Welshpool bullock sells for record price at auction 

A new record for feeding store cattle was set at Shrewsbury Livestock Centre as a bullock from Welshpool sold for more than £2,000.

The 32-month Simmental bullock from A. K. & C. E. Lloyd of Leighton, Welshpool weighed in at 755 kilos and sold for a record-breaking £2,070 as the auction attracted 256 store cattle.

“The sale will be marked in the record books, as never before have feeding store cattle in Shrewsbury sold for over £2,000,” said Jonny Dymond, Halls’ senior auctioneer and Shrewsbury Auction Centre manager. 

“The ringside was brimming with more than 35 individual buyers alongside 51 vendors resulting in a relentless and fearless trade from the very first hammer of the day.”

Explaining why the bullock was a record-breaker, he added: “It was a big, farm assured bullock that was close to being ready for slaughter. With the liveweight and deadweight markets being so strong, it’s very possible that we will see more store cattle selling for over £2,000.”

A 795 kilo Aberdeen Angus bullock, also from AK & CE Lloyd, sold for £1,900 and two 720 kilo Charolais bullocks from T. D. Jones, Newtown twice sold to £1,860, while another 565 kilo bullock from the same vendor made £1,690.

Simmental bullocks from S & B Lawrence of Oswestry peaked at £1,660 (590kg) while the best Holsteins peaked at £1,550 (620kg) for B & S Tomlins, Craven Arms.

In the younger cattle, a ripping, nine-month-old Limousin bullock from Lewis Davies of Buckley achieved £1,630 or 329p per kilo. Premiums on the day peaked at 331p per kilo for a homebred Limousin bullock from K. M. Croft, Worthen which sold for £1,390.

Heifers peaked at £1,560 (303p per kilo) for pure Charolais from R. J. & G. D. Talbot, Staffordshire. Limousin heifers from W. S. Powell & Sons, Alberbury peaked at £1,530 (273p per kilo) with the best of David Capewell’s Limousins from Sleap at £1,500 (306p per kilo). Twelve month old British Blues from Corfield McCowan, Hugley hit £1,500 (306p per kilo).

Dairy bred heifers sold to £1,470 for 630 kilo Simmental heifers from Pat Price, Bicton a 555 kilo British Blue cross heifer from S. L. Lawrence, Crickheath sold for £1,430. Heifers peaked at 320p per kilo for K. M. Croft’s homebred Limousins, returning at £1,250. Dairy bred Limousin heifers from James A. Davies, Frodesley sold well at £1,340 or 282p per kilo.

“Harder and plainer cattle with frames from 350 kilos to 450 kilos, which were ready to graze, were simply unvaluable with bids jumping in from all over the ringside,” added Mr Dymond. “My advice to farmers is to get their cattle tested and sold now to take advantage of the buoyant market.”

PICTURE: The record-breaking Simmental steer in the sale ring at Shrewsbury Auction Centre.