Spring Lambs

The weekly sale of Spring Lambs had 1551 forward selling to another strong trade at J36 with an overall market average of 231p/kg. All weight ranges of lambs were in strong demand today with 32-39kg lambs averaging 232p/kg and 39-45kg averaging 229p/kg. Heavy weight lambs continue to be in demand with 45-52kg lambs averaging 238p/kg.

Topping the market today at £133 were 55kg Texel lambs from D & C Middleton, Burrow. This was closely followed by Continental lambs to £128 from DM & D Cook, Ulverston with other Texel lambs selling to £125 from W Garnett & Son, Milnthorpe, £122 from IL Dixon, Cantsfield and £120.50 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston. Suffolk lambs sold to a top of £121 from JD, EM & JA Atkinson, Skelsmergh, with Charollais lambs also achieving £121 from SJ Middleton, Dent. There were many more pens of 47-50kg selling in the mid to late one hundred and teens.

Beltex lambs sold to a top of 297p/kg grossing £110 from J Twigge, Lindale who sold others to 272p/kg. E & J Postlethwaite, Old Hutton sold Texels to 280p/kg. Many pens of better conformation lambs sold in excess of 250p/kg.

There were more Mule lambs on the market this week which topped at £91 weighing 43kg from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale. Light weight lambs between 32-36kg sold in strong demand today with more required each week.

A special mention goes to our vendors and buyers for supporting us through June which has seen an impressive increase in through put from the same month last year of 77%.

Cast Ewes

There were 381 cast sheep forward today that sold to an improved trade with all specification of ewes in strong demand. Cast ewes from S & A Bland, Tebay lead the way selling to a top of £110 closely followed by other Texels to £109 from S Kellet & Sons, Pilling followed by £108 from J Twigge, Lindale. £106 was achieved twice from Mrs C Bousfield & Sons, Appleby and EW Parsons, Ackenthwaite. Plenty of pens of Continental ewes regularly sold around the £100 mark. All Continental ewes forward averaged £91.86. Leicester ewes this week topped at £97 from the Inman Family, Witherslack.

Big Mule ewes were a much-improved trade this week, selling to a top of £86 from DW Hodgson, Cartmel Fell followed by other Mules to £84 from J & O Galbraith & Son, Endmoor. Plenty of pens of stronger Mule ewes sold around the £80 mark. All Mules forward this week averaged £71.48.

There was a larger proportion of hill sheep on the market today that saw horned sheep sell to a top of £70 for Scotch Blackface from OR Hodgson, Old Hutton with Swaledale ewes selling to £69 from the Inman Family closely followed by £65 from J Taylor, Carnforth. Rough Fell ewes this week peaked at £65 from E & K Bland, Gaisgill. There was plenty of pens of fit Swaledale ewes selling into the fifties.