With seasonal Spring lamb again in mind for Easter tables more came forward at Skipton Auction Mart’s weekly Monday sale and while the 60 head on offer comprised some quality sorts there was also plenty of weight on offer, as is usual with first draw lambs born indoors.

Top price per kilo at 315.4p (£123 per head) fell to top-notch Continentals, a pen of four 39kg Texels from CR&M Wilson of Wilpshire, Blackburn, purchased on behalf of Rowland Agar Wholesale Butchers in Ilkley.

The leading per head price of £126 was jointly achieved on three occasions by single lambs, first for a Suffolk/Texel cross from Robert and Jackie Towers, of Ingleton, followed by a Charollais from Charles and Valerie Marwood in Whenby, York, both lots again falling to Agars, the third for another Suffolk/Texel cross from James Spensley of Elslack, claimed by returning retail buyer Anthony Swales for his Knavesmire Butchers in York.

The second weekly turnout of Spring lambs this year sold to an overall average of £111.86 per head, or 251.3p/kg, The per kilo price was almost 5p up on the year.

The total turnout of 3,038 prime sheep saw numbers nicely back to near normal figures seen at this time of year, said to be a definite positive under present trading restrictions for both vendors and buyers.

The 2,855 prime hoggs on offer traded to an overall average of £94.23 per head, or 206.3p/kg (SQQ average of 225p/kg up to 45kg), which was a nice lift on the previous week’s £85.36, or 186.4p/kg, and again said to reflect current trade.

While handyweight sheep were relatively good to sell and heavier sheep harder to place, trade for the smart sorts was as good as ever, prices of 250-300p/kg being common place, up to a top of 359p/kg (£140 per head) on two occasions for five-strong 39kg Beltex pens from Henry Atkinson, of Felliscliffe, Harrogate.

Others from the same home made 343p, 342p and 337p.

The leading per head call of £147.50 (343p/kg) fell to a single Beltex hogg from the Spink family in Rookwith, Ripon, this also falling to Knavesmire Butchers.

Lowland lambs weighing from the late 30kgs into the 43/44kg weight range were a sharp trade and more could have been sold, while heavier lambs from the mid-40kg to 50/51kg region saw commercial types achieve 185-190kg-plus, with nice sorts towards £2 and types for butchers and farm shops doing even better.

Hill-bred 40-45kg lambs also got away nicely, with better sorts around £2. However, very heavy lambs are struggling at the moment, a direct result of demand from both the restaurant/catering trade and London meat markets being at a virtual standstill with restrictions currently in place.

Also among the mix were 113 cast sheep. Cull ewes did well when averaging £71.75, selling to a top of £121.50 for Texels from Susan Lodge, of Doncaster, other heavier ewes making £110-£120. Cast rams averaged £82.36, with a run of ten goats averaging £59.50.

Skipton Auction Mart’s first vendor-free monthly Saturday livestock sale of stirks, weaned calves and young store cattle attracted a pleasing turnout of 128 head, when all classes of grazing cattle saw a good trade. (April 4)

Steers sold particularly well and to a day’s high of £755 for an Aberdeen-Angus from Calderdale’s Martin Hutchison, of Mixenden, who topped a further four section breed prices with a British Blue at £740, a Hereford at £720, a Limousin at £700 and a £640 Shorthorn.

Continental beef-bred entries peaked at £700 for one from David Rawthorne, of Clitheroe, with Ashley Caton, of Otterburn, heading the black and white prices at £515, and David Mitchell, of Wilsden, selling a Montbéliard at £485.

Individual averages were: Aberdeen-Angus £652, Limousin £598, British Blue £547, Hereford £534, Shorthorn £520 and black and whites £396.

Mr Hutchison also performed well with his heifers, producing a further three section tops – a Limousin at £570, a Blue at £540 and a £490 Hereford. Bill Bland, of Kirkby Malham, did best with a £585 Shorthorn, John Roberts, of Clitheroe, also chipping in with a £380 Angus.

Section averages were: Shorthorn £531, Limousin £507, British Blue £504, Hereford £401 and Angus £340.

Bulls traded to £470 for a Blue from another Calderdale vendor, Soyland’s James Crowther, with a Holstein Friesian from David Rawsthorne also making £380.