Considering the relatively early Easter, and the extreme cold weather endured by the lambs in their early days, Chelford breeders produced a quality entry for the Easter Show, last week.

Judge for the day was lamb finisher David Platt of Gawsworth, who selected his champion lamb out of a pen from Claire Tomlinson, Broxton, Chester. This 44kg Texel cross lamb then went on to sell for 420p/kg (£184.80) to Ashbourne butcher Richard Hobday.

Another lamb from Claire Tomlinson’s pen took the reserve championship. This one, a 39kg Texel cross, made 350p/kg (£136.50) to wholesaler Sam Howarth, Diggle, Oldham, on behalf of Neil Mellor, butcher, from Upper Hill, Saddleworth.

Several lambs made more than 300p/kg, with Chelford butcher Tony Boon paying 320p for a 32kg Texel cross from John Nicholas, Helsby, and another regular buyer David Kidd, buying on behalf of Macclesfield butcher Nigel Wilcox, paying 315p/kg for a 37kg Charollais cross from Mark and Sue Shimwell, Astbury.

Altogether, the 97 spring lambs averaged 255.1p/kg.

See this week’s issue, out on April 3, for more lamb sale reports.