Cefn Gwlad: Marchnad Trallwng Cefn Gwlad

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-WELSHPOOL MART

-AN AUCTIONEER SPEAKS

-THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER

-March 2015

-It's Monday and a sale

-is taking place at Welshpool mart.

-Marts has been held here

-for many years.

-Today, it's Europe's

-largest one-day mart.

-It's the end of March

-and spring is in the air.

-Today's auction is for lambs

-born since last winter.

-Amazingly, since these

-are Easter lambs...

-..I've seen four lambs up at the

-top end, weighing 55 kilos each.

-That's a substantial weight.

-Many lambs weigh over 40 kilos.

-A very special show awaits us

-at this weekly market.

-It should be fun.

-The judge is a Welshman.

-But first, let's turn to selling.

-Farm-assured, again.

-They weigh in at 30 kilos.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS RAPIDLY

-The new market in Welshpool

-opened in November 2009.

-It's a large and lively place.

-On average, 500,000 sheep

-and 10,000 cattle...

-..are sold here each year.

-Today, trade in spring lambs

-is brisk.

-This class is for five lambs

-weighing up to 36 kilos.

-Excitement is mounting.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS RAPIDLY

-Jonathan, the auctioneer,

-has thousands of lambs to sell.

-This is one of the earliest

-lamb sales.

-We know that prices will fall

-following this auction.

-Rhys Francis is tasked with

-making sure everything is in order.

-Plenty of good lambs.

-Yes, lovely.

-There are hundreds of them.

-We have about 200 at the moment...

-..but that number will increase to

-about 4,000 by the end of the day.

-You often do the clerking,

-don't you?

-Yes, I clerk for Jonathan.

-It's meticulous work!

-You have to concentrate!

-You come from Llanfyllin, don't you?

-You come from Llanfyllin, don't you?

-

-Yes, from Llanfyllin.

-You're Huw Francis's son.

-Your father trains sheepdogs.

-Are you present at every sale?

-Are you present at every sale?

-

-Yes.

-Every Monday, and some other days.

-I've seen the auctioneers

-and clerks, early in the morning...

-..making sure

-everything is in order.

-Yes, everyone mucks in, as they say.

-Every lamb must be weighed.

-Yes, it's a lot of work.

-What time do you start selling?

-Around 10.15am.

-Around 10.15am.

-

-That's a good time, 10.15am.

-Thousands come here every Monday.

-Today is a bit quieter,

-from what I've seen.

-The most we've had in one day

-is about 10,000.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS RAPIDLY

-It's an interesting place,

-as you can tell from the bleating.

-These are hand-reared lambs.

-They've only just arrived -

-rather late.

-I've been told

-that there are about 110 of them.

-People are carrying them in

-to be sold.

-It's good to see a young

-auctioneer in charge of things.

-They're selling quite well.

-One or two have sold for 15 or 16.

-But it's rather early in the season.

-Lambing is still taking place

-on the mountains.

-These lambs will be given to ewes

-that have lost their own lambs.

-Trade can be very good.

-Some weeks, over 200 lambs are sold.

-It's not something you'll see

-at every mart.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS

-THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER

-Jonathan Evans is one of the

-most experienced auctioneers...

-..at Welshpool market.

-He enjoys his work,

-but it's a high-pressure job.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS

-THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER

-Jonathan, how on the earth

-do you stick selling there...

-..for two hours plus?

-It's a bit like yourself

-on a programme, Dai.

-You've just got to grin and bear it!

-Grin and bear it!

-What is it - a two-hour stint?

-About three hours,

-at this time of year...

-..the spring lambs first

-and then the tegs.

-I've been here

-when there are many thousands here.

-It can get pretty full.

-You can go from 10,000 lambs

-from 10.00am till 2.00pm.

-Just think it'll be over

-at the end of it.

-Like Cardis - we only breathe in!

-And don't spend anything, either!

-It's a joy to listen to,

-and it's a lovely setting.

