WELSHPOOL AUTUMN SALE – OCT 2020 REPORT

The Welshpool autumn sale of pedigree and commercial Salers took place on Saturday 10^th October 2020. The market was a lot quieter affair than normal due to the COVID-19 restrictions with only vendors and buyers being allowed to attend the market.

It is always difficult to ascertain the real reasons as to why prices and clearance rates fluctuate from sale to sale but over the weekend it became very apparent that one of the key factors dominating this sale was the concerns of straw shortages and increased prices for straw over the winter months. Nonetheless the averages were up in every section.

Topping the trade was Rigel Optimus Prime a March 2019 born bull out of Cleuchhead Gentle by Noble. Optimus had strong conformation and an excellent growth rate.  His sire, Noble (origin Fourtet) descended from Beguin and Variegeois, two very influential French bulls.  His dam was purchased from Messrs Livesey and was chosen for the strength of her female traits.  Both Optimus Prime and his dam have milk EBVs in top 5% of the breed.   

The commercial section averaged £1184.38 for 16 animals sold and had a healthy clearance rate of 84% which was £105.38 a head up on 2019. A & M Austin had a steady and consistent trade and commanded a top price of £1800 for lot 4 an 18-month-old in-calf heifer which sold to D J Nightingale, Ashover. They also achieved the 2^nd and 3^rd highest prices in this section with £1600 and £1400 for two other 18mth old in-calf heifers which travelled to the same home of J S Abel, Llanidloes, Powys.

The pedigree female average was also up £383.27 per head on 2019 with 11 out of 18 females selling to a top of £2415 (2300gns) for P M & S Donger’s, Seawell Orma an Iron Man sired female out of Seawell Fanny and PD’d in-calf to Norbert she went home to BJ & MY Davies, Gorse Farm Rhayader, who also purchased lot 30 from PM & S Donger, Seawell Okama, a Landmark daughter out of Seawell Kama and again PD’d in calf to Norbert. Topping the production sale from J F Robinson and Sons was lot 35 Cuil Kylie born in 2015 by Ballymackeogh Leo ET out of Cuil Eileen. Kylie was bought by Edward Bros, Glashirfryn, Oswestry who also purchased one of the Seawell female consignments. Mick Dumbreck put forward the only led pedigree female heifer lot 22, Crowgarth Orchid, a February 2019 born heifer by Baron and out of Cuil Klot. Orchid was purchased by R A Watson, Woodcock Farm, Asbourne for 1300gn (£1365).