There was a solid display of heifers at Gortatlea Mart’s special E and U grade heifer sale last week and the trade didn’t disappoint.

Charolais- and Limousin-crosses dominated the numbers, with a sprinkling of Belgian Blue and Parthenaise dotted among the pens too.

Suckler farmers can sometimes feel forgotten in the dairy-dominated southwest Munster, but their focus on breeding good-quality continental stock paid off at this sale.

For the exceptionally well-conformed U and E grade heifer, €3/kg was freely passed, while the €4/kg mark was beaten by a number of heifers.

This May 2021-born heifer weighed 360kg and sold for €1,440 (€4/kg).

Spring 2021-born heifers dominated numbers and met strong demand, with €2.80/kg to €2.95/kg the going rate for most of the top end of R grading heifers.

Plainer continental heifers were making €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg.

Moving to dairy-cross stock, there was good appetite for Angus- and Hereford-cross weanlings.

This April 2021-born heifer weighed 370kg and sold for €1,080 (€2.92/kg).

At the upper end of these, a large group of well-conformed black whiteheads came within a few cents of breaking €2.60/kg.

In the main, these traditional beef-crosses were making from €2/kg up to €2.50/kg.

‘Excellent cattle’

Speaking after the sale, mart manager, Maurice Brosnan quipped: “We’ve excellent cattle in the south too. We’ve sold over 2,000 cattle per week here since the new year.

This June 2021-born heifer weighed 350kg and sold for €1,080 (€3.09/kg).

“Cattle are an unbelievable trade at the moment. I’ve never seen such a want among buyers for strong weanlings and forward stores.

“They’re as dear as I’ve ever seen. At this stage, I expect beef price to move on rather than come back.”

The presence of northern buyers has helped, as Brosnan acknowledged.

“They’re very active buyers for good-quality continental cattle, especially coloured cull cows.

This April 2021-born heifer, weighing 380kg, made €1,100 (€2.90/kg).

“There’s not much difference between the cull cow and store trade in the ring at the moment, as €2.20/kg to €2.50/kg would buy most of them.

“It’s great to see that the good prices for beef cattle is feeding down the line, with calves doing well.

This January 2021-born heifer, weighing 370kg, made €920 (€2.87/kg).

“We’ve a very firm demand here for the coloured calf especially.

“Everyone is looking for a stronger calf, so it pays the dairy farmer to feed them well.”

Other lots

This March 2021-born heifer weighed 380kg and sold for €920 (€2.42/kg).

This February 2021-born heifer weighed 388kg and sold for €1,080 (€2.78/kg).

This February 2021-born heifer weighed 363kg and sold for €960 (€2.65/kg).

This November 2020-born heifer weighed 380kg and sold for €1,140 (€3/kg).

This August 2021-born heifer weighed 280kg and sold for €830 (€2.96/kg).

This April 2021-born heifer weighed 400kg and sold for €1,050 (€2.63/kg).

This June 2021-born heifer, weighing 300kg, sold for €880 (€2.93/kg).

This March 2021-born heifer weighed 350kg and sold for €930 (€2.66/kg).

This June 2020-born heifer, weighing 410kg, sold for €1,150 (€2.81/kg).

This March 2021-born heifer weighed 350kg and sold for €950 (€2.71/kg).

This September 2021-born Angus weighed 400kg and sold for €870 (€2.18/kg).

This March 2021-born heifer weighed 380kg and sold for €920 (€2.42/kg).