The call for sheep was answered, with a sharp rise in numbers forward across all sale sections selling to a competitive trade, with new and returning customers not seen for many years, leaving well suited with their Monday morning trading at Lancaster.
SPRING LAMBS
All prime lambs today sold to a market average 357p/kg, for lambs ranging from 35kg to 58kg. Buyers sort keenest interest in well finished fed lambs and were willing to pay a premium for these. A market topping price of £212 was achieved for heavy Texel cross lambs from WI&AM Atkinson & Son, Bleasdale and 438p/kg for Beltex cross from D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe. Well bred meated lambs were regularly 368p/kg to 390p/kg, with the very best 392p/kg to 410p/kg. The best grass finished lambs sold to 375p/kg, with others 350p/kg to 362p/kg, with lighter weight leaner lambs 330p/kg to 345p/kg. Other heavy lambs were regularly £180 to £196. The best standard weights £160 to £172 and lighter weights sold to £143, with others £138 to £142. Hill bred lambs are now coming forward in greater numbers, with Mules to £147 from RH&C Ayrton, Abbyerstead and 349p/kg from S Park, Orton. Other standard weight Mules were £135 to £143 and 330p/kg to 345p/kg. Horned lambs sold to £137.
Keep these lambs coming with increased buyer interest expressed over the coming weeks, market gates open at 6am, sale promptly at 10am. #LAMBS2LAM.
CAST SHEEP
The largest entry of cull sheep seen for a long time, sold to an animated trade with several feeding orders ringside. Texel cross ewes sold to £228 and £225 from C&H Mason, Caton, with Charolais cross £222 from KA Purtill, Wigan and ME&J Swarbrick, Stalmine. Other first cross ewe were £185 to £200, mediums £160 to £175 and leaners hard worked sort £135 to £148. Mules sold to £172 from WN&D Smith, Cockerham and KA Purtill, Wigan with others £170 from WI&AM Atkinson, Bleasdale. Stronger end Mules were £160 to £165, medium £140 to £155 and feeding types £115 to £125. Hill ewes now abundance in numbers with Cheviot to £156 and smaller sorts £120 to £130. Horned ewes sold to £92, Herdwicks to £90, with a large number of leaner hard worked horned ewes £52 to £70.
STORE LAMBS
A handful of store lambs forward, sold to £108 for Texel cross.
Next week sees the opening sale of breeding sheep, which will be sold at 11.30am through the main ring, following the conclusion of prime sheep.