PIGS

An increased entry of 129 prime and store pigs forward today, seeing trade marginally easier than previous sales. The sale topped at £280 for a pair of prime hogs from JM Navesey, Darwen, with Wendy Stampers pair of gilts next in line reaching £265. Stronger better finished pigs regularly breaking the £200 barrier. Large show of cull sows was forward, these topping at £100. Store pigs topped at £85 for a pen of 6 and weaners reached £70 for pen of 5.

PRIME LAMBS

A few less lambs were forward with the ongoing breeding sheep sales, with once again all buyers wanting meated / fed lambs and these a pleasure to sell. A super pen of heavy Texel lambs from IM Jaeban, Isel sold to a top of £192 with others selling to £189 from the same home. Pens of Suffolks sold to £170 from J&R Waller, Killington with others at £168 from S Coward, Allithwaite. Heavy bred lambs were regularly £140 plus. Best bred lambs saw Texels to 348p/kg from J&R Waller, Killington with Beltex to 340p/kg from M&RW Stirzaker, Milnthorpe. The best bred lambs were regularly 325p/kg to 330p/kg with nice bred commercial sort 290p/kg to 300p/kg. More Mules on the market now with a ring full to £130 from Drinkall Bros, Lancaster with other pens to £129 from R Capstick & Son, Ingleton.

CAST EWES

Numbers rising week on week with several additional grazing orders now ringside and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Just a handful of the very strongest ewes forward selling to a top of £224 for a Texel from J Stott Jnr, Crosscrake with other pure and pedigree regularly £180-£210. Best first cross ewes sold to £178 for a Texel x with other stronger end £150-£165, mediums £125-£140 with keenest interest in grazing types £98-£115. Mules saw a top of £180 for Cheviot Mules with medium cheviot mules £120-£140, with North Country Mules £120-£135 with mediums £90-£108 and light weight mules £75-88. Pure hill ewes sold to £126 for Cheviots, with other stronger end £105-£120. Medium hill ewes selling to £88 for Scotch Blackface, £78 for Rough Fell, £68 for Swaledales. Smaller hill ewes £55-£65 with the very smallest and leanest generally £30-£45. Consignment of goats sold to top price of £100. Cull rams sold a top price of £200 for a Texel from IM Jaeban.