FARMING

By Neale McQuistin

Lawrie and Symington Ltd sold 1,974 prime lambs and 1,156 cast ewes through Lanark on Saturday.

Prime lambs met a flying trade as all classes maintained recent high rates.

The sale topped at £118 per head for Texels and to 261p/kg for a Beltex. The overall average was 217.5p.

Cast sheep saw trade firmer in all classes. The sale was topped at £188 for Texels and to £79 for Blackfaces.

Harrison & Hetherington sold 29 clean cattle, 25 cast cows, 1,202 prime lambs and 261 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Twenty prime heifers sold to a top of 236p/kg to average 216p (-3p), while nine prime bullocks peaked at 232p and averaged 221p (+1p).

In the rough ring 25 cast cows sold to £1,221 and 155p to average 133p (+10p). The 1,202 prime lambs sold to £112 and 250p for Beltex lambs to average 207p (+1p).

In the cast ring the overall average was £89.27. Heavy ewes sold to £147 for Texels and averaged £100, while light ewes peaked at £104 for Cheviots and averaged £70.

The firm also sold three prime heifers in Carlisle yesterday to a top of 172p/kg and an average of 161p, while four prime beef-bred bullocks peaked at 187p levelling at 183p. A single dairy-bred prime bullock sold to 163p.

Twenty-six prime beef-bred bulls sold to 236p and averaged 195p, while 24 prime, dairy-bred bulls peaked at 190p levelling at 153p.

In the rough ring 55 cast dairy cows sold to 136p and averaged 98p (+2p), while eight cast beef cows peaked at 137p and averaged 108p (+4p). Four cast bulls made up to 152p and averaged 139p (-10).

There were also 3,070 prime lambs that sold to £121 and 303p/kg to average 209p (+2p).

In the cast sheep ring 83 heavy ewes sold to £150 for Texels and averaged £86.31 (+£9.46), while 15 light ewes peaked at £79.50 for Halfbreds and levelled at £55.10 (-£24.87).

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 2,374 sheep comprising 1,975 prime lambs and 399 cast sheep at Ayr yesterday. Top price per head was £108 for a pair of strong Texels and top price per kilo was 237p for a pen of smart Beltex. Blackface Lambs sold to £95 and 202.7p per kilo with the whole sale averaging 207p.

Texel ewes sold to £172, while Mules ewes sold to £91 and Blackfaces to £69.