The trade in Omagh Mart, Co Tyrone, since sales resumed at the end of April has gone from strength to strength. The trade for beef cattle, fat cows and short-keep stores is benefiting greatly from the upturn in factory prices.

The strong factory appetite was reflected in the trade for slaughter-fit cows on Tuesday and slaughter-fit beef cattle and short-keep stores on Monday. Good-quality fleshed R grading cows sold from £1.40/kg to £1.60/kg (€1.57/kg to €1.80/kg) with select lots of better-quality and young cows exceeding this level. O grading types traded from £1.20/kg for plainer-quality Friesians to £1.30/kg to £1.40/kg for better-quality lots.

This Angus cross heifer aged just over a year old and weighing 420kg sold for £800 / €899 (£1.90/kg / €2.14/kg).

Omagh Mart’s Seamus O’Kane reported that the trade for beef cattle has increased anywhere from £120 to £180 per head in recent weeks.

“Beef cattle are scarce and almost all heavy bullocks made over £2/kg on Monday, with £1,500 (€1,686) a standout price paid for a nice-quality 700kg bullock. Before the break in mart sales, £1,300 (€1,461) would have been unheard of for heavy cattle”.

This Belgian Blue cross heifer born May 2019 and weighing 470kg sold for £860 / €966 (£1.83/kg / €2.06/kg)

Seamus says it is a similar story for good stores, with £1,000 (€1,123) hard to pass just a few weeks ago. Now good-quality stores are selling into prices of £2.00/kg to £2.20/kg (€2.25/kg to €2.47/kg), although the quality of cattle coming on stream is following a seasonal decline.

This was evident in the weanling bull and heifer trade on Tuesday. Suckler-bred yearling bulls or bullocks and heifers weighing 330kg to 420kg also sold on average from £2.00/kg to £2.20/kg, but, as the photos show, where top-quality animals were on offer, buyers were willing to compete stronger, with top prices for select lots ranging from £2.30/kg to £2.50/kg (€2.58/kg to €2.80/kg). Lesser-quality types and heavier bulls made £1.85/kg to £2.00/kg (€2.08/kg to €2.25/kg).

This good-quality yearling Charolais heifer weighing 375kg sold for £870 / €977 (£2.32/kg / €2.61/kg).

Sales are being carried out with limited numbers at the ringside, while sellers are not permitted entry to sales, with cattle sold subject to the owner approving the sale price. Seamus says the strong trade is making the process of contacting sellers to see if they are happy with their price much easier.

This January-2019 born Limousin bull weighing 520kg sold for £960 / €1079 (£1.85/kg / €2.08/kg)

The calf trade is exceeding expectations. The average price for calves has increased in each of the last five weeks from £256 (€288) to £275 (€309), £295 (€332), £299 (€336) and on Tuesday to £305 (€342) for an entry of 220 head. Ordinary Holstein Friesian bulls aged six weeks old topped £200 (€225), with plain Angus calves to £275 while a top of £580 (€650) was paid for a nice-quality three-month-old Charolais calf coming off a cow.

This May-2019 born Charolais bullock weighing 435kg sold for £920 / €1,034 (£2.11/kg / €2.38/kg).

This yearling Charolais cross bullock weighing 325kg sold for £700 / €786 (£2.15/kg / €2.42/kg).

This April-2019 born Simmental bull weighing 450kg sold for £922 / €1,036 (£2.05/kg / €2.30/kg).

This Limousin cross cow weighing 610kg and born June 2013 sold for £951 / €1,068 (£1.56/kg / €1.75/kg).

This Friesian cow weighing 690kg sold for £849 / €954 (£1.23/kg / €1.38/kg).

The well-fleshed cow weighing 780kg sold for £1,014 / €1,140 (£1.30/kg / €1.46/kg).

This good-quality Limousin cow weighing 670kg sold for £1,005 / €1,130 (£1.50/kg / €1.69/kg).