Farming
By Neale McQuistin
Harrison & Hetherington Ltd sold 54 clean cattle, 47 cast cows, 1,563 prime lambs and 931 cast sheep at its auction at St Boswells yesterday.
Ten prime bullocks sold to 267p/kg and averaged 255p (+7p), while 40 prime heifers peaked at 280p to average 253p (-1p).
Four young bulls sold to 220p and averaged 206p.
In the cast ring cows peaked at £1,525 and 246p to average 171p (+9p), while one cast bull sold for £1,356 or 137p.
Prime lambs sold to £145 and 287p/kg for Beltex to average £105 or 242p/kg (n/c).
Heavy cast sheep sold to a top of £145 for Texel cross ewes to average £112, while light ewes peaked at £113 for North Country Cheviots to average £58.
The firm also sold 15 prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday which peaked at 330p/kg to average 280p (+21p), while 23 beef-bred bullocks sold to 262p and levelled at 242p (-7p).
Fifty-two, beef-bred young bulls peaked at 262p and averaged 221p (+8p), while 21 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 214p and levelled at 192p (+20p).
In the rough ring 83 cast beef cows peaked at 231p to average 160p (+4p), while 222 cast dairy cows sold to 190p to average 117p (-4p). Nine cast bulls peaked at 185p to average 142p (n/c).
There were also 2,331 prime lambs that sold to £170 or 386p/kg to average 253p (+10p).
Lowland cast ewes (124) peaked at £165 for a Dutch Texel to average £95 (+£21), while 69 hill ewes sold to £84 for a Jacob to average £42(-£23).
Messrs Craig Wilson sold 2,535 prime lambs and 682 cast sheep at its auction at Ayr yesterday.
It was another good show of prime lambs that averaged 246p or £105 overall.
The sale was topped at £131 for a pen of Texels and top price per kilo was 291p for a pen of Beltex.
For the first week in some time the ewe trade slipped. Heavy ewes took the biggest tumble with many being £10-£20 back on the week.
Export and feeding ewes would be marginally less but still in good demand.
Top price of the day was for Texels at £178 with Beltex making up to £134.
Mules were lighter this week selling to £108, while Blackface ewes were also less money when they peaked at £66 for a lighter and leaner show.
Caledonian Marts sold 316 store cattle at their fortnightly sale at Stirling yesterday. Bullocks averaged 228p/kg or £964 per head.
Top prices were 251p for a pen of Charolais and £1,270 for two pens of Herefords.
Heifers averaged 221p or £920 per head. Top prices were 263p for a pen of Charolais and to £1,190 for a pen of Simmentals.
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