Sheep sales get a boost

With the show season upon us, we look forward to travelling to major national and regional agricultural shows to promote the breeding sheep sales to be held in the Harrison & Hetherington network of livestock marts.

The spring has seen a highly successful weekly sale of ewes with lambs established at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, with regular entries of 500 to 800 families, while the New Fair sale at Kirkby Stephen continues to enhance its reputation not only for Swaledales but also Mule hoggs and ewes with lambs.

The late season surge in the prime hogg trade was a much needed confidence boost to the sector and early spring lamb trade being in advance of 2005 has been a welcome lift to sheep farmers, although the poorer weather has checked lamb growth rates, keeping supplies tighter than anticipated. It is with these sales still fresh in the mind and confidence brewing from better than expected prices that we look forward to the autumn sheep sales.

Early indications are that breeding sheep prices will in the main be at similar levels to last year. It all starts in July at Borderway Mart with the sale of ewes suitable for early lamb production and sales follow fortnightly throughout the season. These include special days for Euro continental cross ewe lambs and shearling gimmers.

The highlight of the early season often comes in the form of Mule shearling gimmers and two shear ewes at Lazonby and Borderway with entries of 10,000 and 4,000 respectively with many noted top quality consignments on offer. Some 80,000 Mule ewe lambs, including many lambs from members of the North of England Mule Sheep Association will be available through the marts at Lazonby, Kirkby Stephen, Carlisle, Middleton in Teesdale, St John's Chapel, Newcastleton and Broughton in Furness.

For the pedigree breeder, Borderway Mart continues to play host to sales on behalf of all the major sheep breeds, while the hill breeds see Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association sales at Kirkby Stephen, Middleton in Teesdale and St John's Chapel, together with ewe sales at Lazonby and Broughton.

Lockerbie is now established as the major centre in southern Scotland for Cheviot Hill rams and North Country Cheviot breeding sheep. Herdwicks, most commonly associated with the Lake District fells, are offered at noted sales held at Broughton in Furness.

Harrison & Hetherington also continues to attend the annual major National Sheep Association rams sales at Kelson and Builth Wells.

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