Spring Lambs

Lambs spring to new heights at J36!

Texel lambs topped the market at £130 from JR Robinson & Son, Nook which was purchased by Plumgarths Farm Shop. The top price per kilo was 322p/kg for 40kg Beltex x lambs selling to £129 from FE & CM Robinson & Son, Crooklands, these were also purchased by Plumgarths Farm Shop. This was closely followed by 297p/kg or £125 for Texels from W Garnett & Sons, Milnthorpe. 290p/kg was achieved numerous times firstly for Hampshires from J & O Galbraith & Son, Endmoor, achieving £122, Texels from MJ Waller, Lupton achieving £119 and lastly from JE Wightman, Lupton selling to £119 and £116 for Charollais. Other notable prices were £121 for a Texel from R Lawrence, Grange over Sands.

There was an overall market average of 264p/kg with an SQQ average of 268p/kg. All spring lambs forward averaged £110.66.

Prime Hoggs

There was a strong number of Prime Hoggs forward for the time of year of 994, that sold to an SQQ average of 205p/kg and an overall of 193p/kg. Well-fleshed handy weighted hoggs were in demand and good to sell. The market topped with heavy weight Texel hoggs from EJ & AM Fox, Biggar selling to £116, £114 and £113. It was Texel hoggs from the same home that sold to a top of 239p/kg and 237p/kg.

Hill bred hoggs saw Cheviots sell to a top of £101 from S Whitehead, Kirkby Lonsdale with Mules topping at £96.50 from WI & A Atkinson & Son, Blesdale and £96 from DC Miller, Claughton on Brock. Cheviot hoggs sold to a top of 221p/kg from M & YS Barker, Halton with Scottish Blackfaces topping at 218p/kg from Williamson Bros, Ulverston.

There was plenty of well meated handy weighted hoggs selling between 210p/kg and 220p/kg.

Vendors are required to ensure are forward clean with buyers complaining about mucky back ends.

Cast Ewes

There was a slightly smaller entry of Cast Ewes, selling to a much-improved trade. Leading the way this week was EJ & AM Fox, Biggar twice selling to £120 firstly for Leicesters and secondly for Cheviots. This was closely followed by Texel ewes selling to £114 from JR Robinson & Son, Nook and Suffolks to £113 from BR Harrison, Staveley. Texel ewes from Harry Geldard, Levens sold to £110. Mule ewes peaked at £89 from NJ Strickland & Son, Whinfell with best Mule ewes selling into the early eighties. Hill bred ewes saw Cheviots top at £80 twice from S Crawford, Staveley and JR Handley, Whinfell. Horned ewes topped at £77 for Rough Fells from JE Read, Hutton Roof with Swaledale ewes twice topping at £69 from CR Alderson & Son, Kirkby Stephen and Fishwick Bros, Longsleddale.

The cast ewe trade looks set to remain decent for the upcoming weeks with the Ramadan festival ending at the end of May.