKLANDS; HALLWORTHY; MONMOUTHSHIRE; LOCHMADDY; GARSTANG; SHREWSBURY; DUMFRIES; HEXHAM; THIRSK; HOLSWORTHY; CARLISLE; AYR; HOLMFIRTH; CASTLE DOUGLAS; FROME; AND KNIGHTON

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. Adding to this, 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.

Simmental is the breed giving all round value, added efficiency, and profit as commercial beef producers key in on future proofing their herds.

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.

In a sale of store cattle at Gisburn on 30th November, heifers topped at £1890 for a Simmental heifer from dales farmers Mason & Gardner, who also had Simm steers to £1650.

At Thainstone on 29th November, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 590 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves. The store cattle met an ‘animated demand’ throughout, with the top gross of the day being £2200 for a Simmental Cross Heifer scaling 780kgs consigned by Miss J Russel, Garrelhill, Newmill. Bulls sold to £1920 gross for a 668kg Simmental from Dundurcas, Rothes. On the same day and a sale of store cattle from Orkney consignors, heifers sold to £1,850 gross including a 620kg Simmental from West Brough Farms, Sanday.

At Thame on 29th November and a sale of 269 store cattle, heifers sold to a top of £1500 for a pen of pure Simmental heifers from M/S FM&JM&J Shoulder.

At Thainstone on 28th November, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 276 cows and bulls. Bulls sold to £2640 for a 1020kg Simmental from Cairnhill, Huntly.

United Auctions, Huntly, on 28th November sold 179 Store, Breeding and OTM Cattle Bullocks (51) sold to average 295.1p per kg and a top of 334.6p per kg for SimX’s from Overhall, Fyvie

At a sale of OTM cattle at Caledonian Marts, Stirling on 28th November, OTM males sold to to 230p per kg for a Simmental from A F Steel, Lenaig, Tayinloan.

At Dungannon farmers Mart on 27th November, dropped calves sold to £450 for a Sim Hfr presented by J Fields.

In a sale of rearing calves at Truro on 27th November, best of the bull calves to £385 for a Simmental x bull sold by Messrs A D & J A Bray from St Martin, Helston who went on to sell further Simmental x bulls for £365, £360 and £350
H&H at Wooler Mart sold a very good show of Store Cattle on 26th November. The heifers per head were topped by Simmentals at £1620 from Fowbery Farm. Simmental bullocks from the same home sold for £1760 to feature in the leading prices.

In a sale of cull cows at Melton Mowbray on 26th November, James Knight Farms led the way with a Simm X weighing 767kgs and making 233.5 p/kg.

On 25th November at Lanark, Lawrie and Symington Ltd had forward 283 cattle comprising of 70 bullocks and heifers, 130 cast cows and 83 calves and stirks. Beef cows sold to £2010 per head for a Simmental from Gillandersland Farm.

At Salisbury Livestock Market on 25th November, trade very brisk yet again for an entry of mostly smaller fresher calves. A smart Simmental bull hit £230 from Jake Smith, Hazeley Heath who also topped the heifers with a Simm at £150.

In a sale of prime cattle at Sedgemoor on 25th November, and 474 head, steers sold to £2,144.11 for a pure bred Simmental (751kg) from MJ & KM Boucher, Axbridge. Heifers sold to a top of £2155.58 for a 692kg Simm X from MJ & KM Boucher.

At Thainstone on 22nd November, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 399 store cattle, young bulls, and weaned calves. Heifers (131) sold to £2000 gross for a 682kg Simmental from Berryleys, Grange.

In a sale of OTM bulls at Carmarthen Livestock Market on 22nd November, the top price was £1740 for a Simm bull from Owens Argoed.

NWA Lancaster’s weekly sale of calves, OTM cattle, and store cattle on 22nd November saw no let-up in the trade for store heifers, with these averaging £1422. Hitting the top spot was ID Bailey, Betts Farm, Preston who sold a Simmental heifer to £1860.

Thame’s November exempt sale on 22nd November of 93 head of mainly 20 months plus cattle. Red Lion Farm sold their Simmental X steers out of the yard to the top price of £1380, £1340 and £1310.

At Thainstone on 21st November, Aberdeen & Northern Marts held a sale of Prime Cattle. Under 30 Month prime bullocks sold to £2410.80 gross for an 820kg homebred Simmental Cross from Hilton of Culsh, New Deer.

On 20th November and a sale of 573 store cattle at Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, Dingwall, bullocks (342) sold to £1,880 gross twice including a 670kg Simmental cross from Miekle Ussie, Dingwall.

Simmental bulls to £355 from J R James & Son, Church Farm, topped a sale of calves at Oswestry on 20th November.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 20th November, suckled cows sold to £1900 for an In-Calf Sim Heifer presented by S Casey.

At Truro’s sale of store cattle on 20th November, rearing bulls topped at £1160, £1140, and £1100 for Simm X’s from Mr B Cowell of Helston.

Lawrie and Symington sold 277 Store Cattle at their fortnightly sale at Lanark on 19th November. Bullocks sold to a top of 331p for a 571kg Simmental x from Broomfield Lodge Farm and to average 307.8p.

