Farming
Round-up
By Alec Ross
Prime lambs at Ayr yesterday sold easily and to an average of 304p/kg and peaked at £173 for a Texel from Heltongate or 343p/kg for a Beltex cross from Dustyhall.
Cast sheep and hoggets were of a mixed quality and speaned and unsheared ewes proved hard to cash, but top quality and well-fleshed ewes – like the Texel ewe from Carnwhin that went for £210 - met with strong demand, as did a pen of seven Cheviot crosses from Aitkenhead that averaged £149/head.
A pen of Blackies from Farden averaged £105/head, while Scotch Mules from Laigh Langcraig sold to £158/head. And hoggs sold to £131/head for Texels from Mr G Donald who also topped the Cheviots at £111.
Prime beef-bred heifers at Lanark rose by 9p on the week yesterday to an average of 313p/kg and sold to 326p/kg for Limousin, while bullocks fell by 44p on the week to an average of 248p/kg and sold to 282p/kg for a British Blue.
Cast beef and dairy cows both rose on the week and averaged 192p/kg and 171p/kg respectively, while lambs continued their recent resurgence by achieving an average of 315p/kg, a rise of 11p on the week, and a peak of £194/head or 371p/kg. Conversely, hoggets dropped by 10p/kg on the week to an average of 177p/kg and sold to £124/head or 207p/kg.
Prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday averaged 281p/kg and sold to 306p/kg, while beef-bred bullocks averaged 295p/kg and sold to 312p/kg. Young bulls of all types averaged 243p/kg while cast beef and dairy cows averaged 199p/kg and 161p/kg respectively, and prime lambs averaged 323p/kg and sold to 512p/kg or £225/head. Lowland ewes averaged £134/head and sold to £240 for a Beltex, while hill ewes averaged £62/head and sold to £136 for a Cheviot.
Bullocks at St Boswells yesterday averaged 284p/kh and sold to 318p/kg, while heifers averaged 297p/kg and sold to 332p/kg, and cast cows averaged 205p/kg and sold to 247p/kg or £2,076 gross. Lambs averaged 302p/kg or £133/head and sold to £188/head for Texels, while cast sheep averaged £119/head and sold to £240 for Texels. Heavy ewes averaged £152/head, while light ewes sold to £148/head for Cheviots and averaged £104/head.
Lambs at Longtown on Thursday proved easy to sell, especially better fleshed types, and smaller lambs lacking finish are doing well in the store ring currently. Trade topped at £192/head for Suffolks from Roxburgh Mains or to 405p/kg for Beltexes from Merkland.
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