Prime cattle were a super trade at the weekly sale in Keady Mart last Friday with a smaller entry of stock underpinning buying competition.
Buyers were most active on slaughter fit cattle and animals suited to a short, intensive finishing period. Cattle forwarded within these categories were top class, which also boosted price paid.
There was a small entry of mid-weight stores suited to grazing, and, while there were fewer buyers for such animals standing ringside, prices were positive nonetheless.
A limited entry of heavy fleshed heifers kicked off the sale and were met with plenty of buying interest.
Prices topped £1,780 for a 665kg Charolais animal followed by £1,710 for a Blond D’Aquitaine heifer weighing 580kg.
Continental type heifers weighing 550kg to 600kg regularly made £1,600 to £1,680 with lighter, grazing stores below 500kg making £1,400 to £1500 depending on weight and quality.
Cull cows saw heavy fleshed Friesian types making prices above £1,500, although numbers forwarded were extremely limited.
Bullocks
A great entry of heavy fleshed bullocks were a superb trade from start to finish with prices topping £2,350 for an 860kg Charolais bred animal.
Other stand-out lots saw £2,210 paid for another Charolais bred animal, this time weighing 750kg while a similar bred bullock weighing 760kg made £2,110.
The main run of prices for slaughter fit animals over 700kg ran from £2,000 to £2,100 with Charolais and Limousin types dominating. Angus bullocks topped £2,040 for a 770kg lot.
Cattle suited to a short finishing period saw bullocks weighing 630kg to 680kg making £1,860 to £1,980 for a 660kg Limousin bred animal and £1,950 paid for a 670kg lot.
Grazing stores between 500kg and 600kg saw prices running from £1,600, rising to £1,790 for a 570kg Charolais bred animal, followed by £1,710 for a Limousin weighing 575kg.
