Saturday saw a good entry of top quality stock at Balla mart for the special R and U grade weanling sale. Demand was strong for fancy types and good quality Limousin and Charolais weanlings also. Plainer types were met with a little less demand.

Bulls

Bulls over 450kg were met with firm demand with specialist finishers picking up better quality types.

Prices of €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg were paid for R grades with better quality R+ and U grades making from €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg.

Bulls from 300kg to 400kg were met with strong demand. Prices of €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg were paid for average quality types with the top third making well over €2.80/kg.

Lighter bulls were a strong trade backed by firm farmer demand. Prices of €2.60/kg to €2.80/kg were paid for average quality types.

Weanling heifers

Weanling heifers were firm on the day also. Heifers over 400kg made from €2.30/kg for average quality types to over €2.60/kg for the top third.

Heifers from 300kg to 400kg sold mainly from €2.40/kg to €2.50/kg for R grades, with farmers favouring Charolais and Limousin crosses.

The top third made from €2.70/kg to €2.80/kg.

Light heifers sold at similar prices to the equivalent weight and quality bulls.

Store trade

The store trade was steady, with buyers noticeably active for better quality types.

Steers over 500kg sold mainly from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg with better quality types making over €2.40/kg. Steers from 400kg to 500kg sold mainly from €2.30/kg to €2.40/kg with top quality types making from €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg.

There was much less activity for aged types, those not meeting the spec were met with price discounts of 20-30c/kg. Heifers from 500kg and up sold mainly from €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg. Lighter heifers from 400kg to 500kg were more plentiful and achieved strong prices of €2.25/kg to €2.35/kg for average quality types with the top third making over €2.60/kg.