Round-up

Prime beef-bred heifers at Lanark yesterday averaged 306p/kg and sold to 348p/kg for a Limousin cross, while bullocks averaged 290p/kg and sold to 298p/kg for a Limousin, and cast beef and dairy cows averaged 196p/kg and 148p/kg respectively. New season lambs dropped slightly to an average of 290p/kg and sold to 348p/kg or £170/head, while cast ewes averaged £82/head and sold to £290 for a Texel.

Prime heifers at Carlisle yesterday rose by 13p on the week to an average of 290p/kg and sold to 349p/kg while beef and dairy bred bullocks averaged 290p/kg and 232p/kg respectively, and young bulls dropped slightly to an average of 258p/kg and sold to 322p/kg.

Cast beef cows averaged 208p/kg and sold to 278p/kg, while dairy types averaged 156p/kg and sold to 240p/kg. Prime lambs met with demand, averaging 294p/kg and selling to 511p/kg or £230/head, while lowland ewes averaged £127/head and sold to £280 for a Texel. Hill ewes jumped by £19/head to an average of £100/head and sold to £165 for a Cheviot mule.

Stronger lambs sold easiest at Ayr yesterday in a sale that averaged 282p/kg and peaked at £163/head for Laigh Boreland or to 328p/kg for Texel crosses from North Logan. Likewise, the fittest cast ewes proved easiest to cash as they sold to £197/head for Texel crosses from The Muir, while tups sold to £137/head for Cheviots from Birgidale and Blackies sold to £85 for Fechan.

Bullocks at St Boswells yesterday averaged 300p/kg and sold twice to 325p/kg, while heifers averaged 301p/kg and sold to 334p/kg, and cast cows averaged 219p/kg and sold to 263p/kg or £1,879 gross. Lambs dropped by 11p/kg on the week to an average of 284p/kg or £130/head and sold to £175/head for Texel / Beltexes, and cast sheep averaged £101/head and sold to £252/head. Heavy ewes averaged £146/head, with light ewes averaging £94/head and selling to £167.

With changeable weather hampering late season silage cuts and harvesting, all classes of store lambs proved harder to sell at Newton Stewart on Friday. However, quality still commanded a premium with Suffolks from Joanne McColm, Barncorkrie, leading the trade at £113/head and a pen of the same breed from Gass selling to £109/head. Kirkdale Farms led the Texel classes at £103/head.

A total of 245 store cattle from Orkney consignors were traded at Thainstone on Friday. Bullocks sold to 334p/kg for South Breck or to £1,780 gross for Upper Cornquoy, while heifers sold to £1,815 gross for a Saler from Nessbreck or to 362p/kg for a Limousin from East Massater. Young bulls sold to £1,460 gross for a Charolais from Braebuster or to 309p/kg for a British Blue from the same home.