Balla Livestock Mart in Co. Mayo hosted its weekly livestock sale on Saturday (October 31), with just over 1,100 cattle on offer.

Mart manager Michael Nolan said that there could have been more cattle in the sale but they were put off until next week.

While cattle were showing signs of the weather, there was a good clearance on the day.

The mart manager noted that "a lot of the farmers are coming out" with cattle and are not keeping them until spring "due to the costs and labour involved".

On prices, he said that there were 27 bullocks weighing over 700kg in the sale with nothing heavier than 795kg.

Five strong continental bullocks made over the €3,000 mark.

Nolan noted that these types were "in great demand from feedlot and northern factory buyers".

Bullocks in the 300-400kg weight range averaged €4.26/kg - up €0.07/kg on last week - while the bullocks weighing 400-500kg averaged €4.10/kg, which was the same price as last week.

Bullocks weighing over 500kg averaged €3.79/kg.

Top prices in the bullock sale at Balla:

A 295kg Limousin bullock sold for €1,400 (€4.75/kg);
A 380kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,180 (€5.74/kg);
A 450kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,540 (€5.64/kg);
A 580kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,920 (€5.03/kg);
A 640kg Charolais bullock sold for €2,860 (€4.47/kg);
A 740kg Charolais bullock sold for €3,200 (€4.32/kg);
A 790kg Charolais bullock sold for €3,260 (€4.13/kg).

In the heifer sale, the mart manager said that there were a lot of heavy heifers on offer and noted that "some of these met with a great trade".

Nine heifers in the sale made over €4,000 this week. A Dromore West farmer had Belgian Blue heifers in the sale with one weighing 550kg making €4,850 or €8.82/kg and another weighing 640kg making €4,900 or €7.66/kg.

He said that 300-400kg heifers averaged €3.84/kg, up €0.30/kg on last week and 400-500kg averaged €3.81/kg.

Heifers weighing over 500kg averaged €4.10/kg up €0.10/kg on last week.

Top heifer prices from Balla:

A 275kg Charolais heifer sold for €1,140 (€4.15/kg);
A 385kg Limousin heifer sold for €1,860 (€4.83/kg);
A 495kg Limousin heifer sold for €2,640 (€5.33/kg);
A 550kg Belgian Blue heifer sold for €4,850 (€8.82/kg);
A 595kg Belgian Blue heifer sold for €4,300 (€7.23/kg);
A 640kg Belgian Blue heifer sold for €4,900 (€7.66/kg);
A 780kg Belgian Blue heifer sold for €5,000 (€6.41/kg).

In the dry cow sale at Balla, there were over 200 on offer and a full clearance. Cows over 500kg averaged €3.01/kg.

One farmer sold a March-2024-born cow due in December to ‘Proper’ for €5,000.