Smart lambs sold away well all day long, with three other pens sold for over 300p/kg, the first from Brian Lund, of Walshaw, who sold his reserve champion pen of 41kg Beltex-cross lambs for £125 each, or 304.9p/kg, to Vivers Scotlamb in Annan, the top price in the sale. They also picked up a special prize awarded by the Beltex Sheep Society.

Paul Simpson, from Bolton-by-Bowland, presented a great run of lambs, selling to 302.9p/kg and 302.5p/kg, with a top of £121 each, his run of 58 Beltex crosses averaging a strong 258.6p/kg. Henry Harvey & Son, of Waxham Hall, Waxham, made the long journey from Norfolk with their usual consignment of heavy lambs, the best of which were a pen of 52kg at £111 each.

Regular buyer Andrew Atkinson, from Felliscliffe, paid £75, £76 and £76 per head for the first, second and third prize Mule pens, from Brian Church, of Askwith, Jeff Pickles, of Chapel-le-dale, and the Harveys respectively.

The show comprised 3,703 lambs in total, averaging 176.8p/kg (+2p) or £76.87 per head, a great average considering the size of the show, followed by 413 ewes and rams averaging £67.66, another good result.
 
Commercial lowland lambs were generally dearer on the week, especially in the correct weight bracket, some runs of lambs selling well in the 185p/kg to 200p/kg bracket. The Caygill family, from Rylstone, presented some lovely Texels, mainly from Cheviot ewes, their 159 lambs averaging 41.77kg and selling at 193.7p/kg, or £80.92 per head - a great run of sheep reflecting where the best prices are at currently and what the market wants.
 
Heavy lowland lambs (46kg to 52kg) were a touch cheaper on the week as more of this weight grade came onto the market. The very heavy lambs, unless smart and well presented, struggled when compared to recent weeks, especially with the growing numbers of them available.
 
Hill-bred lambs were generally a good trade all day. Chris Crowther, of Oldham, had Lonks to £75, JP Stirke, of Easingwold, sold Dalesbred to £73.50 and Kevin Wilson, of Blubberhouses, went to £73 twice.

Rob Tennant, of Conistone-with-Kilnsey, had Swaledales to £72, Steve Dorey, of Newark, Mashams to £78 on three occasions, while Mules went up to £79.50, again from Kevin Wilson, and £79 from Mark Nelson, of Clapham.

Cull ewes were again a good trade with an overall average of £67.75, some good Mules in the mid-£70s from the Harveys and heavy ewes well into three figures.  

Prime cattle championship seized by Hutton farmer at monthly Skipton show

The March prime show at Skipton Auction Mart saw AA&E Critchley & Son, of Hutton, near Preston, crowned champion.

Their 490kg Blonde-cross heifer, shown by Robert Critchley, was picked out by judge Alan Beecroft, of Countrystyle Meats Farm Shop in Lancaster, who went on to buy the champion for the top by-weight price of 285.5p/kg, or £1,399.

Reserve champion was a 525kg British Blue-cross steer, consigned by James Drake, of Carleton, which sold to Edwards Farm Butchers in Burnley for 261.5p/kg, or £1,373.

Charles and Richard Kitching, of Threshfield, took second prize in the steers, and sold a British Blue-cross for £1,345 to Stanforths Butchers in Skipton, and a Limousin-cross for £1,344, again to Countrystyle Meats Farm Shop. The Kitchings also took third place in the heifers and sold a Limousin-cross to Keelham Farm Shop for the top price per head of £1,401.

Simon Bennett, of Silsden Moor, came second in the heifer class, while Baldersby Park’s Malcolm Metcalfe came third in the bullocks with a British Blue-cross steer sold for £1,343 to D&A Gregory & Son Butchers, of Bacup.

A total of 55 prime cattle were put forward, comprising 21 clean cattle under 30 months, four clean cattle over 30 months and 30 cast cattle.

Cull cow trade was similar, with the variation in average down to the sample being 90 per cent dairy, which included a large proportion of lean cattle. The overall average was 106.24p/kg, or £676, with AN Bolland, of Bolton Abbey, selling three black and whites for £891, £856 and £824. GW Wallbank, of Keasden, Clapham, sold a British Blue for £1,151.