McCARTNEY'S of Kington report a good entry of 1697 sheep on July 7.

We had a good entry of sheep which sold to an exceptional trade for the time of year and would be the dearest of the week.

The lamb trade has firmed due to less numbers being marketed this week due to farmers harvesting and the weakening of the pound resulting from the EU referendum.

All weights received an excellent demand form the 8 buyers who were keen to buy all sorts of sheep.

Spring Lambs: We had a good entry of 1519 lambs which sold to an exceptional trade on the week.

The lambs were in excellent demand by the buyers in all weight ranges.

The overall SQQ averaged was an amazing £2.13ppk, with the overall average for all weights being £212ppk.

The heavier weight lambs over 45kg were in excellent demand and they averaged 2.11ppk.

The lambs sold to £110 per head for some 54kg lambs from G and J Probert.

All the lambs averaged £89 per head up to £110 per head.

Lambs between 32.5kg to 39kg averaged 2.08ppk up to 2.16ppk.

Lambs between 39.1kg to 45.5kg averaged 2.13ppk up to 2.20ppk.

Lambs between 45.6kg to 52kg averaged 2.11ppk up to 2.16ppk.

Lambs over 52kg averaged £2.03ppk up to £2.10ppk.

We are fortunate to have excellent buyer support from 7 regular buyers giving excellent competition for the lambs.

Cull ewes, tups, wethers, store lambs: There was a smaller entry of 178 cull and store sheep, which sold to an excellent trade on the week.

The ewes were in good demand by the buyers on all sorts. The ewes would be some £10 to £15 per head dearer than earlier in the week since the ethnic festival.

The cull ewes sold to a top of £104.50 per head for some Charolais cross ewes from Owen Morgan and averaged an excellent £76 per head.

Continental ewes averaged £97 per head and sold up to £104.50 per head.

Mule type's ewes averaged £76 per head and sold up to £87 per head.

Welsh, Speckle and smaller hill type ewes averaged £58 per head and sold up to £67 per head.

Tups averaged £100 per head and sold up to £107 per head.

Hogget's averaged £62 per head up to £89.50 per head.

Light lambs under 33kg averaged £200ppk.

We have buyers requiring store hoggets and light hoggets each week to suffice their orders.

We have buyers for in excess of 3000 lambs and 750 cull sheep per week to meet our buyers' requirements.

McCartneys at Kington, offer an on-farm livestock grading and marketing advice service on a free of charge basis.

Kington Market is every Thursday, commencing at 11am with Hoggets followed by Cull sheep.

For further information please contact Gareth Wall on 01544 230316 or 0797414336.