Today’s sale at Balla Mart saw an improved trade on last week. The best demand, like recent weeks was for all good quality R+ and U grades.

However, even where lighter Friesian stores were on offer, they were well improved. The best prices were paid for top quality U grade heavy bullocks over 600kg. These sold mainly from €700 to €800 along with the weight.

This Charolais cross heifer, born April 2017 and weighing 330kg, sold for €710 (€2.15/kg).

Average quality types over 600kg sold from €2.15/kg to €2.25/kg. Plainer forward cattle and those that are pushing on age wise are still a much easier trade than in-spec stock.

This Limousin cross bullock, born June 2016 and weighing 580kg, sold for €1,320 (€2.28/kg).

Bullocks from 400kg to 500kg were a steady trade where the quality on offer was good, but plain stores were a harder sell with some plain quality types going unsold. The average 450kg steer sold from €950 to €1,050.

Heifers were good where there was quality on offer. Better-quality heavy types sold for easily over €1,400/head, while those over 500kg sold mainly from €1,100 to €1,300/head.

Those just under the 500kg mark sold mainly from €650 to €750 along with the weight for quality U grades.

This Limousin cross heifer, born April 2017 and weighing 495kg, sold for €1,000 (€2.02/kg).

Plainer heifers were a mixed trade still but there were not a great deal of numbers of this on offer. Weanling heifers from 300kg to 400kg averaged at €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg but the better quality heifer sold from €2.40/kg to €2.50/kg.