There was no sign of the trading season winding down at Saturday’s sale in Balla, with strong activity for a good entry of stock.
Good-quality 2015-born store cattle generated the best competition, with firm demand in particular for R and U grade Charolais and Limousin bullocks. Lots weighing 500kg to 550kg sold from €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg for lesser-quality types, with the best-quality bullocks rising to €2.35/kg to €2.40/kg.
Plainer O grading bullocks and dairy crossbreds sold back to €1.75/kg to €1.85/kg. There was a similar trend for stores weighing from 400kg to 500kg, with some good-quality 10-month-old to yearling bullocks weighing 350kg to 380kg selling from €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg in general and up to €2.45/kg for the best-quality lots.
Aged lots with poor weight for age were a tough trade, selling back to €1.80/kg.
Heifers
Heifers followed a very similar price trend to bullocks, although lots weighing over 500kg didn’t hit the same heights as top-quality bullocks, with average prices for good-quality cattle ranging from €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg.
Heifers weighing less than 300kg attracted interest from a high number of customers. Angus cross heifers started at €2.20/kg and rose to €2.70/kg to €2.80/kg for good-quality continental heifers.
Cull cows
The trade for good-quality heavy slaughter-fit cows remains solid, with some excellent-quality cows on offer. Lots weighing 800kg upwards sold from €1.70/kg to €1.95/kg with the highlight of cow entries a Charolais cross cow weighing 1,065kg which sold for €2,100 (1.97/kg).
Feeding cow prices were dependent on the level of fat cover, conformation and age of cows, with good-quality feeding cows selling from €1.30/kg to €1.60/kg and aged cows from €1.15/kg to €1.30/kg.
Fleshed Friesian cows fit for slaughter sold from €1.00/kg to €1.25/kg for better-conformed lots, with light cows weighing from 400kg to 460kg selling from €0.80/kg to €1.00/kg.
Steady trade in Headford
Headford Mart also had a solid trade, with bullocks selling from €1.80/kg to €2/kg for plainer quality lots, rising to €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg for top-quality lots with the top bullock on offer a 695kg Limousin cross which sold for €1,540.
Heifers sold from €395 to €680 over the weight, with the top heifer a 500kg Belgian Blue cross that sold for €1,180.
Weanling bull and heifers sold upwards from €2/kg for suckler-bred types to €2.50/kg for good-quality bulls weighing in excess of 400kg.
The best-quality bulls and heifers weighing 300kg to 350kg sold from €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg. Suckler cows sold from €1,300 to €1,850, with the best demand for well-conformed young cows calving in early spring.
Lambs
Factory-fit lambs sold from €95 to €102 for lots weighing 48kg to 52kg with a top call of €107. Good-quality store lambs sold from €2.00/kg to €2.25/kg, with light hill lambs selling from €50 upwards while cull ewes sold in general from €80 to €90.
The final sale of the season takes place with the mart's annual Christmas Cracker next Saturday 17 December.
Read more
Quality cattle driving mart trade across the country
There was no sign of the trading season winding down at Saturday’s sale in Balla, with strong activity for a good entry of stock.
Good-quality 2015-born store cattle generated the best competition, with firm demand in particular for R and U grade Charolais and Limousin bullocks. Lots weighing 500kg to 550kg sold from €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg for lesser-quality types, with the best-quality bullocks rising to €2.35/kg to €2.40/kg.
Plainer O grading bullocks and dairy crossbreds sold back to €1.75/kg to €1.85/kg. There was a similar trend for stores weighing from 400kg to 500kg, with some good-quality 10-month-old to yearling bullocks weighing 350kg to 380kg selling from €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg in general and up to €2.45/kg for the best-quality lots.
Aged lots with poor weight for age were a tough trade, selling back to €1.80/kg.
Heifers
Heifers followed a very similar price trend to bullocks, although lots weighing over 500kg didn’t hit the same heights as top-quality bullocks, with average prices for good-quality cattle ranging from €2.10/kg to €2.20/kg.
Heifers weighing less than 300kg attracted interest from a high number of customers. Angus cross heifers started at €2.20/kg and rose to €2.70/kg to €2.80/kg for good-quality continental heifers.
Cull cows
The trade for good-quality heavy slaughter-fit cows remains solid, with some excellent-quality cows on offer. Lots weighing 800kg upwards sold from €1.70/kg to €1.95/kg with the highlight of cow entries a Charolais cross cow weighing 1,065kg which sold for €2,100 (1.97/kg).
Feeding cow prices were dependent on the level of fat cover, conformation and age of cows, with good-quality feeding cows selling from €1.30/kg to €1.60/kg and aged cows from €1.15/kg to €1.30/kg.
Fleshed Friesian cows fit for slaughter sold from €1.00/kg to €1.25/kg for better-conformed lots, with light cows weighing from 400kg to 460kg selling from €0.80/kg to €1.00/kg.
Steady trade in Headford
Headford Mart also had a solid trade, with bullocks selling from €1.80/kg to €2/kg for plainer quality lots, rising to €2.20/kg to €2.30/kg for top-quality lots with the top bullock on offer a 695kg Limousin cross which sold for €1,540.
Heifers sold from €395 to €680 over the weight, with the top heifer a 500kg Belgian Blue cross that sold for €1,180.
Weanling bull and heifers sold upwards from €2/kg for suckler-bred types to €2.50/kg for good-quality bulls weighing in excess of 400kg.
The best-quality bulls and heifers weighing 300kg to 350kg sold from €2.50/kg to €2.70/kg. Suckler cows sold from €1,300 to €1,850, with the best demand for well-conformed young cows calving in early spring.
Lambs
Factory-fit lambs sold from €95 to €102 for lots weighing 48kg to 52kg with a top call of €107. Good-quality store lambs sold from €2.00/kg to €2.25/kg, with light hill lambs selling from €50 upwards while cull ewes sold in general from €80 to €90.
The final sale of the season takes place with the mart's annual Christmas Cracker next Saturday 17 December.
Read more
Quality cattle driving mart trade across the country
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