By Alec Ross

Round-up

BULLOCKS at St Boswells yesterday averaged 293p/kg and sold to 320p/kg, while heifers averaged 303p/kg and sold to 338p/kg, and cast cows averaged 197p/kg and sold to 245p/kg or £1786 gross. Lambs rose by 10p/kg on the week to an average of 318p/kg or £144/head and sold to £185/head for Blue Texels or 375p/kg for Texels.

Cast sheep averaged £135/head and sold to £285 for Texels, with heavy ewes averaging £161 and light ewes averaging £125/head and selling to £176/head for North Country Cheviots.

Prime beef-bred heifers at Lanark yesterday were largely unchanged on the week at an average of 301p/kg and sold to 342p/kg for a Limousin, while bullocks were similarly steady at an average of 278p/kg and peaked at 298p/kg for a Charolais, and cast beef and dairy cows averaged 196p/kg and 152p/kg respectively.

New season lambs continued their recent resurgence by averaging 312p/kg and selling to £200/head or 312p/kg, and cast ewes averaged £101/head and sold to £284 gross for a Texel. And Blackies peaked at £104.

Heavier prime lambs at Ayr met with demand yesterday, averaging 308p/kg or £137/head and selling to £176/head for Texels from Polquhairn or to 329p/kg for a pen of the same breed from Castle Mains. Cast ewe prices continued to trend upwards at an average of £107/head and peaked at £280 for a pure Texel from Caprickhill.

Texels also led the tup trade at £195/head for a pen from Dalfask, who also topped the Blackies at £100/head, while Cheviots sold to £130/head for Laigh Alticane. Dustyhall Farming Partnership led the Cheviot Mules at £170 with Scotch Mules topping at £146/head for Laigh Langcraig.

Prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday averaged 291p/kg and sold to 326p/kg, while bullocks averaged 275p/kg and sold to 309p/kg, and young bulls rose slightly on the week to average 246p/kg and sold to 318p/kg.

Cast beef and dairy cows dropped by 18p and 7p on the week to averages of 195p/kg and 152p/kg respectively, while in line with national trends prime lambs rose by 8p/kg on the week to an average of 321p/kg and sold to 500p/kg or £220/head.

Lowland ewes averaged £138/head and sold to £300 for a Beltex, while hill ewes averaged £78/head and sold to £160 for a Cheviot Mule.