A real shortage of available cash coupled with the lack of grass in the south of England, is hitting the first of the breeding sheep sales in Scotland hard, with prices down in virtually all sections.

Contrary to popular belief earlier in the year that breeding sheep sales would meet a flying trade following the huge loses incurred at lambing time, such sales have slipped anything from £2-£20+ per head.

The first of the major breed ram sales have also noted a lack of commercial trade with several highlighting poorer clearance rates and reduced sale averages compared to last year.

Add to that last year's increased feed costs following the hard winter and late spring, which look set to be even higher this year, soaring silage and straw values and prime lamb prices well down on last year, and flockmasters have had little to smile about in recent weeks.

However, there was some cheer at United Auctions' multi-breed sale of gimmers at Stirling, last weekend, where some of the top entries improved on the year.

"Top end, well bred gimmers did hold their value and some were dearer on the year, but those that had suffered during the winter and struggled in the summer as a result of the drought, were down on the year," said sheep auctioneer, Richard Close, adding that the event had an extra 250 head forward compared to the 2017 sale.

"No one was expecting the trade to be up because of the expensive winter experienced by all and the shortage of cash about. This year's winter looks like being a dear one too," he said.

By the end of the day, accredited Scotch Mule gimmers levelled at £141.73, -£0.07 on the year, with non accredited Scotch Mule gimmers at £122.65 (-£5.91); Cheviot Mules at £120.99; Suffolk crosses at £114.57 (-£18.37) and

Texel cross gimmers at £115.68 (-£21.22).

It was a similar story at C and D Auction Marts' sale of Cheviot Mules at Longtown on Tuesday, where an extra 2000 more ewe lambs were forward which saw averages slip £20+ on the year and the increased entry of 400 gimmers saw trade down £10+.

Here, Cheviot Mule ewe lambs levelled at £87.33; gimmers cashed in at £139.15; Cheviot Mule cross gimmers averaged £126.44 and stock ewes balanced out at £103.43.

"There were plenty of buyers there from all areas, but there is not the money there to purchase and there is still a real shortage of grass in the south of England," said auctioneer Bruce Walton.

"There were also a lot of smaller lambs forward this year as a result of the late spring and the shortage of grass during the summer with the drought, with the result a larger proportion than normal would not be able to be tupped compared to last year which saw a stronger show of ewe lambs with many able to be put to the tup," he added.

Wallets Marts' annual show and sale of Scotch Mules at Castle Douglas, also saw a more selective trade and a plainer show of gimmers and ewe lambs.

In all, some 2986 gimmers averaged £128 per head which compares to £132.25 for 3482 last year, while the 7266 Mule ewe lambs sold on the Monday cashed in at £92.91 against £100.83 for 8474 in 2017.