Farming

Round-up

By Alec Ross

Bullocks at St Boswells yesterday averaged 285p/kg and sold to 322p/kg, while heifers averaged 294p/kg and sold to 322p/kg, and cast cows averaged 205p/kg and sold to 239p/kg or £2,547/head.

New season lambs met with great demand and jumped 37p on the week to average £209/head and sold to £233 for a Charolais or to 500p/kg for a Texel, while hoggs were also keenly sought after and rose by 16p on the week to an average of £190/head and sold to £250/head for Beltexes or to 440p/kg for Texels. And cast sheep averaged £135/head and sold to £250/head for Texels.

A mixed show of hoggets at Ayr yesterday sold to £232/head for a pen of Beltexes from Balcaimie or to 436p/kg for a pen of the same breed from Mid Floak, who also topped the cast tup section at £142 for a Texel.

Cast ewes proves harder to sell, particularly overfat grades, but still peaked at £180 for a Beltex from Heltongate. And new season lambs sold to £220/head for Suffolks from Laigh Langcraig and Kings Arms, or to 467p/kg for Texels from West Brockloch.

Heifers at Carlisle yesterday held up well on the week at an average of 277p/kg, and sold to 328p/kg, while heifers were similarly robust at an average of 285p/kg and sold to 321p/kg.

Cast beef and dairy cows met with excellent demand, jumping 10p on the week to average 209/kg and 169p/kg respectively, while new season lambs dropped 11p on the week to an average of 433p/kg and sold to 667p/kg or £300/head. And hill ewes rose by £6 on the week to average £114/head and sold to £163 for a Cheviot.