FARMING

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison & Hetherington sold 46 clean cattle, 46 cast cows, 2,102 prime lambs and 949 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Twenty prime bullocks sold to 266p/kg and averaged 248p (-3p), while 26 prime heifers peaked at 283p to average 248p (-4p). Six young bulls sold up to 222p/kg and averaged 194p. In the cast ring cows peaked at £1,472 and 201p to average 154p (-3p), while four cast bulls sold to £1447 and 125p to average 114p (-12p).

Prime lambs sold to £129 and 267p/kg for Beltex to average £96 or 217p/kg (-3p).

Heavy cast sheep sold to a top of £141 for Texel crosses to average £107 (-£1), while light ewes peaked at £97 for North Country Cheviots to average £53 (+£3).

The firm also sold 15 prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday which peaked at 294p/kg to average 265p (+41p), while 16 beef-bred bullocks sold to 281p and levelled at 254p (+9p).

Thirty-two, beef-bred young bulls peaked at 270p and averaged 218p (n/c), while 25 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 205p and levelled at 179p (+2p).

In the rough ring, 114 cast beef cows peaked at 238p to average 148p (-5p), while 175 cast dairy cows sold to 178p to average 110p (n/c). Ten cast bulls sold to 154p to average 119p (-14p). There were also 1,550 prime lambs that sold to £185 or 474p/kg to average 234p (+6).

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,588 prime lambs and 781 cast sheep at Ayr yesterday. With numbers in short supply lambs were easy to sell with the whole sale averaging 229p or £102 for a heavy show. Top price was £129 for a pen of seven Suffolks and top price per kilo was 254p for a pen of Texels. Mules sold to £110 for a pen of 20, while Blackface lambs peaked at £105 or 221p for a pen of 17.

All classes of ewes easily maintained recent rates but quality types were in short supply. Top price was for a Texel at £192 closely followed another at £180 from the same home. Beltex ewes peaked at £119 while Suffolks sold to £110. Mules topped at £92, while Blackfaces reached £68.

Lawrie and Symington sold 34 prime cattle and 60 cast cattle at Lanark yesterday. Prime heifers sold to 274p/kg three times or to £1813, while bullocks sold to 256p/kg or to £1,513.

Cast dairy cows sold to £1,910 or 194p/kg for a Belgium Blue, while diary types made up to £995 or 143p for the same Holstein.

There were also 2,801 prime lambs at the sale.

A smaller show of prime lambs this week peaked at £139 and 292p/kg for Beltex to average 229p overall.