There was a strong turn out of 380 bull weanlings at Gortatlea Mart's bull weanling show and sale on Wednesday evening.

Forward weanlings above 400kg dominated the numbers at the Kerry venue and were mainly snapped up by finishers.

While lighter weanlings were fewer in numbers, there was still a solid demand for those that were well-muscled.

U and E grades

U-grade bulls were to the fore and prices ranged from €2.60/kg up to €2.95/kg. There was a good selection of heavily muscled E-grading cattle and they were making from €3/kg up to €3.40/kg for some of the bulls under 350kg.

A January 2018-born bull. He weighed 380kg and made €1,090 or €2.87/kg.

This Belgian Blue bull was born in January 2018. He weighed 430kg and sold for €1,340 or €3.12/kg.

Plainer cattle

Prices varied for R-grade cattle with those bordering on U grades making up to €2.50/kg at the other scale of R-graders, plainer stock were under €2.20/kg.

Speaking after the sale auctioneer James McCarney said: “The good weanlings were every bit as good as they were last year but the plainer stock was hard sold. There was some exceptional prices for good cattle.”

A January 2018-born bull, weighing 325kg he sold for €790 or €2.43/kg.

This January 2018-born Charolais bull weighed 480kg and made €1,235 or €2.57/kg.

Bulls born in October 2017, weighing 425kg they sold for €1,145 or €2.69/kg.

Calves

There was also a sale of 90 runners and 60 suck calves before the weanling sale. Runners sold for up to €640 while prices for calves ranged form €100 for Friesians up to €450 for continental calves.

Champion

The champion of the show went to a September 2017 Belgian Blue bull owned by Gerry Devitt, Knocknagree, Mallow, Co Cork. He weighed 600kg and sold for €2,140 or €3.57/kg.