Markets

Camera at the mart: flying trade for heifers at Ballymena Mart

Beef heifers were an exceptional trade at Ballymena Mart, while bullocks and cull cows were a steadier but firm trade.

Kieran Mailey

Wed 26 September 2018 12:00 AM

Kieran Mailey

Wed 26 September 2018 9:00 PM

Camera at the mart: flying trade for heifers at Ballymena Mart

This Limousin heifer, weighing 694kg and 29 months old, sold for £1,315.

This Blonde d'Aquitaine cow, weighing 770kg and five years old, sold for £1,360.

This Limousin bullock, weighing 631kg and 27 months old, sold for £1,250.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 698kg and 29 months old, sold for £1,330.

This Limousin bullock, weighing 704kg and 28 months old, sold for £1,460.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 626kg and 28 months old, sold for £1,225.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 594kg and 18 months old, sold for £1,320.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 610kg and 27 months old, sold for £1,255.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 660kg and 17 months old, sold for £1,370.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 600kg and 28 months old, sold for £1,260.

This Limousin heifer, weighing 632kg and 16 months old, sold for £1,330.

This Limousin heifer, weighing 542kg and 20 months old, sold for £1,215.

Camera at the mart visited the weekly sale of fat cattle at Ballymena Livestock Mart. With just over 300 animals forwarded, there was a steadier trade for cull cows and bullocks, with prices holding at levels similar to previous weeks. However, beef heifers were an exceptionally strong trade.

Mart manager Sam McNabney commented on the sale, saying that buying demand has strengthened in recent weeks for prime cattle and well-fleshed suckler cows.

He added that the mart trade is returning strong prices on good-quality continental cattle, with finishers looking for short-keep cattle.

Heifers were the standout trade, with prices reaching a top price per kilo of 225p/kg for a 540kg Limousin heifer, which sold for £1,215.

Numbers forwarded were extremely limited, which also helped to increase buying competition. Prices peaked at £1,335 for a 662kg Charolais heifer, followed by £1,330 for a 630kg Limousin animal.

Slaughter-fit heifers regularly sold above the £1,300 mark, with £1,220 to £1,280 covering the main trade for top-quality continental lots.

Forward heifers suited to a short finishing period sold from 202p to 220p/kg for continental lots, with good-quality Angus making 190p to 200p/kg. Plainer heifers sold upwards from 180p/kg.

Demand for bullocks was firm, but they were still an easy sell. Where slaughter-fit animals were forwarded, top-quality continental lots sold to a peak of £1,598 for a 720kg Charolais animal. This was followed by a 680kg Angus which made £1,475.

At the top of the trade, bullocks typically sold from 195p to 217p/kg, with plainer lots making upwards from 170p/kg.

Forward store bullocks were also a steadier trade, with buyers trying to keep to a price range of 195p to 200p/kg for continental lots, while traditional beef breeds sold from 180p to 190p/kg.

Beef cows sold to 188p/kg for a 640kg Blonde D’Aquitaine animal which made £1,458. The same price per kilo was paid for a 680kg Limousin which made £1,278. Other noted prices saw young beef cows making 160p to 186p/kg for cows in good flesh, with feeding cows making 135 to 160p/kg depending on quality. Friesian cows sold from 116p to 135p/kg for fleshed animals with thinner lots selling upwards from 60p/kg.