Castlerea Co-Operative Livestock Mart in Co. Roscommon hosted its weekly cattle sale on Thursday (September 10).

Speaking to Agriland after the sale, mart manager Brendan Egan said numbers of cattle on offer in the weekly sale are increasing in line with the usual trend for mid-September.

There were over 500 cattle sold in the most recent sale.

The bullock sale at the Co. Roscommon mart venue will now move to Mondays from Monday, September 14, onwards.

Commenting on the trade, Egan said that prices are remaining steady but noted that "more customers are starting to appear as they try and source stock for further feeding".

In the bullock sale, he said there was good demand for quality stores, with the top lots exceeding €5/kg and the heavier bullocks in the sale making up to €3,350.

According to Egan, with the weather now starting to turn, that is bringing more cattle out for sale.

Sample bullock prices from the sale:

A 445kg Charolais bullock sold for €2,360 (€5.30/kg)
A 405kg Charolais bullock sold for €2,160 (€5.33/kg)
A 465kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,100 (€4.52/kg)
A 540kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,480 (€4.59/kg)
A 800kg Angus bullock sold for €3,380 (€4.23/kg)
A 685kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,950 (€4.31/kg)
A 500kg Angus bullock sold for €2,100 (€4.20/kg)
A 585kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,350 (€4.02/kg)
A 640kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,620 (€4.09/kg)

The heifer ring saw a top price of €5.51/kg for a breeding heifer while forward lots made up to €2,860.

Dry cows made up to €3,120 for an 835kg Limousin cow while another 875kg cow made €3,100.

A 785kg Angus cow made €2,660, while a 630kg Belgian Blue cow made €1,980.

Cows with calves at foot made up to €3,420 while springers reached €2,510.

Heifer prices from the sale at Castlerea Mart included:

A 510kg Simmental heifer sold for €2,860 (€5.61/kg)
A 605kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,550 (€4.21/kg)
A 685kg Angus heifer sold for €2,430 (€3.55/kg)
A 465kg Limousin heifer sold for €2,260 (€4.86/kg)
A 445kg Limousin heifer sold for €2,350 (€5.28/kg)
A 435kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,180 (€5.01/kg)
A 417kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,150 (€5.16/kg)
A 410kg Simmental heifer sold for €2,260 (€5.51/kg)
A 380kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,800 (€4.74/kg)

Egan said: "Calves and runners remain a very lively trade with a good attendance of buyers both ringside and online."

Young calves made from €190-€790/head while runners made from €480 to €2,120 for continental lots.

Weanlings

The weanling ring is seeing numbers increase as the bulls peaked at €6.16/kg while the heifer weanlings hit €5.94/kg.

Weanling bull prices from the sale at Castlerea include:

A 250kg Limousin bull sold for €1,570 (€6.28/kg);
A 250kg Limousin bull sold for €1,310 (€5.24/kg);
A 255kg Limousin bull sold for €1,300 (€5.10/kg);
A 420kg Limousin bull sold for €2,210 (€5.26/kg);
A 355kg Limousin bull sold for €2,190 (€6.17/kg);
A 435kg Limousin bull sold for €2,190 (€5.03/kg);
A 430kg Limousin bull sold for €2,150 (€5.00/kg);
A 280kg Limousin bull sold for €1,450 (€5.18/kg).

A 255kg Belgian Blue weanling heifer sold for €1,510 or €5.92/kg and a 290kg Limousin weanling heifer sold for €1,360 or €4.69/kg.

A Shorthorn-cross weanling heifer weighing 280kg sold for €1,310 or €4.68/kg and a 350kg Limousin weanling heifer sold for €2,080 or €5.94/kg.

Other weanling heifer prices from the sale include:

A 380kg Limousin weanling heifer sold for €1,910 (€5.03/kg);
A 375kg Charolais weanling heifer sold for €1,900 (€5.07/kg);
A 335kg Limousin weanling heifer sold for €1,790 (€5.34/kg);
A 350kg Charolais weanling heifer sold for €1,750 (€5.00/kg);
A 345kg Limousin weanling heifer sold for €1,600 (€4.64/kg).

Sales continue at Castlerea Mart on Monday, September 14, with the bullock sale.

On Thursday, September 17, the mart is set to host its annual show and sale of continental weanlings in conjunction with its sale of heifers, cows, calves, runners, and weanlings.