More than 300 heifers were presented for Thursday’s show and sale of heifers in Carriagallen Mart. It is always a good gauge of the autumn store trade and this year’s sale didn’t disappoint.

While prices are back on last year's sale by about €50/head, many expected this given where beef price is today compared to 12 months ago. While the crowd was small, a few very good customers who finish heifers along with agents kept the trade flowing quickly for much of the day. There were almost 200 heifers in the 500-600kg bracket and these were generally hitting the €2/kg mark; 550kg heifers hammered down at €1,100 was the common call.

A few exceptional heifers hit the big time, with a spring 2018-born Limousin heifer weighing 545kg making €1,510 or €2.77/kg and another spring 2018-born Simmental heifer weighing 565kg making €1,430 or €2.53/kg.

This June 2017-born heifer weighed 645kg and made €1,320.

Plainer heifers were harder sold, with a number of 450kg Aberdeen Angus and Hereford dairy cross heifers struggling to get into €1.70/kg. Heavier heifers closer to a factory kill were back a little more, with some estimating they could be back as much as €120 when compared with last year. Again, a few of top heifers around the 700kg mark made €1,400 and over it or €2/kg. The general run for these heifers was closer to €1.80/kg.

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