HEREFORD Market Auctioneers report the following prices at their weekly sale in Hereford Market on Wednesday.

Prime Lambs (1,235): A similar entry of mostly good meat lambs sold to an improved trade. The best shaped lambs sold over 110p/kg topping at 114.1p/kg £44.50 for 39kg from M/s D and J Bambrough. The heavier lambs sold over £50 topping at £58 (three times) for 55kg from Mr R Wallis. Overall average 108.7p/kg. Top head price was £58 for lambs grading 55kg.

Store Lambs (3,551): Store lambs included the Second Special Sale of Ewe Lambs. Many top quality bunches of Suffolk cross and Texel crosses out of North Country and Welsh Mules attracted bidders from many surrounding counties with a total clearance effected. Top price on the day of £65 was paid for a bunch of home bred Welsh Mules, other pens of better sorts from £47 to £57, smaller lambs £33 to £44. The marvellous selection Suffolk crosses topped at £57 with many smart pens from £48 to £56.50, plainer and smaller lambs from £38 to £42.

Store lambs sold to good level of demand with customers for all sizes although not as many in attendance as recent weeks. Strongest lambs from £38 to £41.50, many bunches of farming lambs from £32 to £37, lambs under £30 were generally smaller or plain, they ranged from £21.50 and upwards. Marvellous clearance throughout.

Breeding Ewes (1,406): The larger entry of generally better quality ewes sold to an improved trade, prices generally were improved by £5 more than recent weeks. Topping at £82 for home bred Welsh Mules, other stronger yearling Mules from £68 to £76, plainer types from £62 to £67. A good selection of Suffolk cross yearlings with smarter, stronger pens from £66 to £77, smaller and harder bred Suffolk cross yearlings from £52 to £64. Halfbred Yearlings from £67 to £77, Scotch Mules from £71.50 to £74. Among the two year old, North Country Mules from £49 to £60, Suffolk crosses from £47 to £61, stronger Texel cross two and three year olds at £59, Mule three and four year olds from £28 to £47. Welsh ewes three and four year olds from £26 to £35.50. Full mouth Charollais cross ewes £30.50 to £35. An excellent clearance.

Stock Rams (170): A most market difference from last week with a great many more customers and greater demand on all sorts saw notable results. Suffolk Yearlings 330, 300, 290 and 280Gns; Suffolk Ram Lambs 200 and 110; Charollais yearlings 390, 360, 330 and 320; Beltex cross Ram 230 and 210; Blue Faced Leicester yearlings 280, 280 and 260.

Charollais yearling Show and Sale Results: 1 Mr J E T Jones, Walton 360Gns, 2 M I and M T Abberley, 3 B P and M E Whistance 160Gns, 4 D Curran 300Gns.

Texel Yearling Show and Sale Results: 1 Mr J Hartwright, Stanford Bridge 460Gns, 2 I T Davies & Son 250Gns, 3 D L and R L adams 300Gns, 4 T J Vaughan 260Gns.

Cull Ewes (1,100): a shorter entry following last weeks very large entry saw a similar trade with very few strong ewes on offer.

The strong Suffolk and continental ewes sold between £38 - £44 topping at £44.20, Mules £30 - £35. Half meated ewes sold between £25 - £30, Plainer ewes £18 - £25.

Small ewes saw the best sorts £18 - £22, mediums £15 - £18, plainer sorts £8 - £12. Overall average £21.88