McCartneys described an “excellent” turnout and trade at Knighton Market on Friday 16 October, where a broad entry of store sheep drew lively competition and solid returns.
Store lambs and continental types
Store lambs topped at £155/hd for Texel cross ram lambs consigned by AE Gough & Son. The whole lamb entry averaged £125.33/hd. Continental-cross lambs generally performed well, with an average of £127.59/hd and numerous stronger sorts selling in excess of £140/hd. Large Mule lambs reached £130/hd, while hill-bred types averaged £110.09/hd and peaked at £122/hd.
| Category | Top price | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Texel cross ram lambs (top) | £155/hd | — |
| All store lambs | — | £125.33/hd |
| Continental cross lambs | — | £127.59/hd |
| Large Mule lambs | £130/hd | — |
| Hillbred lambs | £122/hd | £110.09/hd |
Breeding sheep sale
The market also staged its third multi-breed sale of breeding ewes, ewe lambs, rams and ram lambs. Yearling ewes averaged £245/hd, with Texel-cross yearlings from W Jones achieving a top of £345/hd. Ewe lambs made an average of £149.72/hd, selling up to £205/hd. Rams averaged £430.50/hd, while ram lambs returned an average of £273/hd, reaching £315/hd at the top end.
- Yearling ewes: average £245/hd, top £345/hd (Texel cross)
- Ewe lambs: average £149.72/hd, top £205/hd
- Rams: average £430.50/hd
- Ram lambs: average £273/hd, top £315/hd
Cattle prize show and sale
The Autumn Prize Show and Sale of Cattle formed part of the day’s trade. H G Rees Ltd won the champion pen, with 550kg Limousin-cross steers selling for £2,400/hd. Steers averaged £2,145.60/hd, and the top steer price was £2,570/hd for a 675kg Limousin-cross from J J Owens & Son. Heifers averaged £1,954.09/hd, with a top of £2,270/hd for a 565kg Limousin-cross, also from J J Owens & Son.
Overall, the Knighton sale underlined continuing demand for well-bred store lambs and breeding stock, and a competitive finish for cattle in the prize show section.
