Farming
By Alec Ross
Heifers at St Boswells yesterday averaged 292p/kg and sold to 326p/kg, while cast cows averaged 202p/kg and sold to 255p/kg or a top price of £2,575/head.
Meanwhile, lambs rose by 4p on the week to an average of 254p/kg or £117/head and sold to £150/head for Beltexes, and cast sheep averaged £81/head and sold to £113/head for a Texel. Heavy ewes averaged £115, with lighter ewes selling to £113/head for Cheviots and averaging £67/head.
Another large show of 2,741 prime lambs at Ayr yesterday saw trade staying remaining steady at an average of 245p/kg or £111/head and a top of £142/head for Barneil or 280p/kg for Beltexes from Tormitchell.
All classes of cast sheep were harder to cash, but quality still commanded a premium, with a Texel ewe from Birgidale peaking at £212. Texels also topped the ram trade at £172 for Barnahill, while Cheviot hill ewes from Faulds sold to £84/head and Blackies topped at £69 for Knockdon. Heltongate led the mules at £87/head while hoggs peaked at £85 for a pair of Texels from Brocklees.
Demand for prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday dropped marginally to an average of 273p/kg and a peak of 325p/kg, but prime beef bred bullocks met with encouraging demand and averaged 264p/kg before peaking at 309p/kg.
Dairy bred young bulls were equally sought after, with prices rising 11p on the week to an average of 215p/kg and a peak of 237p/kg.
Trade in the cast rings was virtually unchanged on the week with beef and dairy cows averaging £183p/kg and 141p/kg respectively.
Prime lambs, selling to an SQQ average of 267p/kg and a top of £172/head, also held up well. Hill ewes trended upwards to an average of £53/head and a peak of £126/head for a Cheviot.
A huge clearance of 368 North Country Cheviot hill tups at Lockerbie sold to an average just shy of £1,500.
A strong commercial trade throughout led to a peak of £16,000 for both Linhope Farming Partnership and Sorbietrees, while Messrs Douglas, Catslackburn sold a single to £12,000 and a further thirteen rams made £5,000 and over, completing a superb month for the breed.
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