Growing worldwide demand for Valais Blacknose sheep, ensured a buoyant demand at the second production sale from Steve Jones and Richard Pilkington's Alpine flock from Wrexham, North Wales, where the lead priced lot at 4900gns sold to New Zealand.

The sale, staged at Beeston Auction mart, was led by the August 2015-born ram, Alpine Casper, a son of Ben Lomond, or Toby as he is better known, purchased by the Valais Syndicate, Woodville, NZ.

Dumfriesshire breeder, Glen Blacklock, Know Farm House, Kirkconnel, Sanquhar, bought the next best at 4000gns, Biner Nancy, a three-year-old imported ewe from Switzerland.

Top priced ewe hogg at 2650gns was the June 2016-born Alpine Dominique, a Toby daughter purchased by MA Jarman, Woonton, Herefordshire.

Abigail Bolt and Emma Childs of New Forest Valais Blacknose, Hampshire, also got in on the action forking out 2050gns and 1150gns for individual lots. The dearest was Zara, a ewe that had been on a flushing programme for ET purposes and was offered open, and ready to breed again, with the 1150gns bid coming for the ram, Alpine Rambo.

A good selection of April-born ET ewe lambs sold at the foot of their recipient ewe, peaked at 1700gns for Alpine Elegance, a daughter of Highland Montana, out of Zara, purchased by Berkshire breeder Renee Snouckaert. And, at 1350gns, Scottish breeder, Irene Steel, Thornhill, Dumfries, bought her full sister, Alpine Enchanted.

Ram lambs sold to 1150gns for the April-born Alpine Elvis, another Montana-sired lamb, this time out of Alpine Cindy. He headed home alongside recipient dam to Urmston, Greater Manchester, with Miss S Coombes.

Averages: Four April 2017-born ewe lambs and their recipient dams, £1404; three April 2017-born ram lambs and their recipient dams, £1207; five ewes, £2467; six rams, £1636; embryos in store, £455; straws of semen, £15.

Auctioneers: Wright Marshall