PRIME HOGGS

A smaller entry of 955 prime hoggs were forward this week which sold to a stronger trade than expected with an overall market average of 267p/kg, to include a large proportion of upland bred lambs today. As per usual J36 had a strong trade for heavy weight lambs with the consignment from F&SA Edmondson, Ulverston leading the way once again with Suffolk lambs from this home selling to £155, £148 and £145. Heavy weight Texel lambs this week peaked at £144 from MW&M Hodgson, Cartmel Fell. Other Texel lambs sold to £142 from TA Teasdale, Newton in Cartmel and TH&D Cornthwaite & Son, Cartmel Fell. Plenty more pens of heavy weight lambs easily sold into the late £130’s. Heavy weight Mule lambs sold to £134.50 from TE, JS, SA Carruthers, Underbarrow with two pens selling to £131 from F&SA Edmondson, Ulverston. Followed by £129 from EW&JR Parkinson, Clitheroe. Handy weighted Continental lambs were eagerly bid for with best Beltex types regularly selling in excess of the 300p/kg mark, peaking at 340p/kg from JG&PH Thompson, Selside. Plenty of commercial handy weighted lambs regularly selling into 280-290p/kg. Well fleshed light weight lambs continue to be in big demand.

CAST SHEEP

The opening cast sheep sale of 2022 saw a smaller show on offer with all types selling to a fast trade to set the tone for the year. A run of pure bred Texel ewes from R&E Ladds, Kendal sold to an impressive top of £228, with others from the same home selling to £182. The best Texel ewes regularly sold above the £150 mark, with the next level down selling between the £120-£130 mark. Beltex ewes sold to £150 from W Garnett & Son, Milnthorpe with Suffolks selling to £141 from RHM&S Boyren, Colton. Mule ewes stepped up a gear with a delightful ewe from RA Batty, Selside selling to £142, with the best Mule ewes selling to the £120’s and the next level down selling either side of the £100 mark. Hill ewes saw some good returns with Rough Fells selling to £109 from WJ Dawson, Sedbergh and a full pen of Swaledale ewes from R&EA Gardner, Brigsteer selling to £83 with the best Swaledale ewes selling towards the £80 mark.
Another good entry of over 50 cast rams were forward, with all types selling to a strong trade at Junction 36. Texel saw a top of £160 from R Colbear, Appleby. Charollais sold to £158 from GA Metcalfe, Kirby Stephen. Hill bred rams saw a top of £129 for a Rough Fell from NW&EM Mason & Son, Middleton.