Store Mart

Another good days trading was seen at Whitland Store Mart on Saturday, with cattle selling to a better trade, which was reflected in the improved steer and heifer averages up £70 and £40 respectively on the previous sale. Steers topped at £1,065 while heifers peaked at £950, suckler cows reached £1,310 and a Limousin bull sold for £1,320.

An entry of 14 cull cows was seen selling to an average price per kg of 99.09p or £542.50/head. Cows sold to a top price per head of £725 for a 660 kilo Hereford from Phillips, Rhydyfallen. Overage heifers topped at 142ppk and £880/head for a 620 kilo Limousin from Rees, Avola, Red Roses.

As stated, a good entry of 343 store cattle sold to an improved trade with heifers and steers averaging £600 and £655 respectively, while an increased entry of dairy bred bulls sold to an average of £276. Prices peaked at £1,065 for a Limousin steer from Harries, Garregwen.

The 25 suckler cows and calves forward sold to an average of £952 with prices peaking at £1,310 for a Belgian Blue from Wilson, Middle Pool.

The three bulls on offer sold to a top price of £1,320 for a Limousin from Morgan, Plas-y-Gwer.

Weekly Mart

A smaller entry of 522 lambs was seen at Whitland Mart on Tuesday with the best meated lambs reaching 162ppk from Jones, Werbongam, and £66.20/head from Morgan, Myrtle Hill. The standard type lambs sold to an average of 148.15ppk and £55.20 with the overall market average at 147.97ppk. 36 hoggets were sold selling to a top of 140ppk and £75/head and to an average of 113.90ppk.

Cull ewes and rams numbered 165 selling to a steady trade throughout with the heavy type ewes selling to an average of £45 whilst the lighter ewes and rams averaged £24 and £47 respectively. Ewes sold to a top price of £84 for Texels from Monahan, Stember Farm House. Rams peaked at £56 from Jenkins, The Bungalow, and Wethers sold to a top price of £40 from Thomas, Pantycoch.

Three finished Limousin heifers from Harris and Son, Ffosddu Fach, averaging 545 kg levelled at £570.

A moderate entry of 14 barren cows sold to an average of 92.27ppk or £571, a fair average considering the limited number of continental cows forward. Prices peaked at 123ppk from Davies, Heatherton, and £1,095/head from Llwyngwyddel Enterprises.

In the calf ring, bulls peaked at £210 for a Belgian Blue from Thomas, Little Pale, and heifers sold to £218 for a Limousin from Evans, Waterholmes.

Special Mart

At the monthly sale at Whitland Mart for the benefit of vendors who are under livestock movement restrictions, the moderate entry of cattle forward included 39 culls cows, one cull bull, two overage steers and 15 fat cattle.

Well-fleshed cattle sold to a premium with the best cows reaching 137ppk and fat cattle peaking at 157.50ppk.

Cows sold to an average of 102.22ppk or £631/head with the best cows selling to a top price of 137ppk for a 630 kilo Belgian Blue and to a top price/head of £915 for a 805 kilo Holstein Friesian.

Overage steers peaked at 148ppk for a 615 kilo Limousin.

An entry quality fat cattle was seen with steers averaged 143.73ppk (top 157.5ppk for a 675 kg Belgian Blue) and heifers levelling at 133.66ppk.