Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 1040 correct Blackface ewes at the firm's annual sale at Ayr on Thursday to a top of £74 for a pen off James Murdoch & Sons, Knockdon Farm, Straiton and an average of £63.81 (-£9.27 on the year), while 404 Blackface gimmers peaked at £129 for a pen from A Kay and Son, Knockeen, Barr to level at £99.61 (-£22.38).
There were also 780 other breeding sheep forward when Mule gimmers sold to £121, while Mule ewe lambs peaked at £74.
The 1659 store lambs that followed the breeding sheep through the ring sold to a top of £66 for Cheviots, £63.20 Beltex, £63 Texel, £60 Suffolks, £52 Mules and £47.50 for Blackfaces to average £50.41 overall (+£2.13 on the week).
John Swan Ltd had 7473 draft ewes, ewe lambs and store lambs forward in St Boswells on Thursday when all classes met a healthy demand with second draw ewe lambs and store lambs dearer on the fortnight. A highlight of the sale was the selection of Cheviot lambs that sold well.
Breeding ewes sold to £135 for 3-crop Scotch Mules, £132 for 2-crop Texels and £120 for 1-crop Half-breds to average £92.71 for 1075.
Gimmers peaked at £158 for North Country Cheviots, £135 for Mules and £132 for Texels to level at £119.22 for 501.
Top prices and averages for the 1998 ewe lambs that went under the auctioneer's hammer: North Country Cheviots to £115 and averaged £97.71; Scotch Mules £102 and £90.06; SuffolkX £102 and £88.02; TexelX £88 and £81.52.
There were also 1948 store Cheviot lambs that sold to £62.50 and averaged £57.06. Top prices and averages for selected breeds of the remaining 3599 store lambs on offer: Texels £62.50 and £57.22; Suffolks £57 and £55.18; Beltex £62.50 and £61.99; Mules £55 and £51.78; Blackfaces £53 and £48.97.
C&D Auction Marts Ltd had a much larger show of 4774 prime lambs forward in Longtown on Thursday when export lambs were sharper on the week, while heavier lambs were easier. Top prices on the day were £90 per head and 212p per kg with the overall average levelling at 153.3p (+6.4p on the week).
Another great show of 6587 cast sheep saw heavy ewes sell to £138 for Texels and average £68.50 (+£1.69), while light ewes peaked at £80 for Hill Cheviots and levelled at £41.58 (-£1.26). Rams sold to £150 for a Texel and averaged £73.30.
The firm went on to sell 750 store lambs in Dumfries yesterday. Top prices and averages for selected breeds: Texels £54 and £53.16; Suffolks £56 and £55.56; Blackfaces £46 and £41.07; Mules £45 and £38.52.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here