Monday 26th March
Spring Lambs
The first sale of the season of Spring Lambs set off to a bouncing trade. There was plenty of interest from buyers with seven active buyers ringside and buyers going away still requiring more lambs.
The pre-sale show was judged by Steven Seddon of Lakes and Dales, who we thank for his time and expertise. The Championship rosette was awarded to JD & V Towers of Camp House of Farleton, for a Beltex x lamb weighing 45kg selling for £189 or 420p/kg, bought by the judge, Steven Seddon, on behalf of Nigel Wilkinson Quality Meats Specialist of Blackpool. The Reserve Champion was awarded to a 49kg Suffolk from TA Blair of Thornfleet selling for £169, again bought by the judge on behalf of Nigel Wilkinson Quality Meats Specialist. This was closely followed by Beltex x lambs from JD & V Towers weighing 41kg selling to £163 purchased by Halton Village Butchers. Also selling in excess of the £150 mark was a 44kg Suffolk from TA Blair selling to £157 purchased by Gregory Williams Butcher of Lancaster. Texels achieved £157 from W Bradley of Goosnargh weighing 44kg purchased by Michael Lomax of Milnthorpe. The entry of 30 spring lambs sold to an overall market average 327p/kg with SQQ average of 338p/kg with all forward selling to an average of £132.73.
Prime Hoggs
A larger entry of 481 Prime Hoggs in the market this week sold to a continued strong trade averaging 220p/kg. There was a mixed entry of hoggs with well-finished hoggs in strong demand and very easily sold. Topping the trade was 45kg Texel hoggs selling to 282p/kg or £127 from George Sanderson and Family of Catforth. This was closely followed by 277p/kg for Beltex cross hoggs from J Smith of Daisy Bank. Heavy weight Texel hoggs twice sold to £126 from Andrew Butler of Hambleton and DM Cardwell of Stalmine with plenty of heavy weight, well-fleshed hoggs sold around the £120.
Numerous pens of well-fleshed hoggs weighing in the mid-forties sold in excess of the one hundred mark regularly.
Cast Sheep
There was a smaller entry of cast sheep today, but selling to a continued good trade in which more easily could have been sold. The trade topped at £104 from S Wilson and Son of Scotforth for Suffolk ewes. Horned ewes sold to a top of £101 from JC Fawcett and Son of Barnacre with Mule ewes selling to £97 from George Hargreaves of Scotforth.
Breeding Sheep
There was a larger entry of sheep with lambs at foot today, with more interest ringside from buyers. Continental and Suffolk ewes with twins easily sold in excess of £200 topping at £238 for broken mouthed Continental ewes and lambs from JA Heap and Son of Barnacre. Suffolk ewes with twin lambs sold to £210 from James Burr of Quernmore with Mule ewes and twins selling to £180 from the same home.
Sale as normal Monday 2nd April with 30 Mule ewes and Lambs entered for the sale at 11am.