Spring Lambs

Lancaster once again had an increased entry of spring lambs coming forward, with strong demand from buyers as more companies look to make the change. The entry of 146 sold to an overall market average of 343p/kg or £140.63. Texel lambs from W&D Bradley, Goosnargh took the top spot selling to £167, purchased by Gregory Willams Butchers, Lancaster. Beltex lambs from the same home sold to 426p/kg or £149 weighing 35kg. This was followed by Texel lambs selling to 397p/kg or £155 from D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe. Plenty of pens of good confirmation lambs selling between 370-390p/kg. Other leading prices saw Texels sell to £162 from WN&D Smith & Sons, Cockerham. With Charollais lambs peaking at £158 from James Burr, Quernmore. Suffolk lambs sold to a top of £151 from G Riley, Bolton-le-Sands, with others to £150 from WN&D Smith & Sons, Cockerham.

Prime Hoggs

The sale of prime hoggs saw handy weighted hoggs continued to be in very strong demand, with best types often selling in excess of 300 p/kg. Andrew Butler’s consignment took the top spot, selling heavy weight cheviots to £158, good shapey Beltexs to £156, Texels to £155 and other Beltexs to £151. Texel hoggs from Joshua France, Pilling sold to £151 and £148. The consignment from Cardwell Farms, Stalmine sold Lleyns to £149, with Suffolks to £147 and cheviots from the same home also achieving £147. Heavy weight Texel hoggs from GH Sanderson & Family, Catforth sold to £148 and £145. Young hoggs sold to £141 from AG Butler, with Gritstones selling to £141 and £140 from Cardwell Farms. Swaledale hoggs peaked at £145 weighing 42kg from DC Miller, Claughton-on-Brock, with Herdwicks peaking at £111.50 weighing 37kg from J Rhodes, Ellel.

Cast Sheep

All specifications of cast sheep met a flying trade with sellers strongly encouraged to take advantage of the trade and clear out of any ways and strays. All cast sheep forward sold to a market average of £117. Cast tups led the way today with Texels selling to £184 from Cardwell Farms, Stalmine, with Texel cast ewes peaking at £170 from D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe. The consignment from TM Townley, Over Wyresdale sold Suffolks to £158, with Texel ewes from the same home achieving the same price. Also achieving £158 twice was GH Sanderson and Family, Catforth with pens of Texel and Suffolk ewes. Plenty of pens of continental ewes selling between £130 and £140. Mule ewes peaked at £124 from RW & FJ Rhodes & Son, Quernmore. Horned sheep were a very strong trade today with Dalesbred tups topping at £132 from S&J France, Over Wyresdale. Lonk ewes peaked at £128 from S Bosworth, Burnley with other Lonk ewes to £118 from young shepherd Henry Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe. Dalesbred ewes sold to £110, with Swaledales to £106 from DC Miller, Claughton-on-Brock.

Sheep with Lambs at Foot

There was a smaller entry of sheep with lambs at foot this week, in anticipation for the great annual show and sale of hogg with lambs at foot next Monday. The trade twice topped at £220 for aged Texel ewes with twin lambs from Joshua France, Pilling whom sold Suffolk ewes with twin lambs to £212 and Mule ewes with twins to £205. Texel ewes with single lambs sold to £155 from Joshua France.