Last Thursday saw 580 cattle entered for sale at Enniskillen Mart, with a clearance rate of 98% achieved.

There was a packed ringside, especially in the weanling ring, with demand bolstered by 15% of winning bids coming from online.

Prices per head topped out at £2,340 (414p/kg) paid for an April 2025-born, 565kg Charolais male. This was closely followed by £2,240 (527p/kg) for a May 2025-born 425kg Charolais female. The main run of weanlings weighing 350kg to 450kg traded from £1,500 to £2,000/head, or 400p/kg to 500p/kg. According to mart manager James Johnston, good-quality weanlings ready to go to grass remain in high demand.

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“It’s very pleasing to see the live trade holding up, despite the pressures coming from reduced beef prices,” he said.

Demand was also strong in the suckler ring, with outfits peaking at £4,150, paid for a Limousin cow with a heifer calf at foot, while a Limousin cow with a bull calf at foot made £4,000.

Heavy cattle

Heavy beef cattle peaked at £2,380 (319p/kg) for a Limousin male (pictured), followed by a November 2024-born Limousin at 735kg, which sold for £2,350 (319p/kg). With some top-end weanlings going for similar prices per head, hopefully the optimism around the weanling ring converts to a rising market for finished cattle in the months ahead.

This January 2026-born Charolais male weighed 330kg and sold for £1,800 (545p/kg).

This January 2026-born Limousin male weighed 350kg and sold for £1,780 (509p/kg).

This February 2026-born Charolais female weighed 310kg and sold for £1,490 (480p/kg).

This June 2025-born Charolais male, weighed 310kg and sold for £1,500 (484p/kg).

This August 2025-born Limousin male weighed 420kg and sold for £1,880 (447p/kg).

This July 2025-born Limousin male weighed 345kg and sold for £1,680 (487p/kg).

This August 2025-born Limousin male weighed 450kg and sold for £1,980 (440p/kg).

This Blonde d'Aquitaine-sired breeding bull, born January 2025, sold for £3,150.

The top priced heavy beef animal was this Limousin male, born June 2023, which weighed 745kg and sold for £2,380 (319p/kg).

This July 2024-born Blonde d'Aquitaine male weighed 460kg and sold for £1,840 (400p/kg).