Weekly Report and Newsletter - 9th May 2025
Lancaster Auction Mart: Sale of Spring Lambs, Prime Hoggs, Cast Sheep & Sheep with Lambs at Foot, Monday 5th May 2025.
Spring Lambs
Numbers rising weekly with more buyers interest for all classes and types. A special show for pairs was kindly judged by Alfie Blacklidge, who award the first prize rosette to WA&LM Jenkinson, Stalmine showing a pair of Texel cross lambs which sold for a sale topping price of £168 and 410p/kg. Other well bred lambs were 350p/kg to 380p/kg and £152 to £164. An overall market SQQ of 360p/kg was achieved.
Spring Lamb Top Prices: TEXEL: £168 Woodlands Farm, £158, £157 Abbotson Farm, £157 Woodlands Farm, £155 Abbotson Farm, £153 Woodlands Farm. BELTEX: £164 Woodlands Farm., CONTINENTAL: £157 Abbotson Farm, £157, £156, £153 (x2) Cocker House Farm, £150 Fell View Farm. SUFFOLK: £156 Abbotson Farm, £154 Old Parkside Farm, £153, £150 Cocker House Farm, £146 Old Parkside Farm. DORSET: £154, £153 Fell View Farm, £151 Abbotson Farm, £150, £140 Fell View Farm.
SPRING LAMB SHOW: SPONSORED: LAURENCE PIERECE WOOL MERCHANTS
JUDGE: ALFIE BLACKLIDGE
CLASS 1 – PAIR OF SPRING LAMBS
1ST – WA & LM Jenkinson – 41kg - £168
2nd – WA & KM Jenkinson – 43kg - £164
3rd – WA & KM Jenkinson – 41kg - £157
Prime Hoggs
Strong numbers forward for the Bank holiday sale with all buyers in attendance with a sale average of 290p/kg, inline with the national trend.
Strongest and well bred hoggs sold to £175, £170, £170 for Texel X from AG Butler, Hambleton with other heavy weights to £158 - £166.
Standards on keenest demand selling to £162 for Beltex X from J.E Parkinson & Son, Quernmore and others £160 from KA Purtill, Wigan.
The sale topped at 371p/kg for Texel X from G Beresford & Son, Kirby in Furness with others on spec hoggs generally 320p/kg –350p/kg with overweight, 270p/kg – 290p/kg several pens of end of season at realisation.
Prime Hoggs Top Prices: TEXEL: £175, £172, £170 Park Farm Barn, £166 (x2), £162 Castle Mill Farm. CHEVIOT: £162 Adamsons Farm, £159 Park Farm Barn, £158 Stubb Hall Farm, £157 Adamsons Farm, £150, £146 Stubb Hall Farm. DUTCH SPOTTED: £160 Oak Aveune, £144 Angerton Hall Farm, £136 Millstones. BELTEX: £158, £157 Oak Aveune. HORNED: £157 Adamsons Farm. CONTINENTAL: £156 Angerton Hall Farm, £149 Oak Aveune, £146, £145 Angerton Hall Farm, £144, £143 Cross House Farm. SUFFOLK: £145 Park Farm Barn, £143 The Hawthornes, £122, £120 Maddison Aveune, £109 Burrow Heights Farm, £101 Maddison Aveune. MULE: £140 Millstones, £128 Angerton Hall Farm, £126 Cross House Farm, £113 The Dingle, £112 Burrow Heights Farm, £106 High House Farm. SWALEDALE: £104 Millstones, £99 Quarry House.
Cast Ewes
Cull ewes continue to sell to the recent high prices, topping at £230 for Continentals from A Thornton, Woodplumpton with Texels £215 from JE Gorst, Littledale. Other stronger ewes were £180 to £205. Mules sold to £174 for Cheviot Mules from JT&B Fox, Quernmore with North Country Mules £168 from P Metcalfe, Quernmore. Pure hill ewes sold to £142 for Cheviots from SE&J Gorst, Littledale with Swaledales £121 from W&A Cornall, Barnacre. Cull rams sold to £185 for a Texel from W&A Cornall, Barnacre. All cull sheep forward averaged £140.
Cast Ewes Top Prices: CHAROLAIS: £230 Adamsons Farm. TEXEL: £215 Cragg Farm, £188 Walmsley Fold, £180 Old Glasson Farm, £174 (x2), £172 Walmsey Fold. LEICESTER: £180 Bank Farm. CHEVIOT: £174, £165 Blackwood End, £148 Adamsons Farm, £142 Cragg Farm, £116 High House Farm, £104 Cragg Farm. DORSET: £171, £168, £136 Fell View Farm. MULE: £168 Old Parkside Farm, £163 Fell View Farm, £153 High House Farm, £150 Old Glasson Farm, £145 Adamsons Farm, £134 Old Parkside Farm. SWALEDALE: £121, £106 Bank Farm. GOAT: £90 Higher Hollinhead Farm.