From the Malton market report of 19th November, a sale of young bulls was topped at 296.50ppk for an excellent 18-month-old Simm X weighing 650kgs (£1927.25) from FH JA & MA Eddon, Lockton, selling to R Pearson.

At Bakewell on 18th November, a sale of OTM bulls was topped at £2390 by a 4-year-old Simm from CW & BM Hudson, Longnor.

In a sale of 158 barren cows, cull bulls, and overage clean cattle, at Market Drayton on 18th November, top slot in the cows was 248p for a Simmental Cow weighing 688kgs to generate £1,706.24 for A.J. Warner & Sons, Woodseaves. Top price in the lump was £1,775.60 for a Simmental cow weighing 772kgs for H.&S. Ormrod, Crosslanes.

On 18th November and Darlington’s weekly sale of cast cattle, store & breeding stock and fortnightly calves, the store cattle trade found yet another gear, absolutely scintillating scenes and without doubt the best trade yet. A lovely 17-month-old Simmental from E Parsons, Newstead Farm made £1760 to feature in the very top end of prices.

At Ludlow Market’s TB restricted store sale on Friday 15th November, Simm X steers topped the trade at £1560; £1500; and £1490.

On 14th November Aberdeen & Northern Marts held a sale of Prime Cattle. Young Bulls (36) sold to £2872.10 gross for a Simmental from Cowfords Farm, New Pitsligo.

At Ballymena on 14th November, and a sale of prime cattle, beef bullocks sold to a top of £2622 for a Simmental from D McBurney, Cullybackey.

At NWA’s J36 Crooklands fortnightly sale of calves, stirks,, store, and OTM cattle on 14th November, an abundance of stock bulls forward sold to 245p/kg for a Simmental from LA&M Lambert, Lupton.

In a sale of stirks and weaned calves at Hallworthy on 14th November, trade still remains firm with a ring full of buyers. Top call was for a smart 10 month old Simmental Steer reaching £1015 in from T Wellington and Partners of St Kew.

Monmouthshire Livestock Centre’s sale of cull cattle on 13th November saw a larger entry, over half of which were strong well meated sorts selling to another tremendous trade, as 17 Grade 1 Beef bred levelled at £1456/head. Top price £1880 (212p/kg-890kg) for a Simmental from EA Matthews, Pontypool.

At Truro’s sale of prime cattle on 13th November, steers were topped by Simmentals to 295p (626kg) for Mr R I Nicholls of St Clement, Truro. At a sale of rearing calves on the same day, heifers sold to £305 for Simmental X from Messrs AD & JA Bray of St Martin, Helston.

At Lochmaddy on 12th November, United Auctions sold 287 Suckled Calves and 19 Breeding Cattle and Farrow Cows. Heifers sold to £1480 for a Simmental Cross from A Maclean, 25 Balemore.

In a sale of store cattle at Brockholes Arms Auction Mart, Garstang, on 12th November, top spot was shared by regular Vendors AR & E Gornall and D & N Davis with Simx and AAx steers to £1,700, J & A Heap & Son not far behind with further Simx to £1,680.

In a sale of 227 calves at Shrewsbury on 12th November, CJ Tams sold their ‘lovely Simmental Bulls’ to a joint top price of £450. Heifers were in hot pursuit, also from CJ Tams, who sold Simmentals to the top price of £445.

At a sale of 68 calves at Lanark on 11th November, off milk calves reached £700 for an exceptional 4 month old Simmental cross bull calf from Colmslie Farm. On milk calves topped at £350 for a Fleckvieh bull calf from Woodhead Farm. Stirks were topped at £840 by a Simmental from Mid St Colmac.

In a sale of finished cattle at Bakewell on 11th November, an 876kg Simm from TB Dalton, Brailsford made £2303.88 to feature in the top end of the prices.

In a sale of 433 store cattle at Salisbury Livestock Market on 11th November, ‘superb Simmental heifers’ from Phillip Egremont sold to the ‘dizzy heights’ of £1390, £1350, £1300, and £1170.

C&D Auctions held their fortnightly sale of OTM cattle in Dumfries on 11th November 2024. Bulls sold to £2048 for Simmentals from JB Paterson & Co, Hartbush and to 256p/kg to average 200p/kg. An entry of 390 store cattle were forward on the same day. Bulls were topped by Simmentals from JM & J Goldie, Newbiemains which made £1420 or 315.6p/kg.

In a sale of barren cows and bulls at Sedgemoor on 11th November, plenty of demand for the best suckler types as red and white Simmentals topped the day at 214.5ppk and 213.5ppk from R Binning. Heavier Simmentals with more flesh at 205.5ppk from RC & K Wright & Son.

At Thainstone on 8th November, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 878 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Weaned Calves. Heifers (293) sold to £1880 gross for a pair of 622kg Simmental X’s from Northton, Cullerlie. Bulls sold to £1260 gross for a pen of three 388kg Simmental Cross from Auquhorthies, Oldmeldrum. On the same day and a sale of store cattle from Orkney consignors, heifers sold to £1,710 gross and 323.8p per kg for a pen of three 528kg Simmentals from J & E Miller, Nigley, Evie.

