Spring Lambs
The weekly sale of Spring Lambs at Lancaster Auction Mart had an entry of 840 forward selling to an overall market average of 213p/kg. There was a shortage of better-quality butcher’s lambs today with some consignments of lambs lacking finish and showing signs of the dry weather and the shortage of quality grass. Many consignments of fed, better conformation lambs could easily sell in excess of the 220p/kg mark with the best runs of lambs selling between 230p/kg and 240p/kg, averaging in the region of £100 a head.
Leading the way this week was Beltex lambs from CD & HL Mason, Caton Green selling to £110 this was closely followed by the consignment from AG Butler, Hambleton selling 43kg Texels to £108 and £104. Texel lambs from Bargh Contractors, Heaton with Oxcliffe sold to £106. The consignment of Texel and Beltex lambs from RA Holmes, Inskip sold to £106 and £105. Shapely 41kg Texel lambs from PF Lee, Over Wyresdale sold to £101. Achieving the £100 mark with Texel lambs was H Birkett & Son, Overton, P Rossall, Claughton on Brock and GR & RA Surtees, Stodday. There were many more numerous pens selling in the late nineties.
Top pence per kilo this week was 253p/kg for Charollais lambs from Ripley St Thomas School. This was closely followed by 251p/kg from AG Butler, plenty more pens of better conformation lambs in 230p/kg and 240p/kg range.
There were more Mules coming on to the market today with these selling in excess of the 200p/kg mark.
Cast Sheep
There was a larger entry of cast ewes that saw 157 sell to a buoyant trade for the leaner type of ewes, as the buyers continue to be very cautious of fat sheep. Topping the market today was a consignment of Texel ewes from GR & RA Surtees selling to £119, £118, £113 and £111 with Texel tups from the same home selling to £103. Other notable prices for Texel ewes was £110 from JS Horner, Ingleton. Mule ewes peaked at £78 from T & ME Longton & Son, Quernmore with plenty of pens of Mule and Masham ewes selling in the seventies.
A large proportion of the sheep forward were horned sheep, with Dalesbred selling to a top of £70 from J & CW Metcalfe & Son, Quernmore. Plenty of pens of Swaledale ewes sold into the early fifties.