Wednesday 17 December saw the final cattle sale of 2025 at Dungannon Mart in Co Tyrone, with 310 lots presented for sale and a clearance rate of 99% achieved.

In the calf ring, there were no stocking fillers to be had, with most calves between two weeks and two months of age, generally selling between £500 and £700.

Quality had a far bigger impact on price than age. Prices peaked at £830 twice – once for a six-week-old Belgian Blue bull and again for a Simmental heifer calf. Aberdeen Angus and Belgian Blue calves dominated the sale, while there were also some Charolais, Hereford and Simmental drop calves on offer.

Among the weanlings at the sale, April- and May-born animals sold strongly, with a 415kg April-born Charolais male making £1,880, 453p/kg and a 335kg Limousin male going for £1,680, or 502p/kg.

Weanlings generally traded from 420p/kg to 450p/kg with lighter animals or stand-out lots selling at 480p/kg to 500p/kg.

The beef ring saw heavy continental cows selling for £2,200, or 268p/kg, for an 820kg Limousin, while 400-450kg dairy-bred stores traded between 330p/kg and 370p/kg.

Top price was the £2,340, or 360p/kg, paid for an August 2022-born 650kg Limousin heifer, followed by £2,300, or 362p/kg for a 635kg Aberdeen Angus bullock.