Prime Lambs

The weekly1 sale of prime lambs had less forward this week following last week’s Christmas show. There was another strong trade at J36 in which more could have easily been sold. The overall market average was 188p/kg with an SQQ average of 190p/kg. Handy weight lambs were in strong demand selling to an average of 191p/kg. Beltex lambs sold to a top of 254p/kg or £107 from RHM & S Boyren, Ulverston, with other Beltex lambs to 229p/kg or £103 from LM & C Whitaker, Kirkby in Furness and 227p/kg or £84 from J Twigge, Lindale with plenty of good confirmation lambs selling around 220p/kg. Heavyweight Texel lambs sold to £105 from JB Airey, Kendal with Suffolks selling to the same price from TW Nelson and Son, Stainton. There was plenty of demand for the heavy weight lambs at J36 with the best heavy lambs selling in the late nineties with best lambs achieving £100. A larger proportion of hill lambs were forward and saw plenty of demand. Mules topped at £88 weighing 48kg from R Capstick and Son, Ingleton with 50kg Mules selling to £87 from TE, JS & SA Carruthers, Underbarrow with 47kg Mules selling to £86.50 from WI & A Atkinson and Son, Bleasdale. Cheviot lambs sold to £86.50 from HR & KA Hodgson, Barbon. Horned lambs saw 39kg Dalesbreds sell to £72.50 from R Capstick and Son, Ingleton with 40kg Swaledales to £70 from JS & S Atkinson, Scorton.

Cast Sheep

A smaller entry of cast sheep continues to be a strong trade in which more could easily have been sold to the advantage of vendors. A larger number of tups on the market saw Beltex’s sell to £129 from LM & C Whitaker, Kirkby in Furness, Suffolk tups to £120 from F & SA Edmondson, Ulverston, Texel’s to £115 from J & R Waller, Killington with Leicester tups to the same price from F & SA Edmondson, Ulverston and Fishwick Bros, Longsleddale with plenty of pens of strong tups in the early hundreds.
Cast ewes sold to a top of £126 for Beltex ewes from CM Jennings, Selside with Texel ewes from DM & D Cook, Ulverston with Suffolk ewes from the same home selling to £112. Strong ewes regularly sold around the £100 mark. Mule ewes sold to a top of £93 from F & SA Edmondson, Ulverston with plenty of pens of big Mule ewes selling in the late eighties. Horned ewes sold to a top of £85 for Rough Fells from GA & M Robinson, Kendal with Swaledale ewes selling to £73 from JA Bennett, Longsleddale.