CCM Skipton Auction Mart’s entry of 807 store and breeding sheep for the final midweek Wednesday sale of the current season saw the latter consigned mainly from two farms, one local, the other travelling north from Lincolnshire.

John Brotherton, Addingham, conducting a reduction sale of quality Texel-x ewes, scanned in-lamb to Beltex and Beltex-x rams, headed the day’s trade with a pen of five strong Texel-x making £280 per head, also topping the shearling prices at £200 with a further pen scanned carrying single lambs.

Clark Bros, Grantham, arrived with a powerful packet of 60 Texel-x gimmer shearlings scanned with singles, all selling between £165 and £185, while Spencer Andrew, Ashton-Under-Lyne, presented eight in-lamb Lleyn ewes making £98.

Breeding sheep remained in high demand, the average for ewes, these mainly carrying twins, coming out at £212.25. From now on in-lamb sheep will be sold weekly on a Monday morning.

Store hoggs again met a strong trade, producing an overall selling average of £85.35, top call of £140 falling to a single Texel from Stuart Baines, Clitheroe. Strong, smart types made £120-£136, long-keep smart hoggs £100-£115, while strong first-crossed white-faced hoggs sold at £110-£125, good fresh stores £100-£110, longer keep and weathered hoggs £78-£94.

North of England Mule hoggs traded to a top of £122 from east coast regulars Mike and Betty Allen, Staithes, other strong Mules away at £105-£120, with growing goods £80-£94 and just the younger end of draws selling at £40-£60.

Bluefaced Leicester hoggs sold to £120 from Granville Fairburn, Horsforth, while Masham hoggs topped at £117 from South Yorkshire’s Brian Hawksworth, Bradfield.

A larger proportion of horned hoggs in the mix saw Swaledale trade to £72 from Andrew Ogden, Cowling, the stronger end selling either side of £70 and fresh smaller sorts £50-£60, just end of draw hoggs £30-£45.