Spring Lambs
The weekly sale of Spring Lambs had an entry of 761 selling to an improved market average of 222p/kg. This week’s market was topped at £117 by 47kg Texel lambs from WJ & L Barker, Arkholme. This was followed by £110 twice achieved by Exors of DM Cardwell, Stalmine with Texel and Beltex lambs. Closely behind this at £108 was Texel lambs from CD & HL Mason, with other Texel lambs to £106 from JT & B Fox, Quernmore. Selling to £105 was Suffolk lambs from M & P Gardner, Nateby with Texel lambs from RH & C Ayrton, Abbeystead and A & E Clarkson, Thurnham also achieving £105. There numerous more pens selling in excess of the £100 mark with the majority of lambs forward today selling in the mid-nineties.
Top pence per kilo today was 275p/kg for Beltex from Exors of DM Cardwell purchased by Gregory Williams Butchers, Lancaster. This was closely followed by Beltex lambs to 263p/kg from P & S Robinson, Claughton on Brock and 259p/kg from Ian Richardson, Catforth. Many more pens of conformation lambs sold around the 250p/kg mark.
There was a larger number of Mule lambs forward this week that saw 41kg lambs sell to £88 from JS & S Atkinson, Scorton closely followed by others at the same weight to £87.50 from T Ayrton & Sons, Over Wyresdale. Light weight lambs continue to be in strong demand with 37kg Mules selling to £83 from B & SE Carter, Ellel.
Prime Hoggs
A handful of Prime Hoggs forward today sold to £80 or 190p/kg for Cheviots from P & S Robinson, Claughton on Brock.
Cast Sheep
There were fewer cast sheep forward this week but still over a hundred on the market. Beltex ewes sold to £109 from A Fare, Blackpool with others from the same home selling to £99. Texel tups sold to £100 from P & AJ Whitaker, Quernmore with plenty of ewes selling in the eighties and nineties today. Leicester sheep sold to a top of £86 from A & L Huddleston, Wray. Mule ewes peaked at £73 from AC & K Pye, Abbeystead. Horned sheep topped at £68 for Dalesbred from T & D Wright, Roeburndale with Swaledale ewes selling into the early fifties.