Store cattle were a flying trade at the weekly Monday sale in Omagh Mart, with buyers active for all types of stock.
In the bullock ring, there was a smaller show of slaughter fit animals and stores suited to a short intensive finishing period.
That intensified competition between finishers, underpinning prices in the process with 280p to 300p/kg repeatedly paid for bullocks within 100kg of reaching slaughter weight.
Good quality U grading bullocks with continental breeding topped out at £2,460 for a 970kg Charolais.
That was followed by £2,280 for an 898kg animal, with £2,240 paid for a 740kg Limousin and £2,140 for a 744kg Charolais.
Other stand out lots saw £2,000 paid for a 700kg Limousin with a similar bred animal at 670kg seeing the hammer drop at £1,970.
Main price range
The general run of short keep stores between 600kg and 680kg made £1,700 to £1,950. Plainer types at similar weights sold closer to £1,600, with a heavy fleshed 616kg Friesian making £1,610.
Buyers were taking age of cattle into account when bidding, with stronger prices being paid for animals likely to qualify for the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme payment in late-spring.
Mid-weight stores weighing 400kg to 550kg were also in demand, with prices of 290p to 310p/kg for higher quality animals. Stand out entries saw a 392kg Limousin sell to £1,330, with £1,380 paid for a 434kg animal.
Heifers
The heifer ring also saw a limited entry of slaughter fit and short keep animals and again, that sharpened the appetite of buyers looking to secure numbers.
Topping the trade at £1,760 was a 675kg Limousin-bred animal, with a similar type animal also weighing 675kg making £1,720 and 600kg selling to £1,700.
Short keep heifers weighing 500kg to 600kg sold to £1,580 with lighter types under 500kg an easy sell at 280p to 300p/kg for good quality types.
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