A larger consignment of lambs at Ayr yesterday meant a further drop in prices as more lambs become available, although heavier lambs were least affected and continued to meet with demand.

The sale averaged 300p/kg or £129/head and peaked at £180/head for a pen of heavyweight Texels from Farden. Cast sheep were generally of poorer quality but all classes remained steady and trade peaked at £188/head for Texel ewes from South Craigton and tups peaking at the same price for the same breed from Girtridge, while hoggs sold to £148 for a Blue Texel from Smithston who also sold Texels for £140/head.

Hill ewes sold to £148 for a Cheviot from Minmunton & Pinclanty Farms, with Rankinston leading the Blackies at £115/head. Cheviots sold to £157/head for Whitehill with Scotch mules making £148/head for Thirdpart.

Bullocks at St Boswells yesterday averaged 286p/kg and sold to 322p/kg, while heifers averaged 304p/kg and sold to 330p/kg on three occasions, with cast cows rising by 18p/kg on the week to an average of 230p/kg and selling to 249p/kg or £2,289/head.

In line with elsewhere lamb prices dropped sharply as more become available to average 320p/kg or £140/head and sold to £210/head for Suffolk crosses or to 407p/kg for Texels. Hoggs averaged 277p/kg or £142/head and sold to 306p/kg for Texels, and cast sheep averaged £127/head and sold to £200/head. Heavy ewes averaged £159/head, while light ewes averaged £101/head and sold to £113/head for Cheviots.

Prime beef-bred heifers at Lanark yesterday were mostly unchanged on the week at an average of 303p/kg and sold to 330p/kg for a Limousin, while black and white bullocks averaged 253p/kg and sold to 270p/kg for a Limousin cross, and cast beef and dairy cows averaged 202p/kg and 142p/kg respectively.

Young bulls averaged 258p/kg, and like elsewhere new season lambs dropped sharply to an average of 308p/kg and sold to 378p/kg or £187/head. Hoggets dropped steeply too, averaging 198p/kg, and sold to £168/head, but cast ewes met with demand, rising by £13/head on the week to an average of £132/head and selling to £302 for a Texel. Blackies peaked at £112/head.

Prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday averaged 283p/kg and sold to 328p/kg, while beef-bred bullocks averaged 286p/kg and sold to 308p/kg, and young beef and dairy bulls averaged 261p/kg and 214p/kg respectively.

Cast beef cows averaged 212p/kg and peaked at 296p/kg, while cast dairy cows averaged 155p/kg and sold to 228p/kg, and a small consignment of cast bulls averaged 175p/kg and sold to 240p/kg. Prime lambs averaged 315p/kg and sold to 489p/kg or £230/head, while Lowland and Hill ewes held up well on the week at averages of £153/head and £103/head respectively.