Round-up

Leaner lambs proved hard to cash at Newton Stewart yesterday, but fleshier types met with demand and sold to 305p/kg for a Beltex from Dinmurchie who also led the Suffolk classes at £164/head.

Despite a lack of quality, cast sheep maintained their recent rates and sold to £170 for a Suffolk cross ewe from Mount Pleasant while tups peaked at £148 for a Suffolk from Spoutwells and Blackies sold to £107 for Balmurrie. Mules peaked at £126 for Barlaughlan.

Weaned bulls at Carlisle yesterday peaked at £1,600 for a Limousin from Greenlands, with steers selling to £1,480 for a Charolais from EMD Fletcher, and heifers peaked at £1,470 for Messrs Fletcher. Store cattle sold to £1,930 for a British Blue steer from Westray.

New season lambs at Huntly on Tuesday averaged 272p/kg and sold to 293p/kg for a Suffolk from Soutertown or to £159 gross for a 69kg Texel from Dunscroft. Ewes met with a stronger trade again and peaked at £250 for a pure Texel from North Dorlaithers.

Dairy cattle at Ayr on Tuesday sold to £2120 for a Holstein Friesian heifer from East Enoch, while calves sold to £650 for an Aberdeen Angus cross bull from High Cairn. Heifer calves peaked at £610/head for three British Blue crosses from Merkland, and stirks peaked at £1,200 for the same breed from Greenside, with a Limousin cross heifer selling to £1,120 for Glenhowl.

Longtown saw its largest show of lambs of 2024 on Tuesday, with a consignment of 9,726 reflecting the trend of vendor selling early to capitalise on strong current demand. Texel crosses from West Craig led the way at £136/head. Feeding sheep met with a sharp trade and peaked at £162 for Texels from Cut Thorn.

Breeding sheep at Thainstone on Tuesday averaged £223/head and sold to £270/head for pure Texels from Mid Haddo, while store lambs averaged £99/head and sold to £165 for a Bluefaced Leicester from Sonnealm. Island consigned lambs averaged £95/head and sold to £122/head for Suffolks from North Booth while West Highland store lambs averaged £81/head and sold to £114 for Suffolks from Baleshare.

Prime heifers at Orkney on Monday peaked at 316p/kg or £1,880 gross for a 595kg Charolais from Appleteen, while steers sold to 315p/kg or £1,953 gross for a 620kg Charolais from Huan on a day when store steers averaged £1,572/head, a rise of £103/head on 2023.

Prime lambs fell by 7p/kg on the week to an average of 271p/kg and sold to 313p/kg or £169/head for Beltexes from Odinstone, while store lambs averaged £98/head and sold to £107/head for a large consignment of Texels from Willie Harcus, Quanterness. And cast sheep topped at £190 for a Texel ewe from Lower Cornquoy.