PRIME LAMBS

North West Auctions held is weekly Monday morning sale of prime lambs, which saw an increased entry of 830 forward with buyers once again keen to secure lambs of all classes and weight, with well finished lambs continuing to sell to a premium and under finished lambs a more cautious trade.
Heavy weight lambs were eagerly competed for and today the market topped at £141 on two occasions for Texel lambs from J Capstick, Ingleton and B&M Slater, Chipping. Other heavy weight lambs regularly selling at £130-£132 with Beltex x lambs selling at £129 from AG Butler, Hambleton and Suffolks achieving £127 for Suffolk x from Drinkall Bros, Abbeystead. Hill bred lambs are now coming forward in greater numbers, selling to a top price of £114.50 for Mashams from WI&AM Atkinson & Sons, Bleasdale, with Mules selling to £105.50 from Calderside Farm, Oakenclough and Horned lambs selling to £85.50 for Dalesbreds from R Capstick & Son, Ingleton. Light weight lambs continued to sell to a premium, for well finished and well-bred sorts selling to a top price of £90.50 from J Bargh & Son, Morecambe, With other Continental lambs selling to £87 from P Rossall, Scorton.
Todays sale saw a top price of 272p/kg achieved for Beltex lambs from TM Townley, Over Wyersdale with others achieving 263p/kg from B&SE Carter, Ellel. Texels sold to 261p/kg from B&M Slater, Chipping. Pure and ¾ bred well finished lambs regularly achieving 240-260p/kg depending on weight. First cross lambs sold to a top price of 259p/kg for Texel x from J Gardner, Bay Horse, with others at 251p/kg from G Beresford & Son, Broughton in Furness. Hill bred lambs saw a top price of 229p/kg for Mashams from WI&AM Atkinson, Bleasedale, with Mules selling to 226p/kg from S&J France, Over Wyresdale and T&CM Kelsall & Sons, Chipping. A small entry of Horned lambs sold to 214p/kg for Dalebreds from R Capstick & Son, Ingleton. An overall market averaged of 225p/kg for all lambs sold, with weights ranging from 33-63kg.

CAST SHEEP

189 cull sheep continued to sell to a competitive trade with a top price today of £109 for Suffolk x ewes from TB Carter, Poulton Le Fylde, with Charollais selling to £104 from T&L Kirkham, Chorley and Texels to £101 from JM Sanderson, Poulton. Other heavy well fleshed ewes regularly sold between £88-£95, to include Mules at £91 from AC&K Pye, Abbeystead. Medium ewes sold to £76 for Llleyns from J Gardner, Bay Horse with Horned ewes selling to £62 from Dalesbred from WI&AM Atkinson, Bleasedale and Swaledales to £61 from the same home. Herdwicks sold to £66 from D Purtill, Wigan.
Cull Rams sold to a top price of £152 for a Texel and Charollais from A&E Clarkson, Thurnham.
Keen interest in ewes suitable for further finishing with buyers competing for all classes and types.