WITH feeder finishers now beginning to bring forward sheep and seasonal hoggs, numbers continued to rise at Skipton Auction Mart’s latest Monday sale.

It attracted an increased turnout of 3,351 head, in front of corresponding levels at the same time last year.

Trade was much in line with 2014 levels, although a shade stronger on the week - a pound or two up for most classes - with 188.59p/kg, or £79.15 per head, the average right across the board.

Yet again, Beltex lambs led the way on price, with Paul Simpson, of Bolton-by-Bowland, once more in great nick with some top-class pens, including the leading performers on price at £120 per head, or 297.5p/kg. He also chipped in with the top price £113 per head, or 256.8p/kg, Charollais pen.

Hill lambs were again decent to sell, with good Mules and lightweight Swaledales in keen demand. Mules sold to a high of £85 per head for a pen from James Huck, of Austwick, with joint highs of £78 for Swaledale pens from both Harold Smith, of Dunford Bridge, and Ellis Bros, of Addingham Moorside.

An increased show of ewes easily maintained recent rates, with horned ewes very good to sell.

The 330 cast ewes and rams presented saw the former average £75.82 per head and the latter £90.21 each, with Texel entries again heading the prices in both sections - £149.50 for cull ewes from teenager William Watson, of Hellifield, and £116.50 for a ram from Kirklees vendor T and K Shepherdson, of Marsden.

A nice entry of 13 loads of produce saw hay quads sell to £19 each, barley straw quads to £18, hay rounds to £11, wheat straw rounds to £10 and small bale hay to £2.90 (av £2.60).