The Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart held their weekly sale of Primestock at Dumfries on Wednesday 17th December 2008.

A smaller show of prime cattle were easily sold.

Heavyweight heifers – Limousin to 188.5p from D & R Cornthwaite, Balgrayhill to Border Meats, Lockerbie; Charolais 164.5p Marwhirn to Cleveland Meat, Stockton on Tees and Border Meats., 160p Newmains to JD Owen & Son, Butchers, Newton Stewart.
Lightweight heifers – Limousin to 182.5p Balgrayhill to Border Meats; Charolais 165.5p Newmains to Border Meats.
Top gross heifer £1,036.75 Balgrayhill.
Bullocks – Limousin to 184.5p Balgrayhill to Border Meats.
Top gross bullock £1,118.98 Fagra.

87 OTM cattle – trade firmed, more feeding cows forward/
Prices per kilo – cows
Limousin 134p, 133p, 119p Castlewigg; Simmental 115p Third, 110p Garrel; Holstein 85p Hardgrove, 83p Auchencrieff, 83p Ingleston.
Bullocks – Highland to 119p Archwood £666.90
Heifers – Limousin to 140p Fagra £679.00

Prices per head – cows
Simmental £891.25 Third; Limousin £884.40 Castlewigg; Angus £850.65 Kirkblane; Hereford £796.50 Russet Estate; Holstein £742.85 Auchencrieff, £720.90 Abbey.

1,804 prime lambs maintained their recent good prices with export weights selling sharper and heavy lambs slightly easier on the week. Top price per kilo was 146p for Texel x lambs from G A & M Marshall, Cocklicks, Annan. Top price per head was £64 for 46 kg Texels from Messrs W Gribbon & Co., Waterside, Cargenbridge. The overall average was 130.6p a rise of 1.5p on the week.
Top prices:-
Light lambs (25.5-32kg) Top 130p average 125.2p
Texel £41.50 Lochwood, £34 Arnmannoch; Blackface £39 Guelt, £39 Dalpedder.

Standard lambs (32.1-39kg) Top 138p average 129.2p
Texel £53.50 Upper Tinwald, £52.50 Shawhill, £52.20 Outertown, £51 Arnmannoch; Greyface £50.80 Mosside, £49.20 Guelt, £48 Abune The Brae & Brandleys; Blackface £49 Riggheads, £49 Midlock, £48 Dalpeddar, £47.50 Burnside; Suffolks £48.50 The Ford.

Medium lambs (39.1 – 45.5 kg) Top 146p average 131.8p
Texel £59.50 Cocklicks, £58.20 Longbeoch, £58 Waterside, £58 Raehills, £57.80 Over Abington, £57.40 Ballagan; Beltex £59 Nether Dargavel; Suffolks £59 Raehills, £57 Hartwood.

Heavy lambs (45.6-52kg) Top 139p average 120.4p
Texels £64 Waterside, £60 West Skelston, £58 Belridding & Riggheads; Suffolks £60 Gall, £56 Riggheads, £55.80 Longbeoch; Charollais £60 Riggheads; Greyface £55.20 Dalpedder, £51 Gall; North Country Cheviot £54 Hastings Hall; Leicesters £53 Gall.

Cast ewes and rams numbered 864. A large show with trade £6 - £7 dearer on the week.
Top prices:-
Heavy ewes – Texel £73 The Drum, £70 Belridding, £63.50 The Drum, £58.50 Barshill, £57.50 Holestane, £56.50 Belridding; Leicesters £60 Kilfaddoch; Greyfaces £55.50 Barshill, £50 Arnmannoch, £48 Hillbank, £47.50 High Townhead, £47 Holestane; Halfbreds £43.50 Marwhirn; North Country Cheviot £49 Annefield; Suffolks £54.50 Townhead; Lleyns £41.50 Bennan.
Light ewes – Blackface £39 Burn, £38.50 Palaceknowe, Dreva, £35.50 Brandleys, £35 Burn & Holestane; Swaledales £33.80 Dalhanna.
Cast rams – Leicesters £58.50 Dreva, £50.50 Craiglearan; Texels £54.50 Cocklicks, £47.50 Ballaggan; Blackface £38.50 Dreva.

Heavy ewes averaged £43.42.
Light ewes averaged £28.81
Cast Rams averaged £46.20