By Neale McQuistin

C&D Auctions Ltd held their weekly sale of primestock at Dumfries yesterday.

Prime cattle sold to 238p/kg for a Limousin cross bullock which was snapped up by local butchers R. Johnstone & Sons, Annan. Beef type OTMs peaked at £1196 for a Limousin and 147p for an Aberdeen Angus, while dairy types sold to £972 and 122p for Holsteins.

There were also 671 prime lambs that followed the national trend yesterday and slipped in price. Top prices were £110 for heavy Texels and 247p/kg for midweight Texels.

The cast sheep were also slightly easier on the week. Heavy ewes sold to £102 for Suffolks, while Blackfaces peaked at £64.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 1147 prime and cast sheep at Newton Stewart yesterday.

The 925 lambs on offer came to less money on the week but well fleshed lambs were still keenly bid for, producing an overall average of 210p/kg. Heavyweight lambs peaked at £108 on two occasions, but it was Beltex lambs that led the way per kilo at 225p.

Cast ewes would also be slightly less money this week with well fleshed ewes still being the best to sell. Texel cross ewes peaked at £123 with Beltex selling to £119. Mules sold to £79, while Blackfaces made up to £60.

The firm also sold 101 prime and cast cattle at their sale at Ayr on Tuesday. Thirteen prime heifers sold to a top of £1427 and 246p/kg for two different Limousins to average £1317 or 233p, while three prime bullocks peaked at £1404 for a Charolais and 236p for a Limousin to average £1291 and 229p.

There was a smaller show of cattle in the rough ring this week and the trade was much the same as the previous week. Twenty-nine cast beef cows sold to £1340 and 170p for an Aberdeen Angus to average 136p, while 48 cast dairy cows peaked at £940 for one Friesian and 131p for another to level at 107p. Seven cast bulls sold to £1360 for a Charolais and 171p for a Montbeliard to average 134p/kg.

Eight dairy cattle sold to £1800 for a Holstein Friesian heifer.

Caledonian Marts Ltd sold 1256 prime lambs and cast sheep at their weekly sale at Stirling on Tuesday.

All classes of lamb followed the national trend downwards on the week, with 588 lambs averaging 207p. This was down by 14p on the week but still 40p ahead of the same week last year.

Top prices on the day went to the same 50kg Beltex lamb which made £132 or 265p/kg.

There were also 667 cast sheep which were topped at £126 for a pen of Texels, while export ewes sold to £94 for Cheviots.