Pig report

The special sale of prime pigs saw a strong entry of 44 forward with all pigs selling to a strong and competitive trade. Buyers were present for all classes and types but showing a preference towards well-finished pigs and cautious of lightweight, under finished pigs and boars. The sale topped at £112 (118p/kg) for white gilts from NJ Wilkinson, Barrow in Furness with other white gilts achieving £100 (114p/kg) from W Stamper, Chipping. Well finished cutter pigs generally 90p/kg – 100p/kg with porkers 80p/kg – 96p/kg. All prime pigs averaged 88p/kg (£82).

Vendors are encouraged to pre-enter stock for the next sale on Tuesday 13th May to assist with contacting buyers. All classes of pigs will be sold this sale.

Sheep with Lambs at Foot

There was an entry of 150 sheep with lambs at foot which saw young quality outfits in strong demand at J36. Leading the way today was Mule shearlings with twin lambs selling to £218 from WI & A Atkinson & Son, Bleasdale with G & KM Atkinson, Colby selling to £218 and £212. This was closely followed by JA Chapman, Kendal selling to £210. All Mule shearlings with twin lambs at foot averaged £213.10. Texel shearlings topped at £215 from JA Chapman, Kendal with others to £210 from the same home. Texel Shearlings with twin lambs averaged £205.45. Suffolk shearlings with Suffolk twin lambs sold to £210 with Suffolk shearlings with singles from TH Gibson & Son, Kendal selling to £170. Mule ewes with twin lambs sold to a top of £175 from WI & A Atkinson & Son, with Continental Sheep with twins selling to £172 from R Colbear, Appleby. The first Herdwicks of the year were on the market today selling with Texel twin lambs selling to £90 from DR Harrison, Selside.

Spring Lambs

A smaller entry of spring lambs forward this week sold to another strong trade at J36 with an overall market average of 247p/kg. Leading the way at 273p/kg was FE & CM Robinson, Milnthorpe with a Texel Lamb whose consignment sold to £108, £106 and £104. The consignment of Hampshires from J & O Galbraith, Endmoor sold to £104 or 251p/kg.

Prime Hoggs

A few more Prime Hoggs on the market this week which sold to a sharper trade. There was an overall market average of 200p/kg with an SQQ of 207p/kg. Topping the market today at £107 was Charollais hoggs from JG Harryman, Hawkshead. Texels sold to £104 from AR & C Fawcett, Seascale with others to £102 from GR Wilson, Natland and MW & MR Black, Staveley. Suffolks topped at £100 from DM & D Cook, Ulverston. Beltex hoggs topped at £100 from GM & A Jackson, Little Eccleston with Scotch Blackface Hoggs from the same home selling to £99. Beltex hoggs sold to a top of 250p/kg from GM & A Jackson with other Beltex selling to 246p/kg, 240p/kg and 237p/kg from JG Harryman. There was plenty of Continental and Cheviot hoggs selling around the 220p/kg. Handy weight hoggs were in the strongest demand today.

Cast Sheep

There was more cast sheep on the market today selling to a stronger trade. Leading the way this week in the ewe section was Texel ewes from PK & R Woof, Stainton selling to £128 and £121. Charollais ewes sold to a top of £121 from TW Gorst, Crook with Leicesters selling to £119 from JH Pedley, Barbon. Suffolk ewes topped at £115 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston. Numerous more pens of Continental and Suffolk ewes sold in excess of the £100 mark. Cheviot Mule ewes topped at £95 from PK & R Woof with others selling to £94 from KR & CA Williamson, Barbon. Mule ewes topped at £92 from TW Gorst with others selling to £89 from DJ Casson & Son, Slyne. Numerous other pens of Mule ewes easily sold into the eighties. Horned ewes sold to a top of £78 for Rough Fells from JH Atkinson & Partners, Selside with other horned sheep selling to £77 from GJ Ibbotson, Lancaster. Swaledale ewes topped at £74 from R & EA Gardner, Brigsteer. All cast ewes forward this week averaged £69.75 including a larger proportion of hill bred ewes this week.

J36 continues to enjoy a strong trade for tups with Beltex x tup twice topping at £125 from JS & KM Wilson & Son, Natland and from KR & CA Williamson. Leicester tups sold to a top of £122 from TE, JS & SA Carruthers, Underbarrrow with Continental tups selling to £120 from CC & HM Roberts, Tebay and Suffolks to £118 from A Barnes, Heversham. Hill bred tups saw Swaledales sell to £88 from J & JA Burrow, Grayrigg. All tups forward today averaged £101.53.