The Topping Truro Trade continues to creep upwards week-by-week, with the £4.00/kg mark well and truly in sight!

The best 697kg Limousin steer in from Mrs J Julian of Summercourt raced away to a record top of 397p/kg (£2,767), with a 721kg OTM Limousin steer from the same vendor next at 370p/kg (£2,668) and a 752kg Limousin steer from Mr W J P Julian of Summercourt parted away for 378p/kg, also claiming the top pounds-perhead and new record at a whopping £2,843.

The best 535kg Blue steer from Messrs E, M & S Beale of Porthtowan, Truro realised 342p/kg thereafter.

Heifers no easier with a solid 642kg non FABBL Limousin heifer from Mr J M Curnow of Troon, Camborne at 355p/kg (£2,279) and a pair of Limousin heifers from Messrs T A & A M Wills of St Erme, Truro looked well sold at 336p/kg and 334p/kg.

A heavy 711kg OTM non FABBL Limousin heifer from Messrs J R Stephens & Son of Lostwithiel, St Austell realised 320p/kg (£2,275).

Vendors are strongly encouraged to market any FABBL and non-FABBL Prime Cattle to capitalise on the ever-strengthening liveweight trade!

Trade for cull cows looking just as strong as previous weeks, with a slight lift for those better sorts.

Top beef type to 320p/kg for a non FABBL Limousin cow from Mr P I Hodge of Manaccan, Helston, with a non FABBL South Devon cow from Mr T Woollacott of Penryn at 266p/kg thereafter.

Another non FABBL South Devon cow, this time from Messrs J R Stephens & Son of Lostwithiel, Truro sold at 251p/kg, a non FABBL Limousin cow from Osborne Brothers of St Just went under the hammer at 248p/kg and a Hereford cow from Messrs A M & V R Pascoe of Gweek, Helston made 228p/kg.

Mr D J Heller of Blackwater, Truro topping the dairy types this week with his best Friesian cow at 245p/kg, with other prices at 220p/kg, 206p/kg and 205p/kg to name just a few.

A Jersey cow from Miss E Williams of St Just sold at 220p/kg and a Friesian from Messrs A D & J A Bray of St Martin, Helston reached 198p/kg.

A top quality and sizeable entry again for the time of year, with a total 215 passing through the ring.

A good mix of older close to finish types and younger cattle forward which all saw a scorching trade throughout.

Record breaking steers to £2,490 for a quality pair of 20 month old Pure Bred Charolais from Mr W F Palmer & Son of Ruan High Lanes, with a strong single 28 month old Limousin steer from R M Farming Co of Sticker, St Austell close behind at £2,420.

A good 25 month old Angus steer from Mr S E Chapman of Silverwell, Truro topped the natives at £2,320, a big pair of Hereford steers from R M Farming realised £2,310 thereafter and another 24 month old single Angus steer from Mr Chapman went under the hammer at £2,300.

Messrs Palmer sold another pair of quality Charolais steers at 21 months old to £1,930, a single Blue steer at 28 months old from Messrs V C & F Hosking of St Martin, Helston sold for £1,810 and a 29 month old Angus steer from R M Farming made £1,800.

Younger Blue steers at 16 months old to £1,735 for a single from Messrs S M & J Blee of St Martin, Helston, with a pair of 19 month old Angus steers from Mr A Blamey of Veryan, Truro looking well sold at £1,650.

A final pair of 13 month old Charolais steers from Messrs Palmer parted away at £1,440 and a single 13 month old South Devon steer from Messrs D R & J C Vincent of Tregavethan, Truro topped at £1,385.

9 month old Angus steers to a strong £1,175 for Messrs R G, E J & G A Williams of St Martin, Helston and a pair of same-aged Hereford steers from Mr M Allen of Roche reached £1,055.

Heifers just as dear with a cracking run of Pure Bred South Devons from Messrs S J & S M Ward of Grampound Road, all between 21 and 23 months old, stealing the show with bunches at £2,260, £2,130, £2,100 and a single at £2,095.

