PIGS
The Junction 36 sale of 60 prime and store pigs, once again achieved maximum returns, with prime hogs from J Stott Jnr, Crosscrake topping the sale at £288 or 230p/kg. Topping the gilts at £212 was a pair also from J Stott Jnr, Crosscrake. The highest price boar was £160 from D Nicholson, Cockermouth.
Store pigs sold to a top of £122 for a pair of gilts from Messrs Tuer, Penrith with others at £120 from W Stamper, Chipping. Weaners were perhaps the trade of the day, with these to £118 from JM Navesey, Darwen.
A handful of cull sows were forward, with these selling to £118, with most meeting the £90 mark.
PRIME LAMBS
A smaller entry of lambs were forward, with some vendors cautious over the drop of price. Vendors who braved the weather were rewarded, with a sharper trade than expected, with a market average of 300p/kg averaged. Once again, all weights of well meated / fed lambs were keenly bid for, with heavy lambs in high demand. The best bred lambs sold to 350p/kg
- Texel to £186 from Drinkall Bros, Over Wyresdale.
- Beltex to £181 from RM&JL Whitton, Cartmel.
- Suffolks to £171 from E&A Thompson, New Hutton.
- Charollais to £170 from TA Teasdale, Newton in Cartmel.
- Lleyn to £151 from J&R Geldard & Son, Levens.
- Ryelands to £114 from T&E Redmayne. Carlisle.
- Mules to £112.50 from R Lawrence, Grange Over Sands.
CAST SHEEP
More ewes are now coming forward every week, with buyers showing preference to clipped ewes and caution towards those still in the wool. Pure bred ewes sold to £273, £260 and £251 for Texels from R&E Ladds, Kendal. Suffolks sold to £226 from Calderside, Oakenclough and £222 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston. Other better end pure ewes were £190 to £210. First cross ewes sold to £194 for Texel cross, with other better end £165 to £180, mediums £140 to £160 and better lighter wights £120 to £135. Other pure ewes saw BFL’s to £198 and Teeswaters £160. Pure hill ewes sold to £130 for SBF, Swaledale £130, Easycare £129, Cheviot £122 and Herdwicks £120. Heaviest Mules sold to £178, with others regularly £150 to £165. The next draw down £135 to £145 and the leaners end £100 to £115. A lot more recently weaned hard worked ewes forward, with several feeding orders now coming forward, Continental and Mules were £80 to £100, with hill ewes £50 to £65.