WITH numbers short around the country, the turnout of 3,234 prime lambs at Skipton Auction Mart’s Bank Holiday Monday sale held their value selling at an overall average of £69.72 per head or 164.4p/kg.

Lambs at the optimum weight of 42 to 44kg carrying farm assurance were more difficult to come by, resulting in strong demand from both export and retail customers for premium lambs, which achieved £70-plus per head and averaged close on 170p/kg.

Beltex lambs averaged 193p/kg in both middle weight bands, with the class producing a day’s top of £100 per head, or 232.6p/kg, for a pen from Kirkby Malham’s Will Wildman.

Richard and Mark Ireland, of Whalley, headed the Texel prices with 43kg lambs selling to highs of £98 per head, or 227.9p/kg.

There was improved demand for lightweight lambs carrying finish and of particular interest was a pen of Swaledale lambs weighing 35kg from Alan Robinson, of Langcliffe, which made £56.50 each, or 161.4p/kg.

Commercial trade also remained focused on lambs carrying finish and farm assurance in the 40-44kg range, while demand for premium lambs was underlined when 11 pens of Beltex and five Texel pens sold in excess of 200p/kg.

A stout entry of 573 cast sheep, saw cull ewes stronger on the week to average £60.12 per head, with a high of £92.50 each for a Texel pen from George Sunderland, of Crag Vale, Hebden Bridge.

Cast ram trade also improved on the week when averaging £72 per head overall and peaking at £93.50 for a Suffolk from Eshton’s Tony Shepherd.