Sales resumed in Central Auctions Birr on Monday, with lively trade throughout.

Topping the prices was a fit bullock which sold for €2.35/kg.

This April 2019-born Belgian Blue weighed in at 605kg and had a final sale price of €1,420.

Solid trade

Stock in excess of 600kg were in short supply, but a good entry of short-keep cattle were met with a solid trade.

Heifers weighing between 500kg and 600kg sold for an average price of €2.11/kg.

This was topped by a batch of five Limousin heifers born spring 2019 that weighed 501kg and sold for an average price of €1,170 (€2.34/kg).

Any suckler-bred stock in this weight division proved in the highest demand, with a batch of Charolais heifers also exceeding the €2.30/kg mark.

Bullocks were back

Bullocks of the same weight were back substantially on the heifers, as most animals forward were first-cross from the dairy herd.

One suckler-bred bullock did break the trend,selling for €2.41/kg.

This April 2019-born Belgian Blue weighed 580kg and sold for €1,400.

Lighter bullocks were in strong demand, exceeding the €2/kg mark on a number of occasions.

Limousin was the dominant sire for the upper end of prices in the lighter cattle.

Topping the sub-500kg trade was a June 2019-born Limousin bullock weighing 420kg that sold for €890 (€2.12/kg).

Stand-out in the small entry of dry cows was a three-year-old which sold for an impressive €1,650.

This 860kg Charolais cow sold for €1.92/kg.

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