The store cattle trade was steady at Ballymena Livestock Mart last week. Cattle throughput continues to hold steady at levels similar to the previous week, with poor ground conditions helping to push plainer store cattle off the land and into the marts.

Farmer demand for store cattle is still strong, with brisk bidding for top-quality continental cattle.

Heavy bullocks suitable for slaughter sold from £1,240 to £1,300 per head. Bullocks weighing 570kg to 620kg and suitable for killing after a short intensive feeding period sold from £1,195 for top-quality U grading Charolais type animals back to £970 for plainer lots.

Bullocks weighing 500kg to 550kg sold from £1,175 back to £785 per head. Mid-weight store bullocks weighing 420kg to 490kg sold from £975 back down to £730.

In the heifer ring, fleshed heifers suitable for direct killing sold to £1,155. Heifers suitable for intensive feeding and weighing 500kg to 570kg sold from £860 up to £1,080.

Store heifers weighing 450kg to 500kg sold from £1,000 for beef-bred animals back to £670 for dairy-cross animals. Heifers weighing 400kg to 450kg sold from £600 up to £835 per head. Lightweight yearling stores weighing from 310kg to 380kg were a difficult trade, selling from £445 up to £650 per head, with buyers having less appetite for these cattle.