C&D Auction Marts Ltd held their Christmas show and sale of prime-stock in Dumfries on Wednesday when the championship was awarded to a Charolais cross heifer from Ben Radley, Loaningfoot that scaled 675kg and went on to sell for £2025 or 300p per kg. The reserve rosette was awarded to Maxwelton Estate Farm, Shancastle for a Galloway bullock that weighed in at a hefty 750kg and went on to fetch £1665 or 222p. However, the day's top price of 320p was attained by a 390kg Galloway bullock from Kilnstown Farms, Bewcastle.

At the end of the day's selling the 35 prime cattle forward saw heifers average 240p, while bullocks levelled at 228.7p.

There were 83 OTM cattle presented in the rough ring when trade was firmer on the week with beef cows selling to £1130.40 per head and 185p per kg to average 108.6p, while dairy cows peaked at £1006.20 and 130p to level at 92p.

The firm also had 1061 prime lambs forward when a quality show was presented to the judge. The champion's rosette for a pair of lambs was awarded to J Muir & Son, Cleughbrae with Beltex that scaled 52kg each and went on to sell for £156 or 300p per kg. The reserve ticket was won by Gillesbie Farms, Lockerbie with a pair of 49kg Texels that fetched £126 or 257p per kg. The overall average levelled at 165.5p (+0.4p on the week).

There were also 268 cast sheep forward when heavy ewes sold to £102.50 for Texels and averaged £69.67 (+£15.26), while light ewes peaked at £60.50 for Blackfaces and levelled at £39.03 (+£6.85).

United Auctions sold 306 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 229.7p and an average of 206.9p (-0.7p), while 393 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 241.5p and levelled at 210.7p (+0.4p). Sixty-seven store, B&W bullocks sold to 159.7p and averaged 142p (+12.3p), while 21 store bulls peaked at 203.7p and levelled at 163.4p (-32.9p).

In the rough ring 226 beef cows sold to £1270 and 187.7p to average 104.7p (-5.5p), while 16 dairy cows peaked at £825 and 121.4p to level at 93.9p (+20.2p).

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd saw their weekly offering of prime lambs in Newton Stewart much less than usual at just 613 head as a result of the big drop in the sheep trade experienced at the beginning of the week. The day's lamb trade was topped at £80 and 186.1p with the overall average levelling at 162.8p (-2.5p).

There were also 290 cast sheep forward when all classes were dearer on the week with ewes selling to £110 for Texels, £75.50 for Mules and £58 for Blackfaces.

ENDS