Pigs

North West Auctions held its Christmas Prize Show and Sale of Prime Pigs which saw 7 pairs put before the judge, who awarded the Championship rosette to a pair of pure Pietrain boars from NJ Wilkinson, Barrow in Furness weighing 90kg and later selling to a market topping price of £130 and purchased by Browns Quality Meats, Lindal as a Christmas treat for their customers.

Prime gilts sold to a top price of £120 for the third prize pen of Large White x from D Lord, Preesall who sold others at £118. Outwith the show, gilts sold to £106 for pure Pietrain from NJ Wilkinson, Barrow in Furness with Gloucester Old Spot x Pietrain selling to £105 from AT Threlkeld Ltd, Satterthwaite and Saddleback x boars selling to £100 from D & DW Prickett, Farleton. Lighter weight pigs sold to £81 for Pietrain x gilts from JB & S Stirland, Penrith. With Saddleback x selling to £80 from AT Threlkeld Ltd and Large White x to £78 from M Bennett, Penrith.

Well finished white prime pigs were generally selling at 110p/kg – 115p/kg, with coloured pigs 75p/kg – 90p/kg. Buyers continue to show preference towards gilts and hogs and caution towards under finished prime boars.

Cull sows sold to £65 from HMP Wymott for pure Saddlebacks. Weaners proved to be a very selective trade with Large White x gilts selling to £21 from M Eastham, Dalton with others at £11.

Prime Cattle

A trade which certainly put the ‘Beef Back’ into NWA

What a display of cattle, showcasing the quality of primestock that this livestock area can produce. Our thanks must go to today’s judge George Cropper of Sanderson Butchers.

With all the classes judged, we had a tremendous line up of all first prize winners for the Championship. George took his time and was complimentary on all of the animal placed in front of him.

The Championship was awarded to lot 9 a British Blue heifer shown by JA Barnett, Shap she later went on to make 455ppkg grossing £2,494 purchased by Kitson Butchers of Yarm. Reserve honours was awarded to lot 6 a Limousin heifer from F & B Smith, Westhouse, she made 385ppkg grossing £2,002 and was purchased by Ian Brown from Browns Quality Meats of Ulverston.

JJ Crichton, Egremont with his first prize bullock peaked at 280ppkg which was purchased by Country Style Meats of Lancaster. Other noted prices come from AR & BJ Thompson, Selside who sold their second prize heifer to 330ppkg purchased by Woods Farm Shop of Preston. Messrs Barnett’s run of cattle averaged 345ppkg grossing £1,999. All the prime cattle forward for todays sale averaging a tremendous 281ppkg.

The sale was a huge success with trade noted as being very strong, both vendors and purchasers leaving happy.

I take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported this sale

Prime Lambs

North West Auctions held its annual Christmas Show & Sale of Prime lambs with a bumper entry of 42 pens forward for our judge George Cropper of Sanderson Butchers, Accrington who we thank for his time and expertise. The quality on offer continues to improve each year and a big thank you goes to all our vendors and buyers for there continued support.
The Championship rosette was awarded to the first prize pair of Beltex lambs from Josh Geary, Milton Keynes. This much-admired pair weighed 47kg and went onto sell for £280 or 595p/kg to our judge George Cropper. Our judge also purchased the Reserve Champions and Second prize pair of Beltex lambs at £200 or 476p/kg from Andrew Geary, Milton Keynes. Rounding off a great day for the Geary family they also sold the third prized pair of Beltex lambs weighing 43kg to £155 or 360p/kg and the first prize pen of five Lowland lambs weighing 38kg selling to £126. The second prized pen of five Lowland sired lambs were from JG & PH Thompson, Selside weighing 39kg selling to £138 or 353p/kg. All of which were purchased by our judge George Cropper for his shop Sanderson Butchers, Accrington.
The Upland classes saw some strong classes forward with the Mule class won by WI & A Atkinson and Son, Bleasdale selling 50kg lambs to £99. The Horned class was won by B & HM Wilson, Selside selling 41kg lambs to £80. The Rough Fell class sponsored by the Rough Fell Sheep Breeders Association saw the first and second prize rosettes awarded to Amy Harrison, Kentmere selling 53kg to £98 and 44kg to £85. The Cheviot class saw the first prize rosette awarded to Nathan Allen of Low Moor Howe selling 45kg lambs to £99.
A bumper entry of lambs forward this week saw 1714 forward selling to an overall market average of 215p/kg with handy weight lambs averaging 219p/kg. This average included a large number upland bred lambs. This number of lambs and more are required each week to maintain the good number of buyers present.
Heavy weight Continental and Suffolk lambs sold in excess of the 200p/kg easily, all over 50kg lambs selling to an average of 206p/kg. Cutting type lambs between 44-48kg and well fleshed in strong demand often selling around the 210p/kg mark, many consignments of mules in this bracket often selling in the early nineties. Handy weight lambs continue to be in big demand and look best sold with many going for export. These lambs regularly selling in excess of the 225p/kg mark for well fleshed continental lambs. Best handy weight Beltex lambs sold in excess of the 300p/kg mark, selling to 335p/kg from JG & PH Thompson, Selside. A larger number of light weight lambs forward including many consignments of horned lambs often selling in the region of 200p/kg.