MESSRS Craig Wilson sold 1,537 prime lambs and cast sheep at Newton Stewart yesterday.

Well-finished lambs kept up with increased rates seen at other centres at beginning of the week however, there is still resistance in the market to leaner types.

Top price on the day was for a Beltex lamb at £120 with top spot per kilo also going to Beltex lambs at 238p/kg. The prime lambs averaged 222p/kg overall. Cast sheep continue to be a strong trade with tups to £132 for Suffolk crosses and ewes making up to £104 for Beltex cross.

C&D Auctions sold 63 cattle at their weekly sale of primestock at Dumfries yesterday.

Prime cattle sold to 237p/kg for a Limousin cross heifer, while Galloway bullocks peaked at 210p.

The 1,275 prime lambs were topped at £110 for heavy Texels, while lightweight lambs were top per kilo at 285p.

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 186 prime and cast cattle at their sale at Ayr on Tuesday. Eighteen prime heifers sold to a top of £1,495 or 260p/kg for a Limousin cross to average £1254 or 220p, while 10 dairy bred, prime bullocks peaked at £1,367 for a British Blue and 213p for a Charolais to average £1223 or 190p.

In the rough ring all classes of cattle were dearer this week. Forty cast beef cows sold to £1300 and 177p for Limousins to average 130p, while 105 cast dairy cows peaked at £1250 and 153p for Friesians to level at 113p. Six cast bulls sold to £1420 for a Limousin and 170p for an Aberdeen Angus to average 143p/kg. Seven OTM Friesian heifers peaked at £1040 or 159p to average 133p.

Six dairy cattle sold up to £1,850 for a fresh calved cow.

Lawrie and Symington sold 329 store cattle at their fortnightly sale at Lanark on Tuesday. Bullocks topped at £1,360 for a Limousin cross or 250p/kg for a Limousin to average 220p. Heifers peaked at £1215 or 261p for a British Blue to average 213p. Dairy bullocks averaged 181p.

Caledonian Marts sold 970 spring lambs and 849 cast sheep at their weekly sale at Stirling on Tuesday.

Many export lambs in the 38-44kg weight range sold for more than 230p/kg while lambs heavier than 45kg, although dearer on the week, were harder to sell. The overall average for 970 lambs sold was 225p (+18p on the week) and (+52p on the year).

Top price of the day was for a 50kg Beltex lamb at £129, while top per kilo was a 47kg Beltex at 266p. Cast sheep peaked at £136 for heavy ewes and averaged £103, while export ewes sold to £89 for Cheviots and averaged £62.