Last week’s sale was another good trade all round, with better-quality stock met with the best demand.

The past few weeks have seen a little bit more bite for forward store cattle and as a result prices edged up slightly. Plainer store bullocks and heifers from 400kg to 500kg are steady, but prices of dairy crosses are back on last year.

Mart manager Charlotte Kearney said that there were about 100 cattle on offer at last week’s sale, with numbers running slightly up on last year.

The sales from November onwards always tend to tail off, with sales in October and November typically holding 400 to 500 head on any given sale day.

In terms of the trade for cull cows, buyers, like previous weeks, were very active once again for all types of cows. Well-fleshed continental cows were a strong trade once again and sold mainly from €1.70/kg to €2.00/kg and well over €2.00/kg in the case of top-quality cows and young cow heifers.

There were some very heavy well-fleshed cows on offer that sold from €1,570 to as much as €1,700/head, with factory agents and feeders active for all slaughter-fit types. Old cows in poor condition sold mainly from €1.10/kg to €1.40/kg, depending on flesh, with the majority of feeding cows selling from €1.50/kg to €1.70/kg.

The main cattle sale saw another good entry of bullocks and heifers on offer. Demand for bullocks was firm, with plenty of buyers active for forward types for a short-keep finish.

The slightly strengthened beef trade in the past few weeks has helped to boost demand for all top-quality heavy bullocks and heifers. At the top of the market, good-quality continental heifers over 550kg sold from €1,365 to €1,450, with bullocks selling mainly from €1,000 for stores to €1,200 for beef bullocks.

Lighter store bullocks and heifers were met with firm demand and prices were similar to recent weeks, with strong farmer demand keeping a firm floor under prices.

Commission rates are 1% to the seller, with a minimum charge of €7 and €9 to the buyer.