Farming news
\Caledonian Marts Thursday, August 24
Caley Marts sold 153 cattle comprising 90 prime bullocks, heifers and young bulls plus 63 cast cows and bulls. Numbers exceptionally short of requirements with all classes recording record averages so far for this season. Prime bullocks averaged 228p; prime heifers 227p; young bulls 200p; beef cows 143p and dairy cows 98p (a poor show for quality). Bullocks sold to 252p for a Limousin from J and J Wyllie, Knockhouse, Dunfermline purchased by Hugh Black and Sons Butchers and to £1905 for a Charolais from C Smith, South Flanders, Kippen. Heifers to 250p (twice) from Brockwoodlees, Canonbie purchased by WW Wales Ltd, Kilmarnock and Hugh Black and Sons and to £1620 from the same farm. Young bulls to 215p pkg for a Limousin from Mains of Throsk, Stirling to JF Findlay Ltd, Wishaw and to £1457 form the same farm. Bullocks (p pkg): 248p Easter Ochtermuthill,Towncroft (Young) and Brockwoodlees; 245p Classlochie, Knockhouse and Easter Ochtermuthill; 242p Knockhouse, Classlochie and Brockwoodlees; 240p West Mains and Knockhouse; 238p (twice) Easterton (Kirkintilloch); 235p and 232p Mawcarse and West Mains. Heifers (p pkg): 245p pkg (three times) Classlochie, Faskine and Easter Ochtermuthill; 242p pkg Borlick, Faskine and Easter Ochtermuthill; 240p pkg Brockwoodlees; 238p pkg West Thomaston and Borlick; 232p pkg Lammerview; 225p pkg Broadleys and Borlick. Beef cows averaged 143p selling to £1500 from B Harper, Greenwells, Falkirk and to 185.5p for the same beast. With a poor show of dairy cows it resulted in an average of 98p, selling to 106p from W Hamilton and Sons, Meldrum, Stirling and to £780 from the same home. Bulls sold to £1480 from A Morton, Lochend, Denny. Other leading prices: Beef cows p pkg - 185p Greenwells; 175p Muircot; 160p Drumelzier; 153p Drumcairn; 151p Craigannet. Beef cows per head - £1290 Ledrishbeg, Bailanstruth and Drumcairn; £1200 Mosshall; £1180 Drumelzier. Dairy cows per head - £710, £700 (twice) Meldrum. Also forward were nine calves. Top price was £330 for a AA Bull calf from G and C McKinnell, 6 Seacliff. Leading prices: Black and White Bull Calves - £93, £75 Barbeth; £60, £45 Nyadd. Beef bull calf - £250 (Sim) Mains Of Struie.
Monday, August 28
Caley Marts sold 2984 store lambs and feeding sheep. Top price of the day went to Tom Millar, Glenhead for a pair of Beltex Lambs at £77. It was noticeable that the weather is starting to take its toll on the lambs and buyers. Cross lambs averaged £55.22 (-£3.55); BF lambs averaged £34.88 (+£5.81). Leading prices: Texel - £72 Craigannet; Suff X - £71.20 Malling; Tex - £69 Malling; Beltex X - £69 Glenhead; Suff X - £68 Carie; Cont - £64 Dowally; Mule - £59 Dowally; BF - £54 East Tandlemuir; BF - £51.50 Edentaggart. Feeding ewes: Texel - £45 Tomabhidruan; BF - £40 East Mitchelton and Edentaggart. Tuesday, August 29 Caley Marts sold 3584 prime lambs, ewes and tups. Prime lambs (2396) averaged 192p pkg (+17.2p on the week), an excellent entry for numbers with it being the largest show so far this season and all classes certainly sold well in excess of sales held at the end of the last week. All classes of lambs required for the festival at the end of this week resulted in the best trade for this time of year. Top price of the day went to Doune Farms for a Beltex Lamb at £104. Top price per kilo went to G Whyte, Pett for a pen of three Beltex x 46 kilos at 120p pkg. Leading prices: Lambs (£ per head): Texel - £101 Kinninmonth; Beltex - £101 Pett; Beltex X - £100 St Mungoes and West Lundie; Cont - £98 and £97 Cuiltburn; Suff X - £97 Thorn (Fenwick); Suff - £97 West Saline; Cont X - £96 Meikle Seggie; Mule - £84 