Prices of €4/kg and above were described by mart management as "the new norm" at the weekly general cattle sale at Athenry Mart in Co. Galway on Tuesday, March 18.

There were 260 bullocks on offer in the sale with the top price secured on the day of €4,230 or €4.38/kg for a 965kg Charolais bullock.

The average price per kilo across the various categories rose by 30-40c/kg which "was to be expected given the smaller number of cattle on offer last week and the quality of stock presented for this week’s show and sale of bullocks at the mart," according to mart staff.

Almost half the bullocks on offer in the sale weighed in excess of 600kg. The best price per kilo achieved in that category was €4.52/kg for a 790kg Angus bullock.

Meanwhile, a 410kg Charolais bullock sold for €2,000, or an impressive €4.88/kg.

Three Charolais bullocks with an average weight of 362kg sold for €1,650, or €4.56/kg;
Two Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 358kg sold for €1,620 or €4.53/kg;
315kg Angus bullock sold for €1,400 or €4.44/kg;
Three Limousin bullocks with an average weight of 485kg sold for €2,180 or €4.49/kg;
460kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,100 or €4.57/kg;
Two 585kg Angus bullocks sold for €2,440 or €4.17/kg;
Two Charolais bullocks with an average weight of 895kg sold for €3,880 or €4.34/kg;
770kg Hereford bullock sold for €3,190 or €4.14/kg.

In the heifer sale, there was a 99% clearance rate of the approximately 100 heifers on offer.

The average price per kilo for heifers weighing from 300-500kg hovered from €3.75-3.82/kg this week depending on type which was an improvement on last week given the larger number of heavier heifers presented at that sale.

Heifers in excess of 600kg saw their average price remain in excess of €3.90/kg with heifers in the 500-600kg weight bracket back to around €3.65/kg this week.

375kg Salers-cross heifer sold for €1,630 or €4.35/kg;
360kg Limousin-cross heifer sold for €1,490 or €4.14/kg;
Three Angus heifers with an average weight of 453kg sold for €2,130 or €4.70/kg;
465kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,000 or €4.30/kg;
505kg Limousin heifer sold for €2,180 or €4.32/kg;
Three Hereford heifers with an average weight of 588kg sold for €2,120 or €3.61/kg.

There were just over 60 cows on offer in the dry cow ring with the trade continuing to hold firm this week.

The majority of cows on offer in the sale weighed in excess of 500kg and averaged €3.10/kg.

A 490kg Friesian cow sold for €1,420 or €2.90/kg. A 585kg Limousin cow sold for €2,170 or €3.71/kg and another 700kg Limousin cow sold for €2,880 or €4.11/kg.