Spring Lambs
A stronger trade than anticipated for Spring Lambs at Lancaster with an overall market average of 248p/kg and an SQQ of 252p/kg. There was plenty of demand for Spring Lambs in which more could have been sold to the advantage of vendors. Topping the market this week was the consignment from D & K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe selling Texel lambs to £128, £122 twice, £121 and £117 with this consignment topping at 303p/kg.
This week’s top pence per kilogram was 310p/kg for a shapely Texel lamb from T & S Blades, Arkholme selling to £124 with others from this home selling to £117. This was followed by 298p/kg or £122 from James Burr, Quernmore for Texel lambs. EM Cooper, Thornton Cleveleys sold to £119 for their consignment of Texel lambs. Suffolk lambs sold to £117 from WM Pye, Ashton with Stodday. All spring lambs forward averaged £105.15
Prime Hoggs
The weekly sale of Prime Hoggs at Lancaster saw a reduced entry, as to be expected this time of year. There was a sharper trade for all classes of hoggs today with handy weight hogs in the strongest demand and best to sell. There was an overall market average of 174p/kg, an SQQ average of 201p/kg with hoggs weighing between 39kg and 45kg averaging 206p/kg.
It was Texels that dominated the top prices today with the trade topped by AT Alcock, Inskip selling heavy weight Texels to £105. This was closely followed by AG Butler, Hambleton selling heavy weight Texels to £105. This was closely followed by AG Butler selling Texels to £101 with RM Gornall, Forton and A Birchall, Dolpinholme both achieving £100. Plenty more pens of Texels sold in the mid to lake nineties. Cheviot hoggs peaked at £97 today from J & H Davis, Cabus who sold others to £95. Charollais hoggs from BD Wood, Out Rawcliffe sold to £93 or 211p/kg who sold others to £90 along with JA Lambert, Out Rawcliffe.
Top pence per kilo today was achieved by AG Butler selling a pair of 42kg Texels to 233p/kg. This was followed RM Gornall selling 44kg Texels to 227p/kg.
Cast Sheep
There was an increase in cast ewes forward this week which sold to a sharper trade than the previous week with buyers showing a lot more interest. Leading the trade today was CM & CA Jackson, Caton selling a Texel to £123. WM Pye, Ashton with Stodday sold Continentals to £90 with Suffolks to £87 from JR & J Webster, Halsall. Mule ewes were in demand today selling to £79 twice from PM & ST Entwistle, Abbeystead with other Mules selling to £76 from T & ME Longton & Son, Quernmore, £74 twice from CM & CA Jackson and £72 from T Ayrton & Sons, Over Wyresdale. All Mule ewes forward averaged £75.23. Swaledale ewes this week peaked at £68 from PM & ST Entwistle with others selling in the early sixties.
A couple of cast tups on offer today saw Texels sell to £114 from JR & J Gorst, Quernmore.
More cast sheep are required each week to fulfil buyer demand.