There were 550 cattle on offer in Castlerea mart last Thursday as exporters and feedlot buyers turned out in large numbers, according to mart manager Brendan Egan.

Feedlot buyers were “anxious” for weanlings, while breeding cows and heifers were also reported to have “cleared well”.

Good-quality stores maintained their recent prices.

Heifers entering the ring weighed from 415kg to 590kg and made from €1,080 to €1,445. Charolais, Limousin and Angus cattle were on offer.

There was a range of dry cows, cows with calves at foot, and springer cows on offer last Thursday.

Cows with calves at foot were reported to have made between €1,000 and €2,040.

€2,040 was paid for a Simmental cow with a heifer calf at foot.

Springer cows traded for €940-1,320/head.

Calf numbers were reduced, when compared to other weeks, but trade was still “strong”, with prices of €130-410/head reported.

Weanling bulls were sold in Castlerea mart last Thursday, with a Belgian Blue weighing 295kg, making €980 or €3.32/kg. A Limousin weighing 270kg, sold for €795 or €2.94/kg.

Weanling heifers such as a Limousin weighing 265kg, sold for €915 or €3.45/kg. A Charolais weighing 330kg, sold for €1,025 or €3.11/kg.

The next sale of cows, calves, bullocks, heifers and weanlings commences on Thursday, June 22, in Castlerea mart.

Balla Mart

Bullock and heifer prices were up by €20-30/head on the previous sale in Balla last Saturday. Prices were driven by Turkish export buyers.

Mart manager Anthony Murphy said the average price paid by Turkish buyers was €3.11/kg.

Bullocks

It is reported that store bullocks weighing up to 400kg sold for up to €800 or €2.60/kg.

Bullocks weighing from 400kg to 500kg sold for, on average, €2.31/kg.

A Charolais-cross, weighing 475kg and born in April 2016, sold for €1,290.

Bullocks weighing over 500kg averaged €2.23/kg. There were some quality cattle on offer in this weight division. A Charolais bullock, born in May 2015 and weighing 710kg, sold for €1,850.

Heifers

According to Murphy, there were 240 lots of heifers for sale last Saturday.

Heifers up to 400kg were making €2.49/kg, and the best of last Saturday’s sale was a Belgian Blue-cross heifer, which was born in July 2016. The heifer weighed 375kg and sold for €1,160 or €3.09/kg.

Heifers weighing from 400kg to 500kg made,on average, €2.30/kg. For the heifers weighing over 500kg, €2.34/kg was paid on average. These heifers traded well, with the best being a Charolais-cross heifer – born in March 2015 – which sold for €1,650 or €2.48/kg.

Cows

There were 100 cows on offer last Saturday. Some nice springer cattle were present, with the best – a three-year-old Charolais cow with a Charolais heifer calf at foot – selling for €1,800.

A dry cow, born in February 2006 and weighing 875kg, sold for €1,800 or €2.01/kg.

Weanlings

There was a small sale of weanlings on Saturday, Murphy said.

In the 200-350kg division, the average price paid was €2.63/kg. In the heavier 350-450kg division, the average price paid was €2.58/kg. A 420kg Limousin-cross bull, born in June 2016, made €1,260 or €3.00/kg.

In the heifer-weanling division, 200-350kg animals averaged €2.61/kg. In the 350-450kg division, the average price paid was €2.42/kg. A Belgian Blue-cross heifer, born in June 2016 and weighing 350kg, sold for €1,085 or €3.10/kg.

Raphoe Mart

Mart manager Anne Harkin said there was an “excellent show for the time of the year” at Raphoe mart last Thursday.

“Trade was brisk for all types of stock and buyers were eager to purchase. Farmers, agents, and shippers were all in attendance,” she said.

Top class bulls over 600kg made €790-980 over the kg, or €2.00-3.30/kg.