Lancaster Prime Hoggs Average £116 a head.
Prime Hoggs
The Prime Hogg trade has improved once again, with Lancaster enjoying a strong trade with an SQQ average of 274p/kg. Handy weighted hoggs continue to be in strongest demand with best types racing beyond the £3 a kilogram mark today. A lack of catering outlets seeing heavy hoggs often selling to limited demand but still achieving a good trade between £120 and £130.
The consignment from Andrew Butler took top spot selling to £157 with 51kg Texel hoggs. Other noted prices from this consignment sold to £145 and £140 and selling to 330p/kg, 308p/kg and 307p/kg. The consignment of Beltex hoggs from JE Parkinson & Son, Quernmore always create plenty of interest amongst our butcher buyers, in which more of these best types of hoggs are desperately needed. This consignment sold to £153 and £144 or 351p/kg, 340p/kg and 320p/kg. Bargh Contractors, Heaton with Oxcliffe sold to 324p/kg or £136, TR Prickett, Hutton Roof to 313p/kg or £141 and L & A Duckett, Higher Bartle selling to 309p/kg or £139 twice. Other Texel hoggs sold to £135 from GR Newsham, Galgate. Suffolk hoggs peaked at £130 from WJ & EA Woodhouse, Nateby. 43% of the pens of hoggs forward today sold in excess of the £120 mark. All prime hoggs forward averaged £116.13.
Hill bred hoggs saw Cheviots sell to £122.50 from Cardwell Farms, Stalmine with other Cheviots selling to £121.50 from TR Prickett, Hutton Roof. Mules sold to £119.50 weighing 45kg from RI & O Wilson, Scotforth. Gritstone hoggs weighing 43kg sold to £111 from Andrew Butler. Horned hoggs saw 41kg Swaledales sell to £100.50 from M & L Preece, Kirkby Lonsdale.
Cast Sheep
The cast sheep trade remains very good. Suffolk ewes sold to £112 from TB Carter, Preesall followed by Texel tups selling to £110 from S Bosworth, Burnley. Texel cross ewes sold to £105 from S Wilson and Son, Scotforth. The strongest Mule ewes sold in excess of the £90 mark selling to £97 from M & L Preece, Kirkby Lonsdale with others to £95 from TB Carter, Preesall. Hill ewes sold to £92 from SE & J Gorst, Littledale for Cheviots with Swaledale ewes selling to £68 from T Ayrton and Son, Over Wyresdale.