SKIPTON Auction Mart saw a firmer trade in Spring lambs on Monday than expected following an easing of live prices late last week and deadweight outlets also quoting 30-40p/kg less. The overall market average was just a shade under £4 per kilo levelling at 399.7p/kg. 

There were lighter sheep numbers this week with Qurbani festival underway and demand naturally slacker. However, 1,074 prime sheep went under the gavel comprising 671 spring lambs, 152 hoggs and 251 cast ewes and rams.

Heavy lambs and mediums on feed and well fleshed found a good following, J&F Nutter, Clitheroe, selling one of his pens to £232, M Ryder & Son, Harrogate, made to £228; TA&N Whitfield, Keighley, to £228, Mark Evans, Steeton, to £225 and P Crabtree & Son, Otley, topped their run at £220, as did CD&RF Kitching, Threshfield. RA&ESmith, York. at 530p was the top kilo price. Over 50kg weights sold to 443p for 51kg at £226 from M Ryder & Son.

As expected there was a lighter show in prime hoggs, but a very sharp trade for meat and some pens dearer on the week.

Good heavies and mediums traded to a top of £182. Handy weight meated hoggs £130 to £150.. Lightweights and stores £90 to £125.

Cull ewes sold to an average of £116 with trade less on the week. Heavy ewes falling the least with leaner ewes less sought after. Texel tups sold to £199.50. Texel ewes sold to £197.50. First crossed heavy ewes £140-£160. Heavy Mule ewes sold to £139.50 with lean ewes £90-£108. Feeding ewes £60-£80 Swaledale ewes sold to £99.50. Meat ewes £65-£80 depending on weight with lean ewes £45-£60 and plain ewes either side of £30.

Overall Averages - Spring lambs £173.35 per head or 399.8p/kg SQQ 398.2p/kg. Beltex average £160 per head or 421.1p/kg.

Texel average £173.76 per head or 404.2p/kg.

Suffolk average £175.28 per head or 397.2p/kg.

Charolais average £171.03 per head or 387.2p/kg.

Rouge average £158 per head or 385.4p/kg.

Zwartable average £143 per head or 317.6p/kg.

Prime hoggs – Overall average £139.09 per head or 306.4p/kg SQQ 306.1p/kg Top Prices: Beltex £136 SJ Scholefield; 328.2p SJ Scholefield. Texel £182 JW Tinkler; 360.5p K Marshall. Suffolk £136 A Fletcher; 302.2p A Fletcher.Gritstone £160 330.2p KD&W Midgley. Mule £144 A Fletcher; 291.7p A Fletcher. Swaledale £150 P Addyman; 227.3p P Addyma.; Cull Ewes average £116.04. Suffolk to £167.50, Texel to £197.50, BFL to £134.50, Mule to £139.50, Lleyn to £109.50, Swaledale to £99.50, Masham to £110.50, Cheviot to £129.50, Beltex to £117.50, Lonk to £86.50, Charolais to £143.50, Dalesbred to £69.50.

Top prices: Lowland: £199.50; £197.50; Mule/Masham: £139.50 £136.50; Horned: £99.50; Hill: £134.50r; cast rams average £100.28; Texel to £199.50, Swaledale to £94.50, Beltex to £119.50, Easycare to £87.50.

Of the 219 breeding sheep forward, trade remained buoyant especially for hoggs with singles topping the market with a top-notch pen of Mule hoggs with Texel-x lambs (singles) courtesy of Alan Throup, Silsden, making £315 followed by another pen at £300..

Topping the ewe and lamb trade was T&G Mcgarrell with two smashing pens of Texel-x ewes with continental lambs making £305.

A special mention goes to Andrew Ogden, Cowling, who has had a tremendous run in recent weeks through the ewe and lamb ring at CCM, who made a top price with genuine farmed Mule ewes with Texel-x singles (pens of 10) making £230 and £225.

Top prices - Texel x ewes with single lambs to £235 av £203; Texel x ewes with twin lambs to £305 av £271; Texel x hoggs with single lambs to £270; Suffolk x ewes with single lambs to £235 av £203; Suffolk x ewes with twin lambs to £285 av £283; Mule ewes with single lambs to £230 av £214; Mule ewes with twin lambs to £260 av £256; Mule hoggs with single lambs to £315 av £270; Cheviot x ewes with single lambs to £195; Cheviot x ewes with twin lambs to £240; Charolais ewes with twin lambs to £230; Swaledale ewes with twin lambs to £145 av £140; Blue Texel ewe with twin lambs to £245.