Cast Ram Top Prices: TEXEL: £185 Bank Farm. SUFFOLK: £168 Angeton Hall Farm. SWALEDALE: £131 Bank Farm.
Sheep with Lambs at Foot
Today’s sale featured the annual prize show and sale of hoggs with lambs at foot which this year was kindly and ably judged by Miss Alys Probert, Herefordshire who had ten pens presented before her, over two show classes.
The championship rosette was awarded to the first prize pen of Texel cross hoggs with Texel cross lambs from noted local producer Mr David Preston, Caton selling at £320 to TM Townley, Over Wyresdale. The reserve champion rosette was awarded to the first prize pen of North Country Mules hoggs from DR Preston, Caton which later sold to a new market record price of £330 heading south with the judge, who also purchased the second prize pen at £315. Other farming type hoggs were generally £270 to £300, with younger lambs.
Just a handful of shearlings forward selling to £310 for Texel cross with twins from Miss Amy Bolland, Ellel.
Ewes continue to attract interest with a ring full of four crop Cheviot Mules with twins at £355 from Stockdale Farms, Sedbergh who sold singles at £315.
ANNUAL SHOW OF HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
JUDGE: A PROBERT
CLASS 1 – 5 MULE HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
1ST – DR Preston - £330 per family
2ND – DR Preston - £315 per family
3rd – JR Gorst - £280 per family
CLASS 2 – CONTINENTAL HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
1ST – DR Preston – Texel – £320 per family
2nd – DR Preston – Texel - £320 per family
CHAMPION- DR Preston 5 Texel hoggs with lambs at foot
RESERVE CHAMPION- DR Preston – 5 Mules with lambs at foot
Ewe & Lamb Top Prices: MULE: £355, £315, £200 Bowers Farm, £155 Yeat House. TEXEL: £245 Bowers Farm.
Hogg & Lamb Top Prices: MULE: £330, £315 Ellers Farm, £280 Dolphinholme House, £280 Quarry House, £275 Cottam Farm, £255 Old Parkside Farm. TEXEL: £320 (x2) Ellers Farm, £310 Yeat House. CONTINENTAL: £185, £160, £155 Oak Aveune.
Shearling & Lamb Top Prices: TEXEL: £310, £245 Yeat House.
J36 Rural Auction Centre: Sale of Prime Hoggs, Cast Sheep & Sheep with Lambs at Foot, Tuesday 6th May 2025.
PRIME LAMBS & HOGGS
Sunny day all round for spring lamb sellers.
Lambs started the afternoon of in good fashion with Dorsets selling to 414.6p/kg for three weighing 41kg from D&DW Prickett, Farleton. Two other runs of lambs sold again to the £170 mark, a pair of Texels from C Bennett, St Michaels and a single Suffolk from Messrs Young, Lindale. An overall average of 377p/kg was achieved, with buyers hungry for many more. Do not hesitate to get in touch before next weeks sale.
Hoggs face more resistance on the week, a poorer show of mainly leaner hoggs and a less buoyant trade in line with the national trend, sees a lesser average from last Tuesday. Late 30kg to mid 40kg saw the best trade on the day, with especially good meat being well bid for. Texels sold to 350p/kg from J Mason, Carnforth for a 39kg hogg. A pair of 38kg Texels hit the 330p/kg mark. Handy weight Texels from TR Prickett, Hutton Roof sold to £140, while heavies topped at £167 for a pair from SH&LE Birkett, Carnforth.
Next weeks sale starts at the usual time of 1pm, commencing with spring lambs.
Spring Lamb Top Prices: DORSET: £170 Farleton House. TEXEL: £170 Moss End Farm, £170 Wild Boar Farm, £166 Moss End Farm, £165 Low Brundrigg, £160 Bouthwaite Farm, £156 Wild Boar Farm. SUFFOLK: £153 Low Brundrigg. CONTINENTAL: £100 Low Barns Farm.
