Farming

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison and Heatherington sold 37 beef-bred, prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday to a top of 309p/kg to average 253p (-4p), while 22 beef-bred, bullocks peaked at 280p and averaged 249p (+4p).

Sixty-seven young bulls (beef-bred) peaked at 276p to average 231p (-2p), while 24 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 216p and averaged 186p (-1p).

In the cast ring 121 beef cows sold to 250p to average 174p (+4p), while 240 dairy cows peaked at 209p to average 131p (-4p). Eight cast bulls peaked at 187p to average 166p (+13p).

Prime lambs (1,768) peaked at £149 and 340p/kg to average 256p overall (+18p), while cast sheep sold to a top of £160 for a Texel ewe and averaged £80 (-£8) for 187 Lowland ewes. Hill ewes (90) peaked at £70 for a Swaledale to average £39 (-£16).

The firm also sold 91 clean cattle, 58 cast cows, 2,198 prime lambs and 795 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Forty, beef-bred, prime bullocks sold to 308p/kg to average 258p, while 50 heifers peaked at 320p and averaged 281p. One young bull sold for 192p.

Fifty-six cast cows sold to 273p and £2,124 to average 189p.

Prime lambs sold to £184 and 292p for Blue Texels to average £108 or 241p (+20p) overall.

Cast sheep averaged £75 and sold to £170 for Texel ewes. Heavy ewes averaged £121, while light ewes sold to £113 for North Country Cheviot ewes to average £68.

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,985 prime lambs and 752 cast sheep at Ayr yesterday.

Lambs sold to increased demand with the sale getting dearer as it went on.

The whole sale went on to average 250p/kg (+29p) or £114 per head.

Top prices were £141 for a pen of Beltex and top price per kilo was 298p for another pen of Beltex. Mules sold to £120 for one pen and 250p for another pen of 47. Blackfaces peaked at £114 on two occasions.

Another large offering of leaner, hill types in the cast sheep ring sold dearer on the week. Heavy ewes met with a similar trade to last week. Top price was £208 for Texels, while Beltex ewes sold to £172. Scotch Mule ewes sold to £92, while Blackfaces sold to £94

Lawrie & Symington sold 60 prime cattle, 123 cast cows, 2,845 prime lambs and 2405 cast sheep at Lanark yesterday.

Sixteen beef-bred prime heifers sold to 306p to average 284p (+2p), while eight beef-bred bullocks peaked at 295p and averaged 282p (+1p). Thirty Black & White bullocks sold to 238p to average 222p (-1p) overall.

Cast beef cows averaged 178p (-4p), while dairy cows averaged 136p (-4p). Prime lambs averaged 253p (+35p). Cast ewes averaged £73.