CULL EWES

All cullls today averaged £181 with a real appetite from buyers for all classes and types. Stronger end ewes all selling past £200 with Texel x to £246, Suffolk x to £210, Beltex x to £202 and Mules to £200. Next draw down generally £180-£198 with lighter and leaners £140-£170. Hill bred ewes to £180 for Cheviots, Lonks to £160, Herdwicks to £140, Swaledale to £124.

Cull rams to £240 for Texels.

PRIME HOGGS

A wide variety of hoggs forward ranging from 34kg-72kg with an overall market average of 398ppk and a sqq average of 421ppk. Market leading prices included Beltex x at £232 from JE Parkinson & Son, Texel x to £228 from DJ Casson & Son, Texel x to £224 from SH & LE Birkett, Texel x to £220 from T & E Burrow. Heavy hoggs a sharper trade and in spec standards generally £195-£210. Hill bred hoggs to £200 for Cheviot Mules, £199 to Cheviots, £194 for Scotch Blackface, £192 for Horned, Gritstone to £191, Lonk to £190. Best fed hoggs to 471ppk for Texels from PG Thornton with others 430-460ppk with grass finished 405-425ppk. Hill bred to 442ppk for Cheviots, Scotch Blackface to 424ppk, Charmoise to 406ppk, Horned 392ppk, Mule to 374ppk and Herdwicks to 370ppk. Hoggs will continue to be wanted throughout May.

PRIME LAMBS

Numbers rising each week with increased buyer interest. All sold today achieved a market sqq of 460ppk and £197.50.
Best of the lambs today to 520ppk for Texel x from KA Purtill, Wigan with other butcher types 495-515ppk. First crosses generally 460-480ppk. Heavyweights to 449ppk for Texel x from JR Robinson & Son and light weights to 468ppk from WN & D Smith & Sons. Leading today’s sale and achieving £223 were D & K Swarbrick selling Texel x lambs with others to £220 from JR Robinson & Son, £218 to KA Purtill, £215 for S Wilson & Son, £210 for WN & D Smith & Sons.

BREEDING SHEEP

Still keen buyer interest with several already asking for more next week.
Several pens of hoggs with lambs forward selling to £350 for Texel x and Cheviots Mules from M & L Preece.
Older ewes saw twin families from JM & NJ Strickland sell to £370 and single families to £300.
Hill ewes to £335 for Cheviot x ewes with twins from Stockdale Farms.
Next week to include second sale of Hoggs with Lambs at Foot.