FARMING

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison & Hetherington sold 78 clean cattle, 27 cast cows, 1,019 prime lambs and 157 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Twelve prime bullocks sold to 245p/kg and averaged 222p (-1p), while 66 prime heifers peaked at 253p to average 230p (n/c). In the cast ring cows peaked at £1,669 and 216p to average 154p (+8p).

Prime hoggets peaked at £155 and 378p/kg for Beltex hoggs to average £123 (+£1) or 277p (+17p) overall.

Heavy cast ewes sold to a top of £121 for Suffolks and averaged £98 (-£8), while light ewes peaked at £117 for Cheviots and averaged £83 (+£10).

The firm also sold seven prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday which peaked at 226p/kg and levelled at 193p (-17p), while 22 beef-bred bullocks sold to 250p and levelled at 220p (+6p).

Forty young beef-bred bulls peaked at 235p and averaged 197p (-6p), while 16 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 191p and levelled at 171p (+3p).

In the rough ring 147 cast dairy cows sold to 174p to average 115p (+5p), while 92 cast beef cows peaked at 261p to average 152p (+2p). Two cast bulls sold to 148p to average 128p (+1p).

The 1510 prime hoggs sold to £166 and 379p/kg to average 274p (-3p). In the cast sheep section 79 heavy ewes peaked at £146 for a Texel to average £81 (-£8), while hill ewes sold to £80 for a Jacob to level at £47 (-£14).

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,695 prime hoggets and 562 cast sheep at Ayr yesterday. There was a heavier show of hoggs with the whole sale averaging of £119 up £4 or 272p/kg (+1p).

Top prices were £138 for a pair of Beltex and 327p for a pen of three from the same home. Blackface hoggets peaked at £120 for one pen and 279p for another pen of 18 from the same farm. Mules sold to £126 and 273p. Cast sheep peaked at £188 for Texel ewes, while Mules sold to £93 and Blackfaces to £85. Lawrie and Symington sold 46 prime and 68 cast cattle at Lanark yesterday.

Prime heifers sold to 260p/kg or £1,623 for Limousins, while bullocks sold to 250p or £1,625 for the same Limousin. Dairy bullocks sold to £1,527 and 180p, while young bulls peaked at £1,702 and 220p/kg.

Cast beef cows sold to £1,500 and 175p/kg, while cast dairy cows peaked at £1075 and 155p. The firm also sold 2494 hoggs and 1668 cast sheep. Hoggets peaked at £159 for Texels and 384p for Beltex to average 276p (+6p). Cast sheep were a good show and sharper on the week. The sale was topped at £190 for Texels and £88 for Blackfaces.