Monday morning lambs marched to 400p/kg and £177 per head, with cull ewes to £184 and store lambs to £107.50.

PRIME LAMBS

The call for well finished and better bred lamb was answered, with vendors duly rewarded for the lambs they presented. The sale topped at 400p/kg for a Beltex lambs from regular support KA Purtill, Wigan. Followed by D&D Huddleston, Wray achieving 386p/kg, with a super consignment from CJ Metcalfe, Ingleton selling to 380p/kg. Other well bred lambs were keenly competed for, with these regularly 320p/kg to 345p/kg. First cross lambs sold to 316p/kg for Texel cross from AG Butler, Hambleton with other well finished lambs 295p/kg to 310p/kg, and grass finished lambs 275p/kg to 290p/kg, depending on quality and types. D&D Huddleston, Wray sold the best of their Texel lambs at £177 with Beltex cross achieving £175 from C Metcalfe, Ingleton. Other well bred, well finished standard weight lambs were £148 to £160, heavy weight sorts to £164 for Texel cross from Pilling Hall, Pilling and Suffolk cross to £160 from GA&A Atkinson, Cantsfild with other heavy weights (47kg plus) £140 to £150. Well finished standard weight lambs were generally £122 to £130, with lighter weights £110 to £118. Those lacking finish perhaps better suited to the buoyant store ring. Hill bred lambs are coming forward in greater numbers, with Mules to £134 and 286p/kg, with lighter weight well finished Welsh Mountain lambs to £93 and 275p/kg.
All lambs forward today averaged 288p/kg, with well finished lambs in keenest demand, benefiting from hard feed.
Please note that from next week the sale of prime lambs will commence at the earlier time of 10am, market gates open at 7am with weighing from 7.30am.

CAST SHEEP

A rise in cull ewes saw a top price of £184 for a Texel from TR Prickett, Hutton Roof with others at £170 from D&J Hay, Cockerham with best first cross ewes to £150 from J Gardner, Bay Horse and Mules to £147 from Pilling Hall, Pilling. Medium ewes were generally £112 to £120, with several feeding jobs now emerging every week. A large number of hard work hill ewes generally £50 to £70, depending on quality and type.

STORE LAMBS

All store lambs sold averaged £103, topping at £107.50 for Texel cross from PJ&SM Woodhouse, Forton with other at £106.50 and longer keep to £98 from J Gardner, Bay Horse.