CLEAN cattle met a firm trade topping at £2,610 per head according to auctioneers RG and RB Williams at the livestock sale in Ross-on-Wye on Monday, December 15.

Demand was strong throughout the finished cattle but in general less matching the falling deadweight price.

Better sorts of butchers’ heifers and steers sold between 380p and 394p per kilogramme with dairy cross sorts selling between 350p and 370p per kilogramme Heifers peaked at £2,557 per head and steers at £2,610.

The top vendor was DM & CS Andrews of Glen Court Farm.

Cull cows and bulls sold to £2,267 per head with the complete consignment averaging 274p per kilogramme. The entry was predominantly suckler cows averaging an astonishing £1,969 per head.

More cows are required to meet demand said auctioneer William Probert

The top vendor was Herefordshire & Ludow College.

A nice entry of lambs met a blistering trade from start to finish peaking at 372p per kilogramme with any number of lambs trading hands between 350p and 372p per kilogramme.

Strongest demand was on medium weight export lambs while heavy weights met a consistent trade with lambs weighing between 45kg and 52kg lambs selling between 320p and 348p per kilogramme. Overweight lambs were harder placed selling from £152 to £165 and the entire entry of lambs averaged 328p per kilogramme. More lambs could have easily been sold to this trade due to demand from buying contingent

Overall average price of lambs £150/head.

The top vendor was N & I Bevan, of Trothlands Farm.

A shorter entry of cull ewes and rams met another flying trade topping at £200 to meet an overall average of £146 per head. Leaner sorts sold between £100 and £130 and strong Continental cross eves sold between £170 and £200 per head.

The top vendor was J M Godsall & Son of Moor Court.