Stags of South Molton report another excellent number of new season lambs again this week and a slightly dearer trade, especially for the heavier and stronger lambs.

A generally decent quality entry with some 'stale' and plainer lambs about bringing the overall average back.

Many of the better lambs over the 230ppk mark, with the best trade this week for the 42kg plus sorts. Only a few heavy lambs on offer but they were all very wanted.

Again the lightest, leaner lambs are the hardest to sell. All buyers present and all very keen to procure lamb which made selling much easier than last week.

Best pens to 243ppk to 41.1kg shapely Texel crosses from Messrs Tester & Edwards of Tiverton with 241ppk to 44.2kg Texel crosses from Mr W Parker & Sons of South Molton. 240ppk three times; the first to 44kg Charollais crosses from Mr JR Wescott & Son of Willand; the second to 43kg Charollais crosses from Mr MW Holmes of Kings Nympton and the third to 43kg Charollais crosses from Mr R Irwin also of Kings Nympton. 239ppk three times; the first to 44.8kg Dorset crosses from Mr J Brayant of Lynton; the second to 43.5kg Suffolks from Mr Irwin again and the third to 45kg Texel crosses again from the Parker Family. 238ppk to 46kg Charollais crosses from Messrs DJ & RA Woollacott of Yarnscombe with 236ppk twice; the first to 48kg Charollais crosses from Mr WJ Woollacott & Sons of Bishop Nympton and the second to 40.2kg Charollais crosses from Mr SC Webber of Umberleigh. 235ppk three times; the first to 38.5kg Charollais crosses from Messrs PA & MEM Chudley of Romansleigh; the second to 45kg Texel crosses from Mr G Heywood & Son of Buckland Brewer and the third to 46kg Texel crosses from Mr D Farr of Yarnscombe.

Read more: South Molton Market report for Thursday, May 28

Top of the day at £118.50 to 53kg Charollais crosses from Messrs PR & JA Ley of Alverdiscott with 50kg Texel crosses from Mr W Parker & Son of South Molton. £114 twice; the first to 49kg Charollais crosses from Messrs GF & PJ Warne of Umberleigh and the second to 50kg Charollais crosses from Messrs AE Chudley & Son of Romansleigh. £113.50 twice also; the first to 48kg Charollais crosses from Mr WJ Woollacott & Sons of Bishops Nympton and the second to 51kg Charollais crosses from Mr MW Holmes of Kings Nympton. £113 to 50kg Pure Suffolk from Mr R Irwin of Kings Nympton with £112 to 50kg Texel crosses from Messrs Tester & Edwards of Tiverton. £110 three times; the first to 50kg Dorset crosses from Mr J Bryant of Lynton; the second to 47.1kg Charollais crosses from Messrs HJ & RH Mildon of Brayford and the third to 48.5kg Charollais crosses from Mr DJ Woollacott of South Molton. £109.50 to 46kg Charollais crosses from Messrs DJ & RA Woollacott of Yarnscombe with £108 to 46kg Texel crosses from Mr D Farr also of Yarnscombe. £107.80 to 47kg Suffolk crosses from Mr G Heywood & Son of Buckland Brewer with £107.50 to 45kg Texel crosses from the Parker Family again. £107 to 44.8kg Dorset crosses again from Mr Bryant.

A smaller entry and a pretty limited trade for hoggs. Good meat still sells well whatever the weight. A number of scaled hoggs in the entry which are still trading £10 per head behind the clean hoggs. Topping the hoggs at £99.50 to 58.5kg Texel crosses from Messrs DW & AE Enitcott of Ashbrittle with £99 to 56kg Suffolk crosses from Mr NJ Barrow of Brayford. £95.50 to 55kg Texel crosses from Mr MW Holmes of Kings Nympton with 71kg Suffolk crosses from Mr P Coles of Hockworthy at £93.50.

Another very decent number entry of cull sheep with some excellent runs of Suffolk Mules this week. Overall a very good quality but again buyers wary of any “fat” or “thick” ewes. No real top show stoppers but best ewes towards the £100 mark. Best Suffolk Mules generally £75-£80 and best Mules £58-£65. Best trade again today for the leaner ewes with all buyers looking for them. Top of the day at £97.50 for a super pen of ten Pure Charollais’ from Mr MA Milton of Chapelton. £83 to Texels from Mr NA Cooke of Torrington with £81 to similar ewes from Mr CE Bulled of Harracott. Closely followed at £80.50 to Suffolk Mules from Mr FJ Sing of Mariansleigh with £80 to further blackfaces from Mr MJ Avery of Yarnscombe. £79 three times; the first to Suffolk Mules from Mr D Farr of Yarnscombe; the second to blackfaces from Messrs HJ & RH Mildon of Brayford and the third to Charollais’ from Mr DJ Woollacott of South Molton. £78 to Suffolk Mules again from Mr Farr with similar ewes from Mr G Mills & Partners Ltd of Witheridge at £77. £76.50 twice; the first to Suffolk Mules from Mr Woollacott again and the second to Texels again from Mr Cooke. £76 to Suffolk Mules from Mr FJ Sing of Mariansleigh with £75.50 to further Suffolk Mules from Mr WI Thorne & Sons of Ashreigney.