PRIME LAMBS

North West Auctions were proud to host the annual young handlers show for prime lambs, kindly sponsored by BB Dairies, Kendal College and Rural Law. A big thank you goes to our judge, Brian Knowles who we thank for under taking this task. The Champion lamb and being awarded the Cornthwaite group shield was 8-year-old Libby Dixon, Selside with her Texel lamb weighing 50kg, which went on to sell for £200 and was purchased by John Geldard on behalf of Plumgarths Farm Shop. The Champion young handlers was awarded to 7-year-old Jack Matthews, who reserved the John Geldard young handler challenge cup with his 47kg Beltex lamb, which went on to sell for £200 and was purchased by John Geldard on behalf of Plumgarths Farm Shop. A big congratulations goes to all the young handlers for taking part, it was wonderful to see so many young enthusiastic people in the market.
There was an increased entry of 1591 lambs forward, selling to an overall market average of 232p/kg. All speciation of lambs today were well bid for, with heavy weight lambs today leading the way, topping at £145 from R Lawrence, Grange over Sands with 60kg Texels. This was closely followed by £141 from both T&CM Kelsall & Sons, Chipping and I Ridding, Old Hutton. Heavy weight Suffolk lambs peaked at £136 from TA&J Dixon, Selside, with plenty of heavy weight lambs regularly selling in the £120 - £130. Better confirmation lambs saw Beltex lambs sell to 308p/kg from CM Jennings, Selside with plenty of pens of better confirmation lambs between 270-300p/kg. Mule lambs peaked at £113 from TA&J Dixon, Selside, with others to £109 from A Winn, Burneside, plenty of Mule lambs sold in excess of the £100 mark.

CAST SHEEP

Another good entry of 650 ewes forward, with heavy ewes once again selling to a strong trade, lighter ewes were slightly less on the week. Texel ewes sold to a top of £137 from I Ridding, Old Hutton, with the best regularly selling into the £130’s, medium well bred Texel’s ewes sold above the £110 mark. A bigger show of Mule ewes were forward with the best selling into the nineties, topping at £99 from MP&CE Buckley, Staveley, with others selling at £89 from Wannop Farms, Heaton-with-Oxcliffe. Medium type Mules regularly sold to the £70-£75 mark, with leaner types selling over the £60 mark. Hill ewes sold to £89 for a pen of Cheviot ewes from NP&CE Buckley, Staveley, with Roughs selling to £82 from EJ Hodgson & Son, Lambrigg. Sam Whitehead’s, Middleton runs of Gritstone ewes sold to a top of £70. More Swaledale ewes were forward this week, with buyers showing more interest, topping at £74 from F&SA Edmondson, Ulverston, medium fit types regularly sold to £55-£60 mark.