Having taken the decision to close for two sales, Elphin Mart is back in full swing, with Monday’s sale attracting over 800 cattle. Prices resumed where they left off, with some exceptional highs, particularly for weanling bull calves.

Light weanling bulls under 300kg recorded an impressive average of €2.88/kg, rising to €3.30/kg for the top third of lots sold. This was led by a November 2020-born Limousin that weighed 280kg and sold for €940 (€3.36/kg).

This eight-month-old Limousin bull weighed 370kg and sold for €950 (€2.57/kg).

The biggest entry came for weanling bulls weighing 300kg to 400kg. While average here dropped back to a healthy €2.71/kg, the better-quality lots on offer surpassed €3/kg.

Securing the top price here was a September-born Charolais bull that weighed 320kg. He sold for an impressive €1,090 or €3.41/kg.

This November 2020-born Limousin bull weighed 410kg and sold for €1,080 (€2.63/kg).

While numbers decreased as the animals got heavier, prices still averaged €2.40/kg for bulls 400kg to 450kg.

This average dropped back to €2.32/kg for weanlings exceeding the 450kg mark. Top price in the heavier bulls came for a 400kg Charolais sold for €1,210 (€3.03/kg).

This 13-month-old Charolais heifer weighed 380kg and sold for €1,280 (€3.37/kg).

In a mostly male-dominated yard, steers made up the majority of lots forward. Top lots of steers from 500kg upwards secured an average of €2.50/kg, dropping back to €2.38/kg for more average stock.

Steers under the 500kg mark sold to an average near €2.60/kg and north of it for lighter lots.

This 13-month-old Limousin bullock weighed 355kg and sold for €1,090 (€3.07/kg).

The smaller number of heifers on offer sold well, with heifers of 500kg-plus selling for an average of just shy of €2.50/kg and up to an average of €2.65/kg for the top third of lots sold.

Lighter heifers were in very short supply, but, again, saw the average price hit that €2.50/kg mark.

This 10-month-old Charolais heifer weighed 305kg and sold for €760 (€2.49/kg).