SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
The annual show and sale of hoggs with lambs at foot was the best seen to date at Junction 36 with clients for all types of hoggs. Thanks goes to all our sale day sponsors, Massey Feeds, Eden Farm Supplies, Thornton Breakers, Peter Horn Mobile Dipping and Alistair Thompson Sheep Shearing. Furthermore, thanks go to our pre-sale judge Mr Gary Ryland for his time and expertise. A special mention must go to all our vendors for a great entry of hoggs, with the quality improving every year.
A very strong line up of eight pens of Mule hoggs saw first prize and today’s overall championship awarded to Messrs G Sowerby, Ormside. The Sowerby Family are also awarded £250 from North West Auctions for winning the first prize pen of Mules with lambs purchased from the NEMSA J36 sale. These much-admired gimmer hoggs went on to sell for £380 an outfit, to regular purchaser Malcolm Robinson, Lowgill who is a great supporter of North West Auctions.
The second prize rosette was awarded to RA Batty, Selside. These smart Mule hoggs suckling Suffolk single lambs sold to £350. The third prize pen from W Taylor, Ainstable, all of which were purchased from Junction 36, sold to £240. The reserve champion rosette was awarded to the first prize pen of Continentals. This was a pen of five Beltex hoggs with shapely Beltex lambs selling to £265 from Nick and Charlotte Brown, Claughton. Second prize rosette was awarded to AT Rogerson, Chipping selling to £245. The third prize rosette was awarded to R & E Ladds, Kendal which went on to achieve £245 an outfit. The largest entry for this show class ever seen with 12 impressive pens for our judge to cast his eye over.
There was 602 hoggs sold today with a busy ring of loyal supporters as well as new, well travelled, buyers, whom were impressed with the quality on offer at Junction 36. Texel hoggs with lambs saw best outfits regularly sell between £240-£260 with noted prices being £255 twice from DJ & S Dixon, Kirby Stephen, with J & KM Atkinson, Colby also achieving £255. Best pens of Mule hoggs with single lambs regularly selling between £230-£250.
It was notable today that buyers were keen to pay a premium for double abortion vaccinated hoggs. Some impressive market averages saw Mule hoggs average £212.17 and Texel hoggs average £229.79. Today saw more Suffolk cross Mule hoggs with lambs on the market selling to £235 and £230 and average £217.
A special sale of dry hoggs saw Continentals meet plenty of demand and a strong trade. Pure Texel hoggs twice sold to £215 from RT & ME Sutton, Stainton. Pure Texel gimmer lambs from IM Jaeban sold to £200. Continental gimmer hoggs averaged £155. Dry Mule hoggs sold to £145 from J Bentham, Windermere with others from A Wilson & Son, Malham selling to £135 and £130 twice. All Mule hoggs averaging £128.62.
The weekly sale of sheep with lambs at foot saw all types in big demand and a sharp trade, with more hill sheep now coming forward and eagerly bid for today. Taking top spot was a pure Texel shearling with single lamb selling to £340 from IM Jaeban, Cockermouth, with Charollais ewes with single lambs from the same home selling to £250. Continental ewes with twins sold to £245 from CR Alderson, Mallerstang.
Mule shearlings sucking twins this week sold to £232 and £230 from NJ Strickland & Son, Whinfell. Mule shearlings with single Texel lambs sold to £205 from Vicky Woodhouse, Scorton. Full mouthed Mule ewes with Texel twin lambs sold to £200 from P & TL Edmondson, Kirkby in Furness.
Hill bred ewes saw aged Rough Fell ewes with twin lambs sell to £168 from JF Cook, Grange Over Sands. Herdwicks with Continental twin lambs sold to £145 from Kirkby & Longworth, Dunnerdale with Herdwicks sucking single lambs from the same home selling to £108.