MCCARTNEYS report an entry of 175 hoggets, 23 spring lambs and 216 cull sheep at its May 7 sale.

First new season lambs sold to an excellent trade, £80 per head for 38kg Suffolk x from E R Roberts & Son, Racecourse, and £85 for 40.50 kg from R W E Vogel & Son, Craigydon.

A very good hogget trade averaged 169.54p per kilo and sold to 191p per kilo for 43.50kg Texel x hoggets to £83 per head from A E Bason, Highfields.

Also to 185p per kilo for 46.50kg Texel x hoggets to £86 per head from B Wozencraft, Bryngwyn.

Other prices: 182.47p per kilo for 48-50kg Texel x hoggets to £88.50 per head from D G Price, Meeting House; 182.43 p per kilo for 37kg Texel x hoggets to £67.50 per head from B Wozencraft, Bryngwyn; 180p per kilo for 40kg Texel x hoggets to £72 per head from E J Davies & Son, Little Cwmgilla.

Top price per head was £98.20 per head for 54.5kg Texel x hoggets from R F Gough & Son, New House. Also to £97.00 per head for 60kg Suffolk hoggets from E R Roberts & Son, Race-course; £92.50 per head for 51kg Texel x hoggets from A E Bason, Highfields; and £92 per head for 60kg Texel x hoggets from J P Breeze & Son, Fronladies.

An excellent ewe trade followed averaging £60.49 and selling to £110.00 per head for Suffolk ewes from E R Roberts & Son, Racecourse. Also to £101.00 for Texel x ewes from E J Davies & Son, Little Cwmgilla; £100.00 per head for Texel ewes from D G Price, The Meeting House; £93 per head for Beltex x ewes from E J Davies & Son, Little Cwmgilla. Mule Ewes to £87 per head from D M Wilding, Blaenycwm. Also to £86 per head for mule ewes from S N & R D Powell, Werndansey. Welsh ewes to £63.50 per head from J J Owens & Son, Gumma.