Store mart
For their store cattle sale at Whitland Mart on Saturday, J. J. Morris report another entry of over 550 store cattle from producers over a wide area, together with some 40 grazing cows and overage cattle, 40 suckler cows and in-calvers and 100 ewe and lamb couples. Grazing cow sold to an overall average of 93ppk, some £575 per head with a top price of £830 for a 740 kilo Hereford from Cranmer, Delacorse Uchaf, Laugharne, with other leading prices at £750, £735, £730, £720 (twice) and £695. At the overage cattle ring, a 540 kilo Belgian Blue steer made £715 from Edwards and Son, Trefaes Isaf, Glanrhyd, who also sold another Belgian Blue steer at £665 (540k), and Belgian Blue heifers at £740 (600 kilo) and £710 (610 kilo) A 950 kilo Limousin bull from Morris, Castell Malgwyn Farm, Llechryd, realised £925. Store cattle entries sold to a very good trade with steers making a top price of £848 for a Belgian Blue from Reed, Rhosygadair Fawr, Blaenannerch, and heifers selling to £765 for a Belgian Blue from Edwards and Son, Glanrhyd. Steers averaged £550 and heifers £475. Young bulls sold to £355 for a pair of Belgian Blues from Kedward and Co., Hafod, Llanboidy, and averaged £291. An entry of 37 cows and calves together with 3 in- calvers saw the cows and calves reach a maximum of £1,200 from Kenniford, Hoplas Farm, Rhoscrowther, with an overall average of £780, once again reflecting the large number of buyers around the sale ring. In-calvers sold to £760 from Evans, Brynely, Red Roses, with others at £660 from Davies, Wallaston Farm, Hundleton. A good entry of ewe and lamb couples sold to a fast trade with a top price of £115 from Eynon, Penrallt Fach, Login, also £105, £100 and £97 with others at £112 and £95 from Thomas, Dyffryn, Dryslwyn.
Weekly mart
For some 1,018 sheep entries presented at Whitland Mart on Tuesday, May 6, trade in all classes showed a marked improvement on recent weeks. The 628 lambs on offer sold to a flying trade with the overall average at 200.24ppk with a large number of pens realising in excess of £80 per head. Top price per kilo was 210.8p per kilo for 40.5 kilo lambs from Evans and Son, Penrallt, Llantood, who also obtained the top price per head - £87.60 for 44 kilo lambs. Overall average 154.40ppk. Hoggets on offer sold to an overall trade at 152.16ppk per kilo and a top price of 163.9ppk achieved for 41 kilos hogs presented by Davies, Morfa Farm, Mathry. Overall average 151.96ppk. An entry of 253 cull ewes sold to a steady trade with ewes selling to a top price of £88 from Thomas, Ystilysycoed Isaf, Llanon, with others at £81 from Davies, Rhydymerydd, Efailwen, and £79 from Morris, Mwche, Llanstephan. Light ewes averaged £25 and heavy ewes £52. The 23 barren cows on offer again met a very good trade levelling at 95ppk which equated to £590 per head. Top price per kilo was 133.6p for a 475 kilo Limousin presented by Brown, Deermoat, Velfrey Road, Whitland, with some 10 lots actually realising in excess of 100ppk. An increased entry of calves saw a top bid of £182 for a Simmental Bull from Woolley, Pencraig Isaf, Cwmbach, who also realised £170 for a Simmental bull. Heifers sold to £148 from Evans, Ffynnonwen, Login.