Farming

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison & Hetherington sold 125 clean cattle, 55 cast cows, five prime lambs, 1,145 prime hoggets and 328 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Forty-five prime bullocks sold to 300p/kg to average 268p (+2p), while 79 prime heifers peaked at 308p to average 266p (-13p). One young bull sold for £2,351 or 246p.

In the cast ring cows peaked at £2,110 and 237p to average 196p (-11p), while two bulls sold to £1,888 and 159p. In the sheep ring prime lambs peaked at £147 for Charollais and averaged 267p, while prime hoggets sold to £146 and 325p for Beltex to average £122 or 255p (+2p).

Cast sheep sold to £217 for Texel tups. Heavy ewes averaged £139 (-£6), while light ewes peaked at £153 for North Country Cheviots to average £91 (-£4). The firm also sold 21 prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday to a top of 308p/kg to average 262p (-2p). Thirty-one beef-bred prime bullocks sold to 285p to average 256p (+11p).

Fifty-seven beef-bred, young bulls peaked at 290p to average 236p (-10p), while 31 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 229p and averaged 204p (-8p). In the cast ring 107 beef cows sold to 267p to average 187p (-13p), while 179 cast dairy cows peaked at 224p to average 157p (-3p). Eleven cast bulls sold up to 196p to average 172p (-13p).

Prime lambs (83) sold to £205 and 410p/kg to average 312p (-4p), while prime hoggs peaked at £162 and 332p/kg to average 258p (-4p).

Heavy lowland cast ewes (65) peaked at £220 for a Texel to average £116 (-£12), while 29 hill ewes sold to £122 for Jacobs to average £77 (-£6).

Lawrie and Symington sold 34 prime cattle and 57 cast cows at Lanark yesterday.

Twenty-two prime, beef-bred heifers sold to 303p/kg for a Limousin to average 280p (+2p), while four beef-bred bullocks peaked at 270p for a Limousin to average 250p (-20p). Seven prime dairy-bred cattle sold to 241p for a Limousin to average 235p (-6p).

Thirty-five cast beef cows averaged 190p (+1p), while 18 cast dairy cows averaged 169p (-10p).

There were also 1,476 prime hoggets and 512 cast sheep through Lanark yesterday.

Prime hoggs peaked at £148 and 323p to average 255p/kg (-18p).

Cast sheep sold to £290 for a Texel and averaged £115 (-£9) overall.

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,176 prime hoggets 277 cast sheep and 60 Spring lambs at Ayr yesterday.

Top prices for hoggets were £150 or 308p/kg for different pens of Beltex.

The 301 Blackface hoggets averaged 263p (-5p) or £109 and peaked at £123.

Cast sheep peaked at £260 for a Texel, while Texel crosses sold to £195 and Mules to £130. Blackfaces topped at £108.