Monday night’s weekly cattle sale at Elphin Mart was a busy one, with over 100 dry cows, a weanling sale, a special suckler sale, a special pedigree Limousin sale and a sheep sale all taking place.

The dry cow ring had a few noted Northern Ireland-based buyers in attendance and this, coupled with good competition from southern-based feeders and factory agents, meant that good young cows were a real solid trade on the night.

Good-quality fleshed cows were trading up on previous weeks, with the top call going to a 2011-born Limousin dry cow weighing 955kg that sold for €2,320 (€2.43/kg).

The general run of good young cows over 700kg were trading from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg, depending on flesh cover and quality.

Older, lesser-quality cows lacking flesh and requiring a good bit of further feeding were back at €1.80/kg to €2.00/kg on the night.

Pedigree sale

Top price in the pedigree Limousin sale went to a February 2020-born heifer selling for €3,200.

Prices ranged from €1,900 to €3,200 in the Limousin sale. Suckler outfits also sold well, with a top of €2,500 being paid for a March 2018-born Limousin cow with her November-born Limousin heifer calf at foot. Prices ranged from €1,280 to €2,500 in the suckler section.

Commenting on the sale, Elphin Mart manager Kevin Caslin said: “Numbers have come back in recent weeks, but trade has held steady, with northern customers back again for the last two weeks helping the trade. Our last sale before Christmas will be on Monday night 20 December."

In pictures

This April 2015-born Charolais cow weighed 880kg and sold for €1,890 (€2.15/kg).

This May 2008-born Limousin cow weighed 755kg and sold for €1,650 (€2.18/kg).

This February 2017-born cow weighed 765kg and sold for €1,580 (€2.06/kg).

This November 2016-born Limousin cow weighed 620kg and sold for €1,350 (€2.18/kg).

This May 2018-born Limousin cow weighed 635kg and sold for €1,500 (€2.36/kg).

This April 2011-born Charolais cow weighed 695kg and sold for €1,140 (€1.64/kg).