Kirkby Stephen 6 month round up!

In spite of the weather, Harrison & Hetherington Sales Manager & Auctioneer Mark Richardson reports an outstanding six months at the Kirkby Stephen Mart, with livestock prices reaching record levels.

 

“In the last six months like the other H&H Livestock Centres, our prime sheep trade has hit an all-time record at Kirkby Stephen, with phenomenal sheep prices which have never been reached before.

 

We saw plenty of fat hoggs trading well in excess of £200, heavy hoggs have been making well into £220 - £250 plus. Sales are averaging in excess of £4 per kilo, and good quality export weights were achieving premiums with us reaching a highs of £260 for pens of 38 - 39 kilo hoggs in April/May.

 

Numbers have been good throughout the first half of the year, and our most recent sale of 3716 hoggs was three times the number coming through the ring than last year with them averaging 78p per kilo more.

 

Now that the hogg season have nearly come to an end, greater numbers of spring lambs have started to come forward, and our most recent sale saw over 1,000 spring lambs through the ring.

 

The weather of course has had an impact and took its toll on the early lamb numbers, and weights were light at the beginning of the season. However, now that the weather has improved and the grass is growing, our most recent sale saw quality lambs brought to market, and trade has warmed up too. With lambs topping at £255 and 547.8p per kilo with an overall sale average of 413.6p per kilo which is 89p per kilo up on the year and best quality export and heavy lambs were selling for between £200 and £250.

 

 

 

 

The store cattle trade started tremendously well this year, with quality stock realising quality prices. Again, levels have been achieved we have never seen before and once again our farmers produced some tremendous stock which continues to be sought after by buyers from across the UK.

 

Kirkby Stephen has a fantastic reputation of which we are all very proud, and that reputation is a testament to our committed livestock farmers, who need to be commended for their resilience and their commitment to a sector facing so many challenges and so much uncertainty.

 

More recently across the UK, prices have stabilised for store cattle, due to the recent dip in the prime cattle trade combined with the ongoing inputs costs. For cattle, we expect to sustain strong trade due to less numbers produced, and the increasing demand for land for environmental and biodiversity schemes.

 

Looking forward, we expect the number of prime sheep brought to market throughout the country being tight due to losses in the south from Schmallenburg and the desperate weather experienced before and during lambing times.

 

Even further forward, prospects for the September breeding sales look likely to be positive. We’ve had 18 months of more stable prime sheep trade than we have been used to in the past, which should give sheep producers the confidence to maintain their presence in the sector and to invest in quality breeding sheep. That combined with a lack of breeding numbers should bode well for a buoyant trade.

 

The only element of doubt or concern that may hold the trade back will be financial restrictions for farmers. But the demand for sheep meat is increasing both here in the UK and globally, and there are opportunities for farmers to capitalise on this.”