Camera at the mart visited the weekly cattle sale at Swatragh Mart this week. Severe weather conditions affected sale numbers, which were well down on previous weeks.

The weather also had an impact on buyers, with fewer people bidding on cattle compared with previous weeks.

However, the trade was steady, with prices continuing to hold firm for a good showing of store cattle.

Mart manager Paul Coyle said buyers are most active for good-quality store cattle suited to intensive feeding.

He added that cattle presented for sale are of good quality, with well-bred continental types attracting brisk bidding activity.

Bullocks

A small entry of store bullocks consisted of good continental types carrying plenty of flesh.

Prices peaked at £910 for a 448kg Limousin animal (203p/kg) followed by £870 paid for another Limousin animal weighing 444kg (196p/kg).

Lighter bullocks sold from £645 to £750 for cattle weighing 300kg to 370kg (203p to 215p/kg).

Heifers

The trade for heifers was solid, with heavier lots selling strongly. Store heifers peaked at £875 for a 442kg Limousin animal (198p/kg), followed by £835 for another Limousin with similar breeding and weighing 452kg (198p/kg).

Other noted prices saw £800 paid on a 376kg Belgian Blue animal (213p/kg), with an April 2015-born heifer making £885 (182p/kg).

Lighter heifers sold from £690 to £740.

Sheep

The weekend sheep sale saw an excellent trade for hoggets and ewes. Just over 1,000 sheep were forwarded for sale, with higher prices on offer compared with previous weeks.

Hoggets were a sharp trade and peaked at £101 for heavy fleshed animals. Hoggets weighing 30kg (half-weight) sold to £98.50 back to £96/head.

A pen of hoggets weighing 28kg sold to £95, while animals weighing 27kg sold to £96.80, with 26kg lots selling to £90. Lighter hoggets weighing 24kg to 25kg sold from £91 to £94.20.

Fat ewes were a flying trade, selling to £149, with several lots making £140 to £142. Breeding sheep saw ewes with twin lambs at foot sell to £174 with springing ewes making £158.

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