SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
The weekly sale of sheep with lambs at foot saw a well travel ring side of buyers, keen to secure additional replacement stock. A consignment of Beltex ewes with Beltex lambs from GM&A Jackson, little Eccleston sold to £420 with twins, with others at £360 and singles selling to £310. Other Beltex ewes with twins sold to £345 from CM Jennings, Selside. A consignment of Zwartble shearlings with Dutch Spotted lambs from R&E Ladds, Kendal sold to £328 with twins. Stronger continental ewes with twins sold to £315 and £310 from AT Bainbridge, Kirkby Stephen with other twins regularly £270 to £300 and singles £190 to £210. Aged Mule ewes with twins sold to £275 from R Lawrence, Grange over Sands, with others at £270 from T Pye, Leece and others regularly £240 to £260 with singles £170 to £190.
Several hill bred ewes are now starting to come forward, with Cheviot ewes with twin Texel cross lambs to £212 and £210 from M&C Booth, Kentmere. The best singles sold to £182 again for Cheviots with Continental lambs from S Thompson, Grange Over Sands.
Buyers are now ring side looking for younger sheep, with the sale next week including the annual prize show and slae of sheep with lambs at foot.
PIGS
The popular sale of pigs saw the best prime gilts sell to £198 for Large White cross Pie Trains from J Stott Jnr, Crosscrake with others at £178 from D Lord, Preesall and lighter weights to £155 from W Stamper, Chipping. A top of 187p/kg was achieved for Large White cross gilts from D Lord, Preesall. Other well finished gilts and hoggs were keenly competed for, generally 150p/kg to 170p/kg. Several pens of stores and weaners saw store gilts to £72 and store boars £48 with white weaners £44.
SPRING LAMBS
An entry of Suffolk spring lambs from T&E Redmayne, Souththwaite saw keen buyer interest selling to a top of £185 and 431p/kg, with an overall averaged 422p/kg achieved for all spring lambs forward today. More lambs are required now on a weekly basis, to satisfy buyer demand.
PRIME HOGGS
A nice entry of prime hoggs saw a continued high level of demand, with an overall market average of 368p/kg achieved. Well finished hoggs sold to £250 on three occasions for Beltex cross from W Gardner, Penrith and A Fare, Preston with others regularly £220 to £240. Other well finished first cross lambs were £180 to £205, with lighter weights £130 to £145, depending on breed and finish. A top of 480p/kg was achieved for Texel cross hoggs from W Gardner, Penrith with other well finished inside hoggs 405p/kg to 430p/kg. Others were 370p/kg to 390p/kg. Leaner hoggs were 330p/kg to 350p/kg, with several lots still going for finishing.
CAST SHEEP
Cull ewes averaged £115, selling to a top of £248 for a Texel from A Fare, Preston with other heavy pure breds £200 to £225. The best first cross were generally £170 to £190. Mules selling to £170 with other heavy Mules regularly £145 to £160. Medium ewes of all breed were in keen demand, selling regularly at £120 to £140, with smaller lighter weights £90 to £105. Pure hill ewes sold to £128 for Cheviots, £124 Swaledales, £120 Scotch Black Face and £106 Herdwicks. Medium pure hill ewes were generally £90 to £110, with smaller lighter weights £65 to £80 and only the smallest and leanest less.