FARMING
By Neale McQuistin
C&D Auctions held its weekly sale of primestock in Dumfries yesterday. However, wintery weather created slippery road conditions which restricted the numbers of livestock coming forward for the sale.
The smaller show of 38 cattle that did make the sale sold to a top of 244p/kg for a prime Limousin cross heifer. OTM’s were also much sought after with dairy types peaking at 147p/kg and £1,010 to average 110p, while beef types sold to 150p and £1293 to average 127p.
Trade for the 655 prime hoggs exceeded expectations with heavy hoggs being easily sold, while best export weights were scarce. Top prices were 286p/kg for lightweights and £135 for heavyweights, while the 330 hoggs weighing 39–45kg averaged 265p/kg.
The 360 cast sheep easily maintained recent rates. Heavy ewes peaked at £122 for Texels, while Cheviot Mules sold to £97 and Blackfaces to £80.
Messrs Craig Wilson sold 10 dairy cattle at Ayr on Tuesday. Top price was 2000gns for a pedigree Holstein heifer with two other Holstein Friesian heifers both making 1800gns. Commercial dairy heifers sold to £1650.
The firm also sold 188 prime and cast cattle with clean cattle selling for more money again this week.
Ten prime heifers sold to 250p/kg for a Limousin cross and £1500 for a Charolais to average 240p or £1381. Four prime bullocks peaked at 248p or £1,463 for a Limousin to average 234p or £1,338. One young bull sold for 225p or £1654.
In the rough ring fleshy beef cows were scarce and trade was firm.
Four cast bulls peaked at £1,200 or 138p/kg for a Friesian. Thirty-three beef cows peaked at £1,080 or 149p for a Limousin, while 136 dairy cows sold to £1150 and 132p for Friesian cows.
Lawrie and Symington Ltd sold 257 store cattle at their sale at Lanark on Tuesday.
Bullocks were topped at £1,335 for a Hereford or at 267p/kg for a Charolais cross to average 219p overall. Heifers peaked at £1,340 for a Charolais cross or at 251p for a Limousin cross to average 215p overall. Dairy bullocks sold to £1240 to average 205p/kg.
Caledonian Marts sold 1,460 prime hoggs and 293 cast sheep at their weekly sale at Stirling on Tuesday. The overall average for the prime hoggs levelled out at 261p/kg or £111 per head. Top prices were £142 for a single Texel or 323p/kg for a pen of Beltex weighing 39kg that sold for £126.
Cast sheep met the best trade so far with Mules & Cheviots rising £5-10 on the week. Heavy ewes averaged £104 selling to £150 for a pen of 4 Texels. Export ewes averaged £71 selling to £97 for Cheviots.
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