| 2020-08-04 |    |
Total Clearance at Skipton Sheep Sales
Skipton Auction Mart’s second store lamb sale of the current season attracted another robust entry of 5,638 head, presented in fine bloom, with good, fresh looking sorts very much the order of the day. (Wed, July 29)
The turnout represented an increase of 1,336 lambs on the traditional store lamb opener a fortnight earlier and once again there was total clearance to an overall selling average of £75.25 per head.
Lowland lambs were available in all shapes and sizes, with prices ranging from £40 per head up to a day’s high of £100 each for a pen of Beltex crosses from the Dugdale family in Giggleswick. N Robson, of Guiseley, achieved £92.50, while close behind on £92 was Andrew Haggas, of Otterburn, then £90.50 from Matthew Lawson, of Whashton, Richmond.
With prime trade good at the moment, short keep lambs sold mainly in the £80s, medium keep in the £70s, smart skinned long keep types in the early £70s, and others generally in the £60s, including Continentals from hill ewes. Suffolks peaked at £89 for a pen of 34 from James Foster, of Bolton Abbey.
Hill-bred lambs were forward in good numbers, with 553 North of England Mule wethers selling to an average just shy of £70 per head. Principle prices saw the Mason family from Embsay again to the fore when making £75.50 with a pen of 48 wethers.
Paul and Caroline Newbould, from Dallowgill, hit £73.50 for a pen of 50, closely followed by 45 at £72.50 from the Fawcett family in Barden. The mart reports that buyers are requesting larger numbers of Mule wethers for next sale on Wednesday, August 12.
Also on the agenda was the annual opening sale of breeding sheep, with a strong entry of 652 boosting sheep numbers on the day to 6,290 head in total. Breeding ewes also achieved total clearance, averaging £130.84 per head.
Trade for ewes peaked at £190 for a pen of Texel crosses from regular vendor Peter Houseman, of Padside. The best young Continental ewes generally made £140 to £165, good Suffolk crosses £135 to £160, commercial Texel and Suffolk ewes £110/£130, correct Mule ewes £105/£112 and correct below ewes £95/£100.
Here again, the mart said plenty of buyers were looking for breeding sheep, so more are required at the next fortnightly fixture. Sales manager Ted Ogden is the man to contact on 07855 958211 to discuss both store lamb and breeding sheep requirements.
