Camera at the mart this week paid a visit to the store cattle sale at Ballymena Livestock Mart, where manager Sam McNabney said there was a good entry of beef cattle with some excellent quality animals offered for sale.

Buyer activity was brisk, with feedlot agents and large finishers eager to source heavy, well-fleshed animals suitable for a short finish. The number of buyers has increased in recent weeks as confidence returns to the trade after lower prices in early July. Prices were steady on recent weeks. Top-quality 520kg to 580kg U-grade steers sold from £1.70/kg to £1.80/kg (€2.04 to €2.16/kg), with Charolais and Limousins in greatest demand. Plainer lots at similar weights were attracting plenty of bidding, but buyers were clearly working to an upper price limit around £1.70/kg (€2.04/kg) for this type of animal. Fleshed heifers weighing over 500kg sold from a similar base as steers, but sold upwards to £1.85/kg (€2.22/kg) for a few select lots. Most heavy heifers sold closer to the lower end of the £1.70/kg price range. There was a sizeable entry of lighter stores. Steers weighing 400kg to 500kg sold from £1.75/kg to £1.90/kg (€2.10/kg to €2.29/kg) for good-quality beef-bred animals, while beef steers with some dairy breeding sold back to £1.50/kg (€1.80/kg). Lightweight heifers weighing 380kg to 460kg sold from £1.52/kg (€1.83/kg) for dairy bred animals up to £1.75/kg (€2.11/kg) for well bred continental animals.

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