Kington Market, May 31

This sheep trade remains firm for the time of year in all sections but hoggets have eased in price from their highs a few weeks ago.

The buyers require good meated sheep for their orders and are willing to pay for the right goods.

Hoggets: We had a mixed entry of 262 hoggets which sold to a good trade on the week. Meat remains very important to receive a premium trade. Heavier and good meated hoggets still received a good trade and were sort after by the buyers.

The good meated and quality hoggets sold between £2.10ppk and £2.25ppk.

The yard of hoggets ranged from 30kg to 66kg.

The hoggets averaged £2.00ppk up to £2.25ppk all the way through and averaged a good £102 per hogget through all the hoggets sold.

The heavy hoggets over 50kg were a good trade and averaged a good £112 per head.

The best meated hoggets received the best following and they sold up to £125 per head for some 66kg hoggets from JA Hoskins.

The hoggets sold up to £2.25ppk for some 46kg hoggets from Graham Morgan.

Hoggets between 32.5 kg to 39 kg averaged 1.75ppk up to 1.83ppk which averaged £70 per head.

Hoggets between 39.1 kg to 45.5 kg averaged 1.75ppk up to 1.80ppk which averaged £80per head.

Hoggets between 45.6 kg to 52 kg averaged 2.08ppk up to 2.25ppk which averaged £103 per head.

Hoggets over 52kg averaged 2.00ppk up to 2.22ppk which averaged £112 per head.

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

Spring lambs: We had an entry of 604 spring lambs which averaged a good SQQ of £2.65ppk up to £2.80ppk for some 34kg lambs from EM Matthews. All spring lambs averaged a good £107per head up to £130 per head from DT & SM Owens.

We have good demand from our buyers for spring lambs and at the current prices the lambs need to be sold if they are ready.

Lambs between 25.5 kg to 32 kg averaged 2.65ppk up to 2.68ppk which averaged £80 per head.

Lambs between 32.5 kg to 39 kg averaged 2.62ppk up to 2.80ppk which averaged £100 per head.

Lambs between 39.1 kg to 45.5 kg averaged 2.66ppk up to 2.75ppk which averaged £109 per head.

Lambs between 45.6 kg to 52 kg averaged 2.46ppk up to 2.50ppk which averaged £123 per head.

The champion pen of lambs was awarded to Burgoynes Farms for some 40kg Texel cross lambs which made £109.20 per head and were purchased by Euro Quality Lambs.

The reserve champion pen of lambs was awarded to Ashley Griffiths for some 40kg Texel cross lambs which made £110 per head and were purchased by Euro Quality Lamb.

The lambs were kindly judged by Percy Jenkins of Euro Quality Lamb.

Cull ewes, tups, wethers, store hoggets & goats: There was a good entry of 249 cull & store sheep, which sold to a very strong trade.

The cull sheep trade was good again on all types and well sort after by the buyers.

The buyers are requiring good meated sheep for their orders, which are not fat or too lean.

The cull sheep sold to a top of £125.50 per head for some Texel ram from R Hamer and averaged an excellent £82 per head which included the usual entry of thin and small hill bred sheep. Strong meated ewes sold to the best trade and they would be dear again.

Continental cross and strong ewes averaged £109 per head and sold up to £120 per head.

Mule type's ewes averaged £79 per head and sold up to £96 per head.

Welsh, Speckle and smaller hill type ewes averaged £63 per head and sold up to £75 per head.

Tups sold to £125.50 per head and averaged £90 per head.

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

We have buyers for in excess of 3000 hoggets and spring 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 Lambs followed by Cull sheep, light and store lambs. For further information please contact Gareth Wall on 01544 230316 or 0797414336.