There was a strong turnout at Gortatlea Mart's E and U grade weanling bull sale on Wednesday evening.

E grade potential bull weanlings were comfortably making in excess of €3.80/kg and at the top end of the sale, a share of them made over €4/kg.

Bulls from 300kg to 350kg were generally selling for between €3.30/kg and €3.60/kg and a share of heavy bulls over 450kg sold for similar money.

Heavier bulls over 400kg that were at the lower end of the E and U conformation stakes were making back to €2.90/kg.

Light stores

There was a share of light store bullocks on offer on the night.

One-year-old Angus and Hereford bullocks sold from €2.60/kg to €2.80/kg, while Friesian bullocks sold for up to €2.20/kg.

Top price on the night went to a 385kg Belgian Blue bull that sold for €1,760 (€4.57/kg).

There was prices at this sale the likes of which I’ve never seen before

Speaking after the sale, mart manager Maurice Brosnan said: “The quality was excellent tonight and it was an easy night’s sale, with both buyers and sellers happy.

"There was prices at this sale the likes of which I’ve never seen before. Most bulls were making over €3/kg and there was a few really well-muscled ones that made over €4/kg.”

Maurice put the high prices down to the demand in Europe for beef, which is resulting in farmers being rewarded well.

“Farmers are getting properly paid for their final produce and they're going back out to replace what they’ve sold and they are competing well with exporters.

"I’d say there was a 60:40 split of the cattle sold this evening between farmers and exporters.”

In pictures