PIGS

The call for prime pigs was answered, with vendors well pleased with prices achieved and buyers grateful for the pigs being presented for sale. The sale topped at £235 for a Large White x gilt from W Stamper, Chipping who sold others at £225, £220 and £205. Other pigs to break the £200 barrier saw a pen full of Large Black x gilts from H Kent, Cockerham achieving £205 with P&L Murrey, Penrith selling a Large White x at £200. Other well bred well finished gilts and hogs were regularly £180 to £200. C Dean & LJ Brennand, Clapham topped the market with light weight hogs at 253p/kg, with others at 244p/kg and 238p/kg. Other well finished gilts and hogs were 195p/kg to 200p/kg, with lighter weights 170p/kg to 190p/kg. Cull sows sold to £155 and 73p/kg form R Jackson, Cockermouth with boars to £150 and 59p/kg form A Preston, Whitehaven. Store pigs sold to £85 for Large White x from SP Phoenix, Preston with Saddleback x boars selling to £66 from Belmont Farm, Crook. Weaners sold to £62 for GOS from Messrs Whitley, Summer Bridge with Large White x selling to £48 from M&C Greenwood, Middleton.

PRIME LAMBS

More lambs were forward with 1513 put before our ever increasing ring side of buyers, with all selling to a market averaged of 251p/kg. Heavy lambs were once again keenly bid for at Junction 36 with Texels selling to £159 from E Dodgson, Kendal with other pens to £150 from HR&KA Hodgson, Barbon. Super heavy lambs (50-55kg) were regularly selling at £130 to £140. Charollais lambs sold to £134 from RR&JA Knowles, Docker with Suffolks selling to £133 from DE&SM Moorhouse, Natland. Medium export lambs were keenly bid for with these regularly selling at 255p/kg to 260p/kg or £112 to £115 per head. Beltexs saw the best sell to £130 from WS Burrow, Silverdale. More hill lambs are coming forward with Cheviots selling to £120 from GM Metcalfe, Underbarrow who also sold Cheviot Mules to £117. Mule lambs sold to £116 from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale with other pens selling to £112.50 form WJ&I France, Chipping. More horned lambs are coming on offer with Swaledales selling to £94 from AW&AM Clarke, Windermere. No real super stars on offer today with the best pens selling to 284p/kg form LE&A Ridding, Selside with other pens selling to 280p/kg form WS Burrow, Silverdale.

CAST SHEEP

Another record number of ewes forward with 922 local farmer sheep this week. The sale topped at £236 for a Texel from H Geldard, Levens with others selling at £230 from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale. Other heavy Continental ewes were generally £120 to £135, with mediums £85 to £110 and leaner sorts £70 to £85 with several grazing orders ring side. Mules sold to £136 for Cheviot Mules from WB Kellet, Pilling with other Cheviot Mules at £119 from G Gu & D Swarbrick, Meathop. North County Mules sold to £99 from WB Kellet, Pilling with others at £95 from P&TL Edmondson Ltd, Kirkby in Furness and £94 from TH Garnett & Son, Stank with other pens of Mules generally £78 to £85. A large number of planer ewes were £60 to £75. Hill bred ewes sold to £100 for Cheviots from G GU & D Swarbrick, Meathop with Lleyns to £96 from JA&R Geldard & Sons, Levens, Rough Fells to £92 from J Hodgson, Askham, Swaledales to £86 from WJ&I France & Son, Chipping who also sold Gritstones at £84. Herdwicks to £76 from PW Clark, Crossthwaite. Goats sold to £72 from ME Guy, Grayrigg. A large purporting of todays sale comprised of leaner smaller hill bred ewes, with the better end £40 to £50, mediums £30 to £40 and the smallest at realisation.
Cull rams sold to £130 for Texels from TH Garnett & Son, Stank and W Garnett & Son, Milnthorpe with hill rams selling to £86 from WJ&I France & Sons, Chipping.