Breeding Sheep
The weekly sale of sheep with lambs at foot at j36 saw another good entry forward of 634 forward today. Once again young quality replacement breeding sheep in big demand at J36. Leading the way was a run of fully vaccinated Mule gimmer Shearlings from Libby Winspear, Hawes suckling Texel twins sold to £315, and £310 twice. This was closely followed by G & KM Atkinson, Colby selling to £300 twice with fully vaccinated Mule gimmer shearlings with Texel twins at foot. Aged continental ewes with Texel twin lambs sold to a top of £300 from A Barnes, Heversham. This was followed by aged Continental ewes with Texel twins from MB Flatman & Son, Over Wyresdale selling to £275 and £250. Mule ewes with twin Texel lambs sold to £235 from B & D Willison & Son, Levens with strong mule ewes and twin lambs at foot selling in excess of £220 but buyers slightly more selective today. The trade for sheep with single lambs was very strong today. Texel shearlings with single lambs peaked at £230 from JG & RM Hall, Keld followed by aged continental ewes and strong singles to £220 from A Barnes, Heversham. Suffolk cross ewes with single continental lambs sold to £220 from S & W Dickinson, Tebay. Texdale aged ewes with smart Texel lambs sold to £200 and £185 from HM Hodgson, New Hutton.
Entries now invited please for next weeks sale.

Spring Lambs
There was a larger entry of spring lambs forward today met with much more interest and demand from the buyers as all spring lambs forward today averaged £141.50 a head today. Taking top spot with there first consignment of the year was AE Atkinson & Son, Endmoor selling Beltex lambs to £158 purchased by Plumgarths Farm Shop with the consignment averaging £149. A run of Suffolk lambs from WN & D Smith, Cockerham sold to £157, £156 with the consignment of fifteen Suffolk lambs averaging £150. Suffolk lambs from W Garnett & Son, Milnthorpe sold to a top of £153 as Dorsets peaked at £146 from HR & KA Hodgson, Barbon.
More companies are expressing an interest in Spring Lambs and more are now required each week.

Prime Hoggs
A larger entry of over 800 prime hoggs were forward today which sold to an increased trade today with an SQQ average of 264p/kg and handy weights averaging 275p/kg. Handy weight hoggs were in plenty of demand with well finished hoggs regularly selling in excess of 200p/kg mark. Heavy hoggs were a sharper trade today with Texels selling to £160 from R&E Ladds, Kendal with others to £150 from the same home. Texels from PD&P Mason, Burton in Kendal sold to £156, heavy weight Cheviots peaked at £160 from GM Metcalfe, Underbarrow with plenty more hoggs selling around the £140 mark. Handy weights saw Beltex sell to £150 or 333p/kg from GM&A Jackson, Little Eccleston. Mule hoggs peaked at £129 from J Smith, Brookhouse with plenty of well finished Mule hoggs selling in the £120’s. Horned hoggs saw Dalesbreds sell to £126 from R Capstick & Son, Ingleton and £125 from WI&A Atkinson & Son, Bleasedale. Swaledales peaked at £124 from EW&JR Parkinson, Dunsop Bridge. Scotch Black Face hoggs twice sold to £123 at 43kg from GM&A Jackson, Little Eccleston. Herdwick hoggs peaked at £123 at 46kg from D Thompson, Broughton in Furness with 44kg Herdwicks from the same home selling to £121.50.

Cast Sheep

Another good entry of 541 ewes were forward at J36 Rural Auction Centre with the trade going from strength to strength, pure bred Texel ewes led the way selling to £208 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston with others to £196 from MD Shuttleworth, Barbon. The best Texel ewes were selling at £175-£200. Leicester ewes sold to a top of £188 from WM&JE Shuttleworth. The Mule ewe trade hit another gear with the best selling to £149 from L Atkinson, New Hutton others sold to £148 from J Woodburn & Partners. A full ring full of Masham ewes from Gibson & Berry, Endmoor sold to £146 with Cheviot Mule ewes selling to £144 from CI Briggs, High Wray. Hill bred ewes saw a keen interest from all buyers with pure Cheviots selling to £142 from TH&DM Cornthwaite & Son, Cartmel Fell. Swaledale ewes topped at £122 from TLB&J Knowles, Selside with the best selling well over the £100 mark. Dalesbred ewes sold to £119 from WI&AM Atkinson & Son, Bleasedale. Rough Fells sold to £113 from CP Bateman, Docker. All cast rams continue to be a fast trade with Leicester selling to £192 from R Harker & Son, Grayrigg with Suffolks selling to £188 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston.