This week's sale on Wednesday in Portumna Mart saw a entry of 255 cattle sell to a clearance rate of 94% across all cattle categories.

Cull cows remain a steady trade, with better bite for the top two-thirds of cows.

The bottom third of cows saw a 5c/kg drop on the previous week, as these cows sold to an average of €2.74/kg.

It was a different story for the top one-third of cows, as they sold for €3.75/kg – a rise of 36c/kg on the previous week.

It was a similar story for the middle third of cows, as they also saw a lift of 26c/kg, leaving them selling at an average of €3.37/kg.

Bullocks weighing between 500kg and 600kg saw the best trade, with the top third of these bullocks seeing a rise of 13c/kg on last week, leaving these selling for €3.88/kg.

The middle third of these bullocks sold to an average of €3.67/kg, a rise of 8c/kg on the previous week's trading.

Demand

The demand for heavier-type cattle continued into the heifer ring, where heifers weighing over 600kg sold from €3.98/kg back to €3.40/kg.

There was a rise in the number of heifers on offer weighing between 500kg and 600kg, with the top third of these heifers up 23c/kg, selling for €4.23/kg.

The bottom third of heifers saw no change in price and sold for €3.55/kg, with the middle third selling for €3.90/kg, a rise of 8c/kg on last week.

Heifers weighing from 350kg to 400kg sold from €3.68.kg for the bottom third up to €4.20/kg for the top third.

Heifers weighing between 400kg and 500kg were 10c/kg to 15c/kg behind those lighter types as they sold from €4.02/kg for the top third, with the bottom third selling for an average of €3.49/kg.