Livestock and crops

DINGWALL – Dingwall & Highland Marts sold 781 store cattle at its annual show and sale of native and continental store cattle, including an Aberdeen-Angus section, sponsored by Brogan Fuels. The judge, M. Essen, Garland, Keith, awarded the continental championship to a 565kg Lim X bullock from J. Munro and Son, Invercharron, Ardgay, and which realised £1,210. The continental reserve was a 485kg Char X heifer from E. Fraser and Co, Gorthleck Mains, and realising £1,100. In the Aberdeen-Angus section, the championship went to a 450kg bullock from E. L. M. Laing, Wester Fearn, Ardgay, and realising £1,000. The reserve went to a 425kg heifer, also from Wester Fearn, and realising £890. Continental bullocks (266) averaged 224.3p and sold to 259.3p a kg for a pair of 378kg Char X from Guisachan Farm, Tomich, and £1,210 for a 565kg Lim X from Invercharron, Ardgay. Continental heifers (201) averaged 212.7p and sold to 255.8p a kg for a pair of 385kg Lim X from Dunmaglass Estate, Dores, and £1,340 for a 525kg Char X from Lyne of Urchany Farm, Geddes. Aberdeen-Angus and nativebred bullocks (177) averaged 213.3p and sold to 248.1p a kg for a pen of 393kg A-A X from The Dell of Killiehuntly, Kingussie, and £1,410 for a 815kg Sh X from Balliefurth Farm, Grantown. Aberdeen-Angus and nativebred heifers (133) averaged 196.1p and sold to 226.2p a kg for a pen of 263kg A-A X from Scottag, Watten, and £1,190 for a 775kg A-A X also from Scottag. Breeding cattle (four) sold to £1,120 for an A-A X in-calf heifer from Druim Torrach, North Uist. Top quality yearlings and calves met a firm inquiry while others were a bit stiffer to cash. Other leading prices per head and per kg: Cont bullocks: 201-250kg – 13 Torlum £610, 249.0p; 251300kg – 3 Torlum £660, 12 Habost 251.9p; 301-350kg – Lower Sibster £800, Guisachan Farm 235.5p; 351-400kg – Clury Farm £1,020, 256.3p; 401450kg – Invercharron £1,085, Lochdhu 258.5p; 451-500kg – Clury Farm £1,180, Little Croy 246.8p; 501-550kg – Little Croy £1,130, 223.8p; 551-600kg – Dunmaglass Estate £1,150, Invercharron 214.2p. Cont heifers: 201-250kg – 13 Torlum £460, 204.4p; 251300kg – Invercharron £670, 3 Torlum 233.3p; 301-350kg – Invercharron £805, 231.3p; 351400kg – Dunmaglass Estate £985, Fornighty Farm 244.2p; 401-450kg – Invercharron £1,000, 224.7p; 451-500kg – Gorthleck Mains £1,100, Dunmaglass Estate 231.2p; 501550kg – Lyne of Urchany £1,055, 255.2p. A-A and native bullocks: 201250kg – 6 Heaste £540, 234.8p; 251-300kg – Garfield £370, Scottag 233.1p; 301-350kg – Scottag £790, 234.2p; 351400kg – The Dell of Killiehuntly £975, Achley Farm 240.8p; 401450kg – Wester Fearn £1,000, 231.9p; 451-500kg – The Dell of Killiehuntly £1,030, Wester Fearn 220.5p; 501-550kg – Alvie Estate £1,050, 209.2p; 551600kg – Alvie Estate £1,070, 191.1p; 601-650kg – Wester Fearn £1,200, 189.0p; 651700kg – Balliefurth Farm £1,345, 198.4p. A-A and native heifers: up to 300kg – Scottag £605, 216.1p; 301-350kg – 61 Strathy East £710, 208.8p; 351-400kg – Auchmore Farm £780, The Dell of Killiehuntly 206.4p; 401450kg – Alvie Estate £900, 211.8p; 451-500kg – Scottag £920, 197.4p; 501-550kg – Fiddlefield £1,060, 201.9p.

DINGWALL – OTM cows (20) averaged 126.0p and sold to 167.9p a kg and £1,310 for a 780kg A-A X from 1 Raddery, Fortrose. OTM bulls (two) sold to 115.3p a kg and £1,190 for a 1,170kg A-A from 3 Glen, Dunvegan. Other leading prices per kg: OTM cows: Castle Heather (CharX) 145.3p; Abersky (SalX) 142.9p; Gorthleck Mains (LimX) 141.6p.

OBAN – Caledonian Marts sold 3,636 breeding ewes and gimmers and ewe lambs. BF ewes (1,334) averaged £55.40 (+£9.85 on the year) and sold to £84 from J. McNicol and Sons, Turnault, to P. J. Laidlaw and Sons, Knowehead, Kippen. Chev ewes (719) averaged £73.10 (+£12.10) and sold to £88 from R. Strachan, Cailaich, Mull, to James Drife, Netherhill, Crawfordjohn. BF gimmers (204) averaged £66.49 (+£3.51) and sold to £82 from A. MacNeil, Tiraghoil, Mull, to F. Worrell, Tormaukin, Glendevon. Cross gimmers (411) averaged £84.80 (+£22.30) and sold to £140 for Chev from A. MacNeil and Tex from S. MacCallum, Achna-bheinn, Lochgilphead. BF ewe lambs (239) averaged £40.03 (-£5.35) and sold to £72 from C.P. Barrington, Ardachy, Mull. Chev ewe lambs (335) averaged £53.17 (+£10.95) and sold to £82 from Caddleton Farms, Ardmaddy Castle, Oban. Mule ewe lambs (394) averaged £80.80 (+£12.32) and sold to £86 from D. MacDonald, Tyree, Benderloch. THAINSTONE – Beef cows (174) averaged 126.8p and sold to 184.1p a kg for a 690kg A-A from Appieteen, Sandwick, and £1,350 for a 1,040kg Char from Auchtertyre, Pluscarden. Dairy cows (nine) averaged 103.2p and sold to 162.4p a kg and £1,015 for a 625kg Brit Fri from Berriedale, South Ronaldsay. Bulls (nine) averaged 103.7p and sold to 117.6p a kg and £1,270 for a 1,080kg Lim from Kedron, Garlogie.

THAINSTONE – New season lambs (830) averaged 165.8p (4.3p) and sold to 172.7p a kg for Char from Uppermill, Kintore, and for Tex from Whiteside, Alford. Top gross was £90.50 for Tex from Mid Haddo, Fyvie. Lightweight prime lambs (434) sold to 132.8p a kg and £42.50 for Shets from Greenmow, Cunngsburgh. New season SQQ up to 45.5kg (293) averaged 166.9p a kg (3.8p). Leading prices per head and per kg: Lightweight prime lambs: Sht - Greenmow £24; ShtX - Crudy £24.

PRIMESTOCK

Prices and throughputs at auction markets on Wednesday were (changes compare with a week earlier):

SCOTLAND – Cattle up 11%, to average 193.69p a kg (-11.17p); new season lambs up 19% to average 167.19p (-4.27p).

FUTURES

Closing prices on London Futures were:

WHEAT – Nov £127 (+80p); Jan 2017 £128.25 (+75p); Mar £129.80 (+75p); May £131.50 (+75p); Jul £133.35 (+75p); Nov £133.50 (+75p); Jan 2018 £135.65 (+70p); Mar £137.35 (+65p); May £139.75 (+60p); Nov £138.45 (+60p).