Camera at the mart attended the weekly cattle sale in Keady on Friday last. There was a good entry of top-quality store cattle that were ideal for buyers looking for animals suitable for a short intensive finishing period.

Sale numbers have been holding steady on the back of a strong beef trade and fodder-related issues. With a packed ring of buyers on hand, there was brisk bidding throughout the sale as finishers competed strongly for numbers.

Commenting on sale, mart manager Brian McKeown said buying demand remains strongest on good-quality beef cattle carrying plenty of flesh and fat cover, with lighter stores also benefitting from an improving trade.

He added that recent sales have seen buyer demand exceeding cattle supply, with the end result being higher prices on offer week on week across all classes of stock.

On the day, bullocks sold to a top price of £1,540 for a 690kg Limousin animal which made 223p/kg. Other noted prices saw heavy bullocks selling from £1,410 up to £1,465 for cattle weighing 650kg to 685kg, or 213p to 217p/kg.

Mid-weight bullocks weighing 500kg to 600kg were a super trade, selling from £1,000 to £1,265 for top-quality continental lots, or 200p to 215p/kg. Lighter types were also a solid trade.

Demand for fat heifers was exceptional, with prices peaking at £1,420 for a 655kg Limousin, or 217p/kg. Other noted prices for good-quality lots saw many heavy fleshed continental types making £1,315 to £1,370.

Robust trade

Mid-weight and short-keep heifers were a robust trade, selling from £920 to £1,235 depending on liveweight, with a general price range of 195p to 220p/kg.

A good entry of beef cows were also a super trade, with specialist finishers driving prices for younger, heavy, fleshed cows, although plainer and feeding cows were still a good trade.

Topping the trade for beef cows was a 625kg Belgian Blue animal, which sold for £1,250 or 200p/kg. Other fleshed cows were making 170p to 195p/kg, with feeding cows making 140p to 160p/kg.

A small entry of weanling cattle saw prices peaking at £885 for a 360kg Charolais steer, with a 270kg Charolais animal making £740, or 274p/kg.