Stags of South Molton report another large entry of new season lambs this week met a better trade with the national trade moving up as the week progresses.

The decision to move the sale to Wednesday afternoon instead of the normal Thursday because of the one-off Bank Holiday Friday feels very vindicated.

Nearly all abattoirs are not killing on Friday and buyers were reluctant to attend on Thursday to procure fresh lambs.

Trade was fast from start to finish with again best trade for the 39-42kg types.

Heavier lambs still making less than the lighter lambs with very limited demand.

It is still best to keep picking lambs at the lower weights to benefit from the higher prices per kilo.

Top of the day at £119.50 to 59kg Texel crosses from Mr D Fergie of South Molton with £112.80 to 42kg Charollais crosses from Mr EJ Westaway of Newton Tracey.

£112 to 45.2kg Texel crosses from Messrs D & G Phillips & Partners of Chulmleigh with £111.20 twice, both pens being 45kg Charollais crosses from Messrs Govier & Partners of South Molton.

£110.80 to 44.4kg Charollais crosses from Messrs BJ & CJ Rowland of Mariansleigh with £110 three times; the first to 45.6kg Suffolk crosses from Mr G Heywood & Son of Buckland Brewer; the second to 46.6kg Charollais crosses again from Messrs Govier and the third to 45kg Texel crosses from Mrs PA Stentiford of Whiddon.

£109.50 twice; the first to 44.1kg Charollais crosses from Mr WJ Woollacott & Sons of Bishops Nympton and the second to 46.5kg Suffolk crosses from Messrs PJ & BJ Millman of Chulmleigh.

£109 twice also; both to 44kg Suffolk cross pens from Mr GC Thomas of Burrington and Mr R Irwin of Kings Nympton. £108.50 to 42.8kg super Suffolk crosses from Messrs Parsonage Farms of Chulmleigh, the first large pick from this farm with over 150 lambs being sold for the Crocombe Family.

Best pens to 269ppk to 42kg Charollais crosses from Mr EJ Westaway from Newton Tracey with 267ppk to 39.3kg Texel crosses from Messrs CJ & LM Hill of Yarnscombe.

263ppk twice; the first to 40.7kg Suffolk crosses from Mr G Mills & Partners Ltd of Witheridge and the second to 41kg Charollais crosses from Mr Westaway again.

261ppk three times; the first to 41.5kg Charollais crosses from Mr A Westaway of Newton Tracey with the second and third to 39-40kg Suffolk crosses from Mr J Norman of Shirwell.

260ppk four times; the first to 39.6kg Texel crosses from Mr C Aris of Torrington with the remaining three pens to 40-41.5kg Charollais and Suffolk crosses again from Mills Family, with another super run of 180 lambs.

Another four pens at 259ppk; the first to 41.8kg Charollais crosses from Mr EJ Westaway again; the second to 40.5kg Texel crosses from Messrs Easterbrook & Partners of Yarnscombe and the third and fourth to 40-41kg Charollais and Texel crosses from the Mills Family.

A smaller selection of hoggs and a very mixed entry it was too!

The good meat hoggs met a better trade with a number of pens over the 200ppk mark.

This may well continue as the hoggs really are beginning to get scarce.

We are finding a number of scaled hoggs as we are “mouthing” each hogg.

These are meeting stronger demand than normal and trading at about £10-£15 behind the clean hoggs.

Top of the day at £111.50 to 63kg Charollais crosses from Mr TJ Norman of Milverton with £104.80 to 54.7kg Texel crosses from Mr WJ Crocker & Sons of Okehampton.

£104 to 68kg Pure Charollais from Mr D Smith of Chulmleigh with £103 to 55kg Charollais crosses from Mr R Treniman of Ashreigney.

£101.50 to 58kg Charollais crosses from Mr DW Ridd of West Buckland closely followed at £101 twice; the first to Mr Treniman’s second 56.5kg Texel cross pen with the second to 57.5kg Charollais crosses from Mr P Coles of Hockworthy.

£99.80 twice; the first to 52.6kg Texel crosses from Messrs Crocker again with the second to 53.5kg Texel crosses from Mr Norman’s second pen.

Best pens to 210ppk to 43.6kg Texel crosses from Mr TJ Norman of Milverton with 206ppk to 43kg Texel crosses from Messrs S & J Bale of Challacombe.

203ppk three times; the first to 39.3kg Charollais crosses from Mr P Coles of Hockworthy with the second and third pens to 44-47kg Texel crosses again from Mr Norman.

202ppk to 45kg Charollais crosses from Messrs J & H Searle of South Molton with 198ppk three times; the first to 43.5kg Closewool crosses from Messrs Bale again; the second to 48.3kg Texel crosses from Mr D Farr of Yarnscombe and the third to 46.4kg Texel crosses again from Mr Norman.

A very small entry of cull sheep probably due to not being on a normal Thursday and the reduced trade seen in the last fortnight.

Again a very mixed entry but definitely an upturn in trade with all ewes slightly dearer.

Numbers nationally are shorter and hopefully as Ramadan finished trade will lift further.

Buyers still very wary of the over “fat” ewes though.

Top of the day at £110 to Charollais’ from Mr G Mills & Partners Ltd of Witheridge whose pen of Suffolk Mules followed at £88.50. £88 to Charollais crosses from Mr AE Chudley & Son of Romansleigh with £79.50 to the Mills Family’s second Suffolk pen.

£79 to Dorsets from Mr G Palfrey & Son of Stoodleigh with £77 to Suffolk Mules from Mr JA Goscomb of North Molton.

£76.50 twice; the first to Texel crosses from Mr J Ford of Bideford and the second to Suffolk Mules from Mr BR May of Burrington.

£76 twice; both to Suffolk Mule pens from Mr J Ford and Mr G Heywood & Son of Buckland Brewer.

£75.50 to Suffolk Mules from Mr GJB Heal of High Bickington.

No rams forward for this week's market.