If heavily muscled cattle is what you’re into, then Gortatlea Mart was the place to be on Wednesday evening.

The Kerry mart had more than 700 weanlings on offer, with E and U grade cattle to the fore. Exporters were very active in a sale which saw weanling bulls make up to €1,005 with their weight. Prices regularly broke the €3/kg mark and this applied to heavier weanlings as well as those fitting the weight limit of 320kg required for the Turkish market.

Cattle with the potential to hit R grades were back a little from this, but still met a strong demand, while dairy-bred stock sold for €1.90/kg up to €2.30/kg for beef crosses, with Friesians selling from €1.65 up.

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This December 2015-born bull weighed 410kg and solf for €1,335 (€3.26/kg).

Sample prices

  • One Belgian Blue, 415kg – €1,420, €3.42/kg.
  • One Charolais, 460kg – €1,440, €3.13/kg.
  • Two Charolais, 245kg – €690, €2.82/kg.

    • This October 2016-born bull weighed 300kg sold for €915 (€3.05/kg).

  • One Blonde d’Aquitaine, 350kg – €1,190, €3.40/kg.
  • One Limousin, 310kg – €1,035, €3.34/kg.
  • Three Charolais, 323kg – €965, €2.99/kg.
  • One Limousin, 255kg – €775, €3.04/kg.
  • Thirteen Friesian, 231kg – €385, €1.67/kg.
  • Two Hereford, 305kg – €700, €2.30/kg.

    • Scroll through the images at the top of the page to see more weanlings on sale at Gortatlea Mart on Wednesday night.

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