Trade was firm across the board at Brecon Livestock Market this week, with a quality show of spring lambs alongside finished hoggets, cull ewes and rams on Tuesday, May 12.

McCartney’s Brecon reported a strong entry of spring lambs returning a SQQ of 463.1ppk, with an overall average of 460.1ppk.

A quality show of spring lambs met keen competition from all major buyers, with lambs generally levelling at around 463ppk. The 35-40kg weight range proved the easiest sold, with many in this bracket making 460ppk plus and topping at 472ppk on a few occasions. Heavier types sold to 469ppk for 43kg lambs from P G Amphlett, while super heavies topped at £212 per head from E H Leyshon. More lambs can been sold to an advantage weekly.

Finished hoggets also met a very strong trade, with more could easily have been sold and prices described as possibly the dearest seen at Brecon for a few weeks. The section topped at 439ppk, with an SQQ of 431.4ppk and an overall average of 423.9ppk. Plenty traded at 420ppk and above, with all weights keenly contested across both heavy and light sorts. Hill hoggets reached 435ppk, and more are now needed as the festival approaches.

A nice entry of couples were forward, with hoggets selling to £310 per outfit including singles at foot from I T Davies & Son. Full-mouthed Welsh ewes sold to £270 from J Lilly.

Once again, there was plenty of life in the cull sheep section, with ewes in strong demand. Forty-six cull sheep sold at £200 and over, with plenty of meat on offer and crossbred and mule ewes generally £170 and above. Best fleshed hill sorts made £140 plus, with only the very small or plain types £100 or less. The overall average was £164 per head, and more can be handled weekly.