1017 HOGGETS: A flying trade almost on a par with the trade 12 months ago and a much better entry than last week. The more Hoggets we have, the more jobs that can be found and the more competition that is created. An SQQ of 184.61p/kg (£416p/kg deadweight equivalent) was achieved topping at 200p/kg (£435p/kg deadweight equivalent) for 41kg lambs from ILJ Havard, Tregoyd Farm. Any amount of pens between 185p/kg and 195p/kg. A lovely show of quality on offer and vendors must be commended for producing such an entry especially bearing in mind the inclement weather conditions. Its certainly helping your trade if your lambs are wet/dirty and you have taken the time to belly clip them. Again today is illustrating the importance of this method of sale, leading the trade against a barrage of trade depressing factors…..contracts, influx of New Zealand imports and fluctuating exchange rates. When whole legs of New Zealand lamb is on some supermarket shelves at £10/leg and British lamb leg steaks are sat next door at £14.47/kg what’s the consume r going to buy? We can only do what we are doing. Our 45.6kg to 52kg averaged £86.82/head up to £91/head and the over 52kg lambs averaged £88.85/head up to £92/head for a pen of 55kg from A.F Morris, Rosedale. The lightweights up to 32kg were also better averaging 166p/kg but those 33-37kg lambs were in greater demand again, most likely supported by the good store trade that is about.

149 cull ewes and rams: A stronger entry of ewes met with a stronger trade. The ewes have been less in terms of numbers all week which has helped today's trade. We averaged nigh on £60/head up to £104/head which would be as good an average recorded compared to anywhere in the week. We envisage the ewes strengthening in about a month’s time as the glut of barren ewes etc begin to dwindle.