Farming

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison & Hetherington Ltd sold 61 clean cattle, 36 cast cows, 1839 prime lambs and 1164 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Twenty prime bullocks sold to 267p/kg and averaged 241p (+15p), while 40 prime heifers peaked at 269p to average 245p (n/c). One young bull sold to 240p/kg.

In the cast ring cows peaked at £1539 and 185p to average 147p (+7p), while two cast bulls sold to £1287 and 125p to average 115p (+9p).

Prime lambs sold to £151 for Suffolks and 325p/kg for Beltex to average 243p (+3p).

Heavy cast sheep sold to a top of £153 for Texel ewes to average £104 (+£2), while light ewes peaked at £97 for North Country Cheviots to average £56 (+£1).

The firm also sold 29 prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday which peaked at 298p/kg to average 260p (+13p), while 19 beef-bred bullocks sold to 278p and levelled at 257p (-3p). Two dairy-bred bullocks sold to 186p and levelled at 180p.

Forty-three, beef-bred young bulls peaked at 256p and averaged 215p (-2p), while 21 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 222p and levelled at 193p (+15p).

In the rough ring 160 cast beef cows peaked at 242p to average 148p (+5p), while 270 cast dairy cows sold to 185p to average 92p (-14p). Seven cast bulls sold to 136p to average 120p (-6p).

There were also 2181 prime lambs that sold to £166 or 354p/kg to average 245p (+5p). Heavy cast sheep (142) sold to £145 for Beltex to average £86 (-£3), while 100 hill ewes peaked at £71 for Hill Cheviots to level at £47 (-£5).

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 1761 prime lambs and 731 cast sheep at Ayr yesterday.

Top prices were £135 for a pen of Texel lambs and 291p/kg for a pen of Beltex. Blackface lambs peaked at £114 for one pen and 238p for another, while Mule lambs sold to £111 or 230p. Prime lambs averaged 239p (+5p) or £105 overall.

Cast sheep were a poorer show for quality but the better end of them sold well. Top price of the day was £210 for Texels. Mule ewes peaked at £104 and Blackface ewes sold to £75.

Lawrie and Symington Ltd sold 42 prime cattle (including seven young bulls) and 105 cast cattle at Lanark yesterday.

Prime heifers sold to 282p/kg or £1848 for the same animal, while bullocks sold to 246p/kg and to £1590. Young bulls sold to £1416 and 230p/kg.

Cast cattle sold to £1490 and to 198p/kg for beef types, while dairy types peaked at £1085 and 125p.

There were also 3447 prime lambs that peaked at £144 for Texels and at 315p/kg for Beltex to average 240p overall.