FROM CAITHNESS TO CORNWALL, SIMMENTALS TOPPING LIVESTOCK MARKETS AROUND THE UK!

SIMMENTALS TOPPING SALES AT: THAME; QUOYBRAE; BAKEWELL; RUGBY; ABERDEEN; LANCASTER; MALTON; GISBURN; FROME; MARKET DRAYTON; CARLISLE; STIRLING; DUNGANNON; LANARK; HOLMFIRTH; WORCESTER; EXETER; MELTON MOWBRAY; SKIPTON; DINGWALL; LOCKERBIE; HUNTLY; DUMFRIES; HOLSWORTHY; TRURO; SEDGEMOOR; OSWESTRY; AYR; & NEWTON STEWART.

A bumper set of Simmental market briefs covering May through to the first week of June sees Simmental cattle continuing to top a range of sale sections and at some 29 livestock markets around the United Kingdom and from the very North of Scotland to Cornwall!

Commercial producers see that there is more to a Simmental! A hard working, no nonsense beef breed, Simmentals efficiency, outstanding milk, fertility and maternal qualities, combined with growth, leading age at slaughter, and carcase traits, gets the job done and adds up to production and profit in a cost conscious industry. Latest market briefs include:

At Thame Market on 9th June, the sale of 117 store cattle saw heifers topped at £1395 for Simmental x heifers from P W & M E Jones.

At Frome on 7th June, UTM steers were topped at £2161 by Simm x from EM Horn & Son Southampton.

At Quoybrae on 5th June, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 106 store cattle. Heifers (55) averaged 250.3p and sold to 299.2p for 244kg Simmental crosses from Bowertower Mains Bower and £1,495 gross for a 617kg Simmental cross from Ritchies Croft, Brawlbin.

In a sale of calves at Bakewell on 5th June, a ‘blistering trade’ saw bulls top at £340 for a Simm from M & K Roworth, Beerwoodcote.

In a prime cattle sale at Rugby Farmers Mart on 5th June a small show of cows was led by a 752kg Sim from Woods farm, Meriden Ltd which made 242ppkg or £1819.

Aberdeen and Northern Marts on 2nd June sold 635 store cattle, young bulls and young and weaned calves. Heifers (238) averaged 293.7p and sold to 377.9p per kg for a pen of two 434kg Simmental Cross from Fintry, Turriff. Bullocks 251-300kg – topped by SimX at £1035, from Glebe of Deisher. Bullocks 301-350kg – topped at £1280 by SimX from Fintry.

In a sale of OTMs at NWA’s Lancaster market on 2nd June, the top grossing cow was a Simmental achieving £2012.

At a sale of OTMs at Malton on 2nd June, the trade for cows )all over 72 months), was led by a Sim X 880kg, from SF Stubbings, Sledmere topping at 244.50ppk (£2151.60).

In a sale of store cattle for Shetland consignors also on 2nd June at ANM’s Thainstone centre, bullocks sold to 354.4p per kg for a pen of five 292kg Simmentals from D G Flaws, Fleck, Dunrossness. Heifers Sold to £1,160 gross for a pair of 372kg Simmentals and 320.6p per kg for 262kg Simmentals from D G Flaws, Fleck. On the same day and a sale of store cattle on behalf of Orkney consignors, a total of 110 head were forward. Heifers Sold to a top of £1,340 gross for a pair of 408kg Simmentals from A D Miller, Spring Valley, Stronsay.

At a sale of cast cows and bulls at Thainstone on 1st June, Beef Feeding Cows (81) averaged £1426.36 and sold to £1850 for a 824kg Simmental Cross from Dorsell, Alford. Bulls averaged £1979.17 and sold to £2870 for a 1410kg Simmental from Fallaw Farm, Inverkeilor. At a similar sale from Orkney consignors on the day, beef cows sold to £2,170 gross for a 844kg Simmental from A T Annal & Son, Myres, South Ronaldsay.

The strong trade for Simmental rearing calves at Gisburn market continued on 1st June with the top price being £470 for a Simmental calf from D Calvert & Son.

At Frome’s sale of prime cattle on 31st May, heifers with good meat and finish sold to a top of 259p/kg for a handy weight Simmental from L Symes, Southampton.

In a sale of rearing calves at Market Drayton on 31st May special mention goes to £455 L.E. Weston&Sons who sold Simm bull calves at £455, and £395.

Wednesday, 31st May Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly Store Cattle sale at Carlisle. A seasonal entry in terms of quantity and quality saw another electric trade with values staying at similar levels per head as the quality declines. Sale header at £1770 was a cracking Simmental x from Messrs Potter, Cardew House, Dalston.

