Around the markets

DINGWALL – Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd on Wednesday March 28 sold 924 store cattle, 17 adult head of breeding cattle and 51 OTM cattle. Bullocks (571) averaged 240.3p and sold to 292.3p per kg for a 260kg Charolais cross from Balvullich Farm, Muir of Ord and £1,360 gross for a 585kg Limousin cross from Shawpark, Glaickmore.

Heifers (348) averaged 231.3p and sold to 285.1p per kg for a 435kg Charolais cross from Leys Estate, Inverness and £1,580 gross for a 595kg Charolais cross from The Cloy, Fortrose. Young bulls (5) averaged 254.3p and sold to 276.5p per kg and £940 gross for a 340kg British Blue cross from Glenaldie, Tain. Robertson’s of Tain, Harbro and MGM Timber sponsored the show and sale of store cattle judged by M.N.H Mccallum, Mountrich Farm, Dingwall, who awarded the overall champion to a 585kg Limousin cross bullock from Messrs K.D.J MacRae and Partners, Shawpark, realising £1,360 gross to Backmuir Livestock Ltd, Keith. Reserve champion was a 570kg Limousin cross heifer from A Macdonald, Easter Sheep Park, Balblair, realising £1,360 gross to Messrs MacIver Partners, Easter Strath of Auchterflow, Killen. Prize list:

Single bullock:

1 Messrs K.D.J Macrae and Partners, Shawpark, (LIM), 585kg, £1,360; 2 Messrs J and J Henderson, Udale, Poyntzfield, (LIM), 540kg, £1,250. Single heifer:

1 A Macdonald, Easter Sheep Park, Balblair, (LIM), 570kg, £1,360; 2 Leys Estate LLP, Leys Castle, Inverness, (CHX), 435kg, £1,240.

Best pair of bullocks or heifers: 1 Messrs J and J Henderson, Udale, Poyntzfield, (LIM), 428kg, £1,160; 2 Messrs J and J Henderson, Udale, Poyntzfield, (LIM), 485kg, £1,200.

Best pen of bullocks or heifers: 1 A Macdonald, Easter Sheep Park, Balblair, (LIM), 447kg, £1,055; 2 Messrs J and J Henderson, Udale, Poyntzfield, (LIM), 518kg, £1,190. In-calf cows (17) sold to £1,070 gross for a Limousin cross from Glenaldie, Tain.

OTM prime and feeding cows (51) averaged 149.5p per kg and sold to 200.0p per kg for a 585kg Saler cross from Westfield Farm, Thurso and £1,450 gross twice for a 900kg Charolais cross and a 845kg Aberdeen Angus cross from Easter Sheep park, Balblair.

Other leading prices per head and per kg:

Bullocks up to 250kg – 2 Cliffton, Poolewe, £555, 241.3p; 251 – 300kg – Kincraig Farm, Invergordon, £820, Balvullich, 292.3p; 301 – 350kg - Dell of Killiehuntly, Kingussie, £930, Kincraig Farm, 285.5p; 351 - 400kg - Park Farm, Nairn, £1,025, 261.5p; 401 – 450kg – Udale, Poyntzfield, £1,160, 271.0p; 451 – 500kg – Torgorm, Heathfield, Muir of Ord, £1,240, Burnside Croft, Jamestown, 261.7p; 501 – 550kg – Park Farm, Strathpeffer, £1,280, Torgorm, 242.7p; 551 – 600kg – Torgorm, £1,320, 233.6p; 601 – 650kg – Corslet Farm, Rosemarkie, £1,350, 209.3p.

Heifers up to 250kg –Larel, Halkirk, £580, Tullochgorum, 245.7p; 251 – 300kg – Dalmagarry farm, £760, Kincraig farm, 266.7p; 301 – 350kg - Kincraig farm, £840, 251.6p; 351 – 400kg – 4 Glaick, £990, Tullochgorum, 249.4p; 401 – 450kg – Leys Estate, £1240, Seafield Park partnership, 254.3p; 451 – 500kg – Milldam, Meikle Ussie, £1115, 247.3p; 501 – 550kg – 3 Glaick, £1160, Milldam, 225.7p; 551 – 600kg – Easter Sheep park, £1360, The Cloy, 265.6p 601 – 650kg – Burnside Croft, Strathpeffer, £1160, 185.6p. Other leading prices per head: In calf cows: South Cuidreach, Earlish, (LimX), £1,060, (SimX), £1,010; Dunlichity Farm, Farr, (ShoX), £960.

