Numbers were on the smaller side at Elphin Mart on Monday night, but the trade remained good despite factories trying to apply pressure to the beef trade this week.

Plainer cattle might have been back a little compared with previous weeks, but the good-quality cattle are still a great trade.

Cull cows topped out at €2.40/kg for a well-fleshed 2016-born Limousin cow weighing 600kg that sold for €1,440.

The general run of dry cows were ranging from €1.90/kg to €2.20/kg, with the higher prices going to the younger well-fleshed cows.

Active

A number of southern cow buyers and wholesalers were very active on the night, along with some Northern Ireland-based feedlot finishers.

Heifer and bullock numbers were small after a special sale last week, but quality also paid, with heifers in the 400kg to 500kg bracket hitting €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg.

A selection of in-calf heifers were sold on the night.

Predominantly autumn-calving heifers, they were met with good demand, with a December 2018-born Limousin due to calve in autumn to the Limousin bull selling for the top price on the night at €2,920.

Mart manager Kevin Caslin said: “It’s probably a little bit earlier for the springer trade to really get going, but all the farmers selling were pretty happy with how they got on.

"Weanlings are a very good trade, along with cull cows, so that probably points to a very strong springer trade for the autumn. We have a couple of special breeding and in-calf heifer sales coming up next month."

In pictures

This September 2013 Charolais cow weighed 885kg and sold for €1,960 (€2.21/kg).

This October 2012 Simmental cow weighed 835kg and sold for €1,360 (€1.63/kg).

This February 2019-born Limousin in-calf heifer was served on 7 December 2020 to the Limousin bull LM4217 and sold for €1,510.

This February 2019-born Limousin heifer was scanned in-calf to the Limousin stock bull due in November 2021 and sold for €1,640.

This April 2013-born Charolais dry cow weighed 945kg and sold for €2,050 (€2.17/kg).

This January 2019-born Limousin in-calf heifer is due to calve in September to the AI Limousin bull LM4217 and sold for €1,680.

This May 2011-born Aubrac cow weighed 690kg and sold for €1,540 (€2.23/kg).