Top end lambs dearer on the week at Skipton

A mixed show of 3,784 prime sheep at Skipton Auction Mart’s weekly sale saw the top end slightly dearer on the week, while meated first-cross lambs over 40kg also found a good following.

However, any lambs under finished were again heavily penalised and, according to the mart, are better sold at Wednesday store sheep sales, where they are worth more.

The overall weekly by-weight average was virtually unchanged at 165.65p/kg, though the per head average showed a slight increase at £69.69.

Texels and Beltex sorts were again to the fore, with a Texel pen from NM Handy, Stainforth, top on price at £99 a head, with a by-weight high of 236.80p/kg for a pen from R H and M R Ireland, Whalley. The Beltex average was £80.99 a head or 199.08p/kg, led on both counts at £96 a head, or 234.1p/kg, for a pen from J and M Blakey, Bolton by Bowland.

Cast sheep were a shade dearer on the week, with cull ewes averaging £50.38 and topping at £115.50 each for a Beltex pen from H Raw, Eastburn. Cast rams sold to a high of £91.50 for a Texel from J and M E Carr, Askwith.

Clean cattle under 30 months sold to 134.5p/kg for a black and white heifer from Brian Moorhouse, Bell Busk, and to a per head high of £734 for a second black and white heifer from R J Gardt, Eastby.

With 42 cast cattle forward, cull cows averaged 109.43p/kg, or £710.66 a head, peaking at £1,102 for a Hereford-x from T H and A Pickard and Son, Bolton by Bowland. An Aberdeen Angus bull from Watson Livestock, Hellifield, achieved top price a head and by weight at £1,413, or 143.5p/kg, the latter price equalled by a Limousin-x from RJ Gardt.

Prime cattle aged 30-48 months sold to an overall average of 126.10p/kg, or £704.35 a head, with two black and white heifers from W A Brown, Earby, the leading performers at £874 and £722.

A smaller turnout of 25 rearing calves sold to a high of £350 for a Limousin-x bull calf from Rosemary Berry, Cowling, which qualified for the Rumenco Calf of the Month competition, along with a £120 black and white bull calf from KP Russell, Rishton.

In the weekly produce sale, hay round bales sold to £102 a tonne, barley straw hest to £76 a tonne (av £72.50) and barley straw round to £18.50 a bale.