ST BOSWELLS
AT St Boswells Mart on Monday John Swan Ltd sold 93 clean cattle, 65 OTM cattle, 2,603 old season lambs and 734 ewes.
Bullocks (43) averaged 228.3p per kg and sold to 247p (+2.1p on week), heifers (48) averaged 224.9p per kg and sold to 246p (-2.4p on week), two young bulls averaged 211.7p per kg and sold to 217p (n/c on week) and 65 beef type OTM cattle averaged 165.1p per kg and sold to 229p (+7.5p on the week).
Old season SQQ lambs averaged 210.9p per kg, £88.87 per head and sold to £118 (+20.1p on week), ewes averaged £53.25 and sold to £131 for ewes, £125 for tups, heavy ewes £74.63, light ewes £43.28.
Principal prices per kg: Bee Edge 2.47 M/s JP Mason and Sons, 2.46 (2) M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons and Robert Wilson Butcher, 2.45(2) W Taylor( Lockerbie), M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd, 2.44 M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd, 2.42 M/s J Penny and Sons, 2.39 W Taylor (Lockerbie); Traprain 2.45, 2.38 M/s J Penny and Sons; Lennoxlove 2.44 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons; Caverton Mill 2.43 Denholm Meat Supplies; Shidlaw 2.40 M/s WTS Forsyth and Sons; Saltoun Home Farm 2.40 M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd; Upper Hundalee M/s J Gilmour and Co Ltd; Inland Pastures 2.39 Malone of Edinburgh;
Principal prices per head: Longnewton £1613.20; Redden £1584.60; Traprain £1547; Bee Edge £1505.70; Lurdenlaw £1504.95.
Cows per head: Humebyres £2058.65,
£1515; Whitburgh £1760.40; Kersknowe £1604.40, £1486.10; Inland Pastures £1431.25; Headshaw. L £1423.50; Woodhouse. J £1398.60; Laidlawstiel £1319.70; Caverton Mill £1267.50, £1245.60; Brockhouse £1244.15; Snawdon £1242.50.
Cows per kg: Inland Pastures 2.29; Whitburgh 2.16; Humebyres 2.09, 2.02; Headshaw. L 1.95; Muircleugh 1.94; Kersknowe 1.93, 1.91; Woodhouse. J 1.89, 1.81; Mosstower, Dunslaw and Pogbie 1.77; Heavyside and Snawdon 1.75; Caverton Mill 1.73.
Bulls: Woodhouse. J £1882.40 (1.81); Mosstower £1846.80 (1.71); Corsbie £1588.60 (1.69).
Principal prices, hoggs per head: Suff.x £118 Hatchednize, £111, £109 Boghall, St Andrews, £106 Lurdenlaw, Bel;- £116 Crookston, £113 Hartside, £105 Crookston, £100 Sydenham, Tex;- £113.50 The Lee, £111.50 Crookston, £111 Headshaw. L, Suff;- £106 Brotherstone, £94.50 Nether Howden, Chev;- £97 Lurdenlaw, £96.50, £96 Wester Ulston, £96 Seafield, Oxford;- £93 East Bridgelands, BF;- £87 Ashcraig and Hartside, £85 Hartside, Hamp;- £91.50 Belford on Bowmont, CM;- £92 Gilston.
Hoggs per kg: Bel.x;- 269.1 Hartside, 228.6 Threeburnford, Tex.x;- 236.8 Flex, 231.7 Legerwood, Chev;- 229.3 Wester Ulston, 222.1 Saughtree, Suff.x;- 225.6, 223 Seafield, Hamp;- 211.5 Belford on Bowmont, Meatlinc;- 214.5, 211.8 Whitmuir, Mule;- 204.4 Larriston, BF;-202.6 Aikeyside, CM;- 209.1 Gilston.
Cast ewes: Tex;- £131, £113 Elmscleugh, £95 West Mains, Suff.x;- £103 Mid Edrom, £89 Legerwood, HB;- £103 Blackhill, £89 Bonjedward Mill, BFL;- £93 Burnhead, P, Chev;- £87 Seafield, £70 Gilston, GF;- £73 Elwartlaw, £69 The Lee, CM;- £61 Gilmanscleugh, BF;- £61 Thee Lee & Burn of Aultmore.
