A SHORTER entry of very commercial finished cattle continued to meet a faster trade than previously seen at Ross-on-Wye’s livestock market this week.

Auctioneers RG and GB Williams report that demand remained consistent throughout the sale with steers topping at £2,704 per head while cattle remained keenly sought after by retail buyers with prices ranging from 340p to 378p per kilogramme.

Quality butchers heifers topped at 378ppkg £2,630 for a blonde x heifer from DM & CS Andrews of Brooklands

A few traditional butcher-type native heifers and steers also sold well either side of of 330p per kilogramme. The overall average price of finished Cattle was £2,387 per head.

A nice entry of cull cows peaked at £2,486 per head, representing 288p per kilogramme with many quality sorts selling between £2,000 and £2,486. The overall average price of cows was £1,929 per head with the top vendor being A K Watkins of Castlefield Farm.

Another large entry of spring lambs met strong competition from start to finish peaking at £221 per head. Many large runs of spring lambs were presented by local farmers with strong demand shown throughout.

The strongest demand was shown for those weighing between 36kg and 41kgs and sold between 480p and 537p per kilogramme.

The entry was dominated by heavier sorts with all those weighing over 43kg traded between £200 and £221.

The overall average price of lambs was £195p/head with the top vendor was J M Godsall & Son of Moor Court.

A shorter entry of finished hoggs met a fast trade than previous weeks peaking at £223 per head.

Export quality hoggs sold very freely between 430p and 441p per kilogramme meeting keen competition from buyers.

The overall average price of Hoggs was £187p per head with G W Bevan & Sons of Coldbrook Farm and G J Sevenoaks & Sons of Cross Ash Farm, being the top vendors.