Stags of South Molton report a bigger number of hoggs forward this week and a very similar trade if not slightly dearer than last week.

The SQQ is up a touch with the quality of hoggs forward being less than last week.

Overall the crossbred 42-46kg hoggs were all over the 240ppk mark and the lighter hoggs would have been the dearest of the day.

The heavy hoggs would have not been any dearer than the previous few weeks.

There were of number of leaner hoggs forward today and they were definitely harder to sell. A number of hoggs were presented dirty whiched helped their weight but not their selling pph. Abattoirs are reporting that they need hoggs clean when going to slaughter.

Top of the day at £136 twice; the first to 78kg Suffolk ram and the second to 65.5kg Charollais rams both pens from Mrs S May of Ashford.

£135.50 to 64kg Pure Suffolks from Mr GC Thomas of Burrington with £132 to 63kg Suffolk crosses from Mr JK May of Eastleigh.

£130to 66kg Suffolk crosses from Mr FC Reed of North Molton closely followed at £129.50 to 60kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs A & C Rowland of Bampton.

£129 to 57kg Pure Texels from Mrs CA Smale of North Molton with £128 to 59kg Charollais crosses from Mr G Dart & Sons of Molland. £124.50 to 53.5kg Charollais crosses from Mr MJ King & Sons of Iddesleigh with £124 to 56kg Charollais crosses from Mr DJ Woollacott of South Molton.

£121 to 58kg Suffolks again from Mrs May with £120 three times; the first to 60kg Charollais crosses from Mr B Blackmore of Stoke Rivers; the second to 54kg Charollais crosses from Mr EJ Westaway of Newton Tracey and the third to 54.4kg Charollais crosses again from Mr Woollacott.

£119.50 twice; the first to 54.7kg Suffolks again from Mr May and the second to 52kg Texel crosses from Messrs LF & JM Heywood of Loxbeare.

£118 to 62kg Lleyn crosses from Mr R Irwin of Kings Nympton with £117 twice; the first to 52.1kg Suffolk crosses from Mr May again and the second to 54.2kg Charollais crosses again from Mr Westaway.

Best pens to 251ppk to 43.7kg Texel crosses from Mr ME Snell & Son of Knowstone with 249ppk twice; the first to 42.5kg pen from the same vendor and the second to 35kg Texel crosses from Mr D Edwards of Rackenford.

246ppk twice; the first to 42.2kg Charollais crosses from Messrs GF & PJ Warne of Umberleigh and the second to 45.5kg Texel crosses from Mr MJ King & Sons of Iddesleigh.

245ppk four times; the first to 39kg Texel crosses from Messrs GR & RJ Ward of Iddesleigh; the second to 43.6kg Charollais crosses from Mr G Mills & Partners Ltd of Witheridge; the third to 44.6kg Texel crosses from Mr BJ Mogford of Landkey and the fourth to 42.8kg Texel crosses from Messrs LF & JM Heywood of Loxbeare.

244ppk to 42.4kg Texel crosses from Mr TR Squire of Winkleigh with 242ppk to 43kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs DL & JM Bray & Son of Knowstone.

241ppk twice; the first to 42.1kg Texel crosses from Messrs Heywood and the second to 40kg Texel crosses from Messrs RG & GK Cowle of Winkleigh.

240ppk twice; the first to 35kg Texel crosses again from Messrs Ward and the second to 40kg Suffolks from Mr FC Reed of North Molton.

239ppk also twice; the first to 38.2kg Texel crosses from the Cowle Family and the second to 40.1kg Texel crosses from Mr LA Luxmoore of Crediton.

A better number entry of ewes and again the trade continues to get dearer.

Overall the bigger best ewes were probably another £5 per head dearer and the rest similar money to previous fortnight.

The ewes are simply in short supply and all classes are wanted especially the bigger heavier types.

Best Suffolk Mules all over £130 mark and plenty of Mule pens over the £100 mark and up to £112.

Topping not only the hoggs but also the ewes was Mrs S May of Ashford with a grand pair of Pure Suffolks at £155.

£154 to another Pure Suffolk from Mr R Irwin of Kings Nympton with Texels from Mr MA Milton of Chapelton at £150.50.

Closely followed at £150 to Suffolk Mules from Messrs Govier & Son of South Molton with similar bred ewes from Mr FJ Sing of Mariansleigh at £149.50. £147 to a Charollais this time from Mrs May with Texels from Messrs TJ & JC Pincombe of Chulmleigh at £145.

£143 twice; the first to a Charollais from Mr Milton again and the second to Suffolk Mules from Messrs AF & ME Clements & Son of East Worlington.

£139 to Suffolk Mules from Mr DJ Govier & Partners of Chulmleigh and £138 to similar blackfaces from Messrs RJ, GM & AJ Tucker of Umberleigh.

£135 to another Charollais from Mr Milton closely followed at £134.50 to Blue Faced Leicester’s from Messrs Lucas & Ridge of Chulmleigh.

£129 to Suffolk Mules again from Mr Sing with similar ewes from the Pincombe Family again at £128.

£127 twice; both to Suffolk pens from Messrs BJ & DE Griffiths of Burrington and Mr DJ Woollacott of South Molton.

£125 to Texels from Mr DP Kiff od Muddiford.

Solid show of rams with best to £137 for a pair of cracking Charollais’ from Mr DJ Woollacott of South Molton whose second pen sold to £118.

Other Charollais rams from Mr TR Squire of Winkleigh rose to £127 with a rare a short entry of goats to £82 from Mrs T McLeod of Swimbridge.