From Hill to Market: The Glendinning Sales Cycle
In early September the ewes are gathered in from the hills, stock ewe lambs are drawn, and all other lambs weaned.
Wedder lambs are sold as store lambs through Longtown Auction Mart, achieving among the highest prices every week. Many regular buyers return year after year to purchase Glendinning Cheviot wedders and Sundhope Blackface wedders for finishing over the winter months. These lambs are highly sought after. On low ground they will grow on without the need for supplementary feed, producing top quality prime lambs for the market from Christmas through to the early months of the year – a time when sheep prices are invariably at their peak.
The 5-year-old ewes are sold through Longtown Auction Mart at the end of September, with buyers coming from as far afield as Wales, Devon, Cornwall, Yorkshire and Aberdeenshire.
These ewes go on to breed for another 2 or 3 years in a less challenging environment, often crossed with a more commercial ram. Surplus ewe lambs are also sold either for future breeding or for conservation grazing. Again, buyers return year after year to buy breeding females from Glendinning Farms.
Each year around 50 Cheviot tup lambs are kept entire and a selection of these are sold as shearling rams the following year at the annual Cheviot Sheep Society breed sale through Harrison and Hetherington at Lockerbie Auction Mart.
The South Country Cheviot tup is also gaining a reputation for being an ideal crossing tup when used over other hill breeds or commercial ewe hoggs.
Have a Question?
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’ll be happy to help.
