North West Auctions had a slightly smaller entry of 1511 lambs forward selling to an overall market average of 199p/kg with an SQQ average of 202p/kg. All specifications of lambs today were met with more demand. All heavy weight lambs were between £5 and £10 dearer on the week.

Texel lambs sold to a top of £113.50 and £113 from JD Airey, Kendal.

Heavyweight Suffolk lambs topped at £103.50 from DE and SM Moorhouse, Natland, with plenty of pens of heavyweight lambs selling in excess of the £100 mark. Better confirmation lambs this week met a better demand selling to £104 or 248p/kg from JJ & S Raine, Appleby who also sold others to 240p/kg or £100.50. CM Jennings, Selside sold Beltex lambs to £244p/kg. Plenty of pens of better confirmation lambs selling in the 230p/kg region.

Once again there was a good number of upland lambs in the market with Mule lambs topping at £89.50 from JS & S Atkinson, Scorton with others selling to £89 from J & J Huck, Burneside and plenty of pens of Mule lambs selling in the mid 80s.

Horned lambs sold to a top of £85 for Dalesbreds from R Capstick & Son, Ingleton.

Sufflolk lambs sold to £103.50 and averaged £90.52 or 195p/kg
Masham lambs sold to £87 and averaged £82.82 or 189p/kg
Mule lambs sold to £89.50 and averaged £85.67 or 195p/kg
Texel lambs sold to £113 and averaged £88.12 or 201p/kg
Beltex lambs sold to £104 and averaged £95.18 or 229p/kg
Horned lambs sold to £85 and averaged £74.38 or 184p/kg

Cast Sheep
There were less ewes in the market today with 470 going under the hammer. Strong fit ewes continue to sell to a competitive trade with leaner ewes harder to place on today’s trade. Texel ewes led the way at £105 from TH & DM Cornthwaite & Son, Cartmel Fell with others £101 from R Wilson & Son, Appleby with many of the best Texel ewes selling in the £95 mark.

Suffolk ewes from R Wilson & Son, Appleby topped at £98 with Charollais ewes selling to the same price from GW Robinson & Son, Crooklands. Strong Mule ewes were selling into the £70 mark with a top of £76 from S Kellet & Sons, Pilling. Medium type Mules were selling between £62 - £67.

A bigger show of hill ewes were forward today and selling to a stronger trade than in previous weeks. Cheviot ewes led the way once again topping at £85 from TH & DM Cornthwaite & Son who sold others to £77. Rough Fells peaked at £56 twice from TLB & J Knowles, Selside and K B Milburn, Sedbergh. A large show of Swaledales were forward with stronger types being £5 up on the week, topping at £53 from W Caley & Son, Windermere with others to £49 from J & J Burrow, Grayrigg.

Herdwicks sold to £53 from S Whitehead, Middleton.

Cast Rams continue to sell to a fast trade at J36 with many outlets for these. Charollais rams sold to £102 from CC & HM Roberts, Tebay, with Leicester rams to £84 from JA & CA Gibson, Selside.