WARD and Chowen, auctioneers at Tavistock Livestock Centre, held their catalogued May Fair sale of breeding/store cattle and sheep last Tuesday.

The sale was topped by a five-year-old pedigree Limousin bull from Messrs A H and B E Cole, Yelverton. The bull, Omar, had a full French pedigree (sire: Ronick Hawk) and was bred by Messrs C R and M M Gallup and Sons, Cullompton being sold for £1,850 to local farmer P Toop, Yelverton.

Another bull to attract plenty of interest was a three-year-old South Devon, Hillson Stardust 6th, bred locally by J W Hillson, Bere Alston. Sired by Edmeston Stardust 9th and dam being Edmeston Kitty he sold to J Savery, Ivybridge for £1,380.

Other bulls sold included £830 for a four-year-old pedigree Simmental for R Palmer, Yelverton, and £820 for a four-year-old pedigree Charolais from Taviton Farms, Tavistock.

Cows and calves were also in strong demand selling to £750 for a third calved South Devon cow with her two-month old South Devon bull calf at foot from C Pearse, North Bovey.

More than 400 store cattle were offered and met a particularly strong trade throughout, topping at £690 for an 18mo Limousin x steer, No Claim, from J and B Budden, Sydenham Damerel. Heifers topping at £540 for a bunch of 7 23/25mo Limousin x from A Kilfedder, Brentor.

In the sheep pens, prices topped at £97 for a pen of six Suffolk double couples from S G Palmer and Sons, Peter Tavy.