WARD and Chowen, auctioneers at Tavistock Livestock Centre, report an excellent day?s business at their November Fair sale of cattle and sheep. An entry of 582 cattle and 512 sheep met a near total clearance with buyers present from all over the country. The sale began with the first sale of mature cattle, with such cattle being allowed into the food chain the following week for the first time in nine years. Only a few were forward but all realised more than if put forward for the Intervention Board OTM scheme. Prices topped at £470 for a South Devon steer from D P Martin, Latchley In the breeding cattle section, prices topped at £920 for a smart 15mo Limousin bull from Mrs T Marquand, Callington. Store cattle prices topped at £655 for a 22mo Charolais x steer from C Westcott, Chillaton. Heifers sold to £545 for a Limousin x from W H and M Tucker and Son, Brentor. Young steers (0-14mo) topped at £488 for three 12mo Simmental x from M H Eggins, Roborough while young heifers sold to £382 for a 13mo Charolais x from D J Skelley, Ivybridge. Other notable prices included £652 for three 25mo Aberdeen Angus x steers from B R Johns, St Dominic; £588 for a bunch of five 17/19mo Limousin x steers from W H Tucker and Son and £362 for two 13mo Limousin x heifers from B Wills, Yelverton. In the sheep pens again trade for store lambs was up on previous weeks. Prices topped at £39 for a pen of Suffolk x ewe lambs from C S and C E Ellis, Roborough. Mixed lambs sold to £37.80 for a pen of Suffolk x from S G Palmer and Sons, Peter Tavy; while wether lambs topped at £37.20 twice for pens from B J L and D J Landick, Sampford Spiney and S G Palmer and Sons. Ward and Chowen report an entry of 425 suckled calves meeting a near total clearance at their annual sponsored sale. Prizes were awarded for top price suckled calves born after March 1 and were presented after the sale as follows: Countrywest Cup and litre of Dectomax Pour On for top price steer, R Bickell, Brentor, for 17mo Charolais x steer realising £468. Sully and Co Cup and £50 cash (from Ward and Chowen) for top price suckled calf heifer, R Bickell, Brentor for 17mo Charolais x heifer realising £292. Westmoor Veterinary Centre Cup and £50 cash for top price purebred suckled calf, A J Friend, Coryton for a 6mo Simmental steer realising £390. There were some excellent consignments of suckled calves and other prices included £410 for five 6mo Charolais x steers from I G Mortimore and Son, Chagford; £398 for five 6/7mo Charolais x steers from Messrs Skelley, Shaugh Prior; £370 for two 8mo Blonde x from C D Alford and Son, South Zeal; £338 for four 6mo South Devon steers for G Goddard,Yelverton and £340 for two 7mo South Devon steers from D Bowhay, Mary Tavy.