Balla Mart had another good entry for Saturday’s sale with about 370 lots of bullocks, over 350 lots of heifers and in the region of 150 cows. Demand was described as firm with prices strengthening on previous week’s levels.

Forward store continental bullocks weighing 550kg to 640kg sold from €2.05/kg to €2.28/kg with the best quality lots selling to €2.34/kg. Demand remains strongest for 2014-born bullocks and heifers capable of commanding the QPS bonus on slaughter. There was however good demand for aged heifers suiting the wholesale market with a number of buyers competing. Fleshed heavy heifers sold from €2.00/kg to €2.15/kg for top quality lots with O grades in cases back to €1.90/kg.

Light stores remain a good trade. 400kg to 500kg continental store bullocks sold from €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg with some top quality Charolais and Limousin U grading bullocks to €2.70/kg. Plainer quality lots sold back to €1.80/kg. Lighter store R/U bullocks weighing 450kg to 550kg sold from €2.00/kg to €2.35/kg for suckler bred continentals with plainer quality O grading lots and dairy crossbreds selling back to €1.70/kg. Light store heifers followed a similar trend with average prices running about 1c/kg lower for top quality lots.

The cow trade stabilised following factory price pressure in recent weeks. Good quality R grading cows weighing 700kg upwards sold from €1.60/kg to €1.85/kg with the best quality U grading cows selling to €2/kg. Continental cows weighing 580kg to 680kg sold from €1.50/kg to €1.74/kg for lots suitable for a short finish and slaughter-fit cows. Light continental cows very short of flesh sold from €1.15/kg to €1.40/kg for better quality feeding cows.

Springers with stars

There was an entry of 10 Limousin cross springing heifers with Eurostar information displayed. There was a clear signal from the trade, demand is strong for four and five star heifers but they have also to be good quality animals. The top two 5 star heifers weighing 650kg and 690kg and calving to a Limousin bull in January sold for €2,000 and €2,020 respectively. A quality four star heifer weighing 670kg sold for €1,970 but a lighter 635kg Simmental cross four star heifer sold for €1,610. A good quality three star heifer sold to €1,910 while 620kg and 625kg two star heifers sold for €1,500.

Next Saturday’s sale on 5 December includes two special entries of in-calf heifers – 17 LIM/CHX springing heifers in calf to a five star bull and calving January to February. The second is also 10 springing heifers calving January and February to Limousin AI sires. The final sale of the year is Saturday 19 December.