FARMING
By Neale McQuistin
Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,136 prime and cast sheep at its weekly sale of primestock at Newton Stewart yesterday.
The small show of 782 lambs forward averaged 216p/kg. Well fleshed, nice quality, lambs were easily sold and regularly made over 220p/kg, however, too many leaner lambs kept the average down.
The sale was topped by pens of heavyweight Texels that sold to £115.50 and £115. Beltex lambs led per kilo at 239p. Cast sheep peaked at £160 for Texel and for Lleyn rams with ewes to £112 for Texel crosses. Mule ewes sold to £87 with Blackfaces to £69.
C&D Auction Marts sold 66 cattle at its weekly sale of primestock at Dumfries yesterday.
Prime cattle sold to 260p/kg for a Limousin x Heifer to R Johnstone & Sons, Butchers, Annan. OTMs met a competitive trade with well fleshed cows easily sold while leaner types looked easier on the week.
Dairy types sold to £1,173 or 175p/kg for Holsteins to average 105p, while beef types peaked at £1303 for a Shorthorn or 205p for an Aberdeen Angus to level at 146p overall.
The 836 prime lambs at the sale were in demand as long as they were well fleshed. Top prices were £115 and 253p/kg for lambs at the heavier end of the range, while the bulk of the lambs (478) weighing between 39 and 45kg peaked at £99 or 242p to average 222p.
Cast sheep (504) easily maintained recent rates. Heavy ewes peaked at £152 for Texels, while Cross ewes sold to £91 and Blackfaces to £72.
The firm also sold 9,185 store lambs at its weekly sale at Longtown on Tuesday.
The large entry attracted a large number of Welsh buyers which added to the usual company. Trade for top end lambs would be slightly easier due to recent falls in prime market prices, however all other classes would maintain recent high values.
There was a good show of 2,582 Cheviots at the sale, but top-quality lambs were not as prominent this week. The Blackface entry of 1,958 lambs would contain a good proportion of top lambs, with all classes easy to sell at current high rates – top price was £86.50.
There were also 500 feeding ewes that met a dearer trade on the week.
Top price for heavy ewes was £93, while hill ewes peaked at £85 for Cheviots, with Blackfaces to £70 and Swaledales to £50.
Caledonian Marts sold 1839 prime sheep at its weekly sale at Stirling on Tuesday.
There were some plainer lambs forward but there was strong demand for the best of them.
Top prices were £140 for Beltex and 281p/kg for Texels to average 213p overall
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