Caledonian Marts sees shortage of lamb at sale
There was a shortage of lambs at Caledonian Marts Ltd’s sale on Tuesday. 2,077 spring lambs, prime hoggets, cast ewes and tups were sold, but lambs were again short of buyers’ requirements, and more could have been sold to sellers’ advantage. Spring lambs (132) averaged 285ppkg (+27p on the week) selling to 337p for three cracking Beltex lambs at 41.3kg from DS & RC Taylor, Easter Ochtermuthill and to £148 for a pair of 46kg lambs, also from Easter Ochtermuthill. Hoggets had a good show forward for numbers, with well fleshed 38kg-50kg selling between 190-210ppkg. The overall average for 1,148 hoggets was 184.3ppkg (+1.2p on the week) selling to 213p from A J & G Orr, Lawhead of Stobwood and to a top of £107 from J Gilvear, Graystale. Also forward were 667 cast ewes and tups. Heavy ewes averaged £77.13 selling to £126 for a Texel from G Whyte, Pett, Muthill. Export Ewes averaged £54.23. Cast tups (33) averaged £87.79 and sold to £123 for a Texel from J & D McNicol, Whitecross, Dunblane. Spring lambs, prices per head: Beltex £145 & £140 Easter Ochtermuthill; Texel £143 Balhelvie; Suffolk £138 Linnhead; Suffolk X £134 Tillyrie; Berrichon £130 Kirkton. Spring lambs, prices per kg: Beltex 322p Easter Ochtermuthill; Beltex X 316p Easter Ochtermuthill; Suffolk 314p Linnhead; Suffolk X 305p Tillyrie; Texel 304p Balhelvie. Leading hogget prices per head: Texel £106 West Thomaston; Cheviot £105 Meadowfield; Cont £104 Bogside; Cross £103 Graystale; Suffolk £102 Glenrigg; BF £94 Pirleyhill. Leading hogget prices per kg: Cheviot 212p West Thomaston; Texel 212p West Thomaston; Texel X 211p Dechmont; Charolais 210p Meadowfield; BF 200p Durieshill. Other leading prices: Texel: £116 Pett; £110 Craggan; £108 Lower Killernie; £107 Whitecross & Treetops; £106 Spinkhill; £104 Balaclava (Islay). BF: £75 Remony Estate; £69 Harviesmailing (twice); £62 Dollarbank; £60 Harviesmailing & Windyedge. Cross: £111 Dechmont; £97 & £93 Harviesmailing; £90 Glenrigg; £87 South Falaknowe, Drumheldric & Harviesmailing. Suff: £109 South Falaknowe; £96 Spinkhill; £95 Harviesmailing. Chev: £91 & £86 West Dron. Mule: £89 Ashfield; £84 Dollarbank; £79 Windyedge & Middle Ballat. Tups: Cross: £107 Spinkhill. BF: £67 Remony. Texel: £115 Friarton; £109 Braeleny; £108 Dechmont. BFL: £84 Drumnessie. Beltex: £111 Craggan.