THE turnout of 2,580 prime sheep at Skipton Auction Mart’s latest weekly Monday fixture was described as “amazing” given the atrocious weather in the run-up to the sale.

Vendors who did brave the conditions were rewarded with a sharper trade on the week, with the overall average for the 2,025 prime and lightweight hoggs at £81.16 per head, or 196.25p/kg (the SQQ weight range – up to 45kg – averaged 198.7p/kg).

Smarter lambs sold extremely well, with Ian and Mary Lancaster, of Pendleton, leading the way at 270p/kg, or £108 each, with a 40kg Beltex pen. They also sold further Beltex pens at £115, £109 and £102.

In fact, Lancashire vendors were to the fore in general, with Duncan Cowking, of Slaidburn, selling Beltex crosses at 269.2p/kg, William Oldfield, of Newsholme, at 268.9p/kg, Robert Fielden, of Todmorden, at 267.1p/kg, and John Eddleston, of Great Harwood, at 265.8p/kg.

Ellis Bros, of Addingham Moorside, did best for Yorkshire with a Beltex pen at 264.7p/kg, with the overall breed average a satisfying 231.p/kg. Hellifield’s John Mellin topped the sale with a top-notch Texel pen sold at £118 each.

Heavy lambs sold to an increased trade on the week, with the 46kg to 52kg weight bracket averaging £91.99 per head and over 52kg entries standing at £94.94 each.

Export lambs were generally around £2 kilo, or just over, with the 36kg to 45kg bracket averaging 201.49p/kg. Vendors should note that this category saw numbers way short of buyers’ requirements.

Of the hill lambs, farm assured Mule wethers sold well, with the top-priced Mules from Richard Harker, of Ramsgill, making 200p/kg.

Cast sheep, 555 in number, were a more varied selection, but trade was very much along similar lines to previous weeks.

Cull ewes averaged £85.11 per head, with further Texel pens from John Mellin leading the way at £140.50 and £130.50 each. Cast rams averaged £89.76 each, with a top of £116.50 for a Texel from David Reay, of Allerton.