SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
The annual show and sale of ewes and shearlings with lambs at foot attracted a large number of local and travelled buyers, which ensured a fast trade from start to finish. The pre sale show was kindly sponsored by Greencoat Farm, Carrs Billington and City and Guilds, with the judging in the capable hands of Lewis and Luke McCarrick, Chorley, who awarded the results as followed:
FIVE MULE SHEARLINGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
1st G&KM Atkinson, Green Farm
FIVE CONTINENTAL SHEARLINGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
1st G&KM Atkinson, Green Farm
2nd CI Briggs, High Wray Farm
FIVE EWES WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
1st R T Colbear, Heights Farm
2nd G&KM Atkinson, Green Farm
3rd JC&E Pedley, Wood House Farm
Champion: G&KM Atkinson, Green Farm
Reserve Champion: G&KM Atkinson, Green Farm
An outstanding run of fully vaccinated shearlings and ewes from G&KM Atkinson, Colby stole the show with the champion pen of Mule shearling with twin Texel lambs selling to £360. Texel shearlings with twin Texel lambs from the same good home sold to £355, with a pen of ten Mule shearlings with Texel twin lambs selling to £335. Aged Texel ewes with twin lambs from M&S Leech, Flookburgh sold to £350 with Beltex ewes with Beltex cross lambs to £345 from JC&E Pedley & Sons, Kirkby Stephen. A ring full of aged Texel ewes with Beltex twin lambs from RT Colbear, Colby sold to £310 with others from the same home to £305. Mule shearlings with Texel lambs sold to £275 from TH Gibson & son, Staveley. Texel shearlings with single lambs selling to £255 from DW Parsons, Ackenthwaite. The first hoggs of the season saw a ring full from RC Wharton & Son, Appleby sell to a top of £240, with others from the same home to £215.
SPRING LAMBS
A small show of spring lambs saw light weights sell to £145 from P&C Parker, Preston.
PRIME HOGGS
A mixed show of hoggs forward which saw hard fed and well meated hoggs sell to a super trade, with leaner types a little harder to place and an overall averaged of 384p/kg achieved. The sale peaked at £252 for Texels from JB Airey, Kendal with pens of Beltexs to £246 from JA Airey, New Hutton. Suffolks sold to £245 from L McCarrick, Chorley. Heavy well finished hoggs were at the £220 to £240 mark. Best bred hoggs were keenly sort after, with 45kg Texel cross hoggs to £224 from AG Butler, Hambleton who sold other pens to £222. Mule hoggs sold to £214 from N Barker, Burton in Kendal with 46kg hoggs selling to £184 from AW&AM Clarke, Windermere. Cheviot hoggs sold to £185 from SH&LE Birkett, Nether Kellet who sold other pens to £182. Pens of Swaledales sold to £179 from AW&AM Clarke, Windermere with others to £170 from EW&JR Parkinson, Dunsop Bridge with a pen of 41kg Dalesbered hoggs to £153 from R Capstick & Son, Ingleton.
More hoggs are needed on a weekly basis to fulfil our active ring side of ten buyers requirements.
Please note it was noted from many buyers that they are now requiring hoggs to be either Farm Assured and VAN accredited.
CAST SHEEP
The weekly sale of cull ewes saw an overall average of £118 achieved, with a large proportion of the sale being leaner hill type ewes. The sale peaked at £210 for Suffolk ewes from MW&PA Rollason, Meathop with other heavier end ewes £175 to £200. Mules sold to a top of £174, with other heavy Mules regularly £155 to £165. Medium sized well meated ewes of all breeds were generally £120 to £140, with the smaller and leaner end £95 to £115.
Pure hill ewes sold to £154 for a Rough Fell from WJ Dawson, Sedbergh with Cheviots to £150 from TJ Winder, Tebay, Swaledales sold £128 WJ&LA Barker, Arkholme and Scotch Black Face £118 from G&ID Postlethwaite, Riddings. Medium hill ewes regularly £90 to £105, with the smallest and leanest sorts seeing a sharp rise generally £75 to £90, with only the very smallest less.
Cull rams sold to £218, with other stronger end £170 to £210. Leaner Continental rams were £130 to £150. Hill rams sold to £152 for Cheviots and £146 for Rough Fells.