'Unwanted seasonal tumble' hits lambs amid strong demand for the right animals at Dingwall and Highland Mart sale
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DINGWALL and Highland Marts sold 17 prime cattle and 1053 prime sheep at its latest sale with soaring demand for the right type of animal.
In the sheep sale an "unwanted seasonal tumble" was noted in lamb sales though they were still stronger than this time last year.
Prime bullocks (1) averaged 257.0p per kg (+0.2p) and sold to 257.0p per kg and £1,464.90 gross for a 570kg Simmental cross from Groam, Kirkhill selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall.
Prime Heifers (16) averaged 249.0p per kg (-8.8p) and sold to 268.0p per kg for a 530kg Limousin cross from Bridgend Farm, Dingwall selling to Messrs Fraser Brothers, Butchers, Dingwall and £1,774.25 gross for a 775kg Aberdeen Angus cross from Groam, Kirkhill.
The verdict: “More weight was around today in the prime cattle ring. Trade was again strong for the handy weighted butcher’s types and many more of this commodity could easily have been sold.”
Other leading prices per kg:
Heifers: Balnageith, Forres, (LimX), 262.0p, 250.0p, (SimX), 259.0p, 253.0p, 248.0p, 242.0p, Groam, (SimX), 260.0p, (AAX), 235.0p, (CharX), 233.0p, Bridgend Farm, (LimX), 253.0p, 251.0p, 248.0p, 244.0p, (SimX), 245.0p, (CharX), 244.0p.
Other leading prices per head:
Heifers: Groam, (CharX), £1,724.20, (SimX), £1,560.00, Bridgend Farm, (LimX), £1,619.20, £1,543.65, £1,488.40, £1,420.40, £1,277.20, (CharX), £1,427.40, (SimX), £1,384.25, Balnageith, (SimX), £1,612.00, £1,543.30, £1,502.20, £1,488.30, (LimX), £1,450.00, £1,388.60.
New season lambs (749) averaged 232.8p (-19.2p) and sold to 247.3p per kg and £123.50 gross.
SQQ 25.5kg to 45.5kg (529) averaged 231.5p (-22.5p) per kg.
Feeding sheep (304) sold to £132 gross.
New season lambs sold to 247.3p per kg for a pen of 46.5kg Texel crosses from Ballindalloch Home Farms selling to Messrs John M Munro Ltd, Dingwall and £123.50 gross for a pen of 52.5kg Texel crosses also from Ballindalloch Home Farms.
SQQ 25.5kg to 45.5kg (529) averaged 231.5p (-22.5p) per kg.
Feeding sheep (304) sold to £132 gross for a Texel Cross Ewe from Pithogarty, Tain.
The verdict: “The unwanted seasonal tumble hit the lambs in Dingwall this week, however trade remains stronger than at this point last year. More weight was around today which was pleasing for the buyers and there was still plenty of activity around the ringside despite the drop in values.
"Ewe trade remains strong, however there were copious amounts of lean ewes through the overall total which doesn’t give us the noted high prices in the report, yet the reality is a solid trade was witnessed throughout.”
Other leading prices per head and per kg
New Season lambs: TexX- Ballindalloch Home Farms, £121 Twice, £120, £115, £114 Twice, 245.2p, 244.4p, 242.6p, Ballicherry Farm, Balblair, £116.50 &242.7p, Culnaha Farmhouse, Nigg, £113.50 & 239.0p, Newlands, Dunnet, £113, Balliefurth Farm, Grantown on Spey, £112 & 238.3p, East Croftmore, Boat of Garten, £111.50, Conon Brae Farms, Torgorm, £110 &241.8p, The Workshop, Gollanfield, 239.5p, 1 Clune Cottages, Dores, 239.3p Auchmore Farm, Muir of Ord, 238.6p, Lochdhu, Nairn, 237.5p; CharX – Achnamoine, Wick, £115, Ballicherry, £108 & 234.8p; BeltX– Ballicherry Farm, £112 and 246.2p, Conon Brae Farms, £112 & 246.2p, Kinnahaird Farm, Contin, £109 & 239.6p; SuffX – Conon Brae Farms, £110 & 239.1p, Fearn Farm, Tain, £109.50, Invercharron, Ardgay, £105, Badentoul, Portsoy, 236.8p & 236.4p; Tex – Fearn Farm, £109 & 237.0p; ABX- Fearn Farm, £109, £108 & 231.9p.
CHM- Wester Craiglands, Fortrose, £108, Auchmore Farm, £104.50 & 232.2p; Chev- Auchmore Farm, £104.50, 1 Clune Cottages, £103.50; Mule- Milton Farm, Dores, £103 & 234.1p, Gaich Farms, Grantown on Spey, £100 & 232.6p; ValaisX- Raddery, North Killen, £100.50.
Feeding Sheep: Blue Tex Ewe – Invercharron, £130; Tex Ewe – Fearn Farm, £120; Chev Ram – Totehouse, Edinburgh, £119; TexX Ewe – Invercharron, £118, £103 &£100, Newlands, £106, Dunmore House, Beauly, £94; ABX Ewe- Fearn Farm, £117, £112, £109 & £107; CHM Ewe- Pithogarty, £116, Dunmore House, £109; Mule Ewe – Pithogarty, £109, £103 & £109,
Milton Farm, £93; Chev Ewe – Wester Craiglands, £107, Pithogarty, £98; Bex Ram – Invercharron, £100; Dst Ewe – Lower Dalnaclach, Kildary, £92; Zwarb Gimmer – Braefindon Steading, Culbokie, £91.
