Breeding sheep were easily sold with gimmers peaking at £112 for Texels and £100 for Mules, ewes sold to £95, £92 and £90 for mules, £88 SuffolkXs and mules, £87 Cheviot Mules, £70 Lleyns and £56 for Herdwicks.

There was an increased entry of store lambs on the year, with the overall average levelling at £57.99p, down £4.02p on the year.

SuffolkXs sold to £71.50 and £70.50, Texels £70 and £68.50, Charollais £60, Greyfaces £59.50, £57.50 and £56, and Swaledales to £44.

United Auctions sold 486 store bullocks at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 243.1p per kg and an average of 190.9p (-2.7p on the week), while 187 store heifers peaked at 242p and levelled at 189.4p (-2.5p).

In the rough ring, 145 cast cows averaged 131.3p.

The firm went on to hold its first sale of store lambs for the 2012 season, when lambs were 2kg-4kg lighter on the year as a result of the adverse weather.

Top prices and averages: SuffolkX lambs to £63 and averaged £62.45 (-£6 on the year); Texels £62.50 and £60.23 (-£6.88); Mules £57.50 and £54.01 (-£8.52).

Craig Wilson held its weekly sale of prime and cast sheep in Newton Stewart yesterday, a day later than usual to avoid clashing with the Wigtown Agricultural Show.

The 832 prime lambs forward proved harder to cash on the week, as a result of the falling trade nationally, and sold to £88 per head and 192.7p per kg to average 175p.

The 90 cast sheep forward were also cheaper on the week with ewes selling to £100 for Texels and £74 for Crosses.