PIGS 

Prime Pigs flying at NWA J36
Prime pigs sold to another flying trade topping at £252 for a pair of Pietrain x Saddleback hogs from PK&R Woof, Stainton who sold gilts at £205. J Stott Jnr, Kendal sold the best of his gilts at £242. Pietrain gilts from T Hornsby, Silloth sold at £240, who also sold boars at £210. Top pence per kilo this sale was 255p/kg achieved by J Stott with others regularly 210p/kg-250p/kg.
Stores sold to £78 for Large White x from A&E Clarkson, Cockerham with weaners from SP Phoenix achieving £54.
More prime pigs are needed to satisfy our ten regular buyers.

SPRING LAMBS

A super pen of spring lambs from WA&LM Jenkinson, Stalmine saw Texel x lambs sell to £150 with others at £140 on two occasions. Handy weighted lambs sold to 359p/kg with a market average of 352p/kg. we have butchers orders each week for spring lambs.

CAST SHEEP

Cull sheep stepped up a gear today with all classes and types in big demand and all sold averaging £101. Heavy ewes were in serious demand and a real shortage of them today, those forward selling to £242 and £230 for Suffolks from AR Edmondson, Ulverston. Texel sold to £194 from WA&LA Jenkinson, Stalmine with others generally £170-£190. First cross ewes sold to £176 for Suffolks x from LF Horton & Son, Leigh and Texel x to £168 from R&E Ladds, Kendal. The best heavy Mules £130-£145 topping at £148 from WT Whittaker & Son, Nether Kellet. Hill bred ewes sold to £130 for Rough Fells from E&K Bland, Tebay, Cheviots to £128 from S Thompson, Flookburgh, Swaledales £119 from AR Edmondson, Ulverston and Herdwicks £82 from CS Long, Backbarrow. Medium ewes of all breeds generally £85-£105 with the leanest £65-£80.
A larger number of cull rams forward, being mainly hill breeds with Rough Fells selling to £160, Cheviots £124 and Swaledales £116. Lowland tups sold to £188 for Suffolks.

SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT

The sheep and lamb trade improves week on week but with the dreadful weather some potential buyers are holding off for the grass to grow. J&M Wilson, Selside has a good day selling Texel one crop ewes with twin Texel lambs to £300. Strong Texel ewes with twin lambs were regularly selling at the £240-£260 mark. Aged Mule ewes with Texel twins topped at £200 from M Moorhouse, Field Broughton. More shearlings were on offer today, with a busier ring side of buyers forward today looking for younger outfits. Home bred Texel shearlings from J&M Wilson, Selside with Texel twin lambs sold to £300, with Scotch Mule shearlings from G&ID Postlethwaite, Howgill selling to a top of £215. A run of pure Beltex ewes with Blue Texel lambs from J Bailey, Leyburn saw singles sell to £225 and £200. Please note next weeks sale includes the annual show and sale of ewes and shearlings. We have 200 outfits already pre entered.

PRIME HOGGS

The hogg trade keeps improving week on week, with heavy weights taking the biggest jump on the week. Top price of £182 was achieved twice for Texels from WG&D Wilkinson, Torver and AW Crowe, Witherslack. Super heavy Continental hoggs were regularly selling at the £175-£180 mark. Suffolk hoggs sold to a top of £165 from AG Butler, Hambleton. Heavy Mule hoggs sold to £154 from K Hartley, Winster. More hill bred hoggs were in offer today with Cheviots selling to a top of £153 from Stockdale Farms and Scotch Black Faces to £131 from M&YS Barker, Halton. Meated light hoggs were in super demand with 38kg Texel hoggs selling to £123 from D&J Woof, Down Biggin. A ring full of scotch hoggs sold to £103 from T Williamson, Askham in Furness. All types of hoggs are required for our busy ring side of buyers.