A single 28 month old Blue heifer from Messrs V C & F Hosking of St Martin, Helston sold for £1,720 and a trio of smart 21 month old Limousins from Messrs J P & T C Chapman of Redruth looking well sold at £1,690.

Younger heifers topped at £1,165 for a trio of Limousins from Mr I C Prowse of St Allen, Truro with a big bunch of his 7 slightly older heifers at £1,155 thereafter.

Another pair of shapely young Simmental rearing bulls from Messrs A P & S R Hooper of Castle an Dinas stormed away to £1,800 apiece.

A better entry this week, seeing 80 pass through the ring, all selling on an exceptional trade.

Best of the calf section to £570 for a British Blue x bull sold by Messrs R N & D Jenkin from Manaccan, Helston who went on to sell further British Blue x bulls for £535, £490 and their Aberdeen Angus x bulls making £440, £420 and £410 and their British Blue x heifer selling for £435.

Mr A Giles from Paul, Penzance sold a run of Limousin x calves with their best bull to £550, and further bulls at £530 and £480 twice, and going on to top the heifer section with a Limousin x making £480, Limousin x heifer at £390 and a British Blue x heifer away at £350.

Messrs S M & J Blee from St Martin, Helston sold a Limousin x bull for £465, closely followed by their British Blue x bull at £455, and seeing a fantastic trade with both their British Blue x & Limousin x heifers achieving £460 each.

Messrs A G Cave & Son from Rame sold their Aberdeen Angus x bull for £420, and further Aberdeen Angus x bulls to £410 for Mr W R Davey from Probus who also sold their Hereford x bull for £380.

Messrs R M & C D Rundle from Mevagissey sold the best of a young run of Hereford x bulls to £390 and their Hereford x heifers at £275, £265 and further bulls £260 twice.

Best of the young run of stirks on offer saw 8 British Blue x steers sell for £725 each on behalf of Messrs W P & J Jenkin Ltd from St Martin, Helston who also sold a pair of British Blue x heifers for £660 each and leading the way in the heifer section was Messrs S J Dustow & Son from Ladock selling a pen of 5 British Blue x heifers for £710 each.

A lighter entry and wide variation in weights and finish, as reflected in the prices. Several producers noticing finishing difficulty.

Topping at £168.00 for a smart pen of strong heavies from Messrs T B & M B Osborne of St Eval, Wadebridge sold to R J Trevarthen Ltd of Roskrow.

Setting the premium to 364p/kg for well finished 40.8kg hoggs from Mr R A Coad of Cubert, Newquay, also sold to Trevarthen Ltd.

First pick of new season lamb forward this week for Mr A J Pellowe & Son of Redruth, sold to £155.00 (373p/kg) purchased by J V Richards Ltd of Perranwell Station.

Cull prices up again on the week as the Festival approaches, but numbers remain tight and many more could have been sold on the exceptional trade.

Top honours to the best of a run from Messrs T B Mitchell & Partners of Idless, Truro with a shapely Texel selling for £190.00.

Further pens of mixed breeds from the same vendor at £163.00 and £157.50.

Second was a pair of good conformation continentals from Mr W D Pascoe of St Newlyn East, Newquay, which realised £175.50.

Topping the rams were the best pair of a run from Mr M T Stone of Helston with both Texels realising £143.50.

A tremendous entry of over 230 store sheep selling on yet another fast trade. Close to finish store hoggs to £136 on behalf of Messrs P T R & P E Jones & Son of Crantock, Newquay, followed my Mr S McLernon of Portscatho at £132.

Well fleshed stores from Mr S G Collins of St Newlyn East topped at £131.50 for his quality consignment, followed by a single at £130.50 from Miss A Keyte of Castallack, which was also achieved by Mr R G Hawkey of St Mawgan, Newquay.

No shortage of hoggs surpassing the £100 mark and short term finishers no less than £120.

Single couples selling to £215 for Mr C Matthews of Tregony, whilst a double couple from Messrs W A Williams & Son of Mullion, Helston realised £230.