Farming

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison and Heatherington sold 70 clean cattle, 54 cast cows, 1,571 prime lambs and 505 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Fifteen beef-bred, prime bullocks sold to 300p/kg to average 270p (n/c), while 53 heifers peaked at 320p and averaged 287p (+16p). Two prime young bulls sold 288p and averaged 218p.

Cast cows sold to 255p and £1,798 to average 184p (+4p), while one cast bull sold for £150p or £1,653.

Prime lambs sold to £153 for Texels and 300p for Beltex to average £110 or 237p (+6p) overall.

Cast sheep averaged £78 overall (+£10) and sold to £170 for a Suffolk ram. Heavy ewes averaged £111 (+£3), while light ewes sold to £89 for North Country Cheviot ewes to average £59 (+£2).

The firm also sold 39 prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday to a top of 305p/kg to average 245p (-24p), while 34, beef-bred, bullocks peaked at 286p and averaged 233p (-11p). Sixty-five young bulls (beef-bred) peaked at 296p to average 231p (+6p), while 30 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 220p and averaged 162p (-28p).

In the cast ring 181 beef cows sold to 275p to average 175p, while 225 dairy cows peaked at 210p to average 141p. Seventeen cast bulls peaked at 182p to average 151p.

Prime lambs (1,886) peaked at £160 and 400p/kg to average 240p overall (-5p), while cast sheep sold to a top of £136 for a Texel and averaged £89 (+£3) for 300 Lowland ewes. Hill ewes (91) peaked at £116 for Cheviots to average £48 (+£4).

Lawrie & Symington sold 32 prime cattle, 68 cast cows, 5,232 prime and cast sheep at Lanark yesterday.

Twenty-two prime, beef-breed heifers sold to 306p and averaged 281p (n/c), while three beef-breed bullocks peaked at 280p to average 278p (-2p). Five young bulls averaged 228p (-2p).

In the cast ring 40 beef cows averaged 176p (+2p), while 23 dairy cows averaged 142p (+2p). Two cast bulls averaged 170p (+10p).

Prime lambs (3,238) peaked at £143 and 292p/kg to average 228p (-2p). Cast ewes (1,994) averaged £66 (-£5). Top price was £296 for a Texel, while Blackfaces ewes (805) peaked at £78.

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 2,545 prime lambs and 781 cast sheep at Ayr. Another large entry of prime lambs proved harder to cash on the week due to a combination of less demand and a poorer show for quality. The sale averaged 224p or £103. Top prices were £136 for a pen of Texels and 266p for a pen of Beltex. Mules peaked at £121 or 233p for a pen of 23. Cast sheep sold to £200 for a Texel ewe, while tups peaked at £128 for a Beltex.