WHILE prime lamb numbers were slightly down, trade was similar to the previous week at Skipton Auction Mart’s Monday turnout, with an overall average selling price for the 2,795 spring lambs on parade of £64.12 per head, or 153.1p/kg.

Competition remains good at the ringside, with the 14 buyers present ensuring a fast-selling trade, notably for the smarter end, with nicely fleshed 38-42kg entries the most sought after. Smarter heavies also gained a good premium.

The day’s top per head price of £95 fell to a Texel pen from DR Kayley, of Halton West, with a by-weight high of 217.9p/kg for a Beltex pen from James Garth, of Keasden.

Another good turnout of 318 cast sheep produced an overall selling average of £54.05 for cull ewes, with a high of £96.50 per head for a Texel pen from Richard and Mark Ireland, of Whalley. Cast rams averaged £66.46 each, peaking at £109.50 for a Texel from Richard Greenwood, of Bradley.

The small commercial entry in the prime cattle sale again met a good trade, with Stanforths Butchers, of Skipton, securing under 30-month Simmental-cross and Aberdeen Angus heifers from John and Alison Spensley, of Thorlby, at 192.5p/kg and 190.5p/kg, or £1,057 and £1,006 per head.

John Smith, of Carleton, also sold a Charolais-cross heifer at £1,105, or 190.5p/kg, to John Thompson, of Gargrave.

Clean cattle over 30 months sold to a high of £1,091, or 145.5p/kg, for a black and white heifer from Whin Hill Farming in Haverah Park, Harrogate. The buyer was Samlesbury’s John Thompson.

Trade for the 53 cast cows was back on the week, with strong sterling continuing to affect export trade. The start of school holidays and a surplus lean dairy culls also impacted on price, producing an overall selling average of £670.19 per head, or 103.26p/kg.

A British Blue from local vendors Keith and Jeanette Marshall, of Niffany, led the way at £1,046, or 138.5p/kg, while a mature Limousin bull from G and PS Fleetwood, of Mirfield, made £1,082, or 140.5p/kg.