Last week’s sale at Ballymote Mart saw a special weanling show and sale in conjunction with the usual sale. Mart manager Stephen Hannon said that there was good demand for all good-quality cattle, with a little more grass demand for heifers.

The bull ring saw a large entry, with strong demand for good heavy bulls over 450kg. These sold mainly from €1,000/head at the bottom of the market to well over €1,300 for better-quality types, while prices topped out at €1,820.

Bulls from 300kg to 400kg sold mainly from €800 to €1,150. Lighter bulls from 200kg to 300kg sold mainly from €750 to €885, but the numbers of light types on offer were small.

The heifer ring saw a strong trade, with plenty of farmers and agents active for various quality types. Light weanling heifers under 300kg sold mainly from €650 to €860, with the lower end of the prices paid for plainer types.

Demand for better-quality light heifers was very strong, with better-quality heifers selling mainly from €750 to over €850/head.

Weanling heifers from 300kg to 400kg were a flying trade where the quality on offer was good.

Good-quality R grade and R+ grade heifers sold mainly from €800 to €900, with some top-quality types making over €1,000/head.

Store heifers from 400kg to 450kg were met with strong grass buyer demand. Prices of these ranged mainly from €1,050 to €1,200/head, with top-quality heifers under 450kg selling from €1,200 to over €1,400/head.

The general sheep sale saw another flying trade for all types of hoggets. Butcher and factory agent demand resulted in some very strong prices.

Hoggets over 50kg sold mainly from €137 to €143/head or from €2.40/kg to €2.75/kg, with average prices running at €139/kg.

Those from 47kg to 49kg sold mainly from €118 to €129/head or from €2.50/kg to €2.69/kg, while prices averaged at €125/head.

Those from 42kg to 44.5kg sold mainly from €106 to €117/head or from €2.46/kg to €2.66/kg, with prices averaging at €110/head. Store hoggets from 35kg to 40kg sold mainly from €80 to €82/head. Commission rates are 2% to the seller to a maximum charge of €22, and €9 to the buyer.