One of the highlights in a lively trade for any slaughter-fit stock in Tuam Mart on Monday was the hammer falling at €3,680 for a cow weighing just over a tonne weight.

The entry of cows included some top-quality heavy continental cows, with prices averaging €3.51/kg and hitting a high of upwards of €4/kg.

The majority of plainer-quality cows topped €3/kg, with only a couple of Friesian-cross cows falling below this.

There was a similarly sharp trade for any heavy heifers and bullocks. The top third of heifers weighing in excess of 600kg averaged €4.42/kg, with MartBids recording the average price at €4.14/kg and the bottom third at €3.90/kg.

Lighter lots weighing 500kg to 600kg averaged €4.18/kg, with the top third at €4.35/kg and the bottom third at €4.06/kg. Heifers weighing 400kg to 500kg were a similar trade.

Numbers are reducing seasonally and heavier bullocks are particularly tight. A small entry of bullocks weighing in excess of 600kg averaged €4.30/kg, with the best-quality lots topping €3,000/head and exceeding €4.50/kg.

Lighter bullocks included a high percentage of dairy-crosses, with prices for Friesian bullocks ranging from €2.95/kg to €3.40/kg, while Aberdeen Angus-crosses sold from €3.50/kg to upwards of €4/kg.