PRIME HOGGS

1100 prime hoggs were forward, selling to a nice trade throughout, with an overall average of 268p/kg achieved. Heavier hoggs were a sharper trade than first expected, with Beltexs to £164 from T Ellis, Kendal. A pen of sixteen Suffolks from L McCarrick, Chorley sold to £158 who also sold Texels to the same price. Charollais sold to £150 from JG&PH Thompson & Sons, Selside. Heavy Continental lambs full of meat were regularly £130 to £140. A sharp trade was seen for all export type hoggs, with these regularly 275p/kg to 285p/kg. Pens of 44kg Texels sold to £132 from GM&A Jackson, Little Eccleston. Hill bred lambs saw pens of Cheviots to £148 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston with Cheviot Mules to £137 from AA Bentham, Dent. Other pens of Cheviot Mules sold to £135 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston. Mules sold to £134 from TE JS & SA Carruthers, Underbarrow with ring full to £122 form EW&JR Parkinson, Clitheroe. Mule hoggs were regularly 250p/kg to 255p/kg. A strong trade was seen for light weight meated hoggs. Texels at 37kg sold at £112 from TE&J Wadsworth, Sedgwick. A ring full of Cheviots at 38kg sold to £109.50 and 38kg Swaledale hoggs sold to £94.50 from TA&JA Dixon, Selside.

CAST SHEEP

627 cull ewes forward sold to another competitive trade, with buyers keen to secure all classes and types. Heavy well bred ewes sold to £164 for a Texel from W Garnett & Son, Milnthorpe with other Continentals achieving £160 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston. Mediums pure bred ewes were generally £120 to £135. First cross ewes sold to £128 for Texel cross from EJ Hodgson & Son, Lambrigg with others £124 from TH&D Cornthwaite & Sons, Cartmel Fell. Others were generally £110 to £120, with mediums £90 to £105. Cheviot Mule sold to £132 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston with others at £114 from MA&M Richards, Kirkby in Furness. North Country Mules sold to £109 from Strickland Hill Farming, Witherslack and £108 from TW Wilson, Flookburgh and W Garnett & Son, Milnthorpe. Other heavy Mules were generally £95 to £105, with the best mediums £88 to £94 and the smaller end £75 to £85.
Pure hill ewes sold to £106 for Cheviots from S Thompson, Flookburgh with Rough Fells achieving £100 from WJ Dawson, Sedbergh and Gritstone £98 from FW Park, Windermere. A large number of medium hill ewes were forward with Herdwicks to £60 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston and Swaledales to £62 from J Taylor, Kendal. Others were regularly £50 to £55, mediums £40 to £50 with only the smallest and leanest less.
A large number of cull rams were forward, being predominately leaner Continental sorts. Texels sold to £132 from S Thompson, Flookburgh and Messrs Young, Lindale. Others were generally £100 to £115, with the next draw £85 to £100.

PIGS

The opening sale of pigs saw 162 forward with a total clearance achieved and vendors leaving well suited with prices. Todays sale saw new customers in attendance from throughout the Northern counties and Scotland. Prime pigs sold to a top price of £172 for a trio of Large White cross hogs from JM Navesey, Darwen with £176 achieved for prime gilts from M Sharpe, Aspatria and Pie Train cross boars from D Nicholson, Cockermouth. Other well finished gilts and hogs were regularly £130 to £150, with lighter weights £100 to £125. 180p/kg topped todays sale for Pie Trian cross gilts from M Sharpe, Aspatria with others at £182 from R Ellison, Ulverston. Cull sows sold to £180 and 72p/kg for a Large Whites from W Stamper, Chipping.
The largest entry of store and weaners was seen for several sales, a top price of £63 was achieved for Saddleback cross gilts from A Alston, Brechin who sold others at £55 and £50. Weaners sold to £56 for Pie Train cross gilt from MJ Postlethwaite, Cockermouth who sold others at £48 and £46. Other well bred weaners and stores were regularly £45 to £50, with the smallest £15 to £25.