MESSRS Craig Wilson sold 168 prime and cast cattle at its weekly sale at Ayr on Tuesday. Clean cattle were reported as being slightly easier on the week.

Eighteen prime heifers averaged 219p/kg or £1,211 and peaked at 231p for a Limousin Cross or £1,415 for another Limousin Cross from the same home. One, beef-bred Limousin bullock sold for 232p or £1,299. Four, dairy-bred bullocks averaged 158p or £967.

In the rough ring 58 beef cows sold to £1,400 for a Blonde and to 166p for a Limousin to average 129p, while 75 dairy cows sold to £1,000 or 118p for a Friesian to average 98p. Eight cast bulls were topped at £900 for a Simmental and 95p for an Aberdeen Angus to average 87p.

Four clean OTM cattle peaked at £1,060 or 175p for a Charolais heifer to average 140p.

Nine dairy cattle sold to a top of £1,700 for a Holstein Friesian third-calver, while heifers peaked at £1,650 for a Holstein Friesian.

C&D Auction Marts held its special sale of 305 store cattle at Longtown on Tuesday. Averages were reported as being up £100 on the year for more cattle sold. The sale was topped at £1,300 for a Limousin bullock, while heifers sold to £1,250 for a Limousin.

Caledonian Marts sold 2,069 prime hoggets and cast sheep at Stirling on Tuesday.

All classes of hoggets met a similar trade to last week, with 1,455 head averaging out at 205p (+3p on the week).

Top price of the day was for a 48kg Beltex at £120, while top price per kilo was for a pen of Beltex weighing 41.6kg at 257p/kg.

In the cast sheep section 616 sheep met a similar trade to last week. However, Blackface ewes would be £5-£7 cheaper on the week. Heavy ewes averaged £103.30 selling to £160 for a Texel Ewe, while export ewes averaged £65.04 selling to £79 for Cheviots.

Lawrie & Symington had forward 775 store cattle at its fortnightly sale on Tuesday. Bullocks topped at £1,220 for a Charolais Cross or to 259p/kg for a Saler to average 212p. Heifers topped at £1,190 for a Limousin Cross or to 247p for another Limousin Cross to level at 204p. Dairy Bullocks averaged 160p.

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,324 prime and cast at Newton Stewart yesterday.

The 1,163 prime hoggets sold to £107 for a Beltex hogget while the lead price per kilo was 227p/kg for a Lleyn. Some104 Blackface hoggets averaged 207p selling to £92.50 and to 209p. Cast ewes would be slightly less money on the week selling to £98.50 for Suffolk ewes and to 85.50 for Mules.