By Neale McQuistin

C&D Auction Marts Ltd sold 50 cattle at their weekly primestock sale at Dumfries yesterday. Top price was paid by regular buyers R Johnstone & Sons Butchers from Annan who purchased a Limousin cross heifer at 236p/kg.

The OTM cattle at the sale were mainly dairy bred which peaked at £1210 for a Charolais or at 134p/kg for a Limousin.

The 372 prime lambs were a buoyant trade which resulted in a top price of £107 and 253p/kg for Texels to average 221p overall.

Twenty-one prime hoggs peaked at £86 for Suffolks.

The 118 cast sheep were topped at £96 for Texels, while Cheviot Mules sold to £88 and Blackfaces to £67.

The firm also sold 358 ewes with lambs at their sale at Longtown on Tuesday. There was a slightly smaller show of sheep presented to a strong ringside of purchasers with all classes maintaining recent high values.

Texel ewe hoggs with singles sold to £80 a life, while Mules peaked at £78.

Texel ewes with singles sold to £76; Cheviots made up to £68 and Blackfaces to £55.

Texel ewes with twin lambs at foot made up to £71 a life, while Suffolk ewes were not far behind at £70. Berrichon ewes with twins sold to £64, while Mules peaked at £59.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 154 prime and cast cattle at their sale at Ayr on Tuesday. Prime cattle continued to sell well with 14 prime heifers selling to a top of £1382 or 249p/kg for a Limousin cross to average £1273 or 230p (+3p). Two prime bullocks sold to £1360 for a Limousin cross and 225p for a British Blue to average £1288 or 224p.

In the rough ring 48 cast beef cows sold to £1450 for a Charolais or 172p for a Limousin to average 127p overall, while 72 cast dairy cows peaked at £1020 for an Ayrshire or 128p for a Friesian to level at 109p overall. Four cast bulls sold to £1210 for a Friesian and 141p for a Devon to average 125p, while 14 clean, OTM cattle peaked at £1200 for a South Devon bull or 194p for a Simmental heifer to average 152p.

Nine dairy cattle sold to £1920 for a fresh calved cow, while fresh calved heifers peaked at £1800 for an Ayrshire.

Lawrie and Symington Ltd sold 197 store cattle at their fortnightly sale at Lanark on Tuesday.

Bullocks were topped at £1415 for a Limousin or at 243p/kg for a Limousin from the same home to average 219p.

Heifers peaked at £1180 for a pair of British Blues or to 251p for a Limousin to average 211p.

Dairy Bullocks peaked at £1075 and averaged 177p/kg.