PRIME LAMB
Numbers and prices are rising at NWA Lancaster with an entry just short of 600 forward, selling to an overall market average of 258p/kg. Heavy well finished lambs sold to a top of £149 for a pen of Texel cross from HJ&BE Kelsall, Gressingham with others regularly £125 to £135. Standard weight lambs sold to £127 for Beltex x from A&E Clarkson Ltd, Thurnham with others also achieving £127 from GR&A Foy, Conder Green and D&K Swarbrick, Out Rawcliffe. Well bred light weight lambs sold to £110 from J Gardner, Bay Horse. Today sale peaked at 305p/kg for Beltex x lambs from GR&A Foy, Conder Green with other pure and ¾ bred lambs regularly 275p/kg to 290p/kg. The best first cross lambs were 250p/kg to 270p/kg. Light weight lambs sold to 282p/kg from J Gardner, Bay Horse. Hill lambs are coming forward in greater numbers, with Masham’s selling to £110 from S&J France, Over Wyresdale with Mules to £109 from D&D Huddleston, Wray and Cheviots to £106.
CAST SHEEP
Cull ewes sold to £118 for a Texel cross from KA Purtill, Wigan with other stronger cross bred ewes £105 to £116. Mules sold to £90 from A&E Clarkson Ltd, Thurnham with hill ewes selling to £105 for Cheviots from TR Prickett, Hutton Roof. Swaledales sold to £63 from M&L Preece, Kirkby Lonsdale and Dalesbred to £57 from A&M Wright, Roeburndale.
Vendors are encouraged so bring lambs in a finished condition to achieve maximum return, with under finished lambs perhaps more suited to the buoyant store market.