SPRING lambs: An excellent entry of 117 new season lambs to suit the Easter trade.

The very kind bred lambs most eagerly sold with a super pen of 40.6kg Continental crosses from RT Watkins topping at £126 (310p/kg), others from the same home sold at £117.50 (39.5kgs). J Nicholas and Son sold to £112 (39kgs), MG and PC Williams £111 (39.3kgs) and J Pike £107 (37.8kgs).

The lighter weights more difficult to place with DP Rees and Co selling 34.5kg at £85 and 31.6kg at £80.

Overall SQQ New Season average being 249.09p/kg.

Hoggets - A large entry of 1234 hoggets forward sold to a variable trade to produce an SQQ average of 183.22p/kg.

The best meated/bred sorts selling around £2/kg with Tregare Farms peaking at 205p/kg (39kg-£80).

C Hinksman sold to 203p/kg with 40.4kg at £82.

Tregare Farms 200p/kg - 45kg at £90.

BG Greenow and Ptns - 42.3kg at £84 and 46kg at £91.

MR Smith 41.5kg £82.

The entry included a large number of heavy weights which sold to a top of £98.50 - (63kg).

Cull sheep - 116 Culls to another strong trade and keen competition especially on heavy ewes. Suffolk ewes to £99, Texel cross to £94.50, with Texels to £94, Clean sheep to £62. Rams to £71.50. Wethers to £50.

Store hoggets - 82 forward with a top price of £64.50 from AJ Parker. £60 from P Hope, with smaller sorts to £52.

March 23

Hoggets - A reduced entry pre-Easter of just 591 tegs to an easier trade with several buyers quiet ahead of the Bank Holiday. Medium weights 39-45kgs still the best sellers averaging 183.60p/kg and to a top of 193p/kg (£83.50-43.2kgs) from G Jones; 191p/kg (£85.80-45kgs) from KM and FJ Jones; 190p/kg (£79.80-42kgs) from OJ and KE Harris; 189p/kg (£78.80-41.3kgs) from AJ Hale. Heavyweights to 189p/kg (£92.80-55.2kgs) from TW and BE Jones, (£90-50kgs) from IG Jones. Best price on the day 204p/kg (£76-37.2kgs) from G Jones for standards, and a very short entry of lights selling well to 191p/kg (£54.50-28.5kgs) from Davies Bros.

CUll sheep - Just 260 cull sheep forward which was disappointing considering the magnificent trade we saw last week. Ewes maintained a very fast trade, Beltex topped the sale at £105, Texel cross to £102, Suffolk cross to £101, who also sold a Mule to a fantastic £92.50. The best were generally £90 plus, second quality £75 plus. Hill breeds also in good demand, the best Welsh to £68 from T Bowen. Several pens of tups broke the £100 barrier, Charollais to £108, Suffolks to £105.

Store sheep - A small seasonal entry of store tegs, the best to £77, medium sized Hill bred lambs £50-£60, very small £33-£45. A small entry of couples met a difficult trade as grass continues to be in short supply. The best to £116 for an aged ewe with twins, most other crossbreds with younger lambs £40-£50/life, Welsh £30-£45/life.

Calves - The biggest ever entry at the new market of 81 calves met an understandably easier trade with buyers able to pick and choose to suit their needs and pockets.

The best Blues continued to make good money however with a bull to £375, 3 others £320-£340 and 4 more £280-£300. Smaller Continental bulls £190-£245. The top Blue heifer raised £330 with the next 4 between £260 and £280. Middling sorts £185-£240. An exceptional Hereford bull made £272 and a super Angus bull out of a Simmental cow sold at £300. The easier trade was also evident on the Dairy bulls with the best £50-£75, second quality £30-£40, and a few small calves under £20.

Strong calves - Only Holstein Friesian bulls on offer with very few buyers for these, a very disappointing trade ensued. Best selling was £155 for 4 month old calves.

Breeding cattle - Only 2 forward with an 8 year old Limousin cow, sold as running with the bull at £775, and an in-calf heifer (17m) at £700.

Stirks/young stores - Another great entry of young stores but buyers generally thinner on the ground, and trade a bit harder as a result, although still looking well sold against the stronger cattle. Steers sold to £890 for a 9 month old Limousin, 12 month old British Blues at £865 and 9 month old Limousin steers to £825. Heifers sold to £700 for a 12 month British Blue and £620 for a 10 month old Limousin. 9/10 month old Limousin heifers at £590.

Feeding bulls - 12 forward with a 9 month old Limousin at £835 and 15 month old Charolais at £695.

Store cattle - A good entry of 267 store cattle forward comprising of a very mixed bag. The top quality suckler bred cattle and evenly drawn bunches were well sold and easily maintained very high rates. The backward and out of specification cattle continue to be hard to place. Feeding steers sold to £1225 (610kgs-22m) for smart Limousin crosses, with smaller steers to £1160. Limousin cross Friesian steers to £1160 (695kgs-24m), Grazing steers to £1145 (550kgs-17m) for Charolais crosses, Blonde crosses to £1130 (500kgs-22m), Charolais crosses to £1100 (16m). Yearling steers to £1010 for Charolais crosses.

Feeding heifers sold to £1050 (530kgs-22m) for Charolais crosses. Aberdeen Angus crosses to £1035 (570kgs-23m). Grazing heifers to £975 (455kgs-24m) for Limousin crosses, Charolais crosses to £970 (505kgs-24m). Yearling heifers were reduced in number compared to last week and sold to £890 (475kgs).

Cull cattle - 55 culls again with a large number of Dairy bred sorts which continue to meet limited demand. Grade 1 Beef selling well to average £873. Top prices by breed including: Limousins £985, British Blues £900, Charolais £855, Angus £840, Simmentals £880, Friesians to £880, WB Bulls £865.