Buyers were eager for strong steers in Balla Mart on Saturday and as a result prices for these lots were up on last week, according to the Mart’s Anthony Murphy.

Murphy said that store steers weighing in the region of 450kg made from €700-840 over or €1.56-3.11/kg.

Good forward steers were in great demand, he said and these lots sold from €1.44-2.83/kg. The best example was a 690kg Charolais that made €1,675 or €985 over.

Sample steer prices:
  • Limousin: 225kg – €700 or €3.11/kg
  • Charolais: 380kg – €1,105 or €2.91/kg
  • Charolais: 465kg – €1,300 or €2.80/kg
  • Charolais: 680kg – €1,555 or €2.29/kg
  • Charolais: 690kg – €1,675 or €2.43/kg

Looking at the heifer trade, Murphy said there was some nice quality lots on offer, with store heifers averaging from €700-900 over or €1.70-2.87/kg.

The best forward heifer, a 635kg Charolais sold for €1,555, he said, while the remainder of the forward and beef heifers on offer sold from €1.75-2.65/kg.

Sample heifer prices:
  • Limousin: 280kg – €795 or €2.84/kg
  • Belgian blue: 380kg – €1,020 or €2.68/kg
  • Charolais: 490kg – €1,250 or €2.55/kg
  • Charolais: 635kg – €1,555 or €2.45/kg

Murphy added that 73 cows passed through the ring, with a six year old Limousin cow with a Limousin bull calf at foot setting the bench mark at €1,860, while the dry cows on offer sold from €1.11-2.24/kg.

Castlerea Mart

There was 650 cattle on offer in Castlerea Mart on Thursday, according to the Mart Manager Brendan Egan.

Egan said that quality store cattle recorded the best prices on the day, while there was also an increased number of weanlings on offer, which met a lively trade.

Weanling bulls sold from €2.73-3.38/kg and similar type heifers made €2.76-3.10/kg.

Sample weanling prices:
  • Charolais bull: 260kg – €870 or €3.35/kg
  • Limousin bull: 270kg – €850 or €3.15/kg
  • Charolais bull: 370kg – €1,160 or €3.14/kg
  • Limousin heifer: 240kg – €715 or €2.98
  • Limousin heifer: 360kg – €1,115 or €3.10
  • Limousin heifer: 375kg – €1,050 or €2.80

Egan also said that breeding stock and dry cows reported good clearances, as there was plenty of buyers in attendance for these lots.

Cows with calves at foot made from €1,250-1,890, while cows coming down to calve sold from €900-1,170, he said.

Sample dry cow prices:
  • Limousin: 580kg – €1,180 or €2.03
  • Limousin: 870kg – €1,595 or €1.83
  • Limousin: 725kg –  €1,280 or €1.77/kg
  • Friesian: 480kg – €665 or €1.39/kg

Raphoe Mart

There was a brisk trade for the quality cattle on offer in Raphoe Mart on Thursday, according to the Mart Manager Anne Harkin.

The Mart Manager also said that plain store cattle were up in price from the previous week’s sale.

Heifers sold well, she said, with butchers and farmers providing strong competition for the quality lots on offer which sold from €2.30-2.70/kg.

Meanwhile, steers met with a similar trade to last week, but there was a noticeable price difference between the plain and quality lots, which traded from €1.80-2.10/kg and €2.20-2.60/kg respectively.

Sample prices from Raphoe Mart:
  • Beef steers: €600-835 over
  • Store steers: €450-765 over
  • Beef heifers: €500-760 over
  • Store heifers: €350-705 over
  • Dry cows: €700-1,470 each