In pictures: demand solid at Balla Mart despite poor weather

With much more unsettled weather in recent days, some sellers at Balla were afraid that this would affect the trade, but it did not.

Demand was very strong once again with another large entry of heifers bullocks and weanlings on offer. The trade was just as good as recent weeks, with buyers for all types of stock.

The heaviest bullock was a 735kg Charolais which sold for €1,740/head or €2.37/kg. Other good heavy bullocks over 600kg sold mainly from €1,400 to €1,600/head.

Store bullocks over 500kg sold mainly from €1,100 to €1,400/head with quality having a big impact on prices. There were some plainer Angus types on offer also, and these were met with relatively good demand once they were in spec.

Steady trade

Aged bullocks and those with four moves or more were a steady trade. Farmer buyers and agents were the main source of demand for bullocks from 400kg to 500kg.

Prices ranged mainly from €1,000 to €1,200 for good continental types, but there were some plainer bullocks which didn’t make as much.

There were a good number of weanling bulls from 300kg to 400kg on offer. These were steady as well with prices ranging mainly from €800 to €950 and to over €1,000 for top-quality types.

Heifers

The heifer trade was strong also with buyers active for all quality types. At the top of the market, several heifers sold for over the €1,400 mark but these were all over 600kg and U grades. Plainer R grades in the same weight range sold mainly from €1,200 to €1,300/head. Those from 500kg to 600kg were steady on recent weeks and sold mainly from €1,150 to €1,300 but some plainer Hereford and Angus types sold from €850 to €9050/head.

Lighter stores from 400kg to 500kg were backed by strong farmer buyer demand and sold mainly from €950 to €1,200 depending on quality.

Weanling heifers over 300kg were a strong trade with many farmers sourcing good-quality types and paying from €800 to €950 with better quality types making over €1,000 for heifers near 400kg.