Friday’s fortnightly sale of heifers in Roscommon Mart saw quality stock met with firm prices.

A yard of just under 240 heifers saw demand right through all weight brackets.

The quality of heifers was exceptionally high, with many finished beef lots clearing the €4.20/kg mark with relative ease when high-grading animals were on offer.

Store heifers were a solid trade throughout too, with these types seeing quality heifers surpassing €5/kg, with a mix of farmer buyers and feedlots active for these types.

A small number of heifers below 400kg were present, with these types averaging €4.38/kg.

Heavier heifers

Over one-third of the heifers on offer were in the 400kg to 500kg weight bracket.

Average price here was a solid €4.50/kg, with the top third of heifers selling at €5.06/kg of an average, while the bottom third sat just shy of €4/kg at €3.97/kg.

Weight for age and conformation were the primary deciders in price, with several quality lots of heifers suited to either breeding or feeding on.

More forward-type stores in the 500kg to 600kg bracket clocked in at an average price of €4.15/kg. The top third of heifers sold for 34c/kg above this at €4.49/kg, while the bottom third of heifers averaged €3.83/kg, some 32c/kg below the average across all lots.

Dairy-beef

Dairy-beef-type heifers averaged €3.99/kg in this weight bracket.

A total of 38 heifers above 600kg went under the hammer, with strong demand from factory agents for the lots on offer.

An impressive average of €4.26/kg was recorded for these stronger heifers, with the top third averaging €4.60/kg, while the bottom third averaged a respectable €3.81/kg.

Ample bite was also seen in the cull cow ring, with agents vying for the cattle on offer.

Cull cows on offer were all beef bred and sold between €3.07/kg and €4.23/kg, with the top price being a 2019-born Charolais-cross cow weighing 960kg selling for €3,610 (€3.76/kg).

A selection of overage heifers with no calves registered sold from €3.87/kg up to €4.54/kg.