Nine months after a ewe gave birth to sextuplets, the progeny have been sold for £100 per head through Lawrie and Symington's prime sale at Lanark auction mart.

The six Lleyn cross lambs which scaled on average 53kg per head, from Renfrewshire producer, Jon Baxter's North Glen unit from Langbank, Port Glasgow, were born in April last year, and were sold to West Scottish Lamb, Carlisle.

While the mother, a Lleyn cross ewe reared two, the remainder were hand reared by Mrs Baxter with all six finished on farm and sold at the sale on Monday. Incidentally, the ewe has been scanned for four lambs this year!

A good trade throughout for the sale of 1978 hoggs and 1077 cast ewes saw an overall average of 195p per kg with an SQQ of 203p. Top price was £106, £105 and £102, paid for Texels from R and M Struthers, Collielaw, and 235p per kg from the same home.

Texels also led the cast sheep entry at £152 for ewes from Kailzie Mains and North Garngour. A sharper trade throughout also saw a strong demand for export-type Blackface ewes which sold to £61 from Strawfrank.

Limousins led the prime cattle entry, with a heifer from David Dickinson, Brockwoodlees, Canonbie selling at 253p per kg, while a bullock from Messrs Barrie, Howburn, Elsrickle, made 234p.

Top price per head was £1525 for a bullock from Howburn, or £1500 for a heifer from Dreva.

Beef cows sold to 174p and £1310, from Messrs Woodside, Boghall Farm, Biggar, with dairy types to 165p from Messrs Millar, Newlands, Uddingston, or £1000 from East Garmillan.