THE final Skipton Auction Market sale of 2014 saw a spectacular cast sheep sale.

A massive show of 701 head averaged £92 across the board, with nice Suffolk and Continental Ewes up into the £130s and a few pens of best Mules making it into three figures. Top price went to C Windle of Skipton, who sold a Beltex cull ewe at £138.50.

Lamb trade was mixed in comparison to the previous week; the best end of lambs were relatively unchanged on the week with smart Beltex types good to sell. Prime lambs averaged £73.72 per head or 180.1p/kg overall, with Beltex averaging £84.71 per head or 206.05p/kg. PW Simpson of Wigglesworth got top price for Beltex with £111.

The commercial Continental sired lambs enjoyed a varied trade, which was very much dependant upon weight. Lightweight lambs were very much in demand, with 36kg to 39kg especially good to sell.

The 40kg to 45kg lambs if well fleshed were a decent trade, but the more commercial types over 40kg were cheaper on the week as were heavy lambs with the edge definitely off the trade for these types.

The hill bred lambs saw decent Mules selling away nicely, £30 to £35 over the weight, and decent Swaledale wethers also in demand. The lightweight Swaledale lambs however were not as strong as last week.

Six prime cattle were also put forward, with an overall average of 120.5p/kg and £843.50. RE Ayrton & Son got top price with £844 and top price per kg with 120.5p/kg.

Cull cow prices saw an overall average of 108.87p/kg or £676.08, with black and whites selling to 119.5p/kg, averaging 100.92p/kg, and Montbeliarde-cross selling to 144.5p/kg. SW & JE Ryder & Son, of Norwood, got top price for a black and white with £825.

Skipton Auction Mart's general manager Jeremy Eaton, said: “On behalf of everyone at CCM, I would like to thank all our customers for your support during 2014 in what has been a very busy year at the Monday market, and wish everyone a very happy and prosperous new year.”