Balla Livestock Mart in Co. Mayo hosted its end of the month continental cattle sale on Saturday (September 26), with just over 1,000 cattle sold on the day.

Balla Mart manager Michael Nolan said it was the largest sale of cattle at the mart venue in a long time, and added that the average bullock prices were up by approximately €100/head in the sale.

He attributed the increase in the average sale price to the number of returning buyers around the ring.

The Balla Mart manager said: "Out of all the bullocks, only five were missed, so a good clearance with a lot of satisfied sellers."

He noted that there were approximately 150 "strong continental bullocks weighing over 600kg" on offer in the sale, with these types were "in great demand".

Overall, he said that farmers were active and are still buying-in store cattle for the end of the grazing season while the heavier cattle were generally being purchased by the feedlot customers as well as the Northern Ireland factory buyers.

Commenting on some of the highest prices in the sale, the Balla Mart manager noted one Charolais bullock weighing 840kg that sold for €3,340.

The farmer who sold this bullock had a pen of 10 cattle in the sale and these averaged over €3,000/head.

Bullocks in the 300-400kg weight range averaged €4.41/kg while bullocks ranging from 400-500kg averaged €4.47/kg - up marginally on the previous week.

Some of the top prices from the sale at Balla Mart:

A 355kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,060 or €5.80/kg;
A 480kg Limousin bullock sold for €2,700 or €5.63/kg;
A 535kg Charolais bullock sold for €2,920 or €5.46/kg;
A 605kg Charolais bullock sold for €2,880 or €4.76/kg;
A 775kg Charolais bullock sold for €3,200 or €4.13/kg;
An 840kg Charolais bullock sold for €3,340 or €3.98/kg.

The heavier-type bullocks weighing over 500kg averaged 4.01/kg, up €0.06c/kg on the previous week with some types up by more than this.

Heifers and cows

In the heifer sale, average prices were up in all weight categories with the largest rise seen in the 500kg plus weight range.

Heifers in the 300-400kg weight bracket averaged €4.18/kg - up by €0.04c/kg on last week.

In the 400-500kg weight range, heifers averaged €4.11/kg - up by €0.05c/kg on last week.

The heifers weighing over 500kg averaged €4.07/kg - up €0.13c/kg on the previous week.

One farmer from Co. Sligo had a 590kg Limousin heifer that sold for €3,180.

Some of the top heifer prices from the sale:

A 275kg Charolais heifer sold for €2,000 or €7.27/kg;
A 385kg Limousin heifer sold for €2,320 or €6.03/kg;
A 440kg Limousin heifer sold for €2,650 or €6.02/kg;
A 590kg Limousin heifer sold for €3,180 or €5.39/kg.

There were 166 cows in the sale, with trade described as "much the same as last week".

Dry cows weighing over 500kg averaged €3.34/kg.

A total of 10 dry cows in the sale made in excess of €3,000 and one heavy 935kg Limousin dry cow made €3,460 while another 930kg Charolais cow made €3,390.

In the suckler cow sale, a November-2021-born Belgian Blue cow with its heifer calf at foot and due again in March 2027 made 6,300.