Second Skipton store lamb sale trade very similar to seasonal opener
Skipton Auction Mart’s second store lamb sale attracted another strong turnout of 3,604 head, which sold to an overall average of £62.65 each. (Wed, July 26)
Trade for most types was almost identical to the seasonal opener a fortnight earlier, though a few pens of the best smart lambs proved dearer. Strong first-cross lambs sold into the late £60s to £70 and to £73 per head for a Texel-cross pen of 50 from Michael and Carol McKenzie, of Arncliffe.
The day’s joint highs of £76 per head fell to Beltex pens from Richard Ogg, of Goole, and Hebden Bridge’s Adrian Leach, with a best in sale section average of £67.60 each.
The 400 Mule wether lambs among the entry – they are a traditional feature at Skipton store lamb sales - were again keenly contested and were dearer on the fortnight when achieving a section average of £53.59 per head, with a high of £56 each for a pen from Embsay’s John and Claire Mason.
Trade for medium keep lambs was very similar to the first sale. Other section averages were Texel £64.08, Suffolk, £60.27 and Charolais £59.61.
Also on the agenda was the opening sale of 114 breeding ewes, which sold to an overall average of £109.64 per head, with keen bidding again the order of the day.
Mule shearlings sold to £138 for a pen from JM&FM Gillett, of Mellor, Blackburn, and 3 crop correct Texel ewes to £120, these from Peter Houseman, of Padside, Harrogate. Several other pens of stronger 3 and 4 crop ewes made £105-£115, while gimmer lambs sold to £110 for Texel-cross from Alan and Sue Throup, of Silsden Moor.
The next store lamb sale on Wednesday, August 9 - an entry of up to 6,000 is expected – includes a prize show for Beltex-cross lambs. It’s also the Lingfields Summer Sheep Fair, with an anticipated turnout across all classes of 600 to 800 breeding sheep and rams.