There was a smaller entry at this week’s cattle sale in Swatragh Mart, Co Derry. Mart manager Paul Coyle commented on a steady trade, with stronger prices being paid on good-quality bullocks. Sale numbers are back on previous weeks, but this would include the peak period of special weanling sales held last month.

Farmers were also offloading cattle earlier this autumn due to the difficult conditions for grazing and a lack of winter forage, which has seen reduced numbers for sale at present.

Those animals presented for sale mainly consisted of well-bred continental animals, with Limousin and Charolais breeding dominating.

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Across the sale, bullocks averaged £2.04/kg (€2.32/kg), with heifers averaging £1.81/kg (€2.05/kg), giving a sale average of £1.81/kg (€2.05/kg) across all classes of stock.

Bullocks were of good quality and with plenty of buyers keen to source forward stores carrying flesh, they sold to a top price of £1,080 (€1,226) for a 502kg Angus animal.

Other noted prices saw bullocks selling to £1,020 (€1,158)for a 478kg Angus and £950 (€1,078) for a 452kg animal.

Lighter store bullocks weighing 350kg to 400kg sold from £670 (€760) to £850 (€965), depending on quality, with continental types making higher prices.

Weanlings weighing 280kg to 370kg sold from £580 (€658) to £775 (€880).

The trade for heifers was steady and with lighter cattle, prices peaked at £755 (€857) for a 400kg Limousin animal.

The general run of prices for animals weighing 350kg to 400kg was £600 (€681) to £750 (€851), with younger weanling heifers weighing 280kg to 350kg selling from £500 (€568) to £635 (€721).

The weekly sheep sale had another big entry, with almost 1,100 animals coming under the hammer. Fat ewes sold to a top price of £75 (€85) on several occasions.

Demand for lambs has strengthened over the past week. Lambs sold to a top price of £85.50 (€97) for 25.5kg half-weight.

Other noted prices saw 25kg lots make £85 (€96.50), while £83 (€94) to £84 (€95.36) was paid on several occasions for heavier lambs at 26kg to 27kg.

Lambs weighing 22kg to 24kg sold from £80 (€91) to £81.80 (€93).