May is generally the peak trading month for the first half of the year in Mayo-Sligo Mart, Ballina.

While throughput is running below normal, the mart has managed to salvage the May trade and provide an auction system for customers to trade via its online platform.

This Charolais-cross bullock weighing 378kg and born April 19 sold for €990 (€2.62/kg).

Manager Billy Loftus reports that while sales are slower to operate due to coronavirus restrictions and are now held over two days, they are happy with performance.

“We had a nice entry of 470 bullocks and weanling bulls on Tuesday and 465 heifers and dry cows on Monday.

This Simmental-cross bullock weighing 376kg and born March 19 sold for €870 (€2.31/kg).

“It takes a bit longer for animals to trade online, but, in general, customers have got up to speed with it quickly and we are relatively happy over the last three weeks,” he said.

The best demand at present is for good-quality 2019-born bullocks and heifers.

This Limousin-cross bullock weighing 426kg and born in May 19 sold for €988 (€2.32/kg).

Billy said the trade was particularly hot over the last two weeks, with buyers purchasing to comply with ANC stocking rate requirements.

This nice-quality Charolais bullock weighing 288kg and born June 19 sold for €870 (€3.02/kg).

Good R and U grading types weighing 380kg to 440kg are selling on average from €2.20/kg to €2.50/kg, with a selection of lighter lots born in the second half of 2019 or excellent-quality lots rising to €2.60/kg to €2.70/kg on average. Occasional individual cases are hitting €3.00/kg for excellent-quality lots.

This young and fleshed Limousin bull born October 2019 and weighing 454kg sold for €950 (€2.09/kg).

Heavier 2018-born stores weighing 500kg to 600kg are typically selling from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg for good continentals, with small numbers of Angus and Hereford lots or crosses from the dairy herd selling from €1.80/kg upwards.

This super-quality Limousin bull weighing 366kg and born October 19 sold for €1,210 (€3.31/kg).

There was a similar price trend for heifers on Monday, with prices in cases possibly running 5c/kg to 10c/kg lower than equivalent-quality bullocks.

The best demand was also for good stores around the 400kg to 430kg liveweight mark.

This young Limousin bull weighing 458kg and born September 19 sold for €1,010 (€2.21/kg).

Billy says there was a noticeable jump in demand and prices paid for cows, with the trade not far off the heights reached before the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Quality R and U grading cows sold on average from €1.70/kg to €1.85/kg, with a selection of top-quality cows weighing in excess of 700kg hitting as high as €2/kg.

This nice-quality Charolais bullock weighing 616kg and born January 18 sold for €1,300 (€2.11/kg).

Plainer beef-bred cows and feeding cows sold from €1.40/kg to €1.60/kg on average.

This top-quality Charolais-cross bullock weighing 664kg and born Feb 18 sold for €1,430 (€2.15/kg).

This 470kg Limousin bullock born April 19 was bid to €980 (€2.09/kg) but not sold.

This Limousin-cross bullock weighing 492kg and born April 18 sold for €1,125 (€2.29/kg).