-I'm not just saying it

-because you're there.

-There's some grand auctioneers.

-There's some grand auctioneers.

-

-Yes, we've got a good team.

-Clients pay our wages -

-we try to give the best service.

-A lot of our clientele

-come from your way.

-And further.

-And further.

-

-All we can do is do our best.

-It's not always an easy task.

-Ninety-six, ninety-six pounds.

-Things have changed a little, now.

-This year's lambs

-have all been sold.

-Next, we have lambs known

-as hoggets - lambs over a year old.

-They're selling for good prices,

-almost 2 a kilo, live weight.

-They're fewer in number by now...

-..but they've been selling

-5,000 to 6,000 every Monday.

-There are large farms

-in Shropshire...

-..and they buy thousands of these

-lambs for fattening on swedes...

-..and finishing on silage.

-They sell thousands, early in the

-year, and they're coming to an end.

-Gerallt Roberts of Pentrefoelas,

-you've been judging the lambs.

-Yes, I was given this job to do.

-Do you handle lots of lambs

-every week?

-Yes.

-It's been quiet recently.

-We've been selling some Texel lambs

-and these fine lambs for export.

-The season for hoggets

-has come to an end.

-Now, we're looking forward

-to the new season.

-In my opinion, the season

-for hoggets goes on for too long...

-..at this time of the year.

-Give it another month,

-and many of these will be out.

-Yes.

-It's a difficult time, in my view -

-we're between two stools.

-We mustn't forget

-it's only February.

-Yes, it's still very early.

-The commercial market

-is still demanding lots of lambs.

-New season lambs

-won't meet that demand.

-It's strange.

-I can remember when these

-early lambs would all be Suffolks.

-That's right.

-That's right.

-

-Continental lambs are taking over.

-Yes, they're taking over.

-Especially in areas

-in my part of North Wales.

-Things have changed a lot

-over the past 10 years.

-We've seen major changes

-in the markets.

-White-headed sheep are taking over

-from black-headed sheep.

-I believe you can accept

-a lighter weight...

-..with these early lambs...

-..because the price per kilo

-is higher.

-Easter lambs are destined

-for butchers...

-..and butchers

-don't want heavy lambs...

-..for the domestic market.

-An Easter lamb should be a nice,

-small lamb, not too heavy.

-Farmers have made a good job

-of getting these lambs ready...

-..but there are lots of lambs

-weighing 44 or 46 kilos.

-That's a good weight for a lamb

-in late March.

-I'm sure your family

-is just like my family...

-..Easter isn't the same

-without lamb for Sunday dinner!

-No, it isn't!

-It's an important part of Easter.

-The same is true throughout Europe.

-It's going to be a busy time.

-Lamb is in demand for Easter,

-as you know.

-It's a good thing, really.

-Of course it is.

-It's good to see a young person

-undertaking these jobs.

-I'm not that young!

-I must admit, I like that thing

-you have around your neck.

-An old stable handkerchief!

-Whereas I'm wearing a tie!

-It helps when you're leaving

-Pentrefoelas on a cold morning!

-Welshpool market attracts people

-from all over Wales and England.

-Gareth Jones of Morfa Farm,

-Llanrhystud...

-..is happy with today's prices.

-They're fetching 5 per kilo.

-We'd be lucky to receive 100

-for them at the slaughterhouse.

-They're selling for about 110.

-But it's a long way to travel.

-But it's a long way to travel.

-

-It gives you a boost, though.

-Buying and selling can be miserable,

-when prices are falling...

-..but not today, with the first

-of the big spring lamb sales.

-It's a good price for lambs

-that are barely three months old.

-It's been a good winter.

-Yes.

-How do you sell -

-on the hook or at market?

-On the hook, usually.

-I thought I'd try a couple,

-to see how they'd go.

-You'll be selling lambs regularly

-from now on.

-Yes, from now until midsummer.

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-In addition to sheep sales...

-..cows and calves are also sold

-on Mondays at Welshpool market.

-This is a popular auction...

