Spring Lambs

Lancaster had an increased entry of 1067 lambs that were met by strong demand from all buyers for all specification of lambs for the festival at the end of this week. There was an overall market average 221p/kg which is very strong considering that over 20% of the lambs forward were Mule and other hill breeds.

Best conformation lambs sold in excess of 260p/kg with nicely bred Continental lambs that were well finished regularly selling between 228p/kg and 244p/kg.

The market was topped by A & K Kiernan, St Michaels selling Beltex lambs to 295p/kg or £124 purchased by Gregory Williams Butchers, Lancaster. This was closely followed by other Beltex lambs from the same home selling to £123. Other notable Beltex prices of £116 from A & E Clarkson, Thurnham and £113 from T & L Kirkham, Eccleston. A consignment of heavy weigh Texel lambs from T & L Kirkham sold to £122 and £118 twice. Other noted Texel prices were £109 from WB Kellet, Winmarleigh with 17 more pens of Texels easily selling in excess of the £100 mark. Dutch Spotted lambs sold to £104 from KP Dagger, Catterall with Suffolk lambs selling to £100 from JS Horner, Ingleton and £99 from F & E Harrison, Wray.

Mule lambs this week topped at £94 for 45kg lambs from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale.

Prime Hoggs

All hoggs forward sold to a market average of £81.

Anyone with hoggs left are encouraged to forward them to J36 tomorrow to catch the festival trade.

Cast Sheep

Lancaster had a much-reduced entry of cast ewes forward selling to a continued strong trade with plenty of demand for the upcoming festival. Continental ewes sold to £98 and Suffolks to £89 from JS Horner, Ingleton. Mule ewes peaked at £83 from Bargh Contractors, Heaton with Oxcliffe and RW & FJ Rhodes & Son, Quernmore with other Mules to £81 from DM Eames, Abbeystead. Masham ewes sold to £77 from DC Miller, Claughton on Brock with plenty of Mule ewes easily selling in the early seventies. Horned sheep saw Dalesbred sell to £72 from DC Miller with Swaledale ewes peaking at £60 from T Ayrton & Sons, Over Wyresdale.

Breeding Sheep

Lancaster Auction hosted it’s opening sale of Breeding Sheep which was met by large demand and a buoyant trade throughout. The sale commenced with the breeding rams with a Suffolk 2 shear topping the market selling at £450 from G Riley, Bolton le Sands with Suffolk shearlings selling to £300 from RA & L Hodgson, Patton. Texel and Texel x shearling rams sold to £400 three times from S Mason, Kirkby Stephen.

There was over 500 ewes and shearlings forward that was plenty of demand as to be expected following from the good lamb trade throughout the summer and cast ewes remaining very buoyant. The market topped by S Rossall, Over Wyresdale selling 1 crop Charollais x Blue du Maine ewes to £190 and £175. Suffolk 1 crop ewes sold to £170 from P & S Alpe, Waddington. Texel ewes sold to £150 from J & MT Miller, Claughton on Brock and £145 twice from FI & ME Little, Barrows Green. Mule shearlings sold to £160, £155 and £150 from N Barker, Burton in Kendal with plenty more pens of Mule gimmer shearlings selling in the £140s. All Mule shearlings forward averaged £143. One crop Mule ewes twice sold to £135 from EI, EA & TW Wilson, Grange over Sands with others achieving the same price from M & YS Barker, Halton. All Mule ewes forward from 1 crop to full mouthed averaged £126.