Truro Market is once again setting the pace for Prime Cattle prices in the South West with last week’s records smashed already.

A stunning run of well-finished and FABBL Limousins from Messrs W T Bryant & Sons of St Martin, Helston stole the limelight with a record top of 448p/kg (£2,894) for a 646kg steer, with other same-breed steers at 446p/kg (£3,011), 432p/kg (£2,773) and 425p/kg (£3,081).

Further good premium steers to 428p/kg (£2,303) for a 538kg Limousin from Messrs J & J Sawle & Son of St Agnes, Truro and a pair of steers tied next at 410p/kg; one being a 572kg non-FABBL Angus from Messrs J H Pellow & Sons of Carnhell Green, Camborne and the other a 573kg Limousin from Messrs T A & A M Wills of St Erme, Truro.

Heifers topped at 420p/kg (£3,100) for a cracking non-FABBL 35 month old 738kg Limousin heifer from Mr G J Richards of Porkellis, Helston and a good 617kg UTM Limousin from Messrs Sawle sold for 413p/kg, followed by a 651kg Limousin heifer from Mrs Morphew of Penrose, Wadebridge at 397p/kg (£2,584).

A lighter 543kg Limousin heifer from Messrs Sawle parted away for 396p/kg (£2,150) and a young 578kg Angus heifer from Messrs Pellow realised 394p/kg (£2,277) thereafter.

Further OTM Prime Cattle saw a pair of Limousins from Messrs Bryant at 408p/kg (£2,317) for a 568kg 31 month old heifer and 401p/kg (£2,602) for a 649kg 34 month old steer.

Best of a run of non-FABBL Devon steers from Mr R G Thomas of Feock, Truro at 397p/kg (£2,592) for a 35 month old 653kg animal.

Top pounds-per-head record also set by a massive 1,008kg 29 month old Angus steer from Mr D B B Brown of Bodmin at 349p/kg and a resultant £3,518!

Another good entry of Cull Cows and Bulls this week, although less dairy types forward.

Top price was well awarded to a Shorthorn cow from Mr R J Trezise of Morvah, Penzance at 335p/kg, with a heavy-weight non-FABBL 709kg Charolais from Mr R Gregory of Kerley, Truro at 328p/kg and a 695kg non-FABBL Limousin cow from Messrs D J, H E & J E Lugg of Cury, Helston realised 312p/kg.

An 833kg South Devon cow from Laity Farms of Gwinear, Hayle sold away at 298p/kg (£2,482) and a non-FABBL Blue cow from Messrs Kemp & Booker of St Columb looked well sold at 296p/kg.

Mr J L Sampson of St Buryan, Penzance marketed his non-FABBL Limousin cow at 290p/kg and a pair of cows tied at 289p/kg thereafter; being a non-FABBL Hereford from Mr J C Trenerry of Callestick, Truro and a non-FABBL South Devon from Messrs T F & D J Crapp of Pemboa, Helston.

Limited dairy types topped by a pair of good Friesians from Messrs A D & J A Bray of St Martin, Helston at 269p/kg and 259p/kg, with another Friesian this time from Messrs P S & S H Hammett of Little Petherick, Wadebridge selling away at 246p/kg.

Cull bulls selling to 240p/kg for a Blonde from Messrs P Kingdon & Sons of St Newlyn East, Newquay.

A slightly lighter entry than has been seen in recent weeks, although the blistering trade prevails for all types and prices are looking dearer than ever.

Selling to a top call for steers of £2600 for a 2-year-old Blue on behalf of Messrs A A & D P Eddy of Hayle, followed by a smart pair of 2-year-old Limousin from Messrs W S Gay & Son of St Allen, Truro at £2250.

Quality 2-year-old steers in from Messrs J J Tredinnick & Son of Perranporth, Newquay selling to £2205 for the choice Hereford, followed by five Angus at £2180, further Hereford to £2080, South Devons to £1960 and Limousins to £1950.

Messrs C J Osborne & Son of Fraddon sold a trio of 20-month-old Herefords at £2100, whilst Messrs J P & T C Chapman of Redruth sold a 1½-year-old Limousin at £1900.

A 22-month-old South Devon from Messrs T F & D J Crapp of Helston realised £1865, with Messrs Crapp also topping the youngest steer section with their first class 1-year-old South Devon at £1970.

Five 1-yearold Stabilisers from Messrs R J Richards & Sons of Redruth parted away at £1860, with the same Vendors going on to sell seven Angus of the same age at £1830, whilst Mr G J Mugford of Nancegollan, Helston sold a 1-year-old Limousin at £1770.

Further South Devons to £1720 on behalf of Messrs Crapp, followed by a pair of South Devons from Messrs R G T & G E Gilbert of Ruan Minor, Helston at £1700.

