Farming
By Neale McQuistin
Scotland has lost a net total of 13 dairy herds in the six months to July 1, 2022 compared with 11 for the whole of 2021, according to the Scottish Dairy Cattle Association, which maintains the data base of Scottish dairy herds. The total number of milking herds is now 819, with an average herd size of 218 which is up two from January 2022.
Over the same period the numbers of milking cows in Scotland decreased by 897 to now total 178,464.
Lanarkshire was the most affected county, with a net loss of four herds. Dumfriesshire and Wigtownshire each lost three herds.
The percentage of cows being officially milk recorded has remained static but average herd size has also increased by two to 231. There is a continued increase in individual cows being regularly monitored for somatic cell count, pregnancy diagnosis and health testing, especially Johne’s, IBR and BVD, through milk samples. This gives more accurate information to assist better nutrition, fertility, and health management.
Market round-up
Messrs Craig Wilson sold 823 prime and cast sheep at Newton Stewart yesterday.
Lambs were harder to cash again this week, averaging 226p/kg (-52p) for 677 sold. Top prices were £125 for heavy Texels and 255p/kg for Beltex. Light weight lambs were hardest hit with well fleshed, heavier lambs still being easiest to sell. Cast sheep kept up recent rates when they peaked at £138 for Texel crosses and then again for a pen of Suffolks at the same price. Mule ewes sold to £125, while Blackface ewes made up to £106.
C&D Auction Marts held its weekly sale of primestock in Dumfries yesterday.
Prime cattle sold to 294p/kg for a limousin x heifer purchased by R Johnstone & Sons Butchers, Annan.
OTMs continue to be easily sold with dairy bred cattle as dear as they have been. Top prices were £1,495 and 190p for Holsteins to average 161p overall. Beef bred cattle peaked at £1,574 for a Simmental and 197p for a Limousin.
There were also 741 prime lambs in the mart that continued to follow the seasonal downward price trend. Top prices were £114 and 258p/kg.
There were 74 lambs (32.1kg-39kg) that sold to average 224p. The 449 lambs weighing (39.1kg - 45.5kg) averaged 229p, while 200 lambs (45.6kg-52kg) averaged 223p. Eighteen lambs weighing more than 52kg sold to average 233p. There were also 240 cast ewes & hoggs through Dumfries yesterday that continued to be in big demand.
Heavy ewes (184) peaked at £166 for a Texel to average £117, while 31 light ewes sold to £98 for Blackfaces to average £44. There were also 9 cast rams that peaked at £238 for a Texel to average £120.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel