Farming

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison & Heatherington sold 67 clean cattle, 27 cast cows, 1,234 prime lambs, 167 prime hoggets and 174 cast sheep at St Boswells.

Thirteen, beef-bred prime bullocks sold to 298p/kg to average 284p (+10p), while 52 prime heifers peaked at 308p to average 282p (+7p). Two prime young bulls peaked at 216p and averaged 195p.

In the cast ring cows peaked at £1,823 and 221p to average 195p (-6p), while five bulls sold to £2,129 and 169p to average 164p.

In the sheep section prime lambs peaked at £171 for Texels and 364p for Beltex to average £131 (-£6) or 305p (-15p), while prime hoggets sold to £171 and 316p to average £131 or 242p (+10p). Heavy cast sheep sold to £163 for Texels and averaged £142 (-£5), while light ewes peaked at £141 for North Country Cheviot ewes to average £101 (-£7).

Lawrie and Symington sold 32 prime cattle and 73 cast cows at Lanark.

Fifteen prime, beef-bred heifers sold to 300p/kg to average 280p (+2p), while six beef-bred bullocks peaked at 288p to average 265p (+7p). Six prime Black & White bullocks peaked at 244p and averaged 232p (n/c). Five prime young bulls sold to average 228p (+6p).

In the cast cattle section 40 beef cows averaged 190p (-3p), while 29 dairy types levelled at 175 (-2p).

There were also 1,103 prime lambs, 723 prime hoggs and 2344 cast sheep through Lanark.

Prime lambs sold to £179 and 333p/kg to average 298p (-13p). Prime hoggets peaked at £166 and 272p to average 208p (-40p). A large show of cast ewes sold to £240 for a Texel to average £111 (-£10) overall.

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 1,329 prime lambs and 484 cast sheep and hoggets at Ayr yesterday. Prime lambs sold to average 300p (-15p) or £128 (-£7). Top prices were £157 for a pen of Texels and 333p for a pen of Beltex. There were very few meaty types in the run of 118 hoggets at the sale with all types making less money. Top price was £132 for a pen of Blackfaces.

There were 366 cast sheep at the sale. Export types sold at similar values to last week, but heavy and fatter types sold at lower rates. The sale peaked at £245 for a Texel ewe, while Texel crosses sold to £188. Scotch Mules sold to £138 and Blackfaces to £116. The cast sheep averaged £118 overall.

C&D Auction Marts sold 161 head at its fortnightly sale of store cattle in Dumfries.

Bullocks sold to £1,295 and to 300p/kg for Simmentals to level at 233p overall. Heifers peaked at £1,285 and 261p to average 221p.