Heifers selling to a top call of £2195 for five 2-year-old Limousins from Messrs Crapp, followed by a pair of 1½ -year-old Limousins from Messrs W S Gay & Son at £2000. Messrs C J Osborne & Son sold a trio of 2-year-old Hereford heifers at £1975, followed by 1½-year-old Limousins from Messrs J P & T C Chapman at £1945, £1920, and £1820.

A single 2-year-old Simmental from Messrs Kemp & Booker of St Columb went through the ring at £1900, whilst younger heifers topped at £1810 for a 1-year-old Simmental from Mr J Gregory of Chacewater, Truro followed by South Devons from Messrs Crapp at £1650 and £1500.

Messrs R G T & G E Gilbert sold a pair of 1-year-old South Devon heifers at £1460, whilst Mr G Symons of Bohortha, Truro achieved £1400.

Smart 1-year-old Simmentals to £1360 on behalf of Messrs A M & V R Pascoe of Gweek, Helston whilst Mr A J Olds of St Just, Penzance sold a pair of Herefords at £1230.

The very youngest through the store ring from Mr J Gregory selling to £960 for a 5-month-old Fleckvieh, with the same vendor marketing a 3-monthold Simmental heifer at £815.

In-calf cows to £1930 on behalf of the Tresco Estate, The Isles of Scilly for their best Limousin x animal.

Another fantastic trade, with a ringside full of buyers.

The best of the bull calves racing away to £720 for a 12 week old Simmental x bull sold by Messrs L W & S Hosken from Helston, who also had an entry of very young Simmental x calves with a bull calf making £495 and their heifer selling for £320.

A young Aberdeen Angus x bull flew away to £610 for Messrs Searle & Son from Penzance, and the best of the Limousin x bulls to £595 for Messrs A D & J A Bray from St Martin, Helston who also went on to top the heifer section with their Limousin x heifer making £440.

A Stabiliser x bull calf sold for £500 on behalf Messrs R J Richards & Sons from Redruth, and a run of very young Hereford x calves from Mr P S Best from St Newlyn East, Newquay saw his bull calves making £410, £400, £375 and £370 and going on to sell two Hereford x heifers for £335 each.

All bull calves in today including some small crossbreds achieved an average of £368.

Just a small entry of weaned 3-4 month old calves on offer seeing no let up in the trade with an Aberdeen Angus x steer making £620 and a British Blue x heifer at £680, a Limousin x heifer making £650 and finally an Aberdeen Angus x heifer at £645 all sold by Mr R G Rowe from London Apprentice.

A good entry and large proportion of heavy weights forward, sold to £156.00 for a single 64.5kg hogg from Messrs P T R & P E Jones & Son of Crantock, sold to Mr L Cleave of Highampton. Leading the averages at 331p/kg for a handyweight Texel from Mr A Old of St Columb.

Prices easier on the week, in-line with the National trends.

Some super batches of fleshy and fresh lambs forward, selling to a top call of £167.00 for first pick 46kg lambs from Mr D J Tremain of St Columb, sold to J V Richards Ltd of Perranwell Station.

Setting the premium to 380p/kg for the best pick of a run of sappy Charollais lambs from Mr A W Nicholls of Chacewater, sold to R J Trevarthen Ltd of Roskrow.

The cull ewe trade continues at record levels with demand outstripping supply and more required to satisfy buyers requirements.

Top call of £240.00 for a Texel from Mr A Old of St Columb. Charollais to £220.00 for Messrs S J Dustow & Son of Ladock, Truro.

Further Texels to £214.00 from Cornwall Countryside Supplies Ltd of Chacewater, Truro and £205.00 for the best two pens of a super run of Texel & Texel x from Messrs P T R & P E Jones & Son of Crantock, Newquay; and £201.00 for Mr H A Ross of Truro.

A super Blueface Leicester ewe realised £206.00 from Miss R S Frank of Truro. Suffolk Mules to £198.50 for Messrs J J & M Bowden & Son of St Columb. Dorsets to £187.00 and £173.00 for Mr D J Lobb of St Austell. Suffolks to £180.00 for Messrs Dustow.

North of England Mules to £170.00 for Mr W D Pascoe of St Newlyn East, Newquay.

Sheep (2T) to £164.00 for a Texel from Messrs K & D McFadden of St Just, Penzance followed by a mixed pen of Texel and Suffolks from Mr Pascoe at £159.00

A lighter entry but a very strong trade this week, selling to £145.50 on behalf of Messrs K & D McFadden of St Just, Penzance, with a further lot from the same vendor at £137.

A smart single from Mr L Hudson of Nancegollan, Helston sold to £132, whilst Texel crosses from Mr A Old of St Columb achieved £127. The store hogg trade well in touch with the finished prices.

Single couples selling to £160 on behalf of Mr W Finlay of Ladock, Truro whilst double couples topped at £355 twice on behalf of Mr H A Ross of Portholland, Truro and followed by a double couple from Mr W D Pascoe of St Newlyn East, Newquay at £330.