Pigs

The monthly sale of all classes of Pigs saw a good entry of 126 forward for the sale. There was plenty of interest in prime gilts and hogs, but prime boars proved harder to place. Vendors are strongly advised to castrate their boars to gain full financial return. Good quality prime pigs sold in excess of 100p/kg topping at 117p/kg from Dhanell Baldwin of Satterthwaite or £100 per head from Dhanell Baldwin & NJ Wilkinson of Roose.

Weaner pigs and store pigs sold to a sticky trade with there being less interest as purchasers have now filled their sheds with cattle due to the current weather conditions.

Prime Lambs

The ‘Bonny Boys’ annual show and sale of five mule wether lambs had a bumper entry of 13 pens forward for the judge, Shaun Cowin of Dunbia. Thanks go to our sponsors Westmorland Accountants for their continued support. An impressive line-up of mule lambs saw the first prize rosette awarded to a very smart pen from RS Harker and Son of Overthwaite. The pen noted as weighing 49kg sold for £86 to Michael Lomax. Heavy weight mules weighing 50kg plus sold in excess of the £80 mark.

There was a bumper entry of 1756 prime lambs in the market today. A buoyant trade for well finished and good conformation lambs. Second quality leaner types are worth more sold as store lambs rather than through the prime ring. Export type Beltex lambs continue to sell in excess of the 200p/kg mark.

Top price of the day was £102 for 52kg Texel Lambs from ST Birkett & Son of Hall Croft, with top price per kilo forward from AE Atkinson & Son of Stubb Farm for Beltex Lambs at 236.8p/kg.
The largest entry of mule lambs was forward of the season which were eagerly bid for, selling to £87.50 from RI Dixon of Low Newton Farm.

Cast Sheep

There was a bumper entry of sheep in the market today with 742 forward. The trade for big fit ewes continues to be strong with leaner types hard to place at the moment. The poor weather is taking its toll on the condition of ewes, creating a large number of lean ewes on the market nationally, with the weather meaning that feeding men are not in the market at the moment looking to feed, as sometimes seen at this time of year.