Prime lambs fetch top of £114 per head as Ayr sale sees heavy ewes sell for £143

Prime lambs fetched a top of £114 at Ayr sale.

that sold to £109 and 236.8p to average 208p (-20p).

A good show of 303 cast sheep saw heavy ewes sell to £101 for Suffolks and average £85, while light ewes peaked at £63 for Blackfaces and levelled at £58.

The firm also sold eight prime heifers in Carlisle yesterday to a top of 233.5p and an average of 209.7p

(+11.1p), while 13 prime, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 221.5p and levelled at 203.3p (+1.2p). Four prime, dairy-bred bullocks sold to 170.5p and averaged 158.7p (-18.4p). Forty prime, beef-bred bulls sold to 229.5p and averaged 193p (-13.4p), while 72 prime, dairybred bulls peaked at 188.5p and levelled at 140p (-21.3p).

In the rough ring 201 beef cows sold to 211.5p and averaged 139.1p (-8.7p), while 251 dairy cows peaked at 162.5p and levelled at 109.8p (-7.5p). Nine bulls sold to 160.5p and averaged 128.2p (-12.2p).

There were also 1077 prime lambs that sold to £130 and 302.1p to average 224.7p (-1.4p).

A small show of 33 heavy ewes sold to

£97.50 for Charollais and averaged £77.45.

Lawrie & Symington Ltd sold 21 prime heifers to a top of 250p and an average of 239p (-2.1p), while four prime bullocks peaked at 228p and levelled at 227p (no comparison).

In the rough ring 71 beef cows averaged 134p (-1p) and 32 dairy cows levelled at 111 (-2p).

The firm also sold 1212 prime lambs to a top of £122.50 and 255.6p to average 210.2p (-21.8p).

The 268 heavy cast ewes forward sold to £146.50 for a Texel and averaged £74.48, while 91 light ewes peaked at £73.50 for Blackfaces and levelled at £47.12. ACTIVITY in Britain’s manufacturing industry came in shy of forecasts as a slowdown in new orders sent output drifting to a three-month low.

The closely watched Markit/CIPS UK Manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a reading of 54.3 last month, down from 56.3 in May and below economists’ forecasts of 56.4.

A reading above 50 indicates growth.

The report pointed to a widespread slackening across the industry, with output and new orders climbing at “milder rates” in the consumer, intermediate and investment goods sectors.

Despite the slowdown, the average rate for the second quarter still reached a three-year high at 55.9.

Rob Dobson, senior economist at IHS Markit, said the industry pushed through the political uncertainty surrounding the Brexit vote and the surprise General Election