Prime Lambs
It was the Monday before Christmas and all through the mart, a sharper trade was seen much to vendors delight. The entry forward may have been smaller but the trade and market average was certainty higher with an average of 278p/kg attained. The top price today was achieved not once or twice but an incredible four times, firstly by our own Christmas shepherd Andrew Butler, Hambleton who sold 50kg Texels to £156 and 54kg Texels achieving the same. Also achieving the £156 mark was 53kg Texel lambs from R&DL Cornthwaite, Nateby and final at £156 was a pen of 46kg Texel lambs which sold to the top pence per kilo of the day of 340p/kg from J&R Waller, Killington. Plenty more pens of lambs sold into the £140’s, it was great today to have numerous pens of good quality lambs selling in excess of the 300p/kg mark. As to be expected for the time of year, more upland lambs were on the market, topping with 56kg Cheviots at £143 from P Prickett, Hutton Roof, this was followed by Mules peaking at £135 weighing 52kg from WI&A Atkinson & Son, Bleasdale. Many pens of Mule lambs oftener sold over the £120 mark. Horned lambs peaked at £119 for 47kg Dalesbreds from S&J France, Over Wyresdale with Swaledales to £105.50 at 42kg from KM&KJ Curwen, Abbeystead.
Lancaster wise men of buyers will all be in attendance next Monday, wanting to fill their sleighs with lambs from thee.
Cast Sheep
The time of year has come for more cast sheep to come forward, with a market average today of £104.60. Top spot today was £142 for a Texel ewe from J&H Huddleston, Annasghy. Next call was £141 from TM Townley, Over Wyresdale with a big Dorset ewe. Plenty of Continental ewes oftener sold in the £130’s. Mule ewes today peaked at £115 from TM Townley, Over Wyresdale with others to £113 from CF Hargreaves, Overton. Many of pens selling easily over the £100 mark. Horned ewes today sold to £78 for Dalesbreds from FK&F Woodhouse, Scorton with others to £74 from WI&A Atkinson & Son, Bleasedale. Cast tups sold to a top of £130 for Texels from R&DL Cornthwaite, Nateby, followed by Leicester to £126 from AC&K Pye, Abbeystead.
Store Lambs
Just a handful of store lambs forward this morning saw Texels sell to £97 from MP Hall, Dolphinholme with two pens from JM Kelsall & Sons, Quernmore selling to £91. All store lambs forward averaged £92.