Farming

By Neale McQuistin

C & D Auctions held its weekly sale of primestock in Dumfries yesterday which included its Christmas Show and sale of prime cattle.

A quality show of locally produced prime cattle was presented to the judge, Ian Carlisle, Border Meats.

After careful deliberation he found his champion in the Galloway section with a bullock from J&S Ross, Romesbeoch, which sold at 300p/kg or £1,920 to the judge.

Reserve champion was sold to J Craig for Ballards Butchers, Castle Douglas at 300p/kg for a Limousin bullock.

OTMs met a competitive trade for a poorer offering.

Beef types sold to £1,026 for a Shorthorn or 168p/kg for an Aberdeen Angus. Dairy types peaked at £900 or 119p for a Dairy Shorthorn.

There were also 1000 prime lambs and 307 cast sheep at the sale.

Prime lambs peaked at £153 for heavy Texels and 303p/kg for midweight lambs. There were 448 lambs in the 39kg to 45kg weight range that sold to average 285p/kg (+6p).

Cast sheep were dearer on the week. Heavy ewes peaked at £141 for a Zwartble to average £96, while light ewes sold to £107 and averaged £74.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 1,188 prime and cast sheep their weekly primestock sale at Newton Stewart yesterday.

The1,031 prime lambs were a mixed show with all weights with flesh proving to be great to sell.

Top prices were £153 and 294p/kg for Texels.

The overall average for the sale was 276p (+3p).

Blackfaces sold to £115 or 275p k/g for the same pen.

Cast sheep would see a rise with tups to £154 for Texels and ewes selling to £140 for a Charollais.

Mules topped at £105 on two occasions and Blackfaces peaked at £81.