Livestock

April 8

Border Livestock Exchange sold 128 prime cattle, 34 cows, 640 prime sheep and a record 564 store cattle.

Prime cattle numbers finely show signs of tightening up as more interest, particularly in premium breeds, is being felt. Dairy crosses are still very difficult to sell in the UTM category, while the cast cows are slightly better to sell.

The largest number of store cattle the company had ever sold in one week were sold privately ex-farm, with no haulage cost to the vendor. Consignments ranged from just a few to nearly 200 from one farm. In many cases previous buyers secured cattle from the same farms, confident that the cattle will thrive and meet the tight specs being demanded by the meat processors.

Ewes and lambs sold to £60 per life for four crop Suffolk x with March born Texel x lambs at foot.