FARMING

By Neale McQusitin

Harrison & Hetherington sold 93 clean cattle, 42 cast cows, 664 prime hoggs and 480 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Twenty-four prime bullocks sold to 278p/kg to average 232p (-18p), while 68 prime heifers peaked at 319p to average 251p (-12p). One young bull sold to £1710. In the cast ring cows peaked at £1,591 and 219p to average 161p (+9p). One cast bull sold up to £1,287 or 139p. In the sheep ring prime hoggets sold to £169 for Texels and 316p/kg for Beltex to average £122 or 270p (+7p).

Heavy cast sheep sold to £189 for Texel ewes to average £129, while light ewes peaked at £113 for North Country Cheviots to average £86. The firm also sold 38 prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday that peaked at 274p/kg to average 234p (-8p), while 22 beef-bred, bullocks sold to 256p and levelled at 231p (n/c).

Sixty-seven, beef-bred, young bulls peaked at 281p and averaged 237p (+16p) while 41 dairy-bred, young bulls sold to 217p and levelled at 178p (+5p).

In the rough ring 123 cast beef cows peaked at 240p to average 164p (+9p), while 205 cast dairy cows sold to 204p to average 134p (+16p). Ten cast bulls sold to 170p to average 144p (+11p). There were also 1312 prime hoggs that sold to £182 or 400p/kg to average 277p (+6p). Lowland cast sheep (73) sold to £150 for a Texel to average £111 (+£15), while five hill ewes peaked at £120 for a Hill Cheviot to level at £87 (+£33).

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 2,725 sheep comprising 2,725 prime hoggets and 584 cast sheep. There was a larger offering of hoggets this week with well fleshed hoggets still very easy to sell. Top price was £152 for a heavy Texel, while top price per kilo was 328p for a Beltex cross.

Blackfaces peaked at £135 for a pen of heavyweights or 265p for lighter types. The 438 Blackface hoggets at the sale averaged 256p/kg or £102. Mules sold to £131 for a pen of 50 or 263p for a pen of 22. The whole sale averaged 263p (-3p).

Caledonian Marts sold 248 store cattle at their fortnightly sale at Stirling yesterday. Bullocks averaged 226p/kg and sold to 281p for a pen of Limousins and to £1,280 for another pen of Limousins. Heifers averaged 228p and peaked at 290p for a pen of Limousins and to £1,350 for another pen of Limousins.

C&D Auction Marts sold 230 store cattle at its sale in Dumfries yesterday. Bullocks sold up to £1,245 for Aberdeen Angus and to 294p/kg for Luings, while heifers peaked at £1,200 for Simmentals and at 276p for Limousins.