Farming

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison & Hetherington sold 42 clean cattle, 37 cast cows, 1,628 prime hoggets and 301 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Ten prime bullocks sold to 272p/kg to average 258p (-1p), while 32 prime heifers peaked at 296p to average 251p (-11p). In the cast ring cows peaked at £2,205 and 271p to average 228p (+17p), while three bulls peaked at £1,352 and 163p to average 147p (-13p).

In the sheep ring top prices were £145 for Suffolk hoggets and 333p/kg for Beltex to average £123 or 253p (+2p). A larger show of cast sheep this week sold to £205 for Texel tups. Heavy ewes averaged £143 (+£1), while light ewes peaked at £157 for North Country Cheviots to average £95 (+£4).

Lawrie and Symington sold 47 prime cattle and 45 cast cows at Lanark yesterday. Limousin heifers sold to 304p/kg or to £1,875, while British Blue bullocks sold to 302p or to £1,830. Dairy-bred bullocks and heifers sold to £1,236 or 238p, while dairy-bred young bulls peaked at £1,442 or 220p.

The cast cattle trade peaked at £1,835 or 211p for beef cows, while dairy cows sold to £1,355 twice or to 185p. There were also 2,819 prime hoggets and 674 cast sheep through Lanark yesterday.

A smaller show of prime hoggs met a similar trade on the week with the light hoggs and export hoggs sharper. The sale peaked at £162 for Texels and at 378p/kg for Beltex to average 263p/kg (+2p) overall. Cast sheep met a fast trade which set a record for a cast ewe when Messrs Cullen Craighead realised £320 for a Texel. Blackface ewes peaked at £124 and the sale averaged £112.

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,625 prime hoggets and 304 cast sheep at Ayr. It was a very good show of prime hoggets for the time of year which resulted in the whole sale averaging 264p (+12p) or £117. Top price was £140 on two occasions for pens of Beltex. Top price per kilo was 333p for another pen of Beltex. The 481 Blackface hoggets peaked at £121 and 286p to average 264p or £107.Cast sheep were a better show for quality in the ewes which resulted in the sale averaging £125 overall. Trade peaked at £290 for a pen of three Texels, while Mules sold for £155 and Blackfaces to £122.

Caledonian Marts sold 478 store cattle at its fortnightly sale at Stirling yesterday. Bullocks averaged 238p/kg and sold 297p for a pen of Limousins and to £1,450 for a pen of Charolais.

Heifers averaged 227p and sold to 269p for a pen of Aberdeen Angus and to £1,270 for a pen of Charolais.