Castlerea Cooperative Livestock Mart held its weekly cattle trade on Thursday (July 16), where 200 lots went through the ring as the strong trade continues in Co. Roscommon.

According to a report by the mart, store cattle were in high demand as the upward price trajectory continues.

The trade was particularly strong for weanlings and heifer stocks with near full clearance rates.

The bullock ring saw some impressive prices, with the top call going to a 775kg Charolais bullock who made €3,180 or €4.21/kg.

Close behind was €2,940 paid for a 720kg Charolais bullock at €4.08/kg.

Below are some further sample prices for bullocks on the day:

A 410kg Angus bullock made €1,990 or €4.85/kg;
A 505kg Charolais bullock made €2,180 or €4.32/kg;
A 505kg Limousin bullock made €2,160 or €4.28/kg;
A 610kg Angus bullocks made €2,310 or €3.79/kg.

Store heifers also continued to enjoy strong prices at Castlerea.

Some of the top calls on the day include a 400kg Limousin-cross heifer that made €2,150 or €5.38/kg, while another Limousin heifer weighing 370kg made €2,050 at €5.54/kg.

Heavier heifers saw another week of strong trade.

A Limousin heifer weighing 510kg sold for €2,360 or €4.63/kg, while another Limousin heifer weighing 520kg sold for €2,360 or €4.54/kg. A 580kg Angus heifer sold for €2,090 or €3.60/kg.

The top call for the dry cow trade in Castlerea was €2,700 for a 700kg Limousin cow, equivalent to €3.86/kg.

Some further sample prices for dry cows include:

A 685kg Limousin cow sold for €2,440 at €3.56/kg;
A 710kg Charolais cow sold for €2,340 at €3.30/kg;
A 750kg Charolais cow sold for €2,560 at €3.53/kg.

Cows with calves at foot made from €2,580-€3,140, with the top call for an eight-year-old Charolais cow and her Charolais heifer calf at foot.

Weanlings and calves

Weanlings continue to dominate the young stock trade in Castlerea with the top call going to a Limousin bull weighing 385kg that sold for €2,620 or €6.80/kg.

Another 370kg Limousin bull sold for €2,370 at €6.41/kg, while a 350kg Charolais bull made €2,180 at €6.23/kg.

Weanling heifers saw another strong trade.

A 295kg Limousin weanling heifer made €1,300 at €4.41/kg, while an Angus-cross weanling heifer weighing 295kg sold for €1,160 at €3.93/kg. 

Another Angus-cross weanling heifer weighing 285kgs made €1,060 at €3.72/kg.

The calf trade has carried through the strong spring prices with calf lots making from €100 to €1,280, and runners making from €900-€1,860 for continental lots.

Castlerea Mart hosts its weekly general cattle and young stock sales every Thursday with the next sale taking place on July 23.