Farming

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison and Hetherington sold 88 clean Cattle , 79 cast cows, 2,040 prime lambs and 698 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Thirty-five beef-bred bullocks averaged 270p per kg and sold to 304p, while 47 beef-bred heifers averaged 271p per kg and sold to 314p. Six young bulls averaged 250p per kg and sold to 270p(x2).

Cast cows (73) averaged 180p per kg and sold to 243p. Top price was £1,873.

Six cast bulls averaged 170p per kg and sold to 193p (x2). Top price was £2,231. Prime lambs averaged 232p per kilo (-8p on the week) or £103 per head and sold to £145 for Texel Lambs. Top price per kg was 270p for Texels.

Cast Sheep (698) averaged £67.73, and sold to £149 for Texels.

Heavy ewes averaged £108, light ewes sold to £97 for North Country Cheviot Ewes, and averaged £57.

The firm also sold 22 prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday to 321p and an average of 269p (+14p), while 29 beef-bred bullocks peaked at 278p to average 245p (+7p).

Ninety-one beef-bred young bulls peaked at 276p to average 225p (-13p), while 24 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 218p to average 190p (+1p).

Prime lambs (1,638) sold to £156 or 341p to average 245p (+1p). Lowland cast sheep (239) sold to a top of £180 for a Charolais and averaged £86 (n/c), while hill ewes peaked at £110 for a Hill Cheviot to average £44 (+2).

Messes Craig Wilson sold 782 cast ewes and 2,466 prime lambs at Ayr yesterday. Another large show of prime lambs continued to sell well. The whole sale averaged 234p or £107. Top Price was £139 for a Beltex and top price per kilo was 309p for a pair of Beltex. Mules peaked at £117 or 233p.

Cast sheep sold at similar rates to last week with odd pens a little dearer. Top price of £205 was paid for Texel ewes, while Texel cross ewes peaked at £152. Mule ewes sold to a top of £94 Blackface ewes sold to a top of £64.

Lawrie & Symington sold, 38 prime cattle, 138 cast cows 8,791 and prime and cast sheep at their weekly sale at Lanark yesterday.

Prime beef-breed heifers (19) averaged 281p a fall of 1p on the week. Top price was 306 for a Limousin.

Prime beef-breed bullocks (6) averaged 280p. Top price was 286p for a Limousin.

Prime black & white bullocks (5) averaged 175p (n/c). Top price was 190p for a Friesian.

Cast beef cows (80) averaged 174p a fall of 6p on the week.

Cast dairy cows (50) averaged 142p a fall of 4p on the week.