United Auctions sold 553 store cattle, native bred & young bulls, and 106 out of spec cattle, cast cows and bulls on 31st May at Stirling. Heifers (266) sold to £1840 for a 692kg SIMX from Tillyrie.

A seasonal entry of stock on 31st May at Dungannon saw all classes of stock continue to sell sharply. Heifers topped at £1640 for a 595kg Sim (276.00) presented by D Nelson; Weanlings sold to £1290 for a 460kg Sim (280.00) presented by Owenreagh Farms.

On Tuesday 30th May 2023 Lawrie and Symington sold 310 Store Cattle at Lanark. 151 bullocks sold to 336.5p for a Simx off of Skipness Estates.

On 30th May at Holmfirth a small sale of store cattle saw a Simmental heifer from S&M Thackery lead the trade at £1190 and when selling to J Hobson & Son.

At Worcester’s sale of 144 store cattle on 27th May, the steers were led by a 16-month-old Simm X at £1345, from A Verity.

Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 723 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves on 26th May. Heifers (252) averaged 301p and sold to 369.4p per kg for a pen of three 268kg Simmental and £1980 gross for a pair of 548kg Simmental both from New Barns, Forfar.

At Lancaster livestock auction on 26th May, heifer stirks sold to £1240 for a Simmental x from AJ Metcalfe, Out Rawcliffe.

Aberdeen & Northern Marts on 26th May saw a total of 125 Store Cattle forward from Orkney Consignors. Bullocks Sold to a top of 357.5p per kg for 386kg Simmental from I D Sinclair, Upper Heads, South Ronaldsay.

In a sale of stirks and suckled calves at Exeter on 26th May, the top of the day in the heifers saw the Chugg Family down from Chulmleigh present Simmental crosses (6m) to £730 with others to £690 & £640.

On 25th May and a sale of store cattle at Rugby Farmers Market, a run of quality Homebred Simmental Bulls sold to 286ppk and a market topping £2349 for CH Evans & Son.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 24th May, Fat Cows Fat Cows cleared to £1690 for a 735kg Sim (230.00) presented by J Casey.

In a sale of calves at Melton Mowbray on 24th May, kicking off the day saw a whopping Simmental month old bull calf to £470 on behalf of local vendors, Chandler & Dickman, with another Simmental heifer calf from the same pen at £335.

At Skipton Auction Marts Fortnightly Sale of Young Feeding Bulls, Store Bullocks & Heifers, and Breeding Cattle on 24th May, Simmentals led the averages for young bulls at £1560 and against the continental average of £1438, and the native average of £1255. RD Elliott sold Simms at £1690, £1620 and £1450.

At Dingwall on 24th May, at Dingwall & Highland Marts sale of store cattle and OTMs, OTM prime & feeding bulls were led by a Sim from Meikle Ussie at £,2360.

💥WESTER BLEATON SELLS TO £3450 TO LEAD STRONG TRADE FOR SIMMENTAL HEIFERS AT THAINSTONE
On 23rd May at Thainstone’s special sale of breeding cattle, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 183 head. Breeding cattle continued to meet a brisk demand and with Simmentals featuring throughout. Cow with Heifer Calf sold to £3450 for a Simmental Cross with a Lim cross calf from Wester Bleaton, Bridge of Cally. Other strong Simmental prices saw Simm and SimmX Heifers with bull calf prices include: Simm – Pitgersie £3550, £3500, £3250, Towiemore £3500, South Blachrie £3350, Bankhead £3350, Wester Bleaton £3300; SimX – Pitgersie 3500, £3350, £3250, Towiemore £3500, £3450, Wester Bleaton £3500, £3400, £3350, £3300, £3250, Mains of Drumdollo £3250. Heifer with Heifer Calf Simm prices included: SimX – Pitgersie £3550, £3400, £3100, Wester Bleaton £3250, £3100, £3050, Bankhead £3300; Mains of Drumdollo £3100. Cow with Bull Calf was led by Sim from Bankhead at £2900 and who had further Simms at, £2550, £2400; and a SimX at £2850. Cow with Heifer Calf was led by a SimX from Wester Bleaton at £3200 (X2). Further SimX Cow with Heifer Calf included: Glenlea £3100, Bankhead £2300, Knowes, Birkenhill £1800; Bankhead had a Sim Cow with Heifer calf at £2950.
Harrison and Hetherington fortnightly sale of store cattle on 23rd May at Lockerbie Auction Market saw a busy ringside of buyers and a good show of cattle. Cattle remained highly sought after with especially cattle for grass being in extremely high demand. 12-month-old Simmental cattle sold to 292ppk from Mr Harrison.

