By Neale McQuistin

The trade for prime hoggets picked up last week and it will come as relief to many that the improved trade continued yesterday.

Market round-up.

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd sold 33 prime heifers in St Boswells yesterday to a top of 231p/kg and an average of 214p (-4p), while 22 prime bullocks peaked at 229p and levelled at 201p (-7p). One young bull sold to 157p/kg.

In the rough ring 27 cast beef cows sold to a top of £1362 and 195p to average 129p (+5p).

There were also 1506 prime hoggs that sold to £115 and 268p to average 191p.

The 133 cast sheep forward at the sale averaged £98 overall. Heavy ewes were topped at £133 for Texel cross ewes and average £104, while light ewes peaked at £95 for North Country Cheviots and levelled at £88.

The firm also sold 12 prime heifers in Carlisle yesterday to a top of 212p/kg and an average of 203p (+19p), while 7 prime, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 201p and levelled at 190p (+15p).

There were also a total of 53 young bulls sold yesterday which averaged 162p (+6p). Eighteen prime, beef-bred bulls sold to 196p and averaged 175p (+3p), while 35 prime, dairy-bred bulls peaked at 187p and levelled at 156p (+4p).

In the rough ring 92 cast dairy cows sold to 130p and averaged 94p, while 28 cast beef cows peaked at 172p to average 131p (-1p). Four cast bulls sold to 159p and averaged 140p.

There were also 2224 prime hoggs that sold to £150 and 255p to average 192p overall.

A small show of cast sheep sold to £87.50 for a Suffolk with 5 heavy ewes averaging £71, while 27 light ewes peaked at £86.50 for a BFL and levelled at £54.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 2604 sheep comprising 2463 prime hoggets and 141 cast sheep.

Hoggets sold to a top of £132 for a pair of Texels and 239p/kg for a pen of Cheviots to average 195p/kg overall. Within the sale there was a massive show of 1150 Blackface hoggets which averaged 195p selling to £105 for one pen and 204p on two other occasions.

There was a very small offering of Ewes which sold to a top price of £158 for a Texel, while Mules peaked at £105 and Blackfaces to £74.50.

C & D Auction Marts Ltd held their fortnightly sale of store cattle in Dumfries yesterday which included 100 organic cattle.

Organic bullocks sold to 292p/kg and £1150 to average 246p, while heifers topped at 282p and £970 to average 230p.

Non organic cattle bullocks sold to 240p and £1090 to average 216p, while heifers were topped at 229p and £1040 to level at 208p.