Prime Hoggs Top Prices: Texel: £167 Stubb Hall Farm, £165 Netherbeck Barn, £157 Stubb Hall, £157 Netherbeck Barn, £150 New Hall, £148 Larkrigg. Dutch Spotted: £160 £145 Grayrigg Foot. Suffolk: £151 Calverts Farm, £148 Oak Avenue, £148 Netherbeck Barn, £140 Helm Croft, £139 Calverts Farm. Continental: £146 £144 Stubb Hall Farm, £144 Oak Avenue, £142 Upp Hall, £138 Black Bull Farm, £129 Inglebrough View Barn. Cheviot: £140 New Hall, £138 Stubb Hall Farm, £130 Yoad Pot, £130 Stubb Hall Farm. Mule: £138 New Hall, £124 Murthwaite, £114 Tailbert, £110 Helm Croft, £109 Oak Fold. Charollais: £138 Stubb Hall Farm, £128 £106 Dawson Fold. Rough Fell: £135 £110 High Swinklebank Farm, £100 Marsh House Farm, £100 Rash Mill Cottage. Dalesbred: £125 new Hall, £60 Higher Salter. Cheviot Mule: £119 Brow Head. Horned: £108 Black Bull Farm, £99 Underhelm Farm, £80 Higher Salter. Scotch Blackfaced: £105 £105 £100 £92 Greenhills Farm. Masham: £102 Murthwaite. Swale: £76 Rash Mill Cottage, £64 Moss House Farm, £60 Oak Fold. Hampshire: £60 High Gregg Hall Farm.
Cast Ewes
A much plainer show of sheep today, with a large portion being leaner hill bred sheep.
A handful of stronger ewes today were eagerly bid for, with Texels to £215 from J Woodburn & Partners, Ulverston and Suffolks £205 from E Needham, Stainton. Others were generally £188 to £202. Mules peaked at £198 for Cheviot Mules again from J Woodburn & Partners. Other stronger end ewes were £165 to £180, mediums £145 to £158 and leaner sorts for feeding £118 to £130. Pure hill ewes sold to £150 for Cheviots, £118 Rough Fells, £118 SBF, £110 Swaledale, £108 Lonk and £94 Herdwick.
Medium hill ewes £80 to £95, with smaller and leaner sorts generally £55 to £70, with a handful less. Cull rams sold to £225 for continentals with other mediums £170 to £200, with smaller and hill rams £115 to £145.
Cast Ewes Top Prices: Texel: £215 Mansrigg Hall, £200 Bouthwaite Farm, £198 Mansrigg Hall, £195 Barbon Fell House, £192 Bouthwaite Farm, £188 Crabtree Farm.Suffolk: £205 Birkrigg Park Cottage, £200 (2) Mansrigg Hall, £198 Head House, £180 Aynsome Manor Farm, £174 Moss End Farm.Leicester: £200 Barbon Fell House.Cheviot Mule: £198 Mansrigg Hall, £158 Hollowmire Farm, £152 Mansrigg Hall.Dutch Spotted: £185, £150 Grayrigg Foot.Continental: £182 Aynsome Manor Farm, £175 Wild Boar Farm, £174 Stakes Moss Farm, £164 Mansrigg Hall, £160 Wild Boar Farm, £158 Mansrigg Hall.Mule: £168 Mansrigg Hall, £166 Bouthwaite Farm, £158 Crabtree Farm, £158 Barbon Fell House, £158 Hallowmire, £152 Field End.Masham: £150 Grate Farm.Cheviot: £150 Rankthorn, £134 Moser Hill, £130 School House, £128, £126 Hall Farm, £120 Rankthorn.Ryland: £146 Old Byre Barn, £145 Sewell Houses, £142 Gowan Bank Farm, £138 Old Byre Barn, £126 Sewell Houses, £116 Gowan Bank Farm.Rough Fell: £118, £100 Rash Mill Cottage, £88 Low Carlingill.Scottish Blackface: £118 Hall Farm.Swaledale: £110 Low Deepslack, £88 Barbon Fell House, £84 Murthwaite, £80 Meadow View Park.Horned: £108 Higher Salter.Herdwick: £94 Mireside, £80 Middle Fell.
Cast Ram Top Prices: Continental: £225 Aynsome Manor Farm, £142 Mansrigg Hall. Texel: £180 Black Bull Farm, £120 Broadhead, £112 Black Bull Farm. Cheviot: £174 Mansrigg Hall. Beltex: £150 Helm Croft, £100 Moss End Farm.
Breeding Sheep
Shearling averaged £318.76, topped at £450. Ewes averaged £262.96, topped at £425.
A smaller show exhibited today at Junction 36, Trade varied on the whole but top quality goods were possibly dearer. Today had a diverse run of sheep including the first show of horned ewes, which included Swaledale with Mule lambs and a large run of Herdwicks.
