Healthy trade for ewes and lambs as demand remains high

Of the 264 breeding sheep on offer, ewes and Lambs remained in high demand with a big number of clientele beginning to get into gear as April approaches. Monday’s trade was topped by a Suffolk ewe with twin lambs from Rob Wallbank who also achieved top price for ewes with singles with a Texel ewe to £260. Richard Umpleby had a show of proper Texel types that topped out at £325 for shearlings and £320 for ewes, both with twins.

Mules are continuing to be a strong trade with trade being topped by Rosemary Berry at £280 for both ewes and shearlings with twins. There was a big show of Mules with large consignments from James and Deborah Ogden, John Collinson, Rosemary Berry, Paul and Janet and David White all with quality outfits among them.

Texel x ewes with single lambs made to £260 av £235. With twin lambs they made to £320 av £310. Texel shearlings with twin lambs to £325 av £301. Mule ewes with single lambs to £200. With twin lambs to £280 av £255. Mule Shearlings with single lambs to £220 av £215. Mule shearlings with twin lambs to £280 av £271. Suffolk ewes with twin lambs to £350.Cheviot Ewes with Twin Lambs to £300.

There were 1,951 prime hoggs forward producing another good trade with the overall average leveling at 386.3p/kg, Just for comparison with those who get confused and choose to quote their SQQ (Standard Quality Quotation) instead (lambs up to 45kg), the SQQ was 391.1p/kg.

Good heavies and overweights were £200-plus like the last few weeks, with Thomas Boothman, of Linton, selling 18 hoggs to average £228.06.

Hill lambs were every bit as good to sell as recent weeks. 49kg Mules to £174 form RG Church, heavy Mules at £175 from Keith Downs, Carleton, and £174 for 51kg form DA Wilcock, Wigan. Other good sorts either side of £170 or 350p to 365p. John & Claire Wright sold Mashams to £169 and 369.8p/kg. Cheviots to £204 and £198 from Keith Downs, other decent sorts £170 to £178. Horned Lambs to £169 form The Heath Partnership of Macclesfield. Herdwicks sold to £179, £168 and £165 or to 375p from The Heath Partnership Overweights averaged £210 per head or 373p/kg virtually the same average as last week, peaking at £248 for 59kg.

Heavies 46kg to 52kg averaged £188 or 388p/kg seeing a sharp trade throughout.

Mediums - standards, 36kg to 45kg av £166 or 400.1p/kg and were quite a bit dearer on the week with 44kg at £250 or 568p/kg and joint top price per kilo of 576p Lightweights saw a good enquiry for meat, good little Continentals up to 35kg making £130 to £145, topping at £158 for 29kg or 544p.

There was a light show of cull ewes with local farmers lambing. Beltex ewes sold to £254.50. Smart continental ewes with weight £200-£240 regular with next grading fed ewes £160-£180. Plenty of first crossed heavy ewes £140-£165 with next grade full meat ewes £120-£135. Just the lighter ewes with meat £90-£110 and lean ewes £90-£115. Plain ewes £60-£80. Mule ewes sold to £134.50. Heavy mules £120-£130 with full meat ewes £105-£115. Lean mules £85-£105 and plain ewes £60-£70. Gritstone ewes sold to £119.50. Swale ewes sold to £118.50. Plenty of full meat Swales sold at £70-£90 and the leaner ewes £50-£70 whilst plain ewes sold at £37.50-£50.

Averages on the day: Prime Hoggs – overall average £172.02 per head or 386.5p/kg. SQQ 391.0p/kg. Beltex average £205.97 per head or p/kg. Texel average £177.29 per head or 389.4p/kg. Suffolk average £178.42 per head or 342.6p/kg. Charolais average £182.43 per head or 382.6p/kg. Cheviot average £169.04 per head or 358.4p/kg. Blue Texel average £184.93 per head or 403.5p/kg. Kerry Hill average £182.00 per head or 249.6p/kg. Mule average £157.80 per head or 332.6p/kg. Masham average £160.54 per head or 367.5p/kg. Swaledale average £121.61 per head or 312.6p/kg.. Dalesbred average £83.79 per head or 260.4p/kg. Gritstone average £163 per head or 370.2p/kg. Herdwick average £162.00 per head or 354.6p/kg.