Camera at the mart attended the general cattle sale held at Downpatrick Co-operative Market last week.

Cattle throughput has been steady throughout the spring and last week, 95 animals were presented for sale.

With improved grazing conditions, the mart has seen a surge in buying demand, with another big turnout of farmers looking to buy animals directly, as well as the usual presence of cattle agents.

Mart manager Sean McConvey commented on the sale, stating that buyers were looking for good-quality stores suitable to go straight to grass.

With a bigger turnout of buyers, bidding competition was much more intense and cattle prices have been on an upward trend in recent weeks.

Sean also said that there is much more life in the trade for heavy stores, with animals close to slaughter weight highly sought after.

The trade for bullocks was brisk for both heavy and lighter types. Price per kilo peaked at 256p/kg for a 13-month-old Charolais weighing 346kg and selling for £885.

The same price per kilo was paid for a 346kg Limousin bullock which made £880. Other lighter cattle under 400kg sold upwards from 230p/kg for continental types, with Angus and Hereford types selling upwards from 197p/kg.

Heavy types sold to a top price of £1,140 for a 600kg Limousin bullock and matched by 596kg Limousin animal. Other noted prices saw a 23-month-old Limousin bullock weighing 546kg sell for £1,080 or 198p/kg.

There was a real edge to the trade for heifers, with prices heavily reflecting cattle quality. As with the bullock trade, good-quality cattle were a very easy sell.

Prices for forward store heifers peaked at £1,090 for a 586kg Charolais animal, making 186p/kg. Other noted prices saw a 660kg Charolais heifer make £1,075, with a 534kg Limousin animal making £970.

Lighter heifers suited to grazing sold to a top price per kilo of 235p/kg for a 295kg Limousin which made £700.

Other noted prices saw a 318kg Limousin making £745, a 370kg Limousin animal sell for £845 and closely followed by a 346kg Limousin animal which made £780.

Other lighter types sold to 218p/kg for a nine-month-old Limousin animal weighing 284kg, which sold for £619.

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