Saturday 11 April saw 1,232 head of cattle go through the rings at Clogher Mart.

While recent reports suggest the trade for lightweight cattle has eased a little amid a very difficult spring, the prices paid for other classes of stock remain firm.

In the fat cow ring, animals sold to a top of £3,516 paid for a 940kg Charolais at 374p/kg, while an 850kg Blonde d’Aquitaine cow made £3,213 (£378p/kg).

Other good quality beef cows sold from 326p/kg, with second quality animals around the 302 to 322p/kg mark.

Friesian cows sold to a top of £1,974 for 710kg at 278p/kg, with similar well-fleshed lots selling from 262p to 272p/kg. Plainer cows made from 212p to 246p/kg, with poorer cows at 184p to 202p/kg.

Steers

In the steer ring, the top price was the £3,474 paid for a 1,040kg Limousin (334p/kg), with a 780kg Charolais at £3,120 (400p/kg).

Forward stores sold to £2,540 for a 590kg Charolais at 431p/kg, while medium weight steers sold to £2,110 for a 485kg Limousin (435p/kg). The top priced fat heifer was the £2,670 paid for a 635kg Limousin (420p/kg), with a couple of lighter heifers crossing the 500p/kg mark, including a 370kg Charolais at £1,950 (527p/kg).

Dairy cows and heifers sold to £2,800 and £2,500, with suckler outfits selling to £4,520 for a Limousin heifer with Limousin heifer calf at foot.