Forfar

LAWRIE and Symington sold 40 prime cattle at Forfar, last week, where nine bullocks averaged 240p per kg and 31 heifers levelled at 233p.

Limousins from Nethermyres topped the trade at £1554.84 for a 617kg bullock and 258p for a 565kg heifer, with bullocks also hitting 252p for the same bullock and heifers to £1529.60 for a 640kg Limousin from Craignathro.

Prime lambs (100) sold to 277.3p twice for Texels from Newton of Guthrie and to £127 twice for Texels from Southtown, while 250 hoggs peaked at 234.2p for Beltex from Balgillo and £119 for Texels from Ardmhor.

In the cast sheep, Texels from Ardmhor also topped the 92 cast ewes at £127.

Huntly

AFTER a monumental trade all season, trade was easier on the week at United Auctions' sale of 957 prime sheep, however, thick meated hoggs were still commanding a premium, and regularly surpassed the £2 per kg.

New season lambs (37) sold to 276p per kg for 45kg Texel crosses from Meikle Begshill, Drumblade, and £126 for 56kg Suffolks from Newton of Haddo, Forgue, while the 549 old season lambs peaked at 223p for 48kg Texels from Newton of Haddo, Forgue, and £115 for 59kg Texels from the same home.

Ewes (377) met a firm enquiry and were sharper on the week as they reached £112 for Suffolk crosses from Birkenburn.

Thainstone

SELLING through Aberdeen and Northern Marts, last week, was 18 prime bullocks which averaged 212.2p (-5.6p) and 23 heifers at 230p (+4p).

Top price was £1542.80 for a 760kg Limousin from Nether Mains, Torphins, and 258p for a 585kg Limousin from Brucewells, Netherley.

Bullocks also sold to 233p for a 560kg Limousin from Faichfolds, King Edward, with heifers to £1510.40 for a 640kg Limousin from Cairncoullie, Glenkindie.

The five young bulls levelled at 180.1p and peaked at 201p for a 570kg Charolais from Harestone, Crathes, and £1695.60 for a 1080kg Aberdeen-Angus from Blelack, Dinnet.

Averaging 156.6p, the 171 beef cows sold to 209.6p for a 520kg Aberdeen-Angus from Honeyneuk, Maud, and £1590 for a 900kg Limousin from Easterside, Stonehaven.

Bulls (13) averaged 129.2p (-11p) and sold to 144p for a 965kg Charolais from Karinya, Dounby, and £1670 for a 1320kg Charolais from Mains of Tarryblake, Rothiemay.

On the same day, the firm sold 1448 prime sheep comprising 116 new season lambs and 1261 old season lambs.

New season lambs averaged 234.5p (+2.9p) and sold to 250p for 47kg Suffolks from Mid Lurg, Midmar, and £132.50 for 59kg Suffolks from Vikdarian, West Haughs. The 61 SQQs levelled at 242.1p (+11.8p).

Texels weighing 46kg from Cooperhill, Forglen, topped the old season lambs at 220.7p, while other Texels weighing 70kg from Kilcoy, Muir of Ord, made £125.50. They averaged 196.3p (-22.9p) with 996 SQQs at 191.3p (-27.4p).

Stirling (UA)

TEXELS from Easter Octhermuthill topped United Auctions' sale of 309 new season lambs when they sold for £127 and 274p per kg.

While spring lambs averaged 235.80p, the 1231 old season lambs levelled at 183.30p and peaked at £121 and 274p for Beltex from Luckenburn.

Ewes (450) sold to £140 for Suffolks from Barbarfield.

Stirling (Cal)

FORWARD at Caledonian Marts' prime sale was 97 prime bullocks, heifers and young bulls and 73 cast cows and bulls.

Bullocks averaged 217p and led the gross section at £1778 for an entry from Auchmuir, while a heifer from Borlick made 260p per kg.

Averaging 228p, heifers also sold to £1625 from Mains of Cultmalundie with bullocks to 250p from Faskine and Balquharrage.

Also forward were 73 cast cows and bulls which saw beef cows average 150p and reach 210p from M McMillan, Balliemartin, Islay, and £1470 from JH and NT Turnball, Meadowend, Clackmannan.

Dairy types averaged 118p and sold to 142p and £1110 from G Millar and Son, Gallamuir, Plean, while cast bulls topped at £1250 for a Simmental from Ferguson Brothers, Gillandersland.

On the same day, the firm held its annual show and sale of Limousin cattle which saw judge, Ewart Fairlie from Hedges, Letham, Angus, place a 590kg heifer from W Dandie and Sons, Learielaw, as champion, which Mr Fairlie then purchased for 275p. His reserve was another from Learlieaw, this time a bullock weighing 690kg which made 240p to McGregor Meats.

Ayr

A GOOD show of spring lambs forward at Ayr, this week, saw the 265 forward top at £141 or 286.4p per kg for a pen of three Texels from J and R Semple, Netherton.

Hoggs (227) with flesh were keenly bid for however lean types proved harder to cash. They averaged 176.8p and reached £109.50 for a pen of Zwartbles crosses from W Mitchell and Son, Barnahill and 211.3p for a Mule from Colin Bauld, South Kirktonmoor.

The 396 cast sheep met a solid trade throughout as they sold to £164.50 twice for two pens of Texel ewes from Messrs Gibson, Cowgrove, with 165 light ewes averaging £72.06 and 219 heavy ewes at £92.84.

St Boswells

AT St Boswells, this week, prime cattle hit a top of £1608.60 for an entry from Millrighall and 251p (+3p on the week) for a heifer from Bee Edge.

The same home topped the 23 bullocks at 250p (+4p) which averaged 227p, while the 38 heifers levelled at 231p.

Averaging 152p, the 25 cast cows sold to 185p (+4p) and £1546.60 from Ayton Cocklaw.

In the sheep, Texels from Gainslaw Hill topped the 266 lambs at £151, with a similar pen from Huntington realising 317.10p.

Hoggs (172) met a mixed trade as they averaged 173p and sold to £133 for Texels from Scamblesby Farms, while 333 ewes peaked at £163 for Suffolks from Oxmuir.

Castle Douglas

ALL classes were sharper and short of buyers requirements at Wallets Marts' sale of 410 prime and cast sheep, as more well-fleshed lambs are required each week.

Top price in the prime lambs was £134 for heavy Texels from Messrs Evans, Halmyre, Gelston, with a pen of export weight Texels from Messrs Duffin, West Brocklock, Maybole, realising 287.5p per kg. The 126 forward averaged 275.71p.

A better show of 119 hoggs sold to average 200.41p as they sold to £105 twice for heavy Texels from Messrs MacTaggart, Tarbreoch, Kirkpatrick Durham, and to 226.6p for liveweight Cheviots from RKG Farms, Irelandton.

Cast sheep (165) sold sharper on the week as they reached £145 for Suffolks from Mossend, Rhonehouse.