PRIME LAMBS

As anticipated trade was a little less on the week, which has been seen nationally. Heavy and meated lambs continue to attract plenty of interest from all buyers, with leaner types harder to place. The sale peaked at £145 for a pen of five Texel lambs from Pilling Hall, Pilling. Closely followed at £142 for Beltexs from R Collinge & Son, Kirkham. Many heavy lambs were selling either side of the £130 mark this morning. A shortage of the best quality butch type lambs was forward, with these types regularly selling at 320p/kg to 330p/kg. First draw hill lambs saw Mashams sell to £120 from S&J France, Over Wyresdale. A consignment of milk sheep lambs sold to £135 or 274p/kg from WG Farms, Cockerham.

CAST SHEEP

130 ewes were forward with all types being dearer on the week, with lean ewes look best sold. Top price today was for Texels at £165 from PF Lee, Over Wyresdale with Beltexs selling to £154 twice from E Hartley, Hornby. Many pens of heavy Continental ewe regularly sold at £140 plus. Mule ewes saw a top of £114 from KA Purtill, Wigan the best Mules regularly selling at £105 to £110. More hill ewes were on offer today, with Cheviot selling to £108 from KA Purtill, Wigan. Herdwicks sold to £85 from T&ME Longton & Son, Quernmore and Dalesbred at £73 from DM Eames, Abbeystead. An overall average of £88 was achieved with half the sale being hill bred ewes.