-..attracting buyers and sellers

-from all over Wales and beyond.

-Richard Evans is in charge today.

-He's a fine demonstration of the

-importance of a good auctioneer...

-..for a market such as this.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS

-THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER

-He's a personality,

-he's the man up there in the box.

-We try to do the job

-to the best of our ability.

-You've got to love the job,

-and we do, here in Welshpool.

-It's the drama -

-you want to get up there.

-Yes, it's what we do it for -

-it's the buzz.

-And there's variation -

-you've got everything.

-We can be a one-stop shop.

-On a Monday, there's cows

-and calves, ewes and lambs...

-..fat lambs, store lambs -

-you can do a lot in one day.

-Tremendous store cattle as well.

-We had fantastic trade

-last Tuesday...

-..just over 1,100 cattle through

-the ring in just over seven hours.

-Bullocks averaged 234,

-with 224 for the heifers.

-It was a fantastic day.

-It's so much easier for you

-if the trade's good.

-It makes our job a lot easier

-if we've got people bidding...

-..and you can really enjoy yourself.

-This is the couples section -

-sheep with lambs.

-There are sheep of all ages...

-..though not many

-extremely old sheep.

-There are twin lambs...

-..and singletons.

-They've only just started selling.

-Give me a few moments

-to see how they're selling.

-They're selling quite well.

-Cross-bred sheep, about five or six

-years old with good teeth...

-..accompanied by twin lambs...

-..are selling for 220 to 225...

-..for all three.

-Here, we have Welsh Mountain sheep.

-There's one broker

-and four full-mouth.

-They have twins.

-They're selling for 91.

-It's early,

-plenty of people have come.

-The grass has started growing and

-people are keen to see it grazed.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS

-THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER

-Store cattle sales take place

-twice a month at Welshpool market...

-..on Tuesdays.

-Each sale involves

-about 1,000 cattle.

-The past week has seen

-a price reduction of 5p per kilo...

-..for fat cattle.

-Will that be a help, or a hindrance,

-at today's sale?

-I'm joined by John of Glasinfryn,

-Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

-You've brought a few cattle.

-Is this the biggest sale of the year

-for you?

-Yes, I try to target this market

-in spring.

-People want to buy cattle

-to turn out.

-It's a bit bleak this year -

-let's hope people still want to buy.

-What sort of cows do you have?

-Are they cross-bred,

-or are they fairly pure Lims?

-They're Lim first cross, mostly.

-Crossed with dairy cows?

-Crossed with dairy cows?

-

-Yes - Holsteins.

-Calves must have milk.

-If calves don't get milk,

-they won't thrive...

-..and if they don't thrive

-in summer, they won't ever thrive.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS

-THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER

-You're fortunate to have this

-location for selling, close to home.

-Yes - it takes me 40 minutes

-to get here.

-It's a central location

-for both Wales and England.

-It's within about an hour's travel

-from the Midlands.

-Prices have come down by 5p a kilo

-this week.

-Yes - I thought cattle prices

-were better a month ago.

-Prices for fat cattle

-have reduced a little.

-Glandon Lewis, it's a busy day for

-you and the other two auctioneers.

-There are four of us.

-We share the work between us.

-We're very fortunate indeed

-to have 1,200 cattle to sell...

-..but it's a hard day's work.

-It must be helpful

-to have so many dealers.

-You don't often see so many

-store cattle at a single sale.

-Someone told me

-they'd see our advertisement...

-..in the Farmers Guardian.

-Twelve hundred cattle

-made it stand out...

-..if you want to buy quality cattle.

-I'd say over 90% of these cattle

-are from beef suckler herds...

-..and that's a good reason

-for coming here...

-..despite the high costs

-of travel these days.

-John from Glasinfryn...

-..told me all his cattle

-were first crosses from dairy cows.

-They're good milk producers.

-Yes, and you can cross them

-with a beef bull.

-First crosses are very popular.

-They sold for over 1,100,

-and they were less than a year old.

