SKIPTON Auction Mart’s fortnightly store lamb sale last Wednesday saw the 6,737 head forward attract buyers from across England and Wales, resulting in an overall selling average of £55.67 per head.

This represented an increase in trade on the previous fixture, as more grass and winter keep becomes available.

Another big show of 2,315 Mule and Masham wethers proved good to sell at £3 to £4 per head higher than the previous fixture, especially for the strongest end.

A top price for Mule lambs of £64 fell to W Furniss & Sons, of Dacre, for their pen of 51 head, while all others at the better end achieved £55-plus.

Horned lambs were out in number again and while strong sorts were good to sell, smaller lambs proved a shade easier. The Suffolk and Continental Lambs also saw stronger types better to sell, peaking at £68 per head for a Texel pen from D Glassbrook, of Hebden Bridge.

Medium keep lambs met with a much stronger trade, although some long keep lambs were no dearer.

A day earlier, the end of season breeding sheep sale attracted a tidy entry of 1,004 ewes and 88 rams. The former achieved total clearance, with Texel shearlings peaking at £170, Swaledale ewes selling to £140 and broken-mouthed Swaledales to £110. Mule gimmer lambs made to £81.

While the ram sale was well attended, buyers were selective when it came to quality. Aged rams averaged £169.50, shearlings £164.30 and lamb rams £151.30.

AFTER a flying trade the previous week and with quality slightly down overall, the 43 rearing calves forward for Skipton Auction Mart’s weekly Monday sale met with a steadier trade.

Averages were £288 for Continentals, £182.50 for native breeds and a steady £62.18 for black and whites.

However, good calves still reached the high £300s, with Robert Metcalfe, of Brearton, having the pick of the crop with a British Blue-cross bull youngster sold for a day’s high of £380.

Sutton-in-Craven’s Richard Spence headed the heifer calf prices with another Blue-cross sold for £360. He also had the best of the black and whites with a Friesian calf knocked down for £165.