Farming
Round-up
By Alec Ross
Bullocks at St Boswells yesterday averaged 291p/kg and sold to 328p/kg, while heifers averaged 294p/kg and sold to 334p/kg, and cast cows averaged 186p/kg and sold to 215p/kg or a top price of £1899.
The exceptional trade for Hoggs continued with an average of 393p/kg (+3p on the week) and a peak of £240/head for Beltexes, while cast sheep averaged £107/head and sold to £217 for a Texel ewe. Heavy Ewes averaged £154, light ewes sold to £155 for North Country Cheviots, and averaged £111/head.
The recent harsh weather meant a relative scarcity of prime Hoggets at Ayr yesterday, which meant those that braved the elements were well rewarded for their efforts with an average of 391p/kg and a peak of £250/head for Beltexes from Howcommon or 467p/kg for a strong pen of the same breed from Dustyhall Farming.
Cast sheep prices also rose, with ewes selling to £231 for a Texel from Caprickhill and tups peaking at £219 for a Suffolk / Beltex cross from Brickrow, while Aitkenhead led both the Blackie and Cheviot classes at £133/head and £177/head respectively. And Mules from Lanemark sold to £157/head.
Prime beef-bred heifers at Lanark yesterday averaged 301p/kg (+2p on the week) and sold to 346p/kg for a Limousin, while bullocks rose by the same level to average 292p/kg and sold to 318p/kg, again for a Limousin. And cast beef and dairy cows rose by 2p on the week to average 197p/kg and 170p/kg respectively.
Prime beef-bred bullocks saw the biggest move in the cattle classes at Carlisle yesterday, jumping by 22p/kg on the week to an average of 278p/kg, and sold to 312p/kg.
Young bulls of all classes dropped slightly to an average of 249p/kg, while cast beef and dairy cows averaged 197p/kg and 152p/kg respectively. And a relative lack of prime lambs saw a rise of 45p/kg to an average 459p/kg, while Lowland ewes averaged £166/head and Hill ewes averaged £92/head.
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