McCartney’s Brecon Market saw a tremendous turnout on Tuesday, November 4, with 1,071 finished lambs, 101 store lambs, and 326 cull ewes and rams on offer.

Finished lamb trade was up across all weight ranges, with an SQQ of 315.3p/kg and an overall average of 310.7p/kg.

Vendors were rewarded for quality, with prime lambs trading faster than in recent weeks, top prices reaching 329p/kg from AO & JEM Williams, Trecastle, and the highest per-head price of £180.42 for 62kg lambs from D L Jones & Son, Lampeter. Cull ewe trade was lively, with all types keenly bid for, best ewes trading £10–£20 higher than recent weeks and topping at £185 from W G Thomas, Swansea. Meat ewes were in demand, while grazing and feeding types sold between £60 and £100, and cull rams reached £268 from J Evans. The market highlighted the ongoing need for more stock each week to meet strong buyer demand.

The Autumn Prize Show and Sale of Store Cattle on Friday, October 31, delivered a spectacular trade, with heifers selling up to 773.1p/kg, cull cows to £3,250, and steers to £2,790.

The Pre-Show was sponsored by Eppynt Agri Resources, with cull cows judged by Mr T Walters, and store cattle and bulls judged by Mr D Jones of Mortimers Cross.

Champion of the day went to Messrs Davies & Millichap, Porth, for four British Blue x Limousin steers aged 17–80 months weighing 530kg, selling for £2,730 per head, while the Reserve Champion was also from the same home, a pair of 18-month British Blue x steers at £2,590.

Cull cows continued to see strong demand, averaging 302.2p/kg (£2,122.67) and reaching £3,250 for a 900kg Limousin x cow from RW & LA Jones. Top price per kilo was 443.8p/kg for a 730kg British Blue x cow (£3,240, 31 months) from PJ & TA Jones. Leaner cows traded 290–300p/kg and were well sought after, with buyers travelling from across Wales, Devon, and Yorkshire to secure stock.

Weaned calves and stirks were also in demand, with 28 British Blue x Friesian weaned calves from J D Price & Son selling up to 441.7p/kg and £1,100 per head. Breeding stock included cows and calves from Messrs Wilson selling to £2,350, and a young homebred pedigree Limousin bull from Messrs Rees reaching £3,350. Young feeding bulls traded strongly across all weights and breeds, averaging 429.5p/kg (£2,325.91) and topping 473.9p/kg (£2,790).

Store steers met excellent demand, averaging 457.3p/kg (£2,292.47) and topping 547.6p/kg (£2,790). Store heifers averaged 449.7p/kg (£2,178.08), reaching 773.1p/kg (£4,020), with the top five per head all over £3,040 and per kilo over 520p/kg.

The next sale at Brecon Market will take place on Friday, November 28, including the Annual Christmas Fatstock Sale with butcher’s cattle.