Smaller entry and a brighter trade. Overall average of 313.5ppk, highest so far this week in the south west. The sappy lambs saw several pens over 320ppk to a top of 331ppk for a pen of 44kgs £145.50 from Mike Hill, Bideford. Steve Pitts, Bratton Clovelly saw his two pens of 42kgs make 329ppk £138. Several other pens around 325ppk. Top per head on the day was £146.50 from the Luxton Family, Venn Farm, Milton Damerel.

Much larger entry with a lot of lightweight lean ewes on offer and a very strong trade from start to finish. A lot more could have been sold. Top per head on the day was £181 for a pen of Suffolk X from Mike Hill, Bideford. Texel X to £173 from Derek Challacombe, Thelbridge, Winkleigh. Charollais ewes to £170 from Rod Wood, Forda Farm, Thornbury. Dorest ewes to £168 and Mules to £158.

Slightly smaller entry this week as the couples start to dry up. Doubles topped at £285 from SDJ Squire, Broadbury, who had others to £280. Singles topped at £175 from Ian Watson, Holsworthy. Nice run of single North Country Mule Couples from CHS Enterprise, Winkleigh, top call being £275, others to £240.

Good numbers which sold to a much dearer trade this week with some medium to poor Native calves looking a tremendous trade, trading between £300-£350 with some calves up £100 on the week.

A decent show of weaned calves which sold to another fierce trade and reached £855 for a sweet trio of suckler bred Limousins heifers presented by WE Petherick of Petrockstow. Followed by British Blue steers to £790 for Suzie Partridge, Woolsery and £760 for Collaton Farm Partnership, Kilkhampton, who sold Limousin steers well at £740.

Hereford steers sold well to £785 (6m) for Graham Braund, Holsworthy. Smart British Blue heifers to £780 and £735 for Collaton Farm Partnership with Hereford heifers to £700 for a trio sold by Les and Mike Martin of Monkleigh.

A better show in regards to quality and numerous headlining prices achieved again a trio of superb British Blue bulls reached £805 for O Petherick & Son, Kilkhampton, followed by other smart British Blue bulls to £795 for JC Jenkins & Son, £770 TWB Hookway and Partners, £765 for Steve Furse, Ashwater, £720 Chris Tucker, Truro and £705 for a super sort in from PJ Martin, Buckland Filleigh. 61 British Blue bulls averaged £567.

Best Charolais bulls raced away to £745 for LJ Goaman, Hartland, with plenty of Charolais bulls exceeding £500. A smart run of Limousin bulls averaged £612 to a top of £675 for TWB Hookway & Partners who sold more to £618 and £605 twice. A strong lot of Hereford bulls which sold well and achieved £680 for Chris Bond, Buckland Brewer, £600 for JC Jenkins and £540 for Ruth Bucknell down from Tiverton.

Aberdeen Angus bulls to £565 for SEJ Tapp & Sons also down from Tiverton with 22 Aberdeen Angus bulls averaging £363. Best of the heifers reached £720 for a very smart British Blue in from O Petherick & Son, more to £705 for PJ Martin, £630 for WD Medland, £600 Michael Davey, £600 Geoff Endacott, with 62 British Blue heifers averaging an impressive smidgen shy of £500.

The best Simmental heifers to £605 for RWH Dilling, followed by Aberdeen Angus heifers to £600 for SEJ Tapp with those medium Aberdeen Angus heifers all trading £350+. Hereford heifers sold well to £600 O Petherick, £585 Chris Bond, with very little sold under £250.

Friesian bulls sold to a terrific trade with 11 averaging £295 per head reaching £480 for a smart pair in from J & RJ Steer up from Tavistock, others to £320 for Messrs Tancock, Callington and £290 Michael Davey, Hartland.

A J Quance, Beaworthy

AE Nicklen, Bude

CR & CF Timms & Son, Inwardleigh

Becky Mills, Petersmarland

AA, AE & AA Parsons, Launceston

PG Hobbs, Bude

J Bond, Langtree

T & J Adams, Torrington

H & M Thorne, Umberleigh

HF Chubb & Son, Holsworthy

Lewis Dennis Partnership, Barnstaple

B Cowell, Helston

A Marshall, Holsworthy

EA Maile & Son, Sampford Courtenay

Hutton Bros, Hatherleigh

Today’s dairy sale saw a much-improved trade from start to finish with active bidding both around the ring and on MartEye and cattle flying away to all areas of the South West, Herefordshire and Wales. A fresh calved heifer ‘Glebegray Attico Primrose 100’ realised £2350 on behalf of Messrs GG Smale & Son of Launceston.

The main feature of today’s sale was a genuine herd reduction consignment of 150 Holstein Friesian, Norwegian Red X and Montbeliarde X cows and heifers from Martin Dairy Ltd of Bodmin. Top call of the day and also the fresh calved section of the consignment was a 2nd calving cow yielding 41.3Kgs and selling at £3050.

A smaller number of other fresh calvers also sold well to £2800, £2650, £2600, £2550 and £2350 (X2). The larger portion of the consignment consisted of September-January calving cows and heifers which also saw a top of £3050 for a 1st calving heifer due in September to AA.

A 2nd calving cow due in October and yielding 24Kgs sold to £3000 with a 3rd calving cow due in November realising £2900. A 2nd calver due in December sold to £2900 with a 3rd calving Norwegian Red X cow due December also selling to £2900. Two 1st calving Montbeliarde X heifers and a Holstein heifer all due in September all sold to £2800.

A 2nd calver also due in September sold to £2800. Other cows and heifers due in the autumn sold to £2750, £2700 (X4), £2650 (X4), £2600 (X5). A pedigree Hereford Bull sold to £2500. These well-fleshed Holstein Friesian & Crossbreds sold to a tremendous trade as most were calving September-January. The cows were a credit to the Martin Family and the prices achieved matched the quality of cows on offer.