PRIME LAMBS - NWA Lancaster Spring Lambs to £196 and 420p/kg.

A sharp start to the week with buyers out in force today, keen to secure all classes and types of lambs at the first sale of the week. Those presenting well fed and bred lambs were duly rewarded with a top price of £196 achieved for Beltex cross from J Twigge, Lindale who sold others at £193 and £190. Texel cross achieved £185 from SH&LE Birkett, Nether Kellet, £183 CD&HL Mason, Caton and £181 D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe. Other heavy well finished lambs regularly £165 to £172, with standard weights keenly competed for £148 to £160. Pure hill bred lambs sold to £180 for heavy weight Cheviots from KM&KJ Curwen, Abbeystead with other pens £148 to £158 and standard weight £135 to £145.
Once again well bred and hard fed lambs were particularly well sold, generally 360p/kg to 380p/kg, several of the best pens over 400p/kg peaking at 420p/kg for a pen full from J Twigge, Lindale. The best standard weights were generally 340p/kg to 360p/kg, with heavy weights 320p/kg to 335p/kg. Better end light weights were 315p/kg to 330p/kg. Pure hill lambs sold to 323p/kg for Cheviots, with Mules to 305p/kg and Gritstone 300p/kg. An overall average of 330p/kg was achieved for lambs ranging from 33kg to 62kg.

Well fed lambs attracting keenest attention, with another strong entry required for next weeks sale, which includes the Christmas prize show, all show lambs are required for penning by 9am with show commencing at 9.15am.

CAST SHEEP

The cull sheep trade at this popular Monday morning sale continues to provide strong returns for all classes and types with todays sale averaging £143. Medium pure bred ewes sold to £211 from P Metcalfe, Quernmore with other continentals £200 from AJ Cardwell, Pilling and Suffolks £192 from D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe. Other medium continental were generally £170 to £185, with smaller meated sorts £148 to £160. Mules sold to £179 from G Beresford & Son, Kirkby in Furness with a ring full to £167 from C&B Lowther, Over Wyresdale with other heavy Mules were £152 to £160 and the next draw down £138 to £145. Pure hill ewes sold to £169 for Cheviot from G Beresford, Gritstone £142 A&J Smith, Ingleton, Swaledale £129 JW Cornall & Sons, Bleasdale, Dalesbred £107 T&D Wright, Wray and Welsh £98 D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe.

Just a handful of cull rams selling to £172 from Bargh Contractors, Morecambe and hill bred to £165 from TW&BH Woodhouse, Roeburndale.