On 22nd May Bakewell Market sold 115 Barren, OTM and Feeding Cows. All buyers were fighting hard to secure numbers with all of the best cattle comfortably over £2/kilo including 14 over 220p/kg and a top of 268p for 518kg Sim cow from Messrs Powell, Hundall.

On 20th May at Stirling, United Auctions sold 448 breeding cattle with Simmentals featuring in the quoted prices and including: Porterstown (SIM) £3200×2. Heifers and Heifer Calves: Porterstown (SIM) £3200. Cows and Bull Calves: Mains of Craigisla (SIM) £2700; Cows and Heifer Calves: Lochlane (SIM) £2850 & £2700.

At Thainstone on 19th May, Aberdeen & Northern Marts had a total of 102 Store Cattle forward from Orkney Consignors. Bullocks Sold to a top of 349.7p for a pen of 406kg Simmentals from A & D Clark, Stratheast, Holm.

On 18th May at Aberdeen & Northern Marts sale of prime cattle at Thainstone, a Simmental X heifer sold to 253p per kg and £1973.40 gross from Tillyeve, Udny. On the same day, a sale of Beef Feeding Cows (93) averaged £1488.80 and sold to £1870 for a 750kg Simmental Cross from Essil, Garmouth.
On 18th May at Stirling, Caledonian Marts sold 134 Cattle comprising of 64 Bullocks, Heifers and Young Bulls, and 70 OTM Cattle.Prime. Heifers averaged 297p and sold to £2273 for a Simmental from J Brown, Greencraig, Slamannan.

💥MAINS OF TARRYBLAKE SELL SIMMENTAL HEIFERS TO £3500 AT HUNTLY
At Huntly on 18th May, United Auctions held a sale of Store, Breeding and OTM cattle. Store cattle met a keen enquiry yet again. Breeding cattle sold to a large ringside where some top-end Simmental cross heifers were easily sold. In the sale of breeding cattle, Heifers with male Calves at foot saw SimX at £3500 from Mains of Tarryblake, with a Sim from the same home at £3400. In the Heifers with Heifer calves at foot Mains of Tarryblake again doubled up with a Sim at £3500, and a SimX at £3400. In the store sale, bullocks sold to a top of 321.2p per kg for a 330kg SimX from Corskie, Garmouth. Heifers sold to a top gross of £1320 for a 480kg SimX Auchinclech, Grange. OTMS sold to a top gross of £2240 for a 900kg SimX from Wester Elchies, Aberlour.

At Stirling, and United Auction’s sale of young bulls on 17th May, the trade was topped at 257.70p for a SIMX from Hole O Clean. In the store sale, Simmental heifers from Leyshade sold to £1800 & £1790.
C&D Auction Marts held their weekly sale of Primestock on Wednesday 17th May at Dumfries. Leading the way at £1950.50, and £1878.75 was Simms from Dalswinton.

In a sale of 315 calves and stirks at Holsworthy on 17th May, the stirks sold to £530 (6m) for a Simmental steer in from GG Smale, who sold heifers to £500 (5m).

On Wednesday, 17th May Harrison & Hetherington held their weekly Store Cattle sale at Carlisle with another fantastic entry of 548 Store cattle forward at Borderway. A tremendous trade for all classes was witnessed with strong cattle in particular a flying trade. A Simmental bullock from TH & PA Johnston, Westray, Cockermouth led the days trade at £1980.

On 17th May at Truro, the sale of UTM prime cattle steers, saw the top gross price of £1968.4 being paid for a Simmental x (760kg) from Messrs R E, G L & M R Body of Hayle. In the cull cows, topping the section was a Simmental x for Mr B Cowell of Wendron, Helston at 226p/kg away to Dawn West Devon of Hatherleigh.

In a sale of 370 weanlings at Market Drayton on 15th May, in the younger weanlings, top prices were a six month old Simmental bull from Mr S.R. Nash, Leigh at £660. In the steers a 10-month-old Simmental topped at £960 Harold Davies & Ptns.

On 15th May at Sedgemoor, young bulls 12m to 13m sold to a top of £1,897.88 twice (both 723kg) and £1,802.50 (700kg) for Simmentals from R Bigwood.

At Dungannon Farmers Mart on 10th May, dropped Calves continued to sell briskly to peak at £390 for a Sim Bull presented by E Speers.

