More than 600 spring-calving heifers sold through Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ Thainstone Centre on Tuesday, where averages improved £253 on the same sale last year.

The annual sale, which attracted 637 adult head of breeding cattle, saw 616 heifers cash in to average £1897.

Some 178 heifers sold at £2000 or above, with a top price of £4300 paid for a Limousin cross heifer from regular consignor Gordon Carroll, Edendiack, Huntly, who sold other heifers at £3100, £2800 and £2750.

Bred by Guise Farm Partnership, the heifer sold to Gordon Cameron, Newton Cottage, Acharacle.

Heifers with calf at foot sold to £3250 for a Limousin cross with bull calf from East Mains of Carseburn, Forfar, who also received £3200 for a British Blue cross heifer with heifer calf.

The same home also topped the cow and calf trade at £2400 with a Limousin cross plus heifer calf.

LEADING prices

Breeding cattle – Heifer with bull calf – East Mains of Carseburn (Lim) £2700; Mains of Hatton Techmuiry, Strichen (Sim X) £1950; Upper Sauchen, Ordhead (Sim) £1500.

Heifer with heifer calf – East Mains of Carseburn (BB) £2850; East Mains of Carseburn (Lim) £2800; East Mains of Carseburn (Lim X) £2250; East Mains of Carseburn (BB X) £2200; Mains of Hatton Techmuiry (Sal) £1600; Mains of Hatton Techmuiry (Sim X) £1600.

Cow with bull calf – North Chapelhouses, Oldmeldrum (Lim X) and (Hfd X) £1300; North Chapelhouses (A-A) £1280.

Cow with heifer calf – Fersness (BB X) £1450.

In-calf heifers – BB X – Edendiack £3100, £2800, £2500, £2450, £2250, £2200; Hillocks Farm Keig, £2320. Lim X – Edendiack £2750, £2550, £2400, £2300, £2250, £2200; Tamala,Whitecairns and Inchbruich, Cornhill £2550; Hillocks Farm £2180. Sim X – Southbank, Skene £2320; Southbank, Upper Sauchen, Ordhead and Backhill of Seggat, Auchterless £2200; Edendiack £2180; Inchbruich and New Noth £2180; Upper Sauchen £2150, £2120. Lim – New Noth, Gartly £2250; Edendiack £2200. Sim – Edendiack £2200, Pennan Road, Ellon £2150, Upper Sauchen £2120. Char X – Edendiack and New Noth £2180.