Farming
By Neale McQuistin
Harrison & Hetherington sold 47 clean cattle, 36 cast cows, 1,610 prime hoggets and 135 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.
A smaller show of cattle this week saw eleven prime bullocks sell to 280p/kg to average 259p (+2p), while 36 prime heifers peaked at 310p to average 262p (+1p).
In the cast ring cows peaked at £2,515 and 277p to average 204p (-2p), while three bulls peaked at £1,765 and 165p to average 160p (+5p).
In the sheep ring prime hogget numbers are holding steady. Top prices were £158 for Texels and 359p/kg for Beltex to average £123 or 251p (-2p).
However, it was a much smaller show of cast sheep this week. Heavy cast sheep sold to £195 for Texel ewes to average £142 (-£3), while light ewes peaked at £151 for North Country Cheviots to average £91 (-£11).
The firm also sold 27 prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday that peaked at 316p/kg to average 263p (+9p), while 42 beef-bred, bullocks sold to 304p and levelled at 255p (+1p).
Thirty-nine beef-bred, young bulls peaked at 286p and averaged 248p (-5p), while 30 dairy-bred, young bulls sold to 230p and levelled at 196p (-6p).
In the rough ring 117 cast beef cows peaked at 263p to average 186p (-9p), while 246 cast dairy cows sold to 208p to average 156p (+5p). Twenty-one cast bulls sold to 232p to average 175p (-4p).
There were also 1,413 prime hoggets that sold to £300 or 659p/kg to average 258p (+6p). A small show twenty-four new season prime lambs sold to £185 or 463p/kg to average 365p overall.
Lowland cast sheep (78) sold to £220 for a Texel to average £124 (+£5), while 39 Hill ewes peaked at £138 for Greyfaced to average £102 (+£35).
Messrs Craig Wilson sold 2,283 prime hoggets and 371 cast sheep at Ayr yesterday.
It was another large entry of prime hoggets that enjoyed much the same trade as the previous week. Export hoggets were dear and scarce on the ground, while heavy types still look value for money in comparison. The whole sale averaged 252p (-4p). Top price was £168 for a strong Texel and top per kilo was 326p for a pen of Beltex.
Blackface hoggets averaged 258p or £105 for 840 and sold to £119 for a pen of 26 or 280p for a pen of 47.
Cast sheep were dearer again this week with fewer top-quality sorts in the pens.
Top priced ewes were a pair of Texels that sold at £250, while cast tups peaked at £202 which was also a Texel. Scotch Mule ewes sold to an incredible £168, while Blackface ewes peaked at £119 for a pen of 44.
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