PRIME LAMBS

As seen nationally lamb numbers are a little less with 900 forward. Once again heavy and well meated lambs attracted the keenest interest from our ringside of eleven active buyers, who showed caution to under finished lambs. A wonderful run of heavy lambs from DE&SM Moorhouse, Natland hit the headlines at Junction 36 today, with Texels selling to £159 for a pen of five with other pens from this home selling to £153. Suffolks sold to £152 from MW&M Hodgson, Cartmel Fell. Beltex saw a top of £151 from Messrs Halpin, Barrow in Furness. Many pens of well finished heavy lambs regularly sold at £135 to £145. Medium lambs saw pens of 44kg Texels from TMW&H Hodgson, Ulverston sell to £135. Once again more light lambs on offer, with these needing to be full of meat to achieve maximum prices. A full ring of first cross Texel lambs at 36kg sold to £102 from Hornby Hall, Penrith. More Mule lambs on offer today with the best sell to £124 for 46kg from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale with other pens selling to £113 from R Laurence, Grange Over Sands. All lambs forward averaged £115.81.

CAST SHEEP

Increasing number forward saw 516 today, with buyer ring side with orders to fill ensuring all sheep sold to full value. Ewes sold to £156 for a Charollais x ewe from S Mawson & Son, Orton closely followed by PK&R Woof, Stainton selling Texels at £154. Other heavy Continental x ewes regularly selling at £130 to £145. Mule sold to £128 from Drinkall Bros, Abbeystead with others at £122 from WR Clarke & Partners, Carnforth and ST&SE Allen, Tebay. Medium Continental and Mule ewes were nicely £105 to £125, with several buyer ring side now looking for grazing ewes. Hill ewes sold to £109 for Cheviots from HR&KA Hodgson, Barbon with Rough Fells achieving £105 from D Johnson, Catmel Fell and Swaledales £98 from Drinkall Bros, Abbeystead. Buyer requiring ewes to be fit not fat and perhaps showing slight caution towards unclipped ewes.
Cull rams sold to £180 for a Charollais from S Mawson & Son, Orton who sold Texels at £160. An entry of predominately medium rams sold at £115 to £130. 500 plus ewes are required every week to satisfy buyers demand.