Topping todays trade was G&KM Atkinson, Appleby with a pen of five Texels shearlings with twins at £450. The single trade was topped by A Guy, Kendal with a Beltex ewe with a tup lamb making £280. Special mention goes to Edwin Winder with a Dutch Spotted ewe with Dutch Spotted lamb at £270, the lamb was born at the end of March. There isn’t many things that make the auctioneer look small, but this lamb nearly did - it was massive!
Thursday is the annual hogg and lamb sale at junction 36, with some ewes and lambs also available. Around 400 families present, with top quality on offer. Contact the office or auctioneers for more details.
Texel ewes with twins topped at £425 from FB Dunning & Son.
Texel ewes with singles topped at £242 from RT Colbear.
Texel shearlings with twins topped at £450 from G&KM Atkinson.
Texel shearlings with singles topped at £252 from D Wilkinson. Mules ewes with twins topped at £360 from G&KM Atkinson.
Mule ewes with singles topped at £335 from JM&NJ Strickland. Beltex ewes with singles topped at £280 from A Guy.
Dutch Spotted ewes with singles topped at £270 from E Winder.
Swaledale ewes with twins topped at £200 from N Allen.
Swaledale ewes with singles topped at £165 from N Allen.
Hampshire ewes with twins topped at £262 from A Metcalfe.
Ewes & Lamb Top Prices: TEXEL: £425 Raisgill Hall, £405, £400 Green Farm, £395 Raisgill Hall, £310 Aisgill Farm, £300 Raisgill Hall. MULE: £340 Green Farm, £325 Sunny Brow, £320 The Borrans, £300 Raisgill Hall, £295 Sunny Brow, £290 Brackenbank View. BLUE TEXEL: £295 High Woodend. BELTEX: £280 Hill Farm, £212 The Plough Inn. SUFFOLK: £280 High Woodend. DUTCH SPOTTED: £270 Little Close. HAMPSHIRE: £262 Curlew Rock. SWALEDALE: £200, £160 High House Farm. HERDWICK: £190 Farleton House. JACOB: £190, £165 Crook Hall Farm. CONTINENTAL: £170 Lile Yaks, £158 Chapel Island View, £150 Lile Yaks. CHEVIOT: £140 Hill Farm.
Shearling & Lamb Top Prices: TEXEL: £450 Green Farm, £335 The Borrans, £300, £292, £242 Heights Farm. MULE: £360 Green Farm, £315 Sunny Brow, £305 The Borrans, £285 Heights Farm, £235 The Borrans.
J36 Rural Auction Centre: Great Annual Show & Sale of Hoggs with Lambs at Foot. Thursday 8th May 2025.
Hogg and lamb record of £550 at Junction 36.
J36 set alight this years hogg and lamb sales, with trade exceeding anything seen so far this year. Thanks must go to our judge Mr Richard Caton, Stainforth for his time this morning and he awarded the results as follows:
CLASS 1- 5 MULE HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
1st Winter Bros- £550
2nd Winter Bros- £410
3rd DR Preston- £350
CLASS 2- 5 CONTINENTAL HOGGS WITH LAMBS AT FOOT
1st AT Rogerson- £350
2nd DJ & S Dixon- £400
3rd G & KM Atkinson- £375
CHAMPION- Winter Bros
RESERVE CHAMPION- AT Rogerson
The sale topped at £550 for today’s champion, an outstanding pen of Mule hoggs with Suffolk lambs from Messrs Winter, Appleby with another pen of delights from this home at £410. Other Mules sold to £350 for the annual consignment from DR Preston, Caton with others to £340 x2 from this good farming. Mules were regularly exceeding the £320 barrier, all in averaging £329.93.
Continentals were nice to sell, topping at £400 for the second prize pen from DJ&S Dixon, Hartley Castle with the third price pen from G&KM Atkinson, Appleby reaching £375. Others sold to £370 from DR Preston, Caton and £360 from AT Rogerson, Chipping. Continentals sold to a market average of £333.55.
Leading consignment averages (per life):
- Winter Bros (20) - £240
- DJ&S Dixon (40) - £175.63
- DR Preston (102) - £170.69
- J&M Wilson & Son (26) - £170.58
- R Allinson & Son (34) - £168.97
- AT Rogerson (40) - £168.75
A handful of ewes and shearlings followed, selling to £355 for Dutch Spotted singles from JR Park, Rusland with Texel cross to £345 from RT Colbear, Appleby. We look forward to taking entries for our second show and sale of hoggs with lambs on Tuesday 27th May, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Hogg & Lamb Top Prices: MULE: £550, £410 Clickham Hall, £350, £340 (x2), £335 Ellers Farm. TEXEL: £400 Hartley Castle, £375 Green Farm, £370, £360 Ellers Farm, £360 Handlesteads Farm, £355 Hartley Castle. CHEVIOT MULE: £325 Briggle Farm. SUFFOLK: £320, £315, £310 Yoad Pot. BADGER FACE: £305 High Ploughlands.
