Last Friday’s cattle sale at Rathfriland Mart saw the “hottest trade ever”, auctioneer Stephen Redmond confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal.

In the calf ring, prices paid for bulls up to seven months old peaked at £1,390 for an Angus, while Angus heifer calves sold to £950, £850 and £690/head.

Younger calves topped at £530 for a Simmental, £520 for a Belgian Blue, with Angus calves to £510. Dropped calves were around the £350 to £450 mark for males and females.

After the younger calves some dairy maiden heifers went through the ring, with a Holstein making £1,450, while some Fleckvieh animals made £1,440.

A packed ringside at ring one saw the strong prices continue into the afternoon. Male weanlings peaked at £1,900, 375p/kg, for a 506kg Limousin, followed by £1,850, 440p/kg for a 420kg Angus and £1,820, 406p/kg for a 448kg Limousin.

Weanling heifers topped out at £1,520, 386p/kg for a 394kg Limousin, with £1,500, 380p/kg paid for a 394kg Simmental and £1,500, 355p/kg, for a 422kg Angus.

Fat cows sold to £1,920, 306p/kg, for a 626kg Friesian and £1,620, 273p/kg for a 594kg Limousin. Across forward stores, any heifer or bullock over 550kg was breaking the £2,000 barrier. Heifers peaked at £2,650, 407p/kg, for a 650kg Simmental, followed by £2,350, 377p/kg, for a 622kg Salers and £2,350, 369p/kg, for a 636kg Charolais.

Bullocks topped out at £2,650, 384p/kg, for a 690kg Limousin, with £2,550, 400p/kg, paid for a 636kg Limousin and £2,440, 423p/kg, for a 576kg Limousin.