Camera at the mart attended the weekly cattle sale at Clogher Mart on Saturday last. Just over 1,000 head of cattle were offered for sale, 400 of which were cows.

Sale numbers have started to slow, with smaller entries on previous weeks. Fodder issues meant more store cattle were sold earlier this year, which has impacted on the numbers coming forward for sale now.

However, while store cattle numbers are down, cow numbers have increased on the back of the fodder shortage.

Mart manager Harrison Boyd commented on a steady trade for cattle. Demand is strongest for heavy fleshed stores suited to a short finishing period, as well as good-quality beef cows.

In the store ring, bullocks sold to a top price of £1,575 for a 750kg Charolais animal, followed by £1,440 for a 650kg Limousin animal.

A strong showing of continental cattle sold from £1,180 to £1,360 for bullocks weighing 600kg to 680kg. Mid-weight bullocks weighing 400kg to 500kg sold from £900 to £1,045, with lighter types a slower trade at £800 to £895.

Heifers sold to a top price of £1,445 for a 670kg Charolais animal, with £1,400 being paid for a Limousin animal.

Other noted prices for forward heifers ranged from £1,225 to £1,395 for animals weighing 550kg to 660kg.

Midweight heifers weighing 400kg to 500kg sold from £930 to £1,070, with lighter types making from £655 to £845, depending on quality.

There was a packed ring of buyers looking to source cows with calves at foot. The trade sold to a peak price of £1,850 for a Limousin heifer with a bull calf at foot.

Other noted prices saw first-calved heifers with calves selling from £1,600 to £1,725 per outfit.

Older lots sold from £1,150 to £1,500, while in-calf heifers sold to a top price of £1,230.

Fat cows sold to 188p/kg for a 610kg (£1,146) Simmental animal, with other good-quality young cows making 170p to 186p/kg at the top end of the market.

Older cows sold from 134p to 166p/kg, with plainer types making 112p to 130p/kg.

Friesian cows sold from 117p to 126p/kg for well-fleshed animals. with thinner animals making 50p to 110p/kg.