Spring Lambs

There was the largest entry of spring lambs this season which saw 327 forward for the sale. Once again, buyers looking for good quality types of spring lambs with these selling to a premium. The market topped today at £118 or 288p/kg for Beltexs from S Wilson & Son, Scotforth purchased by Gregory Williams Butchers, Lancaster. Texels sold to a top of £114 from S Blades, Arkholme with others from the same home selling to £110. Texels from WM Pye, Ashton-with-Stodday sold to £112 and £108. S Wilson & Son’s consignment of Texels sold to £112 and £107 with A & E Clarkson, Thurnham selling to £108 and £106. Suffolks sold to a top of £109 from DJ Casson & Son, Slyne and £107 from WJ & L Barker, Arkholme. Texels sold to 262p/kg from S Blades, Arkholme with other Texels selling to 260p/kg from WM Pye. Other Texels sold to 259p/kg and 257p/kg from A & E Clarkson. There was an overall market average of 235p/kg, with pure and three quarter bred lambs averaging 255p/kg.

Prime Hoggs

There was a larger entry of hoggs on the market this week selling to a sharper trade, with an overall market average of 187p/kg and an SQQ of 195p/kg. Topping the market today at £107 was Texel hoggs from T & E Burrow, Slyne with Beltex hoggs selling to £105 from Cardwell Farm who sold other Beltex hoggs to £103. AG Butler, Hambleton sold Texel hoggs to £104 twice and also to £100. GR Newsham, Galgate sold heavy weight Texel hoggs to £103. Hill bred hoggs saw Cheviots sell to £92 from Cardwell Farms, with other Cheviots selling to £91.50 from AG Butler and others to £91 from J & H Davis, Cabus. Mules topped at £91 from A & L Huddleston, Wray. Horned hoggs topped at £85 and £82 with Herdwicks selling to £83 from AG Butler.

Cast Sheep

A smaller entry of cast sheep forward this week saw the trade remain strong. Topping the market today was PD Anderton, Scorton selling Texel x tups to £132 and £123. Ewes topped at £108 for Texel xs from DJ Hay, Cockerham with others selling to £98 from PD Anderton and £91 from D Hodgson, Lancaster. Beltex ewes sold to £91 from Mrs R Standham, Daisy Bank. Mule ewes topped at £80 from S Blades, Arkholme. Swaledale tups topped at £80 from KM & KJ Curwen, Abbeystead. Dalesbred ewes sold to a top of £61 from DJ Hay, who sold Swaledales to £55.

Sheep with Lambs at Foot

Lancaster held it’s annual Hogg with Lambs at Foot show and sale today where there was largest entry seen for some time. They were met by a strong trade considering other market reports and the uncertainty within the sheep industry at the moment. There was as strong line up of sheep out for the pre-sale show with the most presented to our judge for some time. Thanks go to our Judge Mr Joe Townley for his time and expertise and to our sponsor Natural Stockcare Ltd. The championship rosette was awarded to the first prize pen of Mules from W & A Cornall, Barnacre which went onto sell for £175 with the reserve championship being awarded to first prize pen of Continentals from Myerscough College selling for £165. Continental lambs sold to a top of £168 twice from B & SE Carter, Ellel and G Hargreaves, Scotforth. Other noted prices for pens of Mules were £162 from W & A Cornall and £160 from Ivan Slater, Claughton-on-Brock. There was 100% clearance today with vendors leaving satisfied with their trade on the year.

The weekly sale of ewes with lambs at foot saw the trade top at £180 from Mule Shearlings with twin Texel lambs from W Pinder Jnr, Newton-in-Bowland and DJ Hay, Cockerham. Continental ewes with twins topped at £170 from G Hargreaves, Scotforth.