Just over 100 cattle were on offer in Rathfriland Mart last Friday for its general cattle sale.

Calves kicked off proceedings, with strong demand for older calves off milk and suitable for summer grazing.

Leading trade in this section was a January-born Belgian Blue heifer calf which hit the market at £485.

This 13-month-old Blue heifer weighed 320kg and sold for £760 (£2.38/kg).

Angus bull calves

Angus bull calves sold to a top of £400, with heifers heading to £290. A small entry of Limousin calves sold to a top of £425, with younger calves dropping to £200.

A batch of January born Shorthorn bull calves ranged from £300 to £350 while a lone Fleckvieh bull calf sold for £370.

This 670kg Hereford bull born July 2019 sold for £1,370 (£2.04/kg).

Yearling stores were met with a strong trade. Trade for Friesian stock averaged around £1.60/kg, with continental stores of the same age selling up to £2.60/kg.

Leading the prices here was a Charolais bull born March 2020 that weighed 336kg and sold for £875.

This 13-month-old Angus bullock weighed 464kg and sold for £1,000 (£2.16/kg).

In general, continentals sold for around the £2.30/kg mark.

Heifer yearlings topped at £2.38/kg for a Blue heifer that weighed 320kg.

This 11-month-old Limousin weighed 342kg ande sold for £770 (£2.25/kg).

Store bullocks started at £1.70/kg, but around £1.90/kg was the general go.

Leading the bullock trade was a December 2019 Angus bullock that weighed 584kg and sold for £1,270 (£2.18/kg).

This June 2020-born Charolais bull weighed 364kg and sold for £1,000 (£2.75/kg).