A SHORTER entry of very commercial finished cattle at Ross-on-Wye’s livestock market continued to meet a more cautionary trade in line with the falling deadweight price.

Auctioneers RG and RB Williams report that demand remained consistent throughout the sale of steers which topped at £2,541 per head, while cattle remained keenly sought after by retail buyers, with prices ranging between 340p and 360p per kilogramme.

A quality run of Continentals from Messrs Westoby and Messrs Andrews of Glen Court Farm sold to £2,541.

The overall average price of finished cattle was £1,962 with EJ & JM Westoby & Sons, Brooklands and V E Pugh & Co of Home Farm being the top vendors.

A larger entry of cull cows peaked at £2,393 per head, representing 255p per kilogramme with many quality sorts selling between £2,000 and £2,393.

The overall average price of cows was £1,768 representing 258p per kilogramme.

The top vendors were JHL & THD Humphreys of Cwm Cayo and M & B Farms, of Mulhampton.

A larger entry of spring lambs met strong competition from start to finish with two new buyers present.

Lambs topped at 500p per kilogramme (£203 per head) Lambs weighing over 43 kilogrammes sold to a price around £200.

The top vendors were the A & JM Sheppard Partnership of Tennersfield Farm and P & S Miles of Celyn Cottage.

A nice entry of finished hoggs met a fast trade as seen at the end of the previous week peaking at £210 per head.

A strong contingent of quality export hoggs sold very freely between 400p – 420p per kilogramme, meeting keen competition from buyers.

Demand for heavyweight hoggs remained consistent however less than previous weeks with those weighing in excess of 48kg sold between £180 and £210 per head.

The top vendors were D Clothier & Sons Ltd of Shooters Bottom Farm and A Simcock of The Green Farm.