A LARGE attendance of mainland buyers ensured a firm trade prevailed at United Auctions’ sale of 1009 grazing cattle at the first spring sale on Islay. 

Averages improved on the year for the most part, as bullocks averaged £891.89 or 243.5p per kg (against £869.72 and 233p last year) while heifers levelled at £765.98 or 230.3p (against £779.99 and 222p). 

Limousin cross bullocks from Messrs McMillan, Ardbeg, topped at £1400 and 324p, with heifers from the same home to 296p. Otherwise, heifers also reached £1320 for Charolais crosses from Tallant. 

LEADING prices:

Bullocks – Per head – Lim X – £1400, £1120, £1090 (x2), £1070 (x11), £1020 (x3), £970 (x4), £920 (x3), £910 (x6) Ardbeg; £1100 (x2) Kilchiaran; £1090, £950 (x2) Balaclava; £1090 (x2), £1070 (x2), £1060 (x4), £1050 (x3) Lossit; £1080, £1070, £910, £900 (x7) Uiskentuie; £1050 (x2), £1030 (x2), £960 (x4) £940 (x11) Eorrabus; £1050, £980 (x12), £940, £930 (x2), £900 (x3) Octofad; £1010, £940 (x12), £900 (x9) Aoradh; £1010 (x5), £920 (x16), £900 (x6) Tallant; £1000 (x7), £900 (x4) Starchmill(7); £1000, £900 (x2) Claggan; £970 Coillabus; £950 (x2) Ballychattrigan; £920 Grulinbeg; £920 (x3) Blackrock. Char X – £1170, £1030 (x3) Tallant; £1080 Carrabus; £1060 (x7), £1010 (x9), £1010 (x9)m £980 (x6), £930 (x5) Craigens; £1030, £940, £930 (x10) Aoradh; £1030 (x5), £970, £960 (x9), £950 Eorrabus; £1000 (x5), £940, £930 Octofad; £960, £910 Claggan; £900 (x5) Octomore. BB X – £1060 Knocklearach; £930 Octofad. A-A X – £1030, £960 Eorrabus; £1030, £920 Tallant; £1000 Daill; £940 Scarrabus. Sim X – £940 (x3) Cladville. Her X – £890 Kilchiaran. WhitSho X – £890 (x4) Aoradh. Blo X – £830 Carrabus. Lui X – £720 (x9) Duich. LH X – £680 Daill. BG – £650 (x3) Ballymeanach. Per kg – Lim X – 324p, 289p (x3), 280p (x6), 268p (x2), 267p (x4), 266p (x6), 264p (x3), 263p (x2), 259p, 258p (x2), 250p (x2) Ardbeg; 292p (x4), 261p (x3) Blackrock; 284p (x6), 268p (x5), 254p (x3), 253p (x7), 250p (x9) Tallant; 274p (x5), 255p (x7), 254p (x9) Aoradh; 273p (x2) Smaladh; 266p (x2), 256p (x2), 251p (x4) Starchmill; 265p, 257p Grulinbeg; 265p (x4), 253p (x2) Lossit; 264p (x7), 260p Uiskentuie; 255p (x4), 251p (x2) 254p, 251p (x2) Octofad; 252p (x6) Kinnabus; 251p (x3) Eorrabus. Char X – 285p (x4), 265p (x3) Tallant; 278p (x5), 277p (x3), 255p (x8), 253p (x7), 245p (x3) Aoradh; 263p (x3), 240p (x2) Carrabus; 262p (x5), 249p (x5) Ballinaby; 259p Woodend; 255p (x7) Craigens; 251p (x4), 244p (x9) Eorrabus; 249p, 248p (x2) Claggan; 243p Kinnabus : 240p (x5) Octofad. A-A X – 280p (x6) Knockrome; £263p (x11), 260p (x5) Tallant; 255p Craigens; 246p Knocklearach. Sim X – 268p (x3) Cladville. Lui X – 260p (x9) Duich. BB X – 250p Knocklearach. Blo X – 211p Carrabus. BG X – 206p (x3) Ballymeanach. 
Heifers – Per head – Char X – £1320, £970 (x4) Tallant; £930 (x3) Aoradh; £920 (x10) Eorrabus. Lim X – £1050 (x2), £920 (x2) Eorrabus; £1040 (x4), £930 (x3) Ardbeg; £1030, £910 Claggan; £1000 Uiskentuie; £970 Octofad; £930 (x9) Lossit; £900 Ballychattrigan (x3); £900 Tallant. Sim X – £930 (x2) Cladville. A-A X – £890 Craigens; £800 (x5) Eorrabus. Blo X – £700 (x2) Carrabus. Per kg – Lim X – 296p (x3), 274p(4), 261p (x5), 248p (x3), 247p (x2), 240p (x3) Ardbeg; 261p (x2) Smaladh; 255p (x7), 254p (x9) Tallant; 252p (x10) Uiskentuie; 245p (x3) Balaclava; 245p Grulinbeg; 244p (x2) Coillabus; 242p (x7) Aoradh; 241p, 240p (x2) Eorrabus; 241p (x6) Kinnabus; 240p Pairc A Chlassan; 240p (x9) Starchmill. A-A X – 268p Grulinbeg. Char X – 266p (x5), 264p (x2), 253p (x3), 251p (x4), 244p (x2) Tallant; 249p (x12), 247p (x4), 242p, 241p (x6), 240p (x8) Aoradh; 248p (x2), 242p (x4) Blackrock; 245p (x3) Carrabus; 241p (x3) Ballinaby; 241p Eorrabus. Sim X – 240p Starchmill.