MARKET BRIEFS I: SIMMENTALS CONTINUING TO DO THE BUSINESS AT UK MARKETS AND INCLUDING LUDLOW; CARLISLE; OSWESTRY; MARKET DRAYTON; MELTON MOWBRAY; DINGWALL; RUGBY; SKIPTON; SEDGEMOOR; LANCASTER; ISLAY; ABERDEEN; HOLSWORTHY; QUOYBRAE; HUNTLY; THIRSK; AYR; FROME; AND STORNOWAY

Playing a little catch-up in a busy time, please see here a selection of just some Simmental market briefs from late September through to the third week of October. There’s a lot more to follow in a further post to bring us up to date as we keep reporting on the efficiency, added value, and profitability that Simmental cattle continue to deliver to the UK’s beef producers.

At Ludlow’s sale of TB restricted store cattle on 21st October, there was strong demand and plenty of competition for heifers. Continentals topped at £1480 for a suckler bred Simmental weighing 665kg.

On Wednesday 19th October Harrison & Hetherington conducted their weekly sale of calves at Carlisle with another good entry. Simmental bulls were up to £440 from Gerrard House.

In a sale of calves at Oswestry on 19th October, Simmental bulls sold to £305, £300, £295, £285 & £270 all from J R James & Son, Church Farm.

In a sale of store cattle at Market Drayton on 19th October, more stores forward and a very fast trade especially for top end yarding cattle. Yarding cattle were topped at £1,420 for Simmental steers from TH.&VJ. Seager, Plumley.

In a sale of prime cattle at Melton Mowbray on 19th October, more meat forward and trade seemingly sharper. Corking Simmentals from PW Bird & Son sold to 270p/kg and to lead the steer trade.

At Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd sale of prime cattle at Dingwall on October 18th, prime bullocks averaged 237.2p per kg (+0.6p) and sold to 244.0p per kg for a 610kg Simmental cross from Wester Muckernich, Tore selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall and £1,532.70 gross for a 655kg Simmental cross also from Wester Muckernich, Tore.

Rugby’s primestock sale on 17th October saw young bulls topped by Alan Tacy with a Simmental bull at 257ppk or £1701.34, with another run of bulls at 271ppk or £1907.84.
At Skipton’s sale of rearing calves on 17th October, a total entry of 76 rearing calves saw Sim bulls lead the trade and sell to £455 from J Peel, Clitheroe.

A calf sale at Sedgemoor on 15th October saw a superb duo of 1 month old Simmental bulls for R Hares top the day at £395 and £378.

In the sale of calves and weanlings at Lancaster’s NWA market on 14th October, dairy bull calves saw weanling Fleckvieh to £270 and £250 from EW&R Tower.

At Islay on 13th October, United Auctions sold 391 calves and store cattle. Bullocks sold to 346p/kg for a SimX from I H & M Mactaggart, Kintra to average 261.28p/kg.

On 13th October at Thainstone, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 332 cows and bulls to average £1318.87. Beef feeding bulls averaged £1235.71 and sold to £1470 for a 880kg Simmental from Whitehaugh, Alfrod.

In a sale of calves at Oswestry on 12th October, a good show saw a competitive trade. Some excellent Simmental bulls from J R James & Son, Church Farm led the way when sold for £305 (x2), £300 (x2) and £295.

At Holsworthy’s sale of store cattle on 12th October, a superb entry saw several good consignments on offer. Top was an impressive £1675 for a 27mth Simmental from Messrs DC EM & GR Heard of Holsworthy and who had other Simmentals to £1400. A good run of 18mth Simmental steers from Messrs Cornborough Farms Ltd of Bideford topped at £1345 with steers at £1200 (x7).

At Quoybrae on 11th October, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 503 weaned calves, and 73 store cattle. Heifers (37) sold to £1,290 gross for a 524kg Simmental cross from Roadside, Reiss.
At Thainstone on 7th October, Aberdeen & Northern Marts had 225 store cattle forward from Orkney Consignors. Bullocks Sold to a top of £1,460 gross for a pair of 648kg Simmental from G M R & F M Sandison, Hindatoon, Harray.

At a sale of cast cows and bulls at Thainstone on 6th October, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 373 cows and bulls to average £1345.95. Beef feeding cows (159) averaged £1208.52 and sold to £1630 for a 754kg Simmental from Stratheast, Holm. At a sale of prime cattle on the same day, prime heifers (36) averaged 253.6p (+6.6p) and sold to £1705 gross for a 620kg Simmental cross from Wardhead, Strichen. Young Bulls sold to £1958 gross for a 890kg Simmental from Midtown of Glass.

At Huntly on 6th October, United Auctions sold 207 OTM and store cattle. OTMS sold to a top gross of £1690 for a 885kg SimX from Mains of Haddo, Tarves.

Selling at Thirsk’s primestock sale on 6th October, the top price and best grossing cow was 208.5ppk, £1678.85 for a Simmental X from R & L Arundale, Cropton purchased by RM Helliwell, Rochdale.
At Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd’s sale of calves and stirks at Ayr on 6th October, the top price calf was £600 for a strong Simmental Cross Bullock off Messrs Young, Lochhill Farm (New Cumnock). On the same day at a sale of 66 breeding cattle the top price bull was a Simmental at 2000gns from Langalbuinoch.
In a sale of prime cattle at Frome on 5th October, UTM heifers saw Simmentals stealing the limelight with VI & GR Doggrell reaching a tremendous £1389. Overage Simmentals to a splendid £1383 (224.50p/kg) from C Tucker, Devizes.

At Stornoway on October 4th, Dingwall and Highland Marts sold breeding cattle to £1,600 including for a Simmental Cross from 2A Back.

At Sedgemoor’s sale of UTM and OTM Prime cattle on 5th October, steers rose to 249.5ppk for a lightweight, very smart Simmental from TR Michell, who sold more at 237 and 233ppk.
Aberdeen and Northern Marts on 30th September sold 960 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves including Organic Cattle and West Highland Weaned Calves. Heifers (242) sold to £1,450 gross for a 662kg Simmental cross from Meadaple House, Rothienorman. West Highland Weaned Heifers (34) averaged 239.3p and sold to 278.7p per kg for a pair of 174kg Simmental crosses from 18 Harrapool, Broadford. On the same day, a total of 251 store cattle were forward from Orkney Consignors. Bullocks sold to a top of 261.7p per kg including for a pen of five 382kg Simmentals from P Kemp, Hunchaquoy, Swannay.

Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 255 Cows and Bulls to average £1475.29 on 29th September at Thainstone. Beef Feeding Bulls averaged £1290 and sold to £1610 for a 985kg Simmental from Tombreckachie, Glenlivet. On the same day at a sale of prime cattle, young bulls averaged 222.1p and sold to £2295 gross for a 1020kg Simmental from Drumsleed, Fordoun. 30 to 36 Month – Bullocks sold to 213p per kg and £1192.80 gross for a 560kg Simmental from Boultach, Latheron.

Pictures: Kivells; ANM; BSCS Stock pics