Early risers catch the trade, with lambs to £180 and 400p/kg at NWA Lancaster Auction Mart.

PRIME LAMBS

A sharp rise in numbers saw 646 forward, selling to an overall average of 300.44p/kg. The best bred and well finished lambs sold to a top of £180 for Beltex cross from R&DL Cornthwaite, Nateby with others at £178. Other Beltexs sold to £175 from GR&A Foy, Conder Green, £173 P Whitton & Son, Burneside and £170 J&M Cockett, Ingleton. Other pens of heavier pure and ¾ lambs were regularly £160 to £165. The best first cross lambs sold to £158 for Texel cross from P Whitton & Son, Burneside with others at £152 from GA&A Atkinson, Cantsfield and £151 from Myerscough College, with others regularly £138 to £146. Lighter weight lambs full of meat were keenly competed for, selling to £142 for Texel cross from TR Prickett, Hutton Roof with others at £134 from J&M Cockett, Ingleton and £125 from JE Harrison, Winmarleigh. True light weights sold to £115 for Texel cross from W Pinder Jnr, Clitheroe with others at £111 from P&AJ Whittaker & Son, Quernmore. Hill lambs are coming forward in greater numbers, with Cheviot to £140 from D&D Huddleston, Wray who sold others at £139. Horned lambs sold to £118 from W Pinder Jnr, Clitheroe with Mules to £116 from D&D Huddleston, Wray and a ring full at £115.50 from B&SE Carter, Ellel.
The best bred lambs sold to 400p/kg for Beltex cross from J&M Cockett, Ingleton which sold other at 395p/kg. Other well finished ¾ bred lambs finding favour with the buyers, regularly 330p/kg to 350p/kg. The best of the first cross lambs were 300p/kg to 320p/kg, with well finished grass lambs 285p/kg to 300p/kg, with just the lighter weight, under finished lambs less at 260p/kg to 280p/kg.

CAST SHEEP

139 cull ewes were forward today, achieving an overall market averaging £90.72, with a large proportion of leaner hill bred ewes. Charollais cross ewes from A Thornton, Woodplumpton led the way at £170, with P Stringfellow, Chorley selling the best of his Texel cross to £164. Other better end and medium Continental cross ewes £135 to £165, with several finding homes with farmers for grazing at £105 to £120. Mules sold to £138 from A Thornton, Woodplumpton with others at £133 from CJ Metcalfe, Ingleton and Myerscough College. Mashams sold to £111 from W Pinder, Clitheroe. Strongest hill ewes sold to £148 for Cheviots from A Thornton, Woodplumpton with a large number of recently weaned Cheviots £75 to £88. Horned ewes sold to £84, with other mediums £60 to £70 and lighter and leaner sorts £40 to £55.

STORE LAMBS

The fortnightly sale of store lambs sold to an overall average of £91.50, for a wide range of lambs on offer. The best level pens of Texel cross sold to £117 from SE&J Gorst, Littledale who sold others at £102. Well bred longer keep lambs were generally £88 to £94, with only the very smallest less.
The earlier start time of 10am is proving popular with both buyers and sellers, and we strongly encourage vendors to take advantage of the early Monday morning trade. #LAMBS2LAM