The Cumberland & Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart held their weekly sale of primestock in Dumfries on Wednesday 4th March 2009.

71 prime cattle – trade steadied.
Heavyweight heifers – Limousin to 184.5p, 180.5p from D & R Cornthwaite, Balgrayhill to Border Meats, Lockerbie & R Johnstone & Son, Butchers, Annan, 180.5p Dinnans to Galloway Quailty Meats, Dumfries, 174.5p (2) Dinnans to JD Owen & Son, Butchers, Newton Stewart & Border Meats.

Lightweight heifers – Limousin to 182.5p Woodfield, Eastriggs to J Kerr & Son, Butchers, Gretna, 182.5p Balgrayhill to Border Meats, 180.5p Backburn to R Johnstone & Sons, Butchers, Annan, 180p Dinnans to The Nith Hotel, Glencaple; Charolais to 176.5p Newmains to Messrs Bosomworth, Paisley, 170.5p Outertown to J Scott & Sons (Paisley) Ltd. Top gross heifer £1023.98 Balgrayhill.

Bullocks – Limousin to 175.5p AJ Forsyth & Co., Mid Bishopton to Cleveland Meat Co, Stockton on Tees, 174.5p, 173.5p Outertown to Border Meats, Lockerbie & Bowland Foods, Preston, 171.5p Waterside, Castle Douglas to C Anderson, 171.5p Crossbankhead to Border Meats. Top gross bullock £1,132.20 Waterside.

17 Prime bulls – Quality poorer. Devon 144.5p Upper Portrack; Angus 143.5p Mid Bishopton; British Blue 143.5p Barwhinnock; Holstein Friesian 140.5p Barwhinnock. Top gross bull £1051.05 Parkneuk.

57 OTM cattle – trade good. Well fed cows keenly sought. Feeding cows met keen competition selling to £1,653.90 (1110kg) Newmains.

Cows per kilo – Charolais 149p Newmains; Limousin 140p St. Ninians, 129 Caravel; Devon 127p Cumleys, 123p Barnton; Angus 119 St Ninians, 115p Cumleys; Shorthorn 111p Brickhouse; Holstein Friesian 106p Midtown, 105p Lagganlees.
Bulls per kilo – Charolais 111p Newmains; Galloway 100p Camphill.
Bullocks – Limousin 137p Carnavel.

Cows per head – Charolais £1653.90 Newmains; Devon £1107 Barnton; Holstein £1012.30 Midtown, £777.65 Burnside, £727.50 Lagganlees; Limousin £901.70 Cumleys, £875.75 Dinnans; Angus £753.25 Cumleys.
Bulls – Charolais to £1154.40 Newmains.

The firm had forward 1436 prime hoggs. Trade was firm on the week and quality better.
Top price was 211p or £84.50 for 40kg Beltex hoggs from Ian Carlisle, Nether Dargavel. Top price per head was £91.50 for 54kg Suffolks from J Muir & Son, Cleughbrae. The overall average was 173.4p a rise of 8p on the week.

Top prices:-
Light hoggs (25.5-32kilo) Top 172p average 164.3p
Cheviot £55 Barndennoch; Greyface £49.50 Ardoch; Blackface £47 Burnside, £45.50 Beuchan.

Standard hoggs (32.1-39kilo) Top 191p average 168.8p
Blackface £72.50 Riggheads, £68.50 Craigdarroch; Texels £69.50 Little Fenwick, £60.50 Outertown; Greyfaces £67.50 Barndannoch, £67 Lochmailing, £59.50 Porterstown, £58.50 Fraserford Farm; Suffolks £65 Riggheads; Cheviots £57, £56.50 Riggheads; Dorset £55 Barvennan.

Medium hoggs (39.1-45.5kg) Top 211p average 178.4p
Beltex £84.50, £83 Nether Dargavel; Texel £79.50 Lanarkland, £79, £78.50 Little Culloch; Suffolks £79.20 Lanarkland, £78.80 Little Culloch; North Country Cheviot £78.20 Cleughbrae, £78 Auchencrieff & Riggheads; Cheviot £77 Riggheads; Halfbreds £77 Marwhirn, £70 Netherhill; Blackface £74 Craigdarroch, £68.50 Meikleholm, £65.50 Craigdarroch; Zwartbles £75.50 Riggheads; Greyface £69 Barndennoch.

Heavy hoggs (46kg+) Top 174p average 168.2p
Suffolk £91.50 Cleughbrae, £81.50, £80 Upper Longbank; Texel £86 Woodhead, £85.50 Lochmailing; North Country Cheviot £83.50 Auchcrieff; Blackfaces £79.50 Craigdarroch; Halfbreds £83 Marwhirn; Greyfaces £78.50 Little Fenwick, £64 Netherhill; Zwartbles £70 Nunnerie.

407 cast ewes and rams sold and were dearer than ever and short of buyers requirements. Heavy ewes averaged £58.18, light ewes £37.04 (no change on the week).

Top prices: Heavy ewes: Texel £97.50 Backburn, £80 Marchbank; £76.50 Hartwood; Greyfaces £89.50 North Cowshaw, £79 Midtown, £73.50 Innerfield, £72.50 Backburn; Leicesters £86.50 Druidhall; Kerry £51 Little Fenwick.
Light ewes: Blackface £49.50 Druidhall, £47.50 Maxwelltown, £45.50 Kilmichael, £44.50 Gateslack; Swaledale £46.80 Wynholm.

Cast rams: Texel £70 Barvennan, £69.50 Shieldhill; Suffolk £66.50 Netherhill; Blackface £49.50 Knocksheen; Leicesters £50.50 Ardoch.