Livestock prices riding high (From Gazette & Herald)

Livestock prices riding high

1:07pm Saturday 12th November 2011 in Farming comment By James Stephenson

AFTER yet another week of meetings on the Euro debt crisis, we don’t seem to be a lot further forward and the papers are now peppered with rumours about Italy’s failing finances.

Amid all the gloom, there is one bright star which is unexpectedly lit by our British livestock industry.

After years of purposeful neglect by our supermarket buyers, Britishproduced meat has been forced back on to our shopping shelves by public demand – and rightly so, there is nothing better.

These last few weeks we have seen prices rise, and the charge is led by the auction markets which reflect true spot values.

The live weight selling system has dragged the reluctant dead weight buyers along with the tide of demand, but when prices are rising there is only one place to sell, and that is the open market.

There is no better time for farmers to support the auctions at Malton, York, Ruswarp and around our county.

The average for all continental cattle – large, small and indifferent – was more than 200p at York on Monday and doubtless will be the same at Malton today as I write this article; and weight which is often an excuse for deductions by abattoirs is no bar in the sale ring where we had an 808kg bull make 210p/kilo.

Sheep prices have also risen again, with the best quality lambs making over £2/kg and up to £85/head.

The autumn sheep trade is an annual harvest for our Ryedale farmers and this year they have been properly rewarded for all those miserable cold nights in the lambing shed.

Even the notorious cyclical pig trade has reacted, with the major processors announcing last week increases in their contract prices for bacon pigs.

To take the two extremes, Woodheads have lifted their dead weight price to 148p/kilo and Vion have moved to 145p/kilo. They are still lagging behind the prices on the spot market, where we achieved 150p for baconers and 154p for cutters.

If you think I am a bit biased, you are quite right, and unashamedly so.

I am a great believer in buying and selling local.

Grain trade remains flat

In contrast to the livestock markets, the grain trade has been almost paralysed by the economic confusion in the EU and while the debt fiasco unfolds, each week brings a new twist.

As if this was not bad enough, a major commodity broker, MF Global, crashed into administration.

There is no wonder the grain market is bumping nervously along with feed wheat and barley both selling at £143 to £148 per tonne, with the occasional £150 sale, and oil seed rape stuck around £350.

Beans seem to be the one bright spot with the odd highlight of £180 per tonne.

Prospects for next harvest are not too encouraging with feed barley £125, feed wheat £135, and OSR £320 per tonne.

Nobody is getting knocked down in the rush to sell.

French aid for harvest drought

A friend with a French holiday home sent me an interesting cutting from the Dordogne Advertiser reporting that farmers in the area will receive compensation this autumn after drought adversely affected their wheat and barley crops and tripled the price of straw.

The area has been declared by the French Ministry as ‘an agricultural disaster zone’.

My friend commented that the crops looked well enough considering the season and perhaps the only disaster zone is the French Government itself.

Bill to stop clocks changing Surreptitiously slipping through under the radar, Tory MP Rebecca Harris has pushed through the second reading in the Commons of a Daylight Savings Bill, which will keep our clocks on summertime for a three-year trial period.

The Bill only has to get through the Committee stage now and it will be law.

There does not seem to be much noise being made about it – does anyone have any views?

Market report

Forward 57 cattle including 10 bulls and 21 OTMs, 966 sheep including 177 ewes heavy steers to 199.5p TJ Halkon, Nawton, medium bulls to 213.25p JM & EP Mackley, Folkton, heavy bulls to 225.5p TJ Halkon, Nawton, ave 211.4p medium heifers to 230.5p E, DJ & P Nesom Village Farm heavy heifers to 242.5p J & R Waind, Brawby, ave 211.2p cows to 152.5p AW Hardwick & Sons, Snainton, ave 124.9p standard lambs to 188p N Hayton Mill Farm ave 181.2p medium lambs to 188p CT Stonehouse & Son, Brawby, ave 173.2p heavy lambs to 180p CR Fawcett, Sand Hutton, ave 161.5p overweight lambs to 161p CH Shipley, Wold Newton, ave 151.45p ewes to £102 MT Bulmer, Salton, ave £69.70.