Shearling & Lamb Top Prices: TEXEL: £345, £335, £315 Heights Farm.
Ewe & Lamb Top Prices: DUTCH SPOTTED: £355, £320, £300 (x2), £295, £285 Black Syke.
Lancaster Auction Mart: Sale of Calves, Stirks, OTM Cattle & Store Cattle. Friday 9th May 2025.
Calves
78 through the little ring today.
Calves sold to £930 x2 for British Blue bulls firstly from G Beresford & Son, Kirkby in Furness and secondly from AJ Metcalfe, Out Rawcliffe who sold others to £920. AW&AM Park, Ellel sold to £900, with Aberdeen Angus cross selling to £760 from C&J Smith, St Michaels. Black and whites sold to £600 from JR Newsham, Conder Green.
Heifers calves sold to £840 for British Blues from G Beresford & Son, Kirkby in Furness with AW&AM Park, Ellel next at £750. Younger types sold to £660 for Charolais from Wallbank Farms, Over Wyresldale and £530 for British Blues from JP&C Robson, Brock.
Stirks sold to £1100 for an Aberdeen Angus from WJ&EA Woodhouse, Nateby with others to £1040 and £1010. Herefords sold to £980 from JR Newsham, Conder Green.
Heifer Calves Top Prices: BRITISH BLUE: £840 Angerton Hall Farm, £750 Walkers I’th Fields, £530, £510 Roe Farm, £500 Harricroft Farm, £500 Tills Farm. FRIESIAN: £790 Sellerley Farm. FLECKVIEH: £710 Angerton Hall Farm. CHAROLAIS: £660 Tills Farm. ANGUS: £630, £610 Fern Hill Farm, £580 Walkers I’th Fields, £560, £550, £530 Fern Hill Farm. HEREFORD: £590 Sellerley Farm.
Bull Calves Top Prices: ANGUS: £760 Wyre Bank, £740, £720, £700 Fern Hill Farm, £660, £610 Walkers I’th Fields. LIMOUSIN: £700 Fern Hill Farm. HEREFORD: £690 Sellerley Farm. FRIESIAN: £600, £520 Sellerley Farm, £400 Fern Hill Farm, £390 Sellerley Farm, £370 Newhouse Farm, £310 North Farm.
Steer Calves Top Prices: HEREFORD: £980 Sellerley Farm. BRITISH BLUE: £930, £920, £900 Moss Gate Farm. ANGUS: £890 Moss Gate Farm.
Bull Stirk Top Prices: ANGUS: £830 Hallbeck. BRITISH BLUE: £750 Larbreck Hill Farm. FRIESIAN: £750 Larbreck Hill Farm.
Heifer Stirk Top Prices: ANGUS: £1100, £1040, £1010, £970 Gibsons Farm, £700, £570 Hallbeck. FLECKVIEH: £830 (x2) West View Farm.
Store Cattle
The weekly sale of store cattle at Lancaster saw 200 through the main ring, with trade similar on the week despite the drop of deadweight quotes for the coming week.
H Chapman & Son, Middleton had their usually run of quality cattle topping at £2850 for British Blue steers, with Limousin steers from this home at £2720 and £2620. Charolais steers from WA Hodgson, Whinfell achieved £2520. Aberdeen Angus steers sold to £2450 from JM Cockett, Ingleton who also sold Shorthorns at £2400. Dairy bred steers saw a top of £1950 for a pen of three Friesian from MG&J Parker, Wennington with J Pinder & Sons, Clitheroe achieving £1920. TH Wensley & Sons, Plumpton sold younger dairy steers to £1700. All steers today averaged £2058.
A good show of heifers today with a pen of five British Blues achieving £2300 from SH&LE Birkett, Carnforth. A pair of Aberdeen Angus heifers from L Parsons & Sons, Levens achieved £2250. Other British Blues from M Huck, Burneside sold to £2220. A trio of Shorthorn heifers from ET Richardson, Catterall achieved £2150. All heifers today averaged £1860.
Store Bullock Top Prices: British Blue: £2850 Millbeck, £2520 Betts Farm, £2520 Wood Nook Farm, £2120 Middlebarrow Plain, £2120 Plumpton Hall Farm, £1900 Thursgill. Limousin: £2720 Millbeck, £2620 Millbeck, £2350 Oak Fold, £2250 Hazelslack Tower Farm. Charolais: £2520 Whelpside Farm, £2350 Whelpside Farm. Angus: £2450 Foredales Farm, £2400