Stags of South Molton report a very disappointing number entry of hoggs this week that met a faster trade from start to finish.

Prime hoggs numbers appear to be getting shorter nationally and a number of our vendors reporting they have cleared out of hoggs.

Abattoirs were reporting during the week that sales were slow and as a result we would see a reduced trade but the shortage of numbers coming forward has driven the trade even higher.

It was the day to be the auctioneer with every hogg receiving competitive bidding.

Overall hoggs up nearly £5 per head on last week and best trade for the continental bred hoggs between 42 and 46kg with many pens excelling the 210ppk mark.

Best pens to 234ppk for shapely 44kg Beltex crosses from Messrs Holland Partnership of Warkleigh with 223ppk to 44.1kg Charollais crosses from Messrs GF & PJ Warne of Umberleigh. 222ppk twice; the first to 42.3kg Charollais crosses from Mr MC Cole of Ash Mill and the second to Messrs Warne’s second same weight pen.

218ppk to 39kg Charollais crosses from Mr S Guest of South Molton with 217ppk achieved five times; the first to 39kg Texel crosses from Messrs SH & UM Parker of Umberleigh; the second and third pens to 42kg and 45.5kg Texel crosses from Mr MW Holmes of Kings Nympton; the fourth to 44.2kg Texel crosses from Messrs MH & CJ Reed of Kings Nympton and the fifth to 45.4kg Charollais crosses from Mr W Milton of Chapeltown.

216ppk three times; the first to 38kg Beltex crosses again from Messrs Holland Partnership; the second to 42.4kg Texel crosses from Mr WH & JC Hayes of Twitchen and the third to 41.6kg Charollais crosses from Messrs L & SM Govier of Kings Nympton.

This was the final sale of sheep for the Govier Family and we thank them enormously for their support to the market over the years.

215ppk twice; the first to 40.6kg Texel crosses from Messrs A & C Curtis of Templeton and the second to 43kg Texel crosses from Messrs Roberts & Phillips of Dulverton. 214ppk three times; the first to 43.8kg Charollais crosses from Mr EF Thorne of Tawstock; the second to 44kg Dorset crosses from Messrs FG & FM Saunders of Templeton and the third to 46.2kg Charollais crosses from Messrs J & F Hookway of Ilfracombe.

Top of the day at £116 to a grand pen of 67kg Texel crosses from Messrs P & J Ley of Alverdiscott with £112.20 to 58kg Texel crosses from Messrs Holland Partnership of Warkleigh.

£111 to 58kg Charollais crosses from Messrs L & SM Govier of Kings Nympton with £109.50 to 57kg Charollais crosses from Messrs J & F Hookway of Ilfracombe. £107.50 to 57kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs A & S Hoskin of Bishops Nympton closely followed at £107 to 55kg Charollais crosses from Messrs RJ & KJ Cole of Ashreigney.

£106.50 to Messrs Ley’s second 55.8kg pen with £105.80 to 53.4kg Texel crosses from Messrs RH & GA Morrish Ltd of Torrington. £104.80 to 54kg Charollais crosses from Mr KB Reed of Nomansland with £104 twice; the first to 55kg Texel crosses from Messrs WH & JC Hayes of Twitchen and the second to 52.1kg Charollais crosses from Messrs DJ & RA Woollacott of Yarnscombe. £103.20 to 49.2kg Texel crosses from Messrs SH & UM Parker of Umberleigh closely followed at £103 twice; the first to 49.5kg Charollais crosses from Messrs L & SM Govier again and the second to 44kg Beltex crosses from Messrs Holland Partnership.

Read more: Holsworthy Market report for Wednesday, January 22

Just the one pen of small store lambs forward that looked well selling at £63 for Texel crosses from Mr WR Hale of Ilfracombe. The fortnightly sale will be next week.

Another solid entry of cull sheep and again everyone has been talking the trade back this week but we managed to secure one more strong trade.

Overall the ewes were up another £3-4 per head with the best Suffolk Mules between £105-£120 and strong North Country Mules £84-£95.

All ewes met strong demand with a very varied entry that included several runs of Exmoor Horns, generally £60-£70, Hillbred ewes £60 plus and usual runs of Mules with the overall average ending at £79 was quite an achievement.

Topping the day at £130 for a shapely Pure Charollais from Mr J Edwards of Yarnscombe who sold Suffolks to £126. £125 to a Pure Suffolk from Mr R Irwin of Kings Nympton with Suffolk Mules from Messrs HJ & RH Mildon of Brayford at £121.50.

Further Suffolk Mules from Messrs MJ & AL Elston of Romansleigh at £120.

Closely followed at £119.50 to further Charollais’ from Mr J Edwards with Texels from Messrs SH & UM Parker of Umberleigh at £116.

£115 to Suffolk Mule from Mr GJ Hookway of Ilfracombe who then sold Texels to £113.

£111.50 to further Texels from Messrs AJ & MJ Tarr & Son of West Anstey with £111 to Suffolk Mules from Messrs RJ & AR Snell of Burrington.

£110 rang the bell three times; the first to Texels from Mr G Dart & Sons of Molland; the second to Suffolk Mules from Mr WB Manley & Son of Hemyock and the third to further blackfaces from Mr SG Lethbridge of Eastleigh, who also sold a super of North Country Mules at £95.

£109 twice both to Suffolk Mule pens from Messrs BJ & DE Griffiths of Burrington and the second to Messrs Mildon again.

Best rams to £112 for a Texel from Messrs HJ & RH Mildon of Brayford with another Texel from Messrs AJ & MJ Tarr & Son of West Anstey.