NORTHUMBERLAND BRANCH REPORT

After one of the wettest and coldest lambing times for years it was good to see so many quality sheep at the NORTH SHEEP event at Penrith. The Northumberland Branch supplied a Blackface ewe and pair of mule lambs and a Mule ewe with a pair of Suffolk lambs kindly loaned by the Archer family from Carry House and the Longlands family from Rushy Law. There were a lot of people on the stand and
much interest shown in the sheep, a very successful day.

After a good summer and a reasonable trade for fat lambs there was a certain amount of optimism for the ewe lamb sales.

At the NEMSA Bellingham sale held in the new sheep ring at Hexham there was a terrific show of lambs, which was won by a pen of 20 from Carry House.

1st Carry House £94
2nd Homilton £78
3rd Quarry House £90

Overall, the average was similar to last year. There endeth the good news.

By the time the second NEMSA show arrived, fat lambs had eased considerably, resulting in ewe lambs being cheaper, especially tupping lambs, running lambs still seemed a decent trade.

Once again there was a very good show of lambs with the overall champion coming from Fallowfield for a pen of lambs out of the Blackface ewe.

EX BLACKFACE EX SWALEDALE
1st Fallowfield £84
2nd Edlingham Newtown £69
3rd Whiteside (D Charlton) £72
1st Low Leam £68
2nd Quarry House £62
3rd Stone Stile £64

The following week we inspected at the Skipton sale and I would like to thank the Skipton Branch for their hospitality, the weather was fine and warm, unlike the last time, I was there in January for the Trident Sheep Fair when it snowed!

Finally how something which seems to be a problem at the time, turns out to be a minor hiccup. This happened to some friends of mine a few years ago while dipping lambs aided by their young son who had mixed the colour to his own dilution rate.

They are quite innovative which sets them both apart, Take one little instance the sheep sales at the mart. The ring was packed with buyers, expectations high,
the trade was getting dearer, the sun was in the sky. Everybody’s lambs were dipped, a biscuit shade, quite mellow, but when their lambs came in the ring, they were fluorescent yellow. A deathly hush descended, a murmur went around,
but that was soon forgotten, they made eighty seven pounds. So does this mean a trend’s been set? And they have made their mark, by producing a Mule lamb, which is reflected in the dark.

M W RIDLEY