Prime heifers peak at 278p/kg at Harrison & Hetherington auction

HARRISON & Hetherington sold 55 clean cattle, 21 cast cows, 1,795 prime lambs and 884 cast sheep at St Boswells on Monday.

Fifteen prime bullocks sold to 260p/kg and averaged 240p (-15p), while 38 prime heifers peaked at 278p to average 254p (+1p). In the cast ring cows peaked at £1,434 and 187p to average 162p (-8p).

Prime lambs sold to

£150 and 308p/kg for Beltex to average £106 or 241p/kg (-1p).

Heavy cast sheep sold to a top of £143 for Texel ewes to average £112, while light ewes peaked at £113 for North Country Cheviots to average £59.

The firm also sold nine prime heifers at Carlisle on Monday that peaked at 288p/kg to average 256p (-24p), while eight beefbred bullocks sold to 274p and levelled at 232p (-11p). Forty-seven, beef-bred young bulls peaked at 248p and averaged 202p (-19p), while 33 dairy-bred young bulls sold to 194p and levelled at 174p (-18p).

In the rough ring 41 cast beef cows peaked at 228p to average 153p (-6p), while 127 cast dairy cows sold to 172p to average 116p (-5p).

There were also 2,256 prime lambs that sold to £142 or 331p/kg to average 244p (-9p).

Lowland cast ewes (102) peaked at £142 for a Texel to average £85 (-£10), while 89 hill ewes sold to £72 for a Swaledale to average £46(+£3).

Messrs Craig Wilson sold 2,321 prime lambs and 462 cast sheep at Ayr on Monday.

Top price of the day was £130 for a single Beltex and again for a pen of Texels, while top price per kilo was 271p for a single Beltex. The whole sale averaged £104 or 241p (-5p). All classes of ewes sold dearer on the week except over fat types, which would remain the same. Top price was £208 for a pen of three heavy Texel ewes closely followed by another pen of Texels at £206. Beltex ewes peaked at £136 while Suffolks sold to £124. Mules were dearer on the week at £110 while Blackfaces made up to £78.

Lawrie and Symington sold 158 cattle at their weekly sale of prime stock at Lanark on Monday.

Prime heifers sold to 276p/kg or to £1797, while bullocks sold to 274p or £1,504.

Cast beef cows sold to £1,525 or 178p, while dairy types peaked at £1,135 or 154p. There were also 3,386 prime lambs and 2,595 cast sheep at the sale.

Lambs peaked at £140 for Texels and at 305p/kg for Beltex. The overall average was 239p. Cast sheep saw more hill and leaner types on the market which were slightly easier on the week. The sale peaked at £196 for Texels and at £85 for Blackfaces.