Ted Ogden on high quality of autumn stock.
Autumn sales are coming and going at a rate of knots, and in quantity too.
Here at Skipton, we are in our second run of nine sales in 10 days, which shows how busy the mart is and it is a complex nature of operations as we intertwine sales of breeding, stores, pedigree and primestock with one another on a daily basis.
So far this season at Skipton, we have had two sales of Mule gimmer lambs, with the third sale of 4,700 this coming Tuesday.
Trade has seen averages roughly 5 to 8/head down on the year. Lambs to tup, or strong runners to include in farmers’ own flocks, have seen a nice level trade, while smaller and medium runners are a bit more variable and can be bought quite a bit cheaper on the year.
Store lambs have hit peak season and for the second sale in succession, we face 10,000-head next Wednesday.
Strong framed lowland lambs for short keep are generally in the 80s to early 90s/head, with only premium Beltex types, or small lots of big lambs, achieving more.
A medium sized lowland lamb is mid 70s to early 80s/head, but the small, long keep wintering types can be anywhere in the 50s 60s and early 70s, depending on type.
The best of the Mule wethers are currently on the market, most in the 70s, with some stronger pens into the 80s, medium to long keep types in the late 60s.
Horned wethers are beginning to come forward and some of these are looking nice value in the 40s and 50s/head.
Pedigree sheep season has seen the first round up of club sales, with Texels at Skipton reaching a top of 7,000gns, with buyers willing to spend four figures on quality tups for commercial lamb production as shown by an average of 1,125 for shearling rams.
A promising indicator that producers across the region are looking to keep up the quality for which they have become known.
As we move towards hill farmers sourcing replacement Swaledale ewes and Bluefaced Leicester rams, again, quality is being sought.
Mule lamb production is a serious job and matching the right tups to the right ewes is key.
Many farmers in the North spend a lot of time visiting other sales to look at lambs and get an indication of which tup pens to buy out of.
A stressful time for them, but highlights the seriousness with which breeders of the North of England Mule lamb take their occupation.
A look at store cattle trade see’s older cattle in good demand, especially beef dairy crosses carrying flesh and able to be put through a finishing yard fairly quickly.
A younger beef dairy cross looks more value in comparison, with buyers looking cautiously at growing/wintering costs.
Suckler-bred animals fit for the quality retail butcher market are selling at premiums, with good heifers at 15-16 months old able to command 1,400-1,600.
There is still plenty of the season left and on behalf of all LAA auctioneers and markets, we look forward to seeing you at our sales soon.
Ted Ogden
Ted Ogden is auctioneer and sales manager at CCM Auctions, Skipton, North Yorkshire. Call 07855 958 211, or email [email protected]