Doune Farms; Cross - £79.50 Thorn; BF - £71 East Moorhouse. Lambs (p per kg): Beltex – 219p Kinninmonth; Beltex X – 218p Cuiltburn; Cont – 214p Meikle Seggie; Texel – 213p Keltie Bridge and Birch Avenue; Cont X – 212p Doune Farms; Suff – 200p Stevenson Avenue; Mule – 186p Graystale; BF – 167 Stuckenduff. Also forward were 1138 cast ewes, 28 catt Tups and 22 wedders. Heavy ewes (403) averaged £77.44 selling to £114 from W S Paterson, Golland, Kinross. Export ewes (693) averaged £43.08. With a very mixed show for quality forward the overall average was up £5.08 on the week. Other leading prices: Texel - £111 Easterton; £106 Ayton and Woodend; £104 Easterton; £99 Roscobie and Wester Ochtermuthill. Blackface - £61 Ledrishmore; £60 Roscobie; £59 Borland; £51.50 Witches Craig; £50 Pitnacree. Suffolk - £99 Woodend; £93 Mains of Struie; £86 Wester Ochtermuthill; £82 Ayton. Cheviot - £93 West Dron; £72.50 Kinnaird (Howatt); £70 Astel; £65 Ledrishmore. Mule - £87 Croy Cunningham; £82 Blairgorts; £80 Kinnaird (Scrymgeour); £79 Grange of Lindores. Cross - £88.50 and £87 Golland; £79 East Lenniston; £77 and £74 Ledrishmore; £73.50 Spinkhill; £73 The Nurseries. Tups averaged £71 selling to £114 for a Texel from G Allan, Kingsfield, Linlithgow. Other leading prices: Texel - £99 Kingsfield and Borland; £96 Borland; £95 Roscobie; £83 Mains of Burnbank. Cheviot - £85 West Dron. Cross - £79 Otter Estate; £74 Ardoch. BFL - £111 Bowleys.
\United Auctions Saturday, August 26
UA had catalogue entry of 4911 Scotch Mule, Texel X and Suffolk X gimmers, sponsored by British Wool and ably judged by S Rodger, Firth Mains. The championship was won by M/s McKenzie, Ardgate and purchased by SRUC Oatridge. Overall average £130.62 (+£7.14) on the year. Prize List: 1 M/s McKenzie, Ardgate £148; 2 Drimsynie Est £145; 3 M/s Paterson, East Dykes £142; 4 M/s Milne, Kinaldy £152; 5 Miss H Gray, Tomfyne £150. Averages: Acc Scotch Mule Gimmers £141.80 (+£11.77) on the year; Non Acc Scotch Mule Gimmers £128.56 (6.31) on the year; Suffolk Cross Gimmers £132.94 (+£5.77) on the year; Texel Cross Gimmers £136.90 (+23.15) on the year. Averages: Accredited Scotch Mule Gimmers - D McKenzie, Lochend £158; J Laidlaw, Knowehead £139; J and M Hamilton, Crosswood Hill £162; Millglen Farms Ltd £140; G Grant and Sons, Easter Gallovie £141; Drimsynie Estate £145. Non-accredited Scotch Mule Gimmers - J Paterson, East Dykes £142; RBR Tanner, Parkhill £130; Burncastle Farming Co £179; Dounepark Farms £135; Donald Hood, Middlehill £138; Tollishill Farming £161; RS McIntyre, Knowes £130; Gavin Ogg and Son, Carroch £130; RH Brunton, Crudie Acres £130; H Forbes, Hilton of Duncrievie £128; Luss Estate Co £132; J Morrison and Sons, Margie £125; GGF Milne, Kinaldy £138; JR Cheape and Co, Letham £131; JJ and DM Ferguson, Kerry Cottage £130; D Black, Minard £138; M Dykes, Drumtee £137; Ian Fleming, Renton HF £127; A and I Dick, Kipperoch £124; T Grant, Greigston £121; JH Logan and Co, Dalfask £127; E Erskine, Inchie £130; Ross Bros, Wardhead £136; Croy Cunningham Farms £137; GGF Milne, Kinaldy £133; AM and AJ Jacobsen, Grange of Kinneff £124; M/s Paterson, Ballindalloch Moor £122; H Gray, Tomfyne £150; CJ McAllister, Patrickston £120; TD and EC Waugh and Son, Croftintygan £145; J Forbes, Clunebeg £132; WA Gray, Drumnessie £140; Alex McKenzie and Parts, Ardgate £147. Acc and Non-Cross Bred Gimmers: S Knox and Son, North Balloch £156; GGF Milne, Kinaldy £139; ian Fleming, Renton Home £128; R Graham and Son, Airthrey Kerse £138; AM and AJ Jacobsen, Grange of Kinneff £141; GGF Milne, Kinaldy £151; D Black, Minard £143; JR Cheape and Co, Letham£130; M/s Paterson, Ballindalloch Moor £128.