Monday’s sale at Elphin Mart was a special weanling bull sale, in conjunction with cows and sheep.

This Charolais cross bull, born October 2019 and weighing 360Kg sold for €990 (€2.75/kg).

Mart manager Gerry Connellan said that there were 326 bulls on offer at the sale and demand was very strong. He said that the quality of stock was back slightly on last year, but, that said, there were some exceptional cattle on offer.

This Charolais cross bull, born April 2019 and weighing 450kg sold for €1,070 (€2.38/kg).

Gerry said that farmers, feeders and exports were in attendance and were active for various types of stock.

This Charolais cross bull, born July 2019 and weighing 400kg sold for €1,165 (€2.91/kg).

He added that those that were met with the strongest demand were all good-quality Charolais bulls, with Limousin prices running a little behind Charolais types.

This Limousin cross bull, born August 2019 and weighing 585kg sold for €1,230 (€2.10/kg).

Gerry said that there were a good number of Belgian Blue weanlings on offer also and that exporters were active for the better-quality types.

This best Belgian Blue winning bull, born May 2019 and weighing 410kg sold for €1,300 (€3.17/kg).

He added that from the very start of the sale, the trade was strong. The first pen of bulls entered into the ring were all sold and, overall, of the 326 bulls on offer, only 26 went home unsold. This translates into a 94% clearance rate.

This Belgian blue bull second place prize winner, born April 2019 and weighing 540kg sold for €1,340 (€2.48/kg).

At the upper end of the market, Gerry said that demand from feeders for heavy bulls was quite strong and prices were running well ahead of last year.

Bulls over 500kg sold mainly from €1,250 to €1,570/head. The highest price in the entire sale was a heavy bull weighing 515kg, which sold for €1,570 or €3.04/kg.

This Limousin prize winning bull calf, born August 2019 and weighing 380kg sold for €1,100 (€2.89/kg).

The majority of good-quality heavy bulls over 500kg sold from €1,200 to €1,350/head. Good-quality feeding bulls from 400kg to 500kg sold mainly from €1,160 to €1,250/head.

Gerry said that farmer buyers were very active for all good-quality bulls from 300kg to 400kg and these were dear.

This Charolais cross weanling bull, born August 2019 andw weighing 400kg sold for €1,120 (€2.80/kg).

The majority of the bulls on offer in that weight range were Charolais and Limousin types and these sold mainly from €900 to €950/head. Even some Angus bulls in the same weight range sold to €2.36/kg.

This Charoalis bull, winner of the best Charolais, born May 2019 and weighing 500kg sold for €1,480 (€2.96/kg).

Gerry said that the cow trade was strong also, with prices running higher in the marts than in factories. Top-quality heavy cows over 800kg sold from €1,475 to €1,660, which was paid for a 920kg Belgian Blue cow.

This Charolais bull, born September 2019 and weighing 300kg sold for €950 (€3.17/kg).

Gerry said that the sheep sale saw tight numbers yet again and prices of heavy hoggets over 50kg ranged from €130 to €138.50/head.

Commission rates are 1.8% to the seller and €10 to the buyer.