A clearance rate of 98%, with 273 of the 280 animals on offer selling, showed the positivity in prices at Drumshanbo Mart’s general cattle sale on Thursday last.

Cull cows and bull weanlings were a notably sharp trade, with factory agents, feedlot buyers and farmers prevalent along the ring and online, with 28% of animals purchased online.

A strong show of 54 cull cows were on offer, with a mix of store and finished lots, with nearly all being suckler beef cows.

Average price per kilo across the board was a strong €3.28/kg, up 1c/kg on the week previous, while the top third of cows sold to an average of €3.76/kg, while the bottom third averaged €2.68/kg.

Heavy well-fleshed cows or those with frame to take high levels of finishing commanded the best prices.

Overall top price of the sale went to an in-calf 2020-born Charolais-cross cow on the point of calving to an AI Limousin bull. Weighing 980kg, she went on to sell for €4,060 (€4.14/kg).

Bullocks and weanlings

Low numbers of bullocks were on offer on the day. Bullocks weighing 350kg to 400kg averaged 3.49/kg, with lots between 400kg and 500kg averaging €3.59/kg.

More forward types between 500kg and 600kg averaged €4.28/kg, while there were no lots above 600kg.

Bull weanlings were more plentiful in numbers, with 82 calves present.

Bulls weighing from 200kg to 300kg fell slightly on the week by 5c/kg, averaging €5.10/kg, with top-end and bottom-end bulls averaging approximately €1/kg above and below this respectively.

Bulls from 300kg to 400kg averaged €5.17/kg, up 8c/kg on the week prior, with the top third averaging €5.74/kg. A smaller showing of heavy bulls weighing 400kg to 450kg sold to an average of €5.06/kg.

Heifers

Similar to bullocks, heifers were in short supply. Lots weighing from 350kg to 400kg averaged €4.07/kg, with lots between 400kg and 500kg averaging €4.59/kg.

More forward types between 500kg and 600kg averaged €3.87/kg, while just one heifer weighed above 600kg.

Heifer weanling were lower in numbers than their male counterparts, but trade was still sharp.

Heifers from 200kg to 300kg averaged €5.55/kg, up 12c/kg on the week prior, while lots weighing 300kg to 400kg averaged €5.03/kg, up an impressive 24c/kg on last week, with the top third of heifers of this weight averaging €5.43/kg and the bottom third averaging a respectable €4.69/kg.