Prime Pigs 

The dedicated sale of Prime Pigs at NWA J36 saw a double row forward with a competitive crowd of buyers in attendance keen for all classes and types.

Prime pigs sold to £138 for Pietrain x gilts and hogs from NJ Wilkinson, Barrow in Furness. Saddleback x gilts from HMP Wymott, Preston selling to £128. Large White x gilts from D Lord, Preesall sold to £124 with others at £120 from W Stamper, Chipping. Prime boars sold to £122 for Pietrain x from W Stamper, Chipping with others at £115 from M Blease, Carnforth and D Baldwin, Satterthwaite.

The top price of 149p/kg was achieved for smart Pietrain x hogs from J Stott, Kendal with others 145p/kg from NJ Wilkinson. The best finished white pigs achieved 130p/kg – 145p/kg with coloured pigs to 133p/kg with others at 129p/kg.

Cull sows sold to £148 (62p/kg) for a Pietrain from T Laird & Son, Cumnock with a Saddleback achieving £115 (55p/kg) from AJ Platt, Barrow in Furness.

The next sale for all classes of pigs will be Tuesday 12th November for all classes.

Prime Lambs

North West Auctions J36 held its annual show and sale of young handlers show and sale on Tuesday 22nd October. It was wonderful to have so many enthusiastic young handlers in the auction showcasing their abilities. A big thank you must go to our judge Mr Keith Harryman, Keswick and to all our sponsors Mole Valley, WCF Fuels, Carrs Billington and Cornthwaite Agricultural Ltd. The Cornthwaite Group Shield for the Champion Prime Lamb was awarded to 13-year-old Abigail Winn, Burneside with her 49kg Beltex lamb selling to £130 purchased by John Geldard on behalf of Plumgarths Farm Shop, Kendal. The reserve Champion Prime Lamb was awarded to 10-year-old Ben Dodgson, Kendal who sold a 44kg Beltex lamb for £106. The John Geldard Challenge Cup for the Champion Young Handler saw strong competition with the trophy awarded to 12-year-old Harry Blackwell, Kendal selling his 41kg Beltex lamb to £105. The Reserve Champion Young Handler was awarded to 10-year-old Maddie Watson, Kirkby Lonsdale selling her 50kg Mule lamb to £78. All young handlers must be congratulated on the presentation of the lambs and high standard to competition. A big thank you also goes to the families and friends of the handlers for their support.

There was an entry of 1347 lambs forward selling to a slightly reduced trade this week as seen nationwide with an overall market average of 158p/kg and an SQQ of 159p/kg. Good conformation lambs were met by plenty of trade with better Betlex selling in excess of the 200p/kg mark. Well-finished heavyweight lambs still met plenty of demand with leaner types of lambs today harder to place.

Mule wether lambs sold to a top of £76 for 49kg lambs from A & H Watson, Kirkby Lonsdale. Mule wether lambs sold to a market average of 153p/kg.

Cast Sheep

There was an entry of 599 cast ewes forward selling to a slightly sharper trade this week. Topping the market this week was Texel ewes selling to £96 from Miss I Ridding, Old Hutton other Texel ewes sold to £95 from JG & PH Thompson, Selside. Plenty of other Continental ewes sold around the £90 mark. Mule ewes sold to a top of £69 from WH & G Hodgson, Patton with GB Holt, Rossendale achieving the same price. Strong Mule ewes sold into the mid-sixties. Horned cast ewes sold to a top of £58 from BJ Bainbridge, Shap. Other strong horned ewes sold into the fifties.