1055 sheep went through the ring this morning at Lancaster Auction Mart. Prime lambs saw a little lift in trade on the week, with once again heavy and smart bred lambs achieving maximum prices. Texel lambs sold to £144 from CD&HL Mason, Caton with other Texels to £142 from JS Horner, Ingleton. Beltex lambs sold to £140 from R&DL Cornthwaite, Nateby. Heavy Continental bred lambs were regularly selling at £130 to £135. A keen interest in all butcher type lambs, saw Beltex sell to 305p/kg for from M Coxhead, Preston with Texels selling to 300p/kg from JS Horner, Ingleton. The best bred lambs regularly selling at 280p/kg to 285p/kg. Medium weight lambs, full of meat were keenly bid for, with 43kg Texel lambs from M Coxhead selling to £126. Tthers at the same weight sold to £124 from TR Prickett, Hutton Roof. More hill lambs were forward, with all selling to their full value. Cheviots sold to £110 from G&D Ball, Little Eccleston, Masham to £109 from S&J Frace, Over Wyresdale and Mules to £106 from T Ayrton & Sons, Over Wyresdale. 699 lambs sold to a market averaged of 244p/kg.
Ewes saw a two tiered trade, with meated strong ewes continuing to sell well and the leaner types harder to place. Texel ewes saw a top of £138 from JS Horner, Ingleton with Texel tups selling to £127 from JE Parkinson & Son, Quernmore. Cheviot Mules sold to £116 from G&D Ball & Sons, Little Eccleston. More Mule ewes on offer today, with the best selling to £106 twice from Pilling Hall, Pilling. Hill ewes saw a top of £86 for Herdwick from D Hough, Dolphinhome with a full ring full of Swaledale ewes selling to £55 from RH&C Ayrton, Abbeystead.
200 store lambs forward averaged £78, with the majority being longer keep lambs. Suffolks sold to £99 from PG Thornton, Scorton with Texels to £97.50 from SE&J Gort, Littledale. Hill lambs saw Masham sell to £84.50 from DM Eames, Abbeystead with pure Cheviots to £79 from SE&J Gorst, Littledale.