At Hexham on 8th November, Hexham and Northern Marts held its weekly sale of Store Cattle and Suckled Calves with a catalogued entry of 316 from across the North of England and Scottish Borders. The offering of young bulls saw a high of £1630.00 for Simmental crosses from Close House.

At Thirsk on 7th November, and a sale of cull cattle, the best grossing was £2079.74 for a Simmental X from BW & AM Mook, Flaxton purchased by JA Jewitt Ltd, Spennymoor.

On 7th November, Aberdeen and Northern Marts held a sale of prime cattle. Prime Heifers sold to £2074.80 gross for a 760kg Simmental Cross from Greenvale, Dunnet. 30 to 36 Month heifers sold to £2173.60 gross for an 880kg Simmental from Berryleys, Grange. On the same day and a sale of 342 cows and bulls, beef finished cows (143) averaged £1736.95 and sold to £2240 for a 1078kg Simmental from Backley, Pitcaple.

On 7th November and a sale of prime cattle at Ballymena, beef bullocks were topped at £1950 for a 650kg Simmental from A McMillan, Portglenone.

At Dingwall, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd on November 6th sold 571 weaned and store calves, and 32 adult head of breeding cattle.Heifers (286) sold to £1,690 gross for a 610kg Simmental cross from Badrain, Culbokie.

On 6th November and a sale of 320 store cattle at Holsworthy, a cracking entry saw a flyer for all cattle. Stronger meat cattle saw trade improve due to the finished price rising. Top was £1960 for a cracking 19mth single suckled Simmental steer from Messrs PRT & M Balsdon, Beaworthy, who sold three others at £1810 and 21mth single suckled Simmental steers from MP & A Stubbs, Woolley to £1635.

At Stirling, on 6th November, United Auctions sold 553 Store Cattle and 242 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls. Heifers (248sold to £1800 gross for a 604kg SIMX from Jaw.

At Truro’s store cattle sale on 6th November, steers at 1-1.5 years old sold to a top of £1700 for a Simm X steer from Choon Farms, of Manaccan, Helston. On the same day and the 4th sale of prize suckled calves, heifers up to 7 months old were topped by Simm X to £880 for Messrs Jewell of Alverton. The same vendors topped the heifers at 8-12 months old and again at £880, and £860 with Simm X.

In a sale of calves at Oswestry on 6th November, Simmental bulls topped at £395 & £360 from J R James & Son, Church Farm.

At Carmarthen on 6th November, the trade for weaned heifers was led by a Simm X at £465 from Beeston, Rhandir.

In a sale of store cattle at Brockholes Arms Auction Mart, Garstang, on 5th November, top spot (and setting a new store market record) went to Mr S J Edwards with Simm X steers to £1,860, the same home with other Simm X steers to £1,800 and £1,580.

At Carlisle on 6th November and H&H’s weekly sale of calves, Messrs Boyd, Rockhallhead had Simmental bulls at £530. Simmental heifers topped at £500 from Messrs Harrison, Roundhill.

In a sale of prime cattle at Ayr on 5th November, bulls peaked a £1700 for a Simmental from J Drummond, Skeoch Farm.

At a store sale of cattle on 5th November at Holmfirth the day’s top price saw Simmental bulls to £1885.

In a sale of calves at Salisbury Livestock Market on 4th November, Simmental heifer calves topped at £202 from Jake Smith Farm Ltd, Hazeley Heath. The same vendor topped a sale of Weaned Steer Calves at £398.

Wallets Marts, Castle Douglas, had forward OTM Cattle, Store Cattle and Store Lambs on 4th November. 89 Store Cattle topped at £1660 for Simmental heifer from Messrs Dunlop, Cannee.

In a sale of 105 barren cows, cull bull, and overage clean cattle at Market Drayton on 4th November, trade remained extremely buoyant for all grades and especially young, lean feeding types. Mr Bob Yeomans & Family, New Street Lane dominated the podium with their Simmentals to 228p (£1,646.16), 220p (£1,702.80), and 210p (£1,583.40).

At Carmarthen on 1st November and a sale of 310 store cattle, an honourable mention for Simms which sold to £1750.00, 20m, from Cwrt Mawr, and to £1720.00, 27m, from Powell Maesyderi, to feature in the leading prices.

On 1st November and a sale of prime cattle at Frome, continental heifers from DAM Marklove to 260p/kg and £1577 for Simmental x. Simmental x heifers from LM Maidment & Sons to 240p/kg. In the cull cow section, A Simmental, also from DAM Marklove topped at 234ppkg or £1662.

At a sale of store cattle at Knighton on 1st November, the day’s top price per head was £1800 for a lovely bunch of 5 Purebred Simmental Heifers (21m) 585kg selling to £1800 from LR Drew & Sons.

SIMMENTALS CONTINUING TO TOP COMMERCIAL SALES AT UK MARKETS THROUGHOUT OCTOBER

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

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 News, 2024 Market Briefs, 2024

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 News, 2024 Market Briefs, 2024

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.