Spring Lambs

There was just a handful of spring lambs in the market, but more could have easily been sold and to the advantage of the vendor. The trade topped at £156 for Suffolks weighing 41kg from E Needham of Stainton with lambs from the same home selling to 408p/kg, weighing 38kg. All spring lambs forward averaged 367p/kg.

Prime Hoggs

There was the dearest trade for hoggs seen yet this year at Lancaster with all classes very eagerly bid for. Hoggs weighing 39-45kg sold to a market average of 280p/kg with an overall market average of 269p/kg with best hoggs selling over 300p/kg. Andrew Butler of Hambleton sold Texel hoggs to 311p/kg, 309p/kg and 305p/kg whose full consignments, consisting of mainly Mules, averaged 276p/kg. Heavy weight hoggs were regularly selling £150 plus topping at £158 for 54kg Charollais from Andrew Butler, this was closely followed by BD Wood of Out Rawcliffe selling to £157. Texels sold to a top of £155 from K & DE Woodhouse of Ellel, closely followed by £154 from WN & D Smith and Sons of Cockerhouse. Horned hoggs topped at £150 from Andrew Butler with Mule hoggs from the same home selling to £135.

Hoggs required each week with a busy ring of active buyers looking for all specifications.

Cast Sheep

Great to have over 100 cast ewes at Lancaster today, selling to the best trade seen this year. Topping the sale was a Beltex tup from PD Anderton of Scorton selling to £138 closely followed by a Cheviot tup from KM & KJ Curwen of Abbeystead selling to £128. Ewes sold to a top of £128 for Charollias from WG & RG Riley of Chorley closely followed by Suffolks to £127 from WN & D Smith and Sons of Cockerham and £125 from G & N Ball of Great Eccleston. There was plenty of ewes selling around £120 mark. Mule ewes topped at £117 and £116 from WN & D Smith with others to £116 from FW Rhodes and Son of Ellel. Plenty heavy weight fit Mule ewes sold to £110 plus and all Mules forward averaged £102. Horned ewes topped at £82 for Swaledales from S Park of Aughton. All cast ewes in the market averaged £93.

Breeding Sheep

More ewes and lambs on offer this week with more interest ringside with a bit of sunshine this morning and the feeling that spring is just around the corner. Texel shearlings with singles sold to £180 a family or £90 a life from John Young of Lindale. Topping the trade at £215 was aged Continental ewes with Texel twins from WW Hunter and Sons of Cockerham and others to £195. Broken mouthed Mashams with Texel twins sold to £185 with broken mouthed Mules to £180 all from D & K Swabrick of Out Rawcliffe. All ewes and lambs forward today sold to a market average of £62 a life.

Next sale of Sheep with lambs at foot at Lancaster Monday 16th April at 11am the sale will include the annual show for Shearling with Twin Lambs at Foot. Please advise the office of entries.