Springing and maiden heifers were a subdued trade in Gortin mart on Friday evening, with a range of prices reflecting the variation in the quality of livestock on offer.

A batch of 14 springing heifers met the best demand and made the top prices, averaging £1,083. The heifers were served by a Limousin bull and are due to calve from the end of January to mid-March. The majority of the group were around two and a half years old and were Limousin crosses, although the top price of £1,250 was paid for a Simmental cross.

Another group of 18 springing heifers also met solid demand from bidders and averaged £991. These heifers were well conformed and were carrying a lot of condition. Bidders were told that they had been served by a Limousin bull and were due to calve from March onwards, but with little visible sign of pregnancy, most thought they would calve later, which reduced demand.

At the end of the sale, a larger group of springing heifers that were mostly seven to eight months in calf to a Simmental bull made lower prices. Heifers in this batch were not as heavily conditioned as others on offer but had poorer conformation, which reduced interest from bidders. In total, 22 heifers that were a mixture of Limousin, Hereford and Aberdeen Angus crosses averaged £802.50. Another group of 11 heifers that were due to calve to a Limousin bull in March averaged £729.

Two groups of maiden heifers were also shown on the night, with some of the heifers on offer suitable for beef. The first, a batch of mostly Limousin-bred heifers, averaged £927. These heifers varied in age but were mostly around 21 months old and weighed from 500kg to 595kg. The second lot was a batch of 13 continental-bred heifers that averaged £778. These heifers were younger, with most born in January 2015 and weighed from 385kg to 465kg.