Rams: Suff;- £125, £115 Headshaw. L, £109 Edrom Mains, Tex;- £115, £113 Headshaw. L, Chev;- £65 Headshaw. L, BF;- £69 Hartside, BFL;- £73 Hartside.
WOOLER
AT their weekly Primestock Sale held at Wooler last Wednesday John Swan Ltd had forward and sold 771 hoggs and 280 ewes.
Slightly more hoggs on offer than last week with trade dearer, tail end, leaner lots still the hardest to cash.
Leading prices per head:- Tex.x:- £92.50 Hartside (A Hutcheon), £90.50 East Fleetham, £90 Lickar Moor, £88 Ladykirk, £87 (2) Mindrum Farming Co, £85 Yetlington Lane, East Fleetham and Lickar Moor. Bel.x:- £92.50 Clarabad Mill, £90.50 Clarabad Mill, £90 Ladykirk, £87, £86.50, £85 Ladykirk. Suff.x:- £90.50 East Fleetham, £86 Mindrum Farming Co, £85 Newstead (2), £84.50, £84 Brandon, £84 Lickar Moor. Chev:- £84.50, £83.50 Humbleheugh. Char:- £84.50 Auchencrow Mains. Mule:- £73 Ladykirk. BF:- £67 Titlington Mount.
Leading prices per kilo:- Tex.x:- 212.8p South Ditchburn, 211.3p, 210.8p Elwick, 207.9p Yetlington Lane, 207.1p Mindrum Farming Co, 203.7p Lickar Moor, 201.4p (2) Mindrum Farming Co, 200p Ladykirk. Bel.x:- 210.3p Ladykirk. Bel.x:- 210.3p Ladykirk, 210.2p Clarabad Mill, 207.1p, 206p, 204.6p Ladykirk, 201.1p Clarabad Mill. Chev:- 208.8p Humbleheugh.
Larger show of ewes, with more flesh available.
Leading prices:- Suff.x:- £95, £88 Charlton Mires, £87.50 Lilburn Estates, £85 Newstead, £83 Lilburn Estates, £77 Charlton Mires, £77, £67.50 Newstead.
Tex.x:- £85 Charlton Mires, £83, £79 Elwick. GF:- £80 Elwick, £70 Lilburn Estates, £69 Sourhope, £65 Charlton Mires and Broadmeadows. Chv:- £77 Charlton Mires, £56.50 Sourhope, £55.50 Linhope Farming (Hartside). CHM:- £69 Lowick Moorhouse. BF:- £63 Lilburn Estates, £50 Titlington Mount, £46 Sourhope, £37 Lowick Moorhouse.
Rams:- Tex.x:- £101 Lilburn Estates, £97 Broadmeadows, £84 Hartside (A Hutcheon). Chv:- £86 Linhope Farming (Hartside). BF:- £66 Lilburn Estates.
LONGTOWN
THE Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart PLC had forward 40 prime cattle, seven young bulls, 40 over 30 month cattle, 6,959 prime hoggs and 4,593 cast ewes and rams at their weekly sale at Longtown last Thursday.
A quality show of cattle forward sold to recent high rates with the sale topping at 237.5p twice firstly for a Limousin bullock from JC and D Nicholson and Son, The Gill and another Limousin from N Forster, Haining House. Heifers to 234.5p from A and W J Taylor and Son, Dashwellgreen.
A small show of bulls forward met a brisk trade topping at 109.5p for a Limousin from TA Armstrong and Sons, Sceughdyke, black and whites to 186.5p (x2) from WA Clark, The Whins.
An improved and increased number of OTM forward to plenty of keen bidders with more required to fulfil the demand. The sale was topped at 219.5p for a Bazadaise x heifer shown by Messrs Ritson, Swaites, others to 218.5p for a British Blue heifer from M/s Pattinson, Temon.
Another superb show of 6,959 prime hoggets were forward to a busy ring of buyers all keen for sheep, especially well fleshed export weight hoggs which met extreme rates, with an excellent show of heavy weight hoggs forward keenly sought after.
