SPRING LAMBS
Lancaster enjoyed a much improved trade for spring lambs today with more interest and enquires for lambs. A pleasing overall market average of 332p/kg or £137.36 a head. The consignment from David and Karen Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe topped the market at £158 or 367p/kg with others from the same home to £148, £146 and £144. The consignment from S Wilson & Son, Scotforth sold Suffolks to £141 and Texels to £140 twice. More are required each week as buyers show a lot more interest.

PRIME HOGGS
Prime hoggs have seen a lift in trade with Lancaster’s SQQ 272p/kg with the overall market average of 263p/kg. Numbers remain buoyant with 611 forward today. Andrew Butler led the way selling Beltex hoggs to £150 or 360p/kg, Texel hoggs from the same consignment sold to £146 and £140. A cracking run of Texel x hoggs from T Taylor, Woodplumpton sold to £147, £141 and £140. Texel hoggs from Barker Farms, Cockerham sold to £141. A consignment of Cheviot hoggs from SH&LE Birkett, Nether Kellet sold to £140 at 55kg, £135 at 49kgs. Mule hoggs peaked at £122 from M&L Preece, Kirkby Lonsdale. Lonk hoggs led the way for horned hoggs selling to £117.50 and £117 from L Jenkinson, Poulton le Fylde. Swaledales twice peaked at £115 from RH&C Ayrton, Abbeystead and M&L Preece, Kirkby Lonsdale.

CAST SHEEP
The cast sheep trade shows no sign of slowing down, with an impressive overall market average of £122.22 to include a good number of horned and upland bred sheep. George Hargreaves of Scotforth led the way selling Texel x ewes to £224 with two pens from the same home selling to £190. At £208 was a Texel ewe from D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe followed by other Texel ewes to £206 from GR&A Foy, Conder Green. Plenty of Continental ewes sold between £160 and £200 today at Lancaster. Leicester ewes peaked at £168 from RH&C Ayrton, Abbeystead. Cheviot Mules sold to £162 from George Hargreaves. Big Mule ewes peaked at £150 from S Wilson & Son, Scotforth with other pens of Mule ewes to £132 from D&K Swarbrick, with plenty of pens selling in the £130’s. Horned sheep saw Swaledale tups sell to £126 from JS&S Atkinson, Scorton whom sold Swaledale ewes to £114. Horned ewes peaked at £122 for Dalesdbred from S&J France, Over Wyresdale. Vendors are urged to cash in any cast sheep and take advantage of the good trade.

SHEEP WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
A nice offering of sheep with lambs at foot forward today was met by a good buzz ring side, selling to an overall market average of £81.83 a head. Continental shearlings with twin lambs led the way selling to £130 from D&J Hay, Cockerham whom sold Continentals with single lambs to £198 and £190. Mules with twin lambs sold to £228 from D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe.