PRIME LAMBS
Numbers continuing to rise, with customers now travelling from further afield drawn to the attraction of this prompt Monday morning market which continues to provide a competitive market place for prime lambs. As seen national well finished and heavy weight lambs continue to attract the keenest attention. Heavy weights sold to £194 for Texel cross from local producers Pilling Hall with this price later matched buy J Twigge. Closely followed by RH&C Ayrton at £191 and D&J Hay at £190. Other well finished heavy weights were £170 to £185, with grass finished £160 to £174. The best of the standard weights sold to £170 for Texel cross from A&E Clarkson and D&K Swarbrick. Other finished standard weights were £148 to £157. Medium sold to £161 for Texel cross from D&D Huddleston, with others generally £140 to £152. Light weights sold to £134 for Texel cross from G Beresford, with others £126 to £132 and super lights to £108. Hill lambs are coming forward in greater numbers, with Cheviots to £169 from CJ Metcalfe and £163 from RH&C Ayrton, Cheviot Mules sold to £146 from CJ Metcalfe.
D&K Swarbrick were back to the top this week, selling Texel cross lambs at 391p/kg, with other well bred and well finished 350p/kg to 370p/kg. Grass finished were generally 335p/kg to 345p/kg, with caution shown towards under finished lambs at 320p/kg to 335p/kg. Light weights were keenly sort after selling to 362p/kg, with super lights to 372p/kg. An overall market average today of 339p/kg for lambs ranging from 29kg to 58kg
Keep these numbers coming, customers are politely reminded that market opens at 6.30am, with weighing from 7.30am and a prompt sale start time at 10am.

CAST SHEEP
Remarkably another rise in numbers forward, being the largest entry in several years, with trade maintaining the strong prices of recent sales. The best of the continentals sold to £230 for Texels from E Hartley and R&DL Cornthwaite, closely followed by others at £228 from J Twigge and M&L Preece. Stronger medium continental and first cross ewes were £170 to £190, topping at £194 from KA Purtill. Next draw down being feeding type ewes at £138 to £155. Mules forward in abundance, selling to £155 for a ring full from T&EA Garth with others also achieving this price from E Lund & Son. Stronger end medium Mules were £140 to £148, with the leaner end and feeding sorts £112 to £125. Pure hill ewes sold to £202 for Cheviots from KA Purtill. Other larger framed Cheviot were £150 to £170, with the next draw down £120 to £140 and smaller sorts £88 to £105. Horned ewes sold to £115 for Lonks from SE Whewell, who also sold Dalebreds at £112. The strongest Swaledales achieved £114 from RH&C Ayrton Ltd, with smaller medium hill ewes generally £50 to £70.

STORE LAMBS
The weekly sale of store lambs saw several buyers leaving unable to fulfil orders, all keen to return next week. Today’s sale saw Cheviots to £114 from G&D Ball & Son, with other longer keep lambs to £98.

BREEDING SHEEP
The opening sale of breeding sheep at NWA Lancaster saw a ringside of buyers eager to replace stock and take advantage of additional grass. A buoyant trade was seen for all categories of breeding sheep, and we look forward to future breeding sale at Lancaster Auction. The sale commenced with breeding rams which saw Texel shearlings to £580 from M Bowman with others at £550 and £480 from S Mason, Suffolk shearling sold to £450 from G Riley. Aged rams sold to £450 for a two shear Texel from P Rossall.
Ewes sold to £210 for 2 to 3 crop Texels from KA Purtill, who later sold 1 to 2 crops at £200. The annual consignment of 4 crop Mules from MG&J Parker sold to £165 x3, with others at £160 and broken mouthed ewes to £130.
All vendors selling shearlings left well suited with prices achieved, with buyers keen to secure flock replacements. Texel cross shearling sold to £230 from M&YS Barker, who also sold Suffolk cross at £220. North country Mule shearlings, having run dry, sold to £225 from R Falshaw & Son, who sold others at £220 with other pens £210 to £220 from Barker Farms.
The next sale of breeding sheep at Lancaster is on Wednesday 20th August, being the annual prize show and sale of ewes and shearlings and the ‘Lancaster Lads’ price show and sale of breeding rams.

Thank you to all customers and staff for there help today, on a very busy Monday morning.