SKIPTON Auction Mart’s final fortnightly Wednesday sale yesterday of the current season for store and breeding sheep attracted an entry of 631 head, which sold to an overall average of £75.74.

While buyers were slightly cautious with fatstock trade showing no signs of rising in the immediate future, store hoggs met a very nice trade. Those exhibiting strength generally away at £80 to £95, with some continentals with size selling at £99 to a top of £109, these for Texels from Mark Smith, of Winterburn, while Suffolks were a similar trade to the continentals, peaking at £106 from the Hayton & Stocks partnership in Bolton Abbey.

A nice run of Swaledale hoggs from BT&J Greaves & Son in Otley sold to a section high of £75, several other runs seeing stronger lambs sell in the £60s, mediums £55-£60, smalls £35-£44.

A Dutch Spotted pen from CM Dent, of Sawley, Ripon, made £82.

Individual breed averages and other leading prices: Texel £85.55, Suffolk £84.44, Charollais £78.73 (top of £96 from Hayton & Stocks), North of England Mules £76.63 (top of £90 from Julie Metcalfe, Cowling), Cheviot £76.44 (top of £80 from Matthew Thornber, Newton-in-Bowland), Swaledale £58.12, Herdwick £42 (top of £44 from Alex Layfield; Burley-in-Wharfedale).

Store hoggs are now being sold every Monday following ewes with lambs at foot. Entries close at 12 noon the previous Friday.

March begins with the monthly prime shows this coming Monday, along with the fortnightly Craven Dairy Auction.

Meanwhile, Saturday, March 5, is a double-header featuring the ever-popular Agri-Trader auctions of farm machinery, vehicles, implements, stone, reclamation and other general items of all descriptions. There will also be the monthly livestock collective sales.

Then it’s on to an online only sale of working sheep dogs on Tuesday, March 8, while the mart reports that entry forms for two of its 2022 pedigree cattle season highlights.

Blue Wednesday, on April 27, and Craven Limousin Day, on Wednesday, May 11, have now been posted online at www.ccmauctons.com