Last Thursday saw a large entry of 561 lots at the weekly sale of calves and weanlings at Kilrea Livestock Mart.

With all types of cattle in sharp demand, trade was brisk with 100% clearance achieved. Across the beef x dairy calves on offer, most were either Belgian Blue-, Aberdeen Angus- or Hereford-sired animals, while among suckler-bred weanlings, they were mainly out of Charolais and Limousin sires. In the drop calf sale, summer-born calves, thriving and off milk, traded well, making from £650 to the £1,000 paid for a stand-out Belgian Blue. A lot of Blue, Angus, Simmental and Hereford calves sold for around the £850 mark.

Older lumps peaked at £1,570 (764p/kg) paid for an exceptional 205kg heifer, while a well-conformed 228kg male calf fetched £1,700 (744p/kg).

Early indications are that suckler-bred weanlings will be a really strong trade this autumn. Last Thursday, weanlings peaked at £2,050, once for a 330kg animal at 623p/kg and again for a 430kg Charolais male born in February at 480p/kg.

This Belgian Blue heifer calf, born 15 August 2025, sold for £820.

This Aberdeen Angus heifer, born 29 August 2025, made £610.

This July-born Aberdeen Angus bull, sold for £810.

This June-born Simmental bull calf made £880.

This August-born Hereford heifer, sold for £850.

This May 2025-born Aberdeen Angus heifer calf sold for £710.

This April-born Hereford heifer sold for £790.

This February-born Belgian Blue male weighed 370kg and sold for £1,400, 380p/kg.

These Belgian Blue heifers, born October 2024 to January 2025, weighed 270 to 300kg and sold for £1,180 to £1,400, 430p/kg to 470p/kg.

This June 2024-born Limousin heifer weighed 290kg and sold for £1,330, 460p/kg.

The joint top-priced weanling was this February 2025-born Charolais male weighing 430kg which made £2,050, 480p/kg.