Roaring beef trade at commercial suckler herd dispersal sale

Buyers travelled from across England and Wales to bid for a commercial herd of more than 160 in-calf continental crossbred suckler cows and four stock bulls at Apley Estate at Norton, near Shifnal on Saturday.

Huge pre-sale interest translated into record breaking averages, as 156 in-calf cows averaged £1913.52, two cows and calves averaged  £2,325, four stock bulls averaged £3,800.

“The demand was incredible with suckler producers travelling from Anglesey, Cornwall, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Gwynedd, Hereford, Norfolk, Staffordshire, Somerset, Shropshire, Powys and Worcestershire,” said Halls auctioneer Jonny Dymond, manager of Shrewsbury Auction Centre.

“Buyers from Carmarthenshire, Cumbria, Leicestershire and Warwickshire travelled home empty handed!

“We really are in uncharted territory with the beef trade at the moment. This sale signifies, above all else, that there has been a significant shift in a very short time as farmers look to increase or maintain their cow herds rather than reduce them, as we have seen over the past decade or so.”

The cows comprised 43 Hereford cross Friesian, 40 British Blue cross, 17 each Limousin cross and Aberdeen Angus cross and 13 Simmental. They were between 50% to 75% beef bred, in calf to either pedigree British Blue or homebred Limousin cross British Blue stock bulls.

“The herd represented a genuine commercial stock of healthy, milky working cattle of all ages calving at the perfect time of year – March 1 onwards,” added Mr Dymond.

The first cow in the sale ring set the tone of the day, a third calved Limousin cross with British Blue cross bull calf at foot, which sold for £2,700. Sixty-six in-calf cows sold for more than £2,000 with countless more selling for more than £1,900.

The pick of the cows was an eight-year-old black Limousin cross cow which sold for £3,200. A seven-year-old red Limousin cow was next in the prices at £2,900, an eight-year-old British Blue cross cow achieved £2,700, four-year-old Simmentals sold to £2,620, Charolais to £2,480, Angus cows topped at £2,200, while Hereford cows peaked at £2,150.

The stock bulls peaked at £4,400 for the 2020 born Tanat Valley Picasso, while a home bred 2019 British Blue cross achieved £3,800. Bull prices started at £3,300.

The top prices were: British Blue cross sold to £2,700 and averaged £2,035, Blonde d’Aquitaine sold to £2,200 and averaged £1,850, Beef Shorthorn sold for £1,350, Aberdeen Angus cross sold to £2,200 and averaged £1,646.47, Stabiliser sold to £2,150 and averaged £1,940, Hereford cross sold to £2,150 and averaged £1,738.84, Charolais cross sold to £2,480, Simmental cross sold to £2,620 and averaged £2,089.23, Limousin cross sold to £3,200 and averaged £2,059.71 and breeding bulls sold to £4,400 and averaged £3,800.

The difficult decision to sell the herd, which has been part of the Apley Estate for around 25 years, was taken because the current farming system is incompatible with Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme restrictions.

Apley Estate joined the Higher Tier scheme at the start of the year and one of the restrictions, as part of the restoration of 300 acres of parkland, forbids supplementary feeding of the cattle whilst they are grazing. The restriction aims to stop grassland damage around feeders.

Pic: Cattle from the commercial suckler herd being sold on Saturday.