BREEDING SHEEP
The early season sale of breeding sheep saw a large crowd of local and travelled buyers in attendance, all keen to secure stock. The sale commenced with breeding rams which saw a top price of £400 for a Suffolk shearlings from RA&L Hodgson, Patton. Breeding ewes sold to a top price of £190 for a pen full of one crop North Country Mules from M&YS Barker, Halton who sold others at £182 and two crops to £175. Mixed two and three crop Mule ewes from JB&AH Coates, Cowin Bridge sold to £168, with full mouthed correct Mules from S Proctor, Selside to £152. Texel cross 2 to 3 crop ewes sold to £222 from JB&AH Coates, Cowin Bridge, with other two crops to £200 and £219 from M&YS Barker, Halton. Other cross bred ewes were generally £160 to £180.
Several consignments of shearlings were forward from regularly vendors, with buyers keen to secure replacement stock to keep the flocks young. A consignment of North Country Mules from DJ Casson & Son, Slyne sold to £232 with other from this consignment to £225. Other Mule shearlings saw a pen sell to £200 from R Falshaw & Son, Gisburn and £190 from H&B Wharton, Penrith. Cheviot Mule shearlings sold to £225 from J Stott Jnr, Crosscrake with others at £215 and £208. The next sale of breeding sheep is on Saturday 24th August, being the annual price show and sale of breeding ewes and gimmer shearlings.
STORE LAMBS - STORE LAMBS SELL TO £130.
A competitive ring side of buyers saw all classes and types of store lambs sort after, with 1618 lambs selling to a market average of £99.85. The strongest store lambs were regularly selling at £115 to £122, with a top price of £130 achieved on two occasions for a pen full of Texel cross from RI Dixon, Low Newton and Cheviot cross from HE&MJ Henderson, Dent. Medium keep Continental lambs were regularly £105 to £112, with a top price of £114 achieved for a pen full of Texel cross from DC D & JD Tayor, Skelsmergh. Suffolk lambs sold to £114.50 for a ring full from AT Threlkeld Ltd, Ulverston and H&JE Watson, Ulverston, with other at £110 from TGT&PJ Strickland, Helsington. Mules are now coming forward in greater numbers selling to £106 from H Cook, Witherslack with other at £103 from RI Dixon, Low Newton and £100 from Messrs Hodgson, Windermere. Longer keep lambs of all breeds were regularly £86 to £95, with buyers keen to secure level well draw batches of lambs.
Next sale is on Thursday 15th August, with a large entry required to fulfil local and travelled buyers requirements.