Lightweight hoggs also in demand especially if meat. The sale average was 202p per kilo with an SQQ of 206p per kilo. The sale was topped at 309p per kilo for Texels from Snowhill Partners, Ericstanes, Lockerbie, closely followed at 301p per kilo for Beltex from Messrs Nixon, Oakwood, Selkirk. Top per head of £123.50 for Texels from Messrs Robertson, Becks, Langholm.
Also held was the Annual Prize Show and Sale of Blackface and Swaledale prime hoggets. There were 20 pens forward for judging and presented in pens of 20. The task was easily managed by Mr Haig Murray of Dunbia who awarded the Blackface Championship to regular consignor Mr W Tod, Glenshanna which scaled at 43kg and realised £94 to the judge. The Blackface hoggs were kindly sponsored by Guy Hall Agricultural Services.
The champion Blackfaces was awarded to a pen of 43kg from W. Tod, Glenshanna which realised £94 to the judge.
Prize list: Up to 36 kilos – 1. Mrs Linda Graham, South Lamhill, 32 kilos, £59 to M. Lomax. 37-43 kilos – 1. W. Tod, Glenshanna, 43 kilos, £94 to Dunbia.
2. R. Simpson, Kirkhouse, 43 kilos, £90 to Dunbia.
44 kilos + - 1. J.F. and I. Armstrong, Nether Onsett, 61 kilos, £95 to M. Lomax. 2. J. Jardine, The Yett, 45 kilos, £90 to R. Booth.
The champion Swaledale was awarded to a pen of 41kg from J. Casey, High Dunashery which realised £79 to M. Lomax.
Prize list: Up to 36 kilos – 1. N.B. Scott, Bridgend, 33 kilos, £45 to J. Brown. 37 kilos + - 1. J. Casey, High Dunashery, 41 kilos, £79 to M. Lomax. 2. Claremont Properties, Hayclose, 39 kilos, £74 to R. Booth.
The 1,656 lightweight hoggs sold to £91.50 for Texels from Keith Farm, £86.50 Shaw Cottage, £75.80 High Stenries; Suffolks £74.80 Keith Farm, £69.80 Kilmaho, £64.50 Mains of Tig; Hill Cheviot £74.80 Roughet Hill, £72.80 The Old Shop, £67.80 Tangytavil; Charollais £67.50 Keith Farm; Greyface £58.80 Murraythwaite, £58.50 Hutlerburn; Blackface £65.80 Sorbie, Milnmark & Bush of Ewes; North Country Cheviot £56.80 Keith Farm; Swaledale £64.80, £55.80, £53.20 High Dunashey.
A much reduced show of 4,593 cast ewes and rams were forward to the usual ring of buyers. The big ewes were short of requirements and dearer on the week, but again a large show of plain ewes were presented with demand not too fast.
BORDER LIVESTOCK
BORDER Livestock Exchange in the week to Friday March 8 sold 114 prime cattle including 41 cows; 1,274 prime sheep including 249 ewes and 170 store cattle.
Cattle prices continue to rise with demand reaching an all-time high for farm assured quality cattle. Aberdeen Angus cross heifers from Fenwick Steads, Belford topped the prices per kg reaching 410p. Young bulls from West Meikle, Dunbar sold to £2,048 per head for a Limousin. Hollybush Farms, Galashiels and Cairndinnis, Haddington sold Aberdeen Angus cross steers to 405p per kg. Quality Limousin cross heifers from New Smailholm, Kelso sold to 380p per kg. Cast cows were also dearer with prices reaching 330p per kg for home
bred Limousin cows from Bowsden Moor, Berwick upon Tweed.
All classes of prime hoggs also firmer. Top prices: hill lambs from Hedgeley Farms, Wooler sold to 410p per kg. Export weight Texel crosses to 405p per kg from Redpath Farms, Duns. Heavy weights from Butterdean, Duns sold to £114.70 and averaged £91.70 for 119. Top quality organic Cheviot crosses from Chatto, Hownam sold to £79.80.
Store Cattle continue to sell in large numbers, with more and more selling farm-to-farm to reduce costs. Aberdeen Angus cross steers to £1,040 and Charolais steers to £1,300. imousin cross Belgian Blue bulling heifers to £1,600 for 12.