Prime Lambs

It was great to have a far sharper trade of Prime Lambs, especially with better quality lambs in high demand at J36 today, with a busy ring of active buyers looking to purchase. There was an overall market average of 176p/kg with an SQQ average of 178p/kg and handy weight lambs averaged 180p/kg. Beltex lambs sold to a top of 241p/kg or £94 from AR & BJ Thompson, Selside, with others to 228p/kg or £96 from RHM & S Boyren, Ulverston. The consignment from SP Pease, Kirkby Lonsdale topped at 216p/kg or £91 with a consignment of Beltex lambs from JG & PH Thompson, Selside selling to 214p/kg and 213p/kg. All Beltex lambs forward sold to an overall market average of 208p/kg. Best Texel lambs easily sold around the 200p/kg mark. Lambs sold to a top price per head of £101 from NJ Strickland & Son, Whinfell for a 55kg Texel lamb. Selling to £98 was Beltex lambs from J Twigge, Lindal and Suffolk lambs from JG & BJ Escolme, Killington. The consignment of lambs from WS Burrow & Sons, Silverdale saw Betlex lambs selling to £98 and £96 and Texel lambs to £97. Texel lambs sold to £96 from JG & PH Thompson. Plenty more pens of good conformation and heavyweight lambs sold in the early nineties.

Mules were met by a sharper trade today topping at £92.50 for 55kg lambs from T & H Drinkall, Oakenclough with 56kg Mules selling to £90 from R Lawrence, Grange-over-Sands. Mule lambs often and easily sold in excess of £30 above their weight with all Mules forward averaging 165p/kg.

Cast Sheep

There was an entry of 431 cast sheep forward today which all classes sold to a sharper trade. Tups topped the market at £107 for Texels from S & A Bland, Tebay and Leicester to £99 from WJ & I France & Son, Chipping. Ewes sold to a top of £91 for Texels from AR & BJ Thompson, Selside and £91 and £90 from MD & SA Park, Lyth Valley. The consignment of ewes from SP Pease, Kirkby Lonsdale sold to £90 twice. Suffolk ewes from RHM & S Boyren, Ulverston sold to £88 with Texel ewes form the same home selling £87. Plenty of Continental ewes sold in the early eighties. Mule ewes were noticeably a sharper trade with better ewes on offer today which saw the best ones sell in excess of £70. Topping the Mule trade at £75 was RHM & S Boyren. Horned ewes sold to a top of £65 for Rough Fells from S & A Bland with Swaledale ewes selling to £61 from M Gibson, Sedbergh. Plenty of pens of fit horned ewes sold in the fifties. Leaner types of hill ewes were also a sharper trade.