Market Reports (July 2017)

Friday 28th July 2017

Cattle

Finished cattle are much the same as the previous week with supply and demand very evenly balanced. Cattle are slow to finish off pasture due to a lack of grass quality in the North. Further South it will be interesting to see whether the recent downpours and the end of drought conditions in Central and Southern England will boost grass and the number of cattle coming forward.

Cow numbers are on a real rollercoaster, with assured supply very difficult to come by. Further rises in the milk price are stemming supplies further and having predicted an easing in the price, there’s every chance that the price will rise. Well fed O+ grade dairy cows in excess of a £1000 at the beginning of August… remarkable! More needed please!

All types of store cattle wanted. Good Angus bulling heifers from a closed herd available.

Lambs

Base prices for lambs through the co-op kicked off between 440-445p for standard weights with heavies to 465p. Prices by the end of the week eased slightly, with some lambs as low as 400p but the majority of lambs plateaued out at 430-435p as the week closed, which looks very competitive indeed. Out of interest, this week last year lambs were 390-395p so there is plenty to be cheery about.

Quite why lambs have fallen quite as far through the live ring remains unclear as numbers remain remarkably tight for the time of year and the exchange rate is very favourable for exports, though with holiday season underway on the continent there may be slightly reduced demand from the Europeans.

First lots of store lambs are moving with lambs typically £3 up on the year. Several very good lots of homebred gimmers for sale including Suffolk X & Texel X Mules, Scotch Mules, NE Mules, Cheviot Gimmers. Suffolk X, Texel X, Scotch Mule and Cheviot Mule Ewe Lambs available.  The vast majority are annual consignments and all come thoroughly recommended.

MORE LAMBS URGENTLY NEEDED TO MEET DEMAND, ALL WEIGHTS.

New suppliers welcome. For further info please phone your experienced local fieldsman or the office on 01750 723366

Organics

Organic cattle to 510p/kg, numbers hard to come by. Organic lambs to 470p at the beginning of the week, with the price easing to 450p as the week closed such has been the falls in the conventional trade. Organic lamb numbers are really ramping up now.