In a sale of rearing calves at Holsworthy on 10th May, special mention goes to the Wearing Family, Tavistock who sold a one month old Simmental to an impressive £480.

Oswestry’s sale of store cattle on 10th May saw £1270 (343p/kg) paid for Simmental steers aged 19 months and sold by Llangedwyn Home Farm, to feature in the top end of prices.

In a sale of store cattle on 10th May at Market Drayton, the steers were led at £1795 by a Simm from RJ Litchfield & Son who had further Simms at £1600.

In a sale of store cattle at Truro on 10th May, a fast trade for all on offer from start to finish saw strong types well placed. Steers sold to a top of £1760 for a 20-month-old Simmental x for Mrs B Baxter of Porkellis, who went on to sell a further Simmental x of the same age to £1565. A single 22 month old Simmental steer for Mr G L Budge of Baldhu realised £1645. Truro Market witnessed a Beef Type average for cull cows of over 200p/kg for the first time ever. Top price was for a smart Simmental heifer from Mr N Doble of St Agnes which sold to Messrs W A Rapson & Sons of Milton Abbot at 230p/kg,

On Wednesday 10th May, Harrison and Hetherington held their weekly sale of weaned cattle at Carlisle. Young cattle through the roof as Ring 4 was packed to the rafters with bidders for grass cattle. Simmental steers sold to £1280 from Millisle Farm to feature in the leading prices.

💥TOWIEMORE SIMMENTAL HEIFERS WITH CALF AT FOOT SELL TO £4350 AT THAINSTONE SALE OF BREEDING CATTLE!
Towiemore Simm heifers with bull calf at: £4350; £4200; £4050 x2; £4000
Towiemore Simm heifers with heifer calf at: £4050 x 2; £3950; £3900 x 2;£3800
Towiemore Simm cow with bull calf: £3950; £3650
Towiemore Simm cow with heifer calf: £3050
90 Towiemore females, almost all Simmentals, with calves at foot averaged £3453!
At Thainstone on Tuesday 9th May, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 227 head of adult breeding cattle and with Simmental females again on fire, in big demand, and meeting with an excellent trade. Featuring strongly throughout the sale was the Smith family at Towiemore Farm, Keith, Banffshire who had a number of Simmental heifers and cows with calves at foot well over the £4000 mark and topping at £4350. In all 90 Towiemore females, almost all Simmental, averaged a remarkable £3543! Leading Simmental Prices included: Heifer with Bull Calf: SimX – Towiemore – £4350, £4200, £4050 (X2), £4,000, Wester Bleaton – £3950; Sim – Towiemore – £4300, £3950. Heifer with Heifer Calf: Sim – Towiemore – £4050, £3900; SimX – Towiemore £4050, £3950, £3900, £3800, £3750; Cow with Bull Calf: SimX – Towiemore £3950, £3600; Cow with Heifer Calf: Sim – Towiemore £3050; SimX – Sillerton £2550, £2300.

On Monday 8th May and a sale of 112 cattle forward at Rugby Farmers Mart, the trade for cows was led at £2051 for an 892kg Simm from CH Evans & Son.

United Auctions sold 651 cattle at Huntly on 6th May. 265 Heifers sold to average 295.6p per kg selling to 380.1p per kg or £2250 per head on three different occasions for seven SimX’s from Connachie, Elgin.

On Friday 5th May and a sale of store cattle at Exeter, an army of buyers in from all parts of the country pushed store cattle prices for all types on offer to new heights. Steers topped at £1860 for a grand, smart Simmental steer (26m) from William Cross of Huntsham with other Simmentals off the same farm going down in age reaching £1780 (24m) and £1760 (22m).

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 448 Store Cattle at their sale in Ayr on 4th May. Leading the bullocks at 340p, the top price per kg, was a Simmental from Cleeves.

In a sale of calves and weanlings on 5th May at Lancaster Auction Mart, heifer calves sold to £470 twice, with another four at £450 for well reared Simmental x from JR Newham & Son, Conder Green.
At Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd’s sale of Store Cattle at Newton Stewart on 5th May, a nice show for quality forward met a good demand. Topping the trade at £1350 was a pen of tremendous outwintered Simmental bullocks from A & MA Henry , Barrachan. Simmentals also led the per kilo this time for a pair of beauties from H Milroy, Mid Gleniron that made 325.9p k/g.

At Aberdeen & Northern Marts sale of prime cattle at Thainstone on 4th May, 30 to 36 Month Heifers sold to 265p per kg for a 535kg Simmental from Backhill Clackriach, Maud and £1,743 gross for a 700kg Simmental from Raefin, Keith.

