Lancaster sells 1330 sheep

SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
Lancaster’s Show and Sale of hoggs with lambs at foot saw a solid trade throughout the sale. Thanks must go to our pre-sale judge Mr Mark Townley for his time and expertise, as well as our sale sponsors Massey Feeds, Thornton Breakers, Peter Horn Mobile Sheep Dipping, Alistair Thompson Sheep Clipping and Eden Farm Supplies.

The Championship rosette was awarded to a pen of five Mule gimmer hoggs with Texel lambs from DJ Clarke Farming, Barnacre that sold to £200, with other pens from the same home achieving £200 and £195. The Reserve Champion rosette was awarded to the pen of five Continental gimmer hoggs from B & SE Carter, Ellel which sold to £205, with two further pens from the same home also achieving £205. Other noted prices for Mule hoggs were £200 from S Bosworth, Burnley and D R Preston, Caton also achieving £200 and £198.

All Continental hoggs with signal lambs averaged £196.83 with Mules averaging £191.62.

SPRING LAMBS

Lancaster’s weekly sale of Spring Lambs had an increased entry of 399 forward, selling to an overall market average of 358p/kg. Those lambs which had been hopper fed and well finished, saw the financial benefits today.

Texel lambs led the way selling to £173 from JS Horner, Ingleton purchased by Gregory Williams Butchers, Lancaster. This was closely followed by Suffolks selling to £165 from K A Purtill, Wigan. The consignment from DM Eames, Abbeystead twice sold to £162 with other Suffolks achieving £160 from JS Horner. A consignment of Texel lambs from JT & B Fox, Quernmore sold to £161 and £160. Other Texels sold to £160 twice from PD Anderton, Scorton. Beltex lambs this week peaked at £160 or 400p/kg from G & D Ball & Son, Little Eccleston who also sold Texel lambs to £159. Dorset lambs this week peaked at £158 from MJ & LC Lund, Quernmore. Other noted Texel prices were £155 from A & E Clarkson, Thurnham.

The top p/kg this week was for shapey Suffolk cross lambs from K A Purtill, Wigan selling to 413 p.kg or £165 and weighing 40kg, purchased by Gregory Williams Butchers, Lancaster. Texel lambs peaked at 408p/kg from S Wilson & Son, Scotforth with others selling to 400p/kg from PD Anderton, Scorton. Plenty more pens of those good confirmation lambs were easily selling between 380-400p/kg.

PRIME HOGGS

Lancaster had 497 prime hoggs forward this week, with the full spectrum of types, finish and quality, as to be expected at this time of year. The overall market average was 287p/kg with handy weighted hoggs averaging 294p/kg.

Heavy weight Texel hoggs from RG & H Preece, Roeburndale West sold to a top of £167. This was followed by the consignment of Texel and Continental hoggs from Andrew Butler selling to £159, £158, £155, £152, £150 and £148. Continental hoggs peaked at £153 from BD Wood, Out Rawcliffe. Other Continental hoggs sold to £151 from T Taylor, Woodplumpton. Suffolk hoggs sold to £152 from JS Horner, Ingleton with others to £147 from S Moore, Pilling. Pens of well fleshed Suffolks and Continental hoggs were easily sold in excess of the £140 mark.

Upland hoggs sold to a top of £139 from A Brown, Littledale. Horned hoggs saw Swaledales sell to £114, weighing 41kg from WI & A Atkinson & Son, Bleasdale.

CAST SHEEP

Lancaster had an increased entry of 256 forward. The trade was slightly mixed due to larger entries throughout the country and some outlets now having filled their orders for this week’s Ramadam Festival.

Pure Texel ewes sold to £160 from MP Berry, Stalmine with Continental ewes to £150 from J A Lambert, Out Rawcliffe. There were plenty of Continental ewes selling between £125 and £140, with buyers slightly cautious of over-fat sheep. Cheviot Mules sold to £118 from Stockdale Farms, Sedbergh.

Mule ewes peaked at £114 from S Wilson & Son, Scotforth as well as D & K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe, also achieving the same price. This was followed by £112 from D & E Whittaker, Quernmore, with plenty of pens of Mule ewes regularly selling between £100 - £110.