-As I was saying earlier...

-..we hold big cattle sales in

-late October, January and February.

-Cattle that wouldn't be turned out.

-The cattle we have here today,

-in late March...

-..and cattle we sell

-in April and May...

-..are year-old cattle.

-Cattle for this time next year.

-It's a great sale...

-..and the cattle are selling

-for between 230p and 250p per kilo.

-That's good money.

-It's amazing, because beef prices

-are extremely variable.

-If farmers don't make a profit,

-they'll stop producing.

-Farmers should receive

-a reasonable price.

-Ten-month-old male calves

-are selling for 1,000 to 1,100...

-..and heifers are selling

-for 850 to 900.

-Farmers are looking for average

-prices of 1,000 for their calves.

-When you turn a cow

-out to pasture in spring...

-..you then have to spread manure

-on your land...

-..in order to grow fodder to feed

-the cow over the next winter.

-Years ago, fattening cattle was

-a lot more common in this area...

-..especially before the 2001

-foot and mouth outbreak.

-We'd sell about 200 fat cattle

-every Monday.

-But production costs

-have increased so much.

-That's why we have

-so many store cattle.

-Over 90% of the cattle here today

-are bought by English buyers...

-..and they won't come back to Wales.

-They'll be fattened in

-Leicestershire, Herefordshire...

-..Worcestershire, Yorkshire,

-Derbyshire.

-Those areas have a competitive edge

-when it comes to winter feeding.

-Feeding costs are lower

-in those areas.

-Whereas in these areas,

-cattle meal is seriously expensive.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS

-THROUGH A LOUDSPEAKER.

-There are many things

-to think about.

-You have buyers and agents.

-We have buyers

-from Anglesey and Llyn...

-..and the Vale of Clwyd.

-It's because we have

-quality cattle to sell.

-All credit to our producers.

-Look at the cattle

-we have here today.

-We should thank our producers

-for doing such a good job.

-That's what attracts buyers

-and makes our sales a success.

-Apart from selling sheep

-and cattle each week...

-..at the market in Welshpool...

-..Glandon Lewis also offers grazing

-land for rent in Montgomeryshire.

-It may be a little early to start

-renting grazing land for the summer.

-But it's an important part

-of your work.

-Yes.

-Since IACS was introduced

-20 years or more ago, in 1992...

-..renting land for a period of

-11 months has become more common...

-..rather than renting over summer,

-and wintering...

-..or tack, as you'd call it in

-Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

-Renting for 11 months

-is more common in this area.

-Today, I need to go

-back to the office.

-I have two parcels of land...

-..70 acres in Llanfair Caereinion,

-and 80 acres in Llangadfan.

-I need to advertise them.

-We'll be renting these parcels

-of land from about 20 April...

-..after lambing is over...

-..when people

-will be looking for extra land.

-The land will be rented

-until mid March next year...

-..when lambing begins again.

-When lambing is over,

-the process begins again.

-Is most of the land

-bought by local people?

-Yes - we don't have people

-travelling large distances.

-Montgomeryshire land is farmed

-by Montgomeryshire people.

-We've talked about renting,

-but we also sell a lot of land.

-Land in Montgomeryshire is currently

-selling at 10,000 per acre...

-..because it's

-such high-quality land...

-..and people need high-quality land

-to ensure high-quality produce.

-When you think about it...

-..there must be a future

-for agriculture.

-We have to use our valleys and hills

-in areas like this...

-..in order to produce food.

-It must be done.

-Yes, it's a necessity,

-but it's already being done.

-If it wasn't being done,

-imagine how it would affect people.

-Where would your food come from?

-I don't know.

-And what would happen

-to local farmers...

-..and Monday markets in Welshpool?

-It's a matter of necessity.

-We talk,

-and we put the world to rights.

-Let's hope the market

-goes on for ever.

-Seventy-five, your turn.

-THE AUCTIONEER SPEAKS RAPIDLY

-S4C subtitles by Trosol Cyf.