At Caledonian Marts sale at Stirling on 4th May, OTM’s sold to 290 ppkg for a Simmental from Glenside Farms, Stirling.

💥SIMMENTAL HEIFER AND CALF SELLS TO £3700 FOR THE GORDON FAMILY, LOST FARM, STRATHDON AS SIMMENTALS FEATURE THROUGHOUT IN NUMBERS AND LEADING PRICES AT THAINSTONE
Simmentals were again to the fore in numbers and leading prices on 3rd May at Thainstone as Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 503 head of adult breeding Cattle. The British Simmental Cattle Society’s award for the best sired Simmental Heifer and Calf went to The Gordon Family, Lost Farm, Strathdon with the 1st prize Simmental Heifer with Bull Calf which sold for £3700. Bulling Heifers met a fantastic demand selling to a top of £2600 for a pair of tremendous 19-month-old Simmental Heifers from D & G Manson, Brodieshill Farm, Alves. *The Mansons will host a Simmental Open Day on 8th July. Over 90% of the bulling heifers forward were Simmental sired. The section for Cow with Bull Calf sold to £3,150 for a Simmental Cross with a Limousin Cross from Rennieshill, Newmachar.

The commercial demand for Simmental females continued unabated with a strength in depth throughout the entry and a strong trade to match. Leading Simmental prices included:
Heifer with Bull Calf: SimX – Lost Farm £3750, £3700, £3600, £3500, South Blachrie £3650, £3600, Bungalow, New Noth £3600 (X2), £3550 (X2)
Heifer with Heifer Calf: SimX – Pitcairn Farm £3750, £3500, South Blachrie £3650, £3450 Lost Farm £3650, Farirburn £3450, Bungalow, New Noth £3400.
Leading Bulling Heifer prices:
351kg – 400kg – Culnoag (Sim) £1300; 401kg – 450kg – Connachie (Sim) £1550
451kg – 500kg – Berryleys (Sim) £1850, Connachie (Sim) £1800
501kg – 550kg – Berryleys (Sim) £2250, £2150, Connachie (SimX) £2100, £2020 (X2), £2000 (X3), Culquhassen (SimX) £2000;
551kg – 600kg – Connachie (Sim) £2250, Brodieshill (SimX) £2150, Connachie (Sim) £2100 (X5), £2050, Coldhome (Sim) £2050;
601kg – 605kg – Brodieshill (SimX) £2550, £2450, Bankhead (SimX) £2300, Connachie (SimX) £2100, Bankhead (Sim) £2050.
At Stirling on 3rd May and United Auctions sale of store cattle, and young bulls, the young bulls sold to a top gross of £1450 for a SIMX from Easterton. In the store sale, 805 heifers were sold with the leading Simm prices including: Lochlane £1870 & £1820; Bargany 331.60p; Barabarafield £1800; Forestmill 322.20p.

A sale of UTM heifers at Frome on 2nd May was led by a Simm at 256ppkg from JC Stainer, Semington.

💥MERKLAND SIMMENTAL BULLING HEIFERS SELL TO A CRACKING £3650 AT STIRLING!
The trade for commercial Simmental breeding cattle was on fire at United Auctions – Livestock Auctioneers, Stirling on Monday May 1st with quality Simmentals in demand throughout the categories. Leading the way was Jim & Liz Dyet, East Merkland Farm, Strathaven, Lanarkshire who topped the sale of bulling heifers with three 16 to 18-month-old Simmentals each making a tremendous £3650! All three heifers were purchased by Alastair Mitchell, Victoria Farm, Muthill, Crieff. Further Merkland Simmental x heifers on the day made £2200, and £2000 on the day when selling to Milton Farmers. The strong trade for Simmentals continued when Simm X heifers & bull calves from Kirkton made £3400. In the cows & bull calves, Simm X’s from Beannie made £3400, and £3300 respectively. The same vendor led the cow & heifer calf trade with their Simm X’s making £3300, and £3100.

At Quoybrae on 1st May, and Aberdeen & Northern Marts sale of store cattle, Heifers (57) averaged 300p per kg and to £1590 gross for a 542kg for Simmental from Hunster, Bower.

Caledonian Marts Ltd, Stirling, had forward 542 Store Cattle at their fortnightly sale on May 1st. Bullocks averaged 291 ppkg selling to 340 ppkg for a pen of Simmentals from J Lambie, Knockdaw, Ballantrae.

On Monday 1st May at Market Drayton and a sale of 322 weanlings, the steer trade was led by ten- month-old Simmental steers which sold for £710 for C.&B. Slater, Whitmore.