Prime cattle were a super trade at the weekly sale in Keady Mart last Friday with a smaller entry of stock underpinning buying competition.

Buyers were most active on slaughter fit cattle and animals suited to a short, intensive finishing period. Cattle forwarded within these categories were top class, which also boosted price paid.

There was a small entry of mid-weight stores suited to grazing, and, while there were fewer buyers for such animals standing ringside, prices were positive nonetheless.

This Limousin bullock, weighing 725kg and 24 months old, sold for £2,040.

A limited entry of heavy fleshed heifers kicked off the sale and were met with plenty of buying interest.

Prices topped £1,780 for a 665kg Charolais animal followed by £1,710 for a Blond D’Aquitaine heifer weighing 580kg.

Continental type heifers weighing 550kg to 600kg regularly made £1,600 to £1,680 with lighter, grazing stores below 500kg making £1,400 to £1500 depending on weight and quality.

Cull cows saw heavy fleshed Friesian types making prices above £1,500, although numbers forwarded were extremely limited.

Bullocks

A great entry of heavy fleshed bullocks were a superb trade from start to finish with prices topping £2,350 for an 860kg Charolais bred animal.

Other stand-out lots saw £2,210 paid for another Charolais bred animal, this time weighing 750kg while a similar bred bullock weighing 760kg made £2,110.

The main run of prices for slaughter fit animals over 700kg ran from £2,000 to £2,100 with Charolais and Limousin types dominating. Angus bullocks topped £2,040 for a 770kg lot.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 665kg and 21 months old, sold for £1,780.

Cattle suited to a short finishing period saw bullocks weighing 630kg to 680kg making £1,860 to £1,980 for a 660kg Limousin bred animal and £1,950 paid for a 670kg lot.

Grazing stores between 500kg and 600kg saw prices running from £1,600, rising to £1,790 for a 570kg Charolais bred animal, followed by £1,710 for a Limousin weighing 575kg.