Other leading prices per head: OTM cows: Inkstack house, Thurso, (AA), £1,370; Fairburn Estate, Urray, (SimX), £1,350; Westfield Farm, (SalX), £1,330. Other leading prices per kg OTM cows: Westfield Farm, (SalX), 195.6p, 190.2p; Gorthleck Mains, Gorthleck, (LimX), 182.2p; Easter Sheep park, (AAX), 171.6p; Fairburn Estate, (SimX), 162.7p.

STIRLING – United Auctions on Thursday March 29 sold 3,582 prime sheep comprising of 10 new season lambs and 2,600 old season lambs selling to an average of 224p and ewes and rams.

New season lambs (10) - Langside (Char) £140; Greystone (Zwa) £120; Wood (Dors) £99. New season lambs (10) - Langside (Char) 304p; Greystone (Zwa) 259.5p; Wood (Dors) 264p.

Old season lambs (2,600) – Abbey (Suff) £130; Hill Of Errol (Tex) £144; Luckenburn (BTex) £149; Greenlands (Che) £118; Auchnafree (BF) £119; Abercairny (Swa) £108; Langside (Char) £126.

Old season lambs (2,600) – Abbey (Suff) 255p; Ballechin (Tex) 293.0p; Luckenburn (BTex) 345p; Monzie (Chev) 266p; Parkhill (BF) 243p; Abercairney (Swa) 225p; Doldy (Char) 217p. Ewes (972) – Foodie (Tex) £158; Netherton (Char) £150; Little Moss (Suff) £138; Kilkeddan (Chev/Mule) £130; Aikengall (BFL) £130; West Lecropt (Hamp) £124; Hoprig (Cross) £116; Kincragie (Mule) £110; Gathercauld (Chev) £104; Balmonth (HB) £94; Rashiehill (BF) £88.

Rams – Balmonth (Suff) £148; Netherton (Char) £134; Balmonth (Tex) £128; Aikengall (BFL) £121.

STIRLING – Caledonian Marts on Thursday March 29 sold 173 cattle, comprising 85 prime bullocks, heifers and young bulls, 66 cast cows, and 22 young calves.

Prime bullocks averaged 220p. Prime heifers averaged 222p. Beef young bulls averaged 212p. Beef cows averaged 148p. Dairy cows averaged 116p. Bullocks sold to 252p for a British Blue from W Dandie and Sons, Learielaw, Broxburn purchased by T Johnston, Butcher, Falkirk and to £1,688.40 for the same beast. Heifers sold to 260p for a Limousin again from Learielaw purchased by H A Black and Son, Butcher, Lanark and to an astonishing £1,755.60 for a Limousin from M A Blyth, Lochfield, Doune purchased by Malcolm Allan Ltd. Young Bulls sold to 215p for a Limousin from W A Hume, Easter Clune, Dunfermline and to £1,535.04 for a Charolais from A Purdon, Easterton, Caldercruix.

Leading prices:

Bullocks ppkg: 248p Faskine and Learielaw; 245p Easter Ochtermuthill; 242p Learielaw 240p Moorfield; 238p Craigton and Kinneil Mill; 235p Seggersdean (Twice), Dullomuir and Craigton Bullocks per head: £1,661 Learielaw; £1,614 Pityot; £1,608 and £1,591 Craigton; £1,575 Moorfield; £1,553 Easter Ochtermuthill.

Heifers ppkg: 252p Faskine; 250p Learielaw; 242p Moorfield; 240p Easter Ochtermuthill (twice) and Kinneil Mill; 238p Moorfield and Mains of Cultmalundie; 235p Mains of Cultmalundie. Heifers per head: £1,646 Easter Ochtermuthill; £1,580 and £1,555 Learielaw; £1,527 Mains of Cultmalundie and Moorfield; £1,488 Kinneil Mill; £1,485 Lochfield.

Also forward were 66 cast cows. OTM cattle averaged 212p selling to 215p from J Caldwell, Moorfield and to £1,324 for the same beast. Despite a much plainer show for quality on the week, trade would be sharper. Beef cows averaged 148ppkg.