SKIPTON Auction Mart saw a cracking prime sheep trade all round on Monday, with best sorts in very good demand.

Prices topped £100 on several occasions for the smart end, whilst handy weighted nice sorts were 180p to 190p, and a more commercial type around 170p.

Heavy types were up a gear on the week, with smart sorts up in the £90s. Mule, Horned and Hill bred lambs were in plentiful number making up nearly a third of the entry.

Mule lambs averaged 160p (up 3p on the week) whilst good Horned lambs were also a shade dearer on the week. Lightweights maintained their recent trade.

Old season lambs averaged £71.19 overall per head, or 169.92p/kg.

Beltex sold for an average of £82 per head or 204.67p/kg, with AM & HV Brown, of Beechwood House Farm, Newton-le-Willows, Bedale, getting top price per head and weight, at £112 or 280p/kg.

Suffolks averaged £75.39 per head or 165.91p/kg; RL Wright & Sons, of Airton, picked up top price per head at £85.50 while DW & CJ Towler of Grindleton got top weight with 183.3p/kg.

William Watson, of Hellifield, sold Texels for £99 per head while G Beresford & Son, of Hellifield, got top price per weight, with 232.1p/kg. Texels averaged £74.40 per head or 172.79p/kg

Mules averaged £68.7 per head or 160.53p/kg, Charollais averaged £75.7 per head or 173.97p/kg, and Swaledales were averaging £48.8 per head or 136.74p/kg.

Cull ewes averaged £56.08, with Texels selling to £139.50 for a ewe from William Watson. It was the top priced lowland, and he also scored the top hill price with a Cheviot ewe going for £78.50. Edward Berry, of Thornton-in-Craven, got top price for Mules/Mashams at £60.50 and TA Robinson of Longridge got top price for horned ewes with £50.50. Cast rams averaged £71.33 on the day.