Farming

Round-up

By Alec Ross

Bullocks at St Boswells yesterday averaged 306p/kg and sold to 320p/kg, while heifers also averaged 306p/kg but sold to 338p/kg, and cast cows averaged 183p/kg and sold to 259p/kg or £2134 / head.

Nearly 2,000 lambs rose 5p on the week to average 271p/kg and sold to £178/head for Beltexes, and cast sheep averaged £90/head, selling to £220 for a Texel. Heavy ewes averaged £122, with light ewes averaging £73 and selling to £103 for a North Country Cheviot.

All types of lambs at Ayr yesterday were easily cashed and sold to £171 for a Texel from Greenhill or 325p/kg for Beltexes from Ochiltree, before averaging 266p/kg SQQ or £119/head.

Poorer bred sheep were harder to cash in the cast ring, but quality still came to money and peaked at £210 for a Texel from Mull of Galloway, who also topped the tup section at £146 for Suffolk crosses, while cross bred ewes sold to £146 for Texel crosses from Redding who also led the Suffolks at £142. And Blackies peaked at £62 for Mid Wellwood.

Prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday fell sharply to an average of 270p/kg, selling to 316p/kg, with Prime bullocks dropping by 10p to an average of 279p/kg and a peak of 312p/kg.

Dairy bred bulls met with demand, rising by 20p on the week to an average 194p/kg and a peak of 229p/kg. A large consignment of prime lambs largely held up well at an average of 276p/kg and sold to 400p/kg or £182/head, while lowland and hill ewes fell sharply to average £82/head & £42/head respectively.

Beef-bred heifers at Lanark yesterday rose by 2p on the week to an average of 313p/kg and a peak of 348p/kg for a Limousin, while bullocks averaged 306p/kg and peaked at 320p/kg for a Limousin cross.

Cast beef and dairy cows held up well on the week at averages of 161p/kg and 141p/kg respectively, and a large consignment of new season lambs met with demand, rising by 11p on the week to an average 266p/kg and a peak of £206/head.