Tuesday 1st December 2020

Prime Lambs

The weekly sale of Prime Lambs at J36 had 1446 forward selling to an overall market average of 208p/kg. There was a very mixed entry of lambs today with many vendors trying to take advantage of the trade and some lambs being under finished.

Heavyweight lambs continue to be a strong trade at J36 selling in excess of the 200p/kg mark with better types of heavyweight lambs selling over the 210p/kg. Texels lambs led the way selling to a top of £124 from JB Airey, Kendal and £115.50 from S Gibson, Underbarrow. Suffolk lambs sold to £117 and £115.50 from WT Whitaker & Son, Nether Kellet. With plenty more pens of heavyweight lambs easily selling at the £110 mark.

Handy weighted, well fleshed lambs continue to be in most demand, with Beltex lambs particularly in strong demand today. The consignment from JG & PH Thompson, Selside sold to 251p/kg, 248p/kg and 236p/kg with other noted prices 248p/kg from SJ & NW Wood, Windermere and 240p/kg from AR & BJ Thompson, Selside. Plenty of tidy, well fleshed lambs selling around the 220p/kg - 230p/kg.

Mule lambs topped at £100.50 from R & EA Gardner, Brigsteer, with plenty more pens of Mules easily selling to the £90 mark. A larger number of lightweight Swaledale lambs were forward today weighing between 30 – 35kg and regularly selling for 200p/kg and more.

Suffolks sold to £117, averaging £99.76 or 205p/kg
Continentals sold to £114, averaging £82.70 or 208p/kg
Mules sold to £100.50 averaging £87.49 or 203p/kg
Swaledales sold to £78.50 averaging £72.20 or 202p/kg
Texels sold to £124, averaging £93.99 or 211p/kg
Beltex sold to £111, averaging £97.27 or 238p/kg

Cast and OTM Sheep

There were 450 cast sheep forward today with a very mixed show of ewes at J36, with all types being sharper on the week. Texel ewes led the way once again selling to £125 from PK & R Woof, Stainton with others selling to £105 twice from MJ Waller, Lupton and JC Dunning, Tebay, with many other pure bred ewes selling over the £100 mark. A run of Leicester ewes from RH & C Ayrton, Abbeystead sold to £95.

Strong Mules were in short supply today with many more easily being sold; a top of £80 from JB & S Thorpe, Sunbiggin with others to £79 from RH & J Walling, Crosthwaite. Over 90% of ewes forward today were hill bred ewes with all types keenly bid for. Cheviot ewes peaked at £90 from WL & FD Richards, Beckside. A penful of Rough fell ewes from M Bland & Son, Staveley sold to £67.

Swaledale ewes peaked at £63 from WM & JE Shuttleworth, Barbon with the best Swaledales ewes regularly selling over the £60 mark, and all Swaledale ewes forward averaging £44. Strong Herdwick ewes from WL & & FD Richards, Beckside sold to £58.

All cast rams were eagerly bid for once again with Leicesters selling to £113 from RH & C Ayrton, Abbeystead with other rams from the same home selling to £109. Continental rams sold above the £100 mark with a top of £113 from M Horner, Preston.