Store and breeding sheep prices climb
High prime sheep prices are being followed through to the store and breeding sheep rings, with limited entries of store hoggets at many centres selling to exceptional demand.
Last week’s sale at Longtown saw 2172 store hoggets, in-lamb ewes and ewes with lambs at foot forward, with the stores topping at ÂŁ95.50 for Beltex crosses from Glebelands and others similarly bred from the same home at ÂŁ91.50.
The 406 in-lamb ewes met a good enquiry with a top of ÂŁ126 and ÂŁ120 for Greyfaces from Blindhillbush and Hill Cheviots at ÂŁ74 from Allfornaught.
Ewes with lambs at foot were easily sold and short of numbers, report the auctioneers. Top price of ÂŁ58 a life was paid for Cheviot Mules with singles from Raby Grange, who also sold Cheviots at ÂŁ47. Ewes with twins sol to ÂŁ57 a life for Greyface from Raby Grange.
Meanwhile at Sedgemoor last Saturday an entry of 1713 store hoggets sold to an even stronger trade to a top of ÂŁ99.50 from Messrs G H Alford and Partners. Others sold to ÂŁ98.50 from C Chilcott; ÂŁ98 from R J Langford, ÂŁ97.50 from Messrs R C Burrough and Son, ÂŁ96.50 from Manor Farm Partnership and ÂŁ95.50 from C Chilcott.
The same centre sold 243 ewes with 349 lambs at foot with a smart run from J Harding saw strong one-lamb and two-lamb twin couples to ÂŁ200 (ÂŁ73.33/life) with full mouth and broken mouth twins from the same vendor to ÂŁ197 (ÂŁ65.67/life).
An entry from Messrs B G, DE and S J Howell saw full mouth twins to ÂŁ191 (ÂŁ63.67/life) and ÂŁ188 (ÂŁ62.67/life), while a good run from D J Cheacker sold doubles to ÂŁ182 (ÂŁ60.67/life).