South Molton market report for Thursday, December 10

Trade very similar to last week for the 41- 46kg lambs but just a shade back for the heavier lambs.

Not as good a quality entry this week as last, with a large amount of thick lambs on show. Buyers are definitely discounting the over thick lambs and there are a lot coming forward.

Not many lighter lambs forward (under 42kgs) and a lot of lambs in the 47-50kg bracket. Best trade for the handy weight leaner lambs with a lot of these over the 215ppk mark.

Top of the day at £114 to 68kg Pure Blue Texels from Miss J Maynard of Thelbridge with £111 twice; the first to 62kg Texel crosses from Mr MG Kingdon of Swimbridge and the second to 59.5kg Charollais crosses from Mr W Milton of Chapelton. £110 three times; the first to 70kg Charollais crosses from Messrs DJ & RA Woollacott of Yarnscombe; the second to 64kg Texel crosses from Mr W Smale of North Molton and the third to 62kg Suffolk crosses from Mrs M Tapp of South Molton. £108 four times; the first to 58kg Texel crosses from Messrs Cook Partners of Georgeham; the second to 60kg Pure Suffolk from Mrs S May of Ashford; the third to 63kg Charollais crosses from Messrs PJ & BJ Millman of Chulmleigh and the fourth to 58kg Charollais crosses from Messrs CJ & SE Ley of Burrington. £107 to 57.5kg Suffolk crosses from Mr AJ Bassett of Iddesleigh with £106.50 twice; the first to 57kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs Tucker & Son of Barnstaple and the second to 56.5kg Texel crosses from Mr AJ Bassett again.

Best pens to 225ppk twice; the first to 42.2kg Charollais crosses from Mr RP Williams of Winsford and the second to 40.3kg Charollais crosses from Messrs GF & PJ Warne of Umberleigh. 220ppk four times; the first to 38.6kg Texel crosses from Mr JC Isaac of Rackenford; the second to 44kg Berrichon crosses from Mr M & Mrs Y Pearce of Harracott; the third to 43kg Pure Suffolks from Mr MJ Selley of South Molton and the fourth to 41.6kg Texel crosses from Messrs MC & KD Yeo of Yarnscombe. 219ppk achieved twice; the first to 44kg Texel crosses from Haddiport Farm of Beaworthy and the second to 42.5kg Texel crosses from Messrs Irwin & Sons of Mariansleigh. 218ppk to 36kg Suffolk crosses from Mr M Bray of Knowstone with another two pens at 217ppk the first to 42.8kg Texel crosses from Messrs CP & CA Guscott of Dulverton and the second to 43.3kg Texel crosses from Messrs Irwin & Sons of Mariansleigh. Four further pens at 216ppk; the first to 39kg Texel crosses from Mr HJ Dart of Bishops Nympton; the second to 43.3kg Charollais crosses from Mr G Dart & Sons of Molland; the third to 44.4kg Texel crosses from Messrs JR, RA & RD Stanbury of Knowstone and the fourth 44kg Texel crosses from Messrs MJ & DM Lake of South Molton.

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A pleasing entry of 232 store lambs met another strong trade underpinned by prime buyers seeking leaner, lighter lambs. Overall average of £70.05 bearing in mind just under half of the lambs forward were mule wethers and Exmoor Horns with other very long keep lambs included. Top price for Mr D Hancock-Teesdale of South Molton who sold 104 lambs averaging £72. His best pens of Suffolk crosses topped at £92.50 with others to £89 with Mules looking well sold at £79.50. Mr MJ Short of Umberleigh sold Charollais crosses to £84.50 with new vendor Messrs Ravenhill-White of Chittlehampton were greeted with a good trade for Zwartbles topped at £84 and £80.

A bigger entry of cull sheep than the previous fortnight and again a generally good quality entry although definitely not as good as last weeks. The overall average is very similar to last week but considering the entry it was definitely a dearer trade. As with the lambs, buyers are discounting the thick ewes and it is the leaner ewes that are meeting the much better trade. No doubt all ewes are wanted with some medium, leaner ewes looking very dear.

Best Suffolk Mules in the £95-£105 and best Mules £82-£90. Topping the day at £134.50 for a grand Blue Faced Leicester ram from Mr BC Dallyn of Parracombe with a Texel at £129.50 from Mr FJ Sing of Mariansleigh. £127 to further Texels from Mr DJ Woollacott of South Molton and another Texel from Mr PC Friend of Ashbury at £121.50. Best of the ewes at £119.50 to a Texel from Mr G Atkins of Dulverton with £115.50 to Charollais crosses from Mr G Dart & Sons of Molland. Closely followed at £115 to Scotch Half Breds from Mr JWJ Milton of West Anstey with Texel crosses from Mr AJ Bassett of Iddesleigh at £114.50. £112.50 to Pure Suffolks from Messrs Lucas & Ridge of Chulmleigh and Texel crosses from Mr EJ Westaway of Newton Tracey at £112. £107 and £106.50 to two pens of Suffolk crosses from Mr J Yeo of Georgeham with Suffolk Mules from Mr JK May of Eastleigh at £105. £104.50 to blackfaces again from the Dart Family with £100 to a Suffolk again from Mr Bassett. £99.50 twice; the first to Suffolk Mules from Mr W Milton of Chapelton and the second to Texel crosses from Messrs A & S Hoskin of Bishops Nympton. £99 three times; the first to Suffolk Mules from Messrs MJ & DM Lake of South Molton; the second to Texel crosses again from Mr JWJ Milton and the third to Suffolk Mules from Mr RW Tapp & Son of South Molton.