There was a vibrant trade for any slaughter-fit or short-keep cattle at Enniscorthy Mart, Co Wexford, on Tuesday.

Mart manger Kevin Murphy reported a more positive tone to the trade overall, with factory agents and specialist finishers continuing to drive the beef cattle.

Good-quality fleshed heifers weighing in excess of 550kg ranged in price from€2.60/kg to €2.75/kg, with top-quality bullocks weighing upwards of 600kg ranging on average from €2.70/kg a top of €2.95/kg for an entry of excellent quality Charolais cattle.

Dairy-bred cattle sold in the region of €2.30/kg to €2.50/kg, with small numbers of heavy fleshed Friesians from €2/kg to €2.20/kg.

Numbers of continental store cattle were up on the week and good R and U grading lots met a solid demand, with more buyers present purchasing cattle for summer grazing systems.

Bullocks and heifers weighing in the region of 460kg to 570kg averaged around the €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg mark, with select lots of excellent-quality types rising to €2.70/kg to €2.75/kg.

Dairy-bred cattle in this weight category averaged around €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg for nice-quality Angus and Hereford lots, with plainer-quality types selling similar to Friesian cattle in and around €2/kg to €2.15/kg.

The best demand in the yearling category of stock is for cattle with good weight for age or capable of doing a quick thrive irrespective of breed type.

Top-quality suckler-bred stock sold from €2.50/kg to €2.80/kg, with select lots hitting as high as €3/kg.

Plainer-quality lots with poor weight for age were steadier following price pressure in recent weeks. Prices for plainer-quality yearlings weighing 280kg to 340kg ranged from €2/kg to €2.35/kg, with good Friesians selling in the region of €1.80/kg and poor-quality lots back to €1.60/kg.

Cows were a great trade, with fleshed Friesian cows selling from €1.90/kg to €2.10/kg, while continental cows hit as high as €2.50/kg. Friesian cows with a medium cover of flesh are selling from €1.60/kg to €1.80/kg, with very few cows presented lacking flesh from €1/kg to €1.30/kg.