Castleisland Mart hosted its weekly general cattle sale on Wednesday, attracting 800 stock across the sections.

Cull cow numbers have started to see a strong increase week on week, as cows start coming directly from the parlour.

These cows, carrying no extra flesh, are generally selling from €400 to €600 or close to the €1/kg in many cases.

Cows suitable for feeding generally started at the €600 mark, with the younger lots pushing past €750 and up to €800.

Lesser types of these cows were selling around the €550 mark.

Well-fed dairy cows up

Well-fed dairy cow lots were up substantially on this, with the younger lots hitting €1.70/kg and up to €1.80/kg on certain occasions.

Looking to the beef side of the house and age and condition again proved the biggest factors, but good coloured cows were up to and over the €2/kg mark.

Numbers at the mart are performing super for this time of year, with cattle throughput up over 30% on the same time last year.

Trade has also seen another lift in the past two weeks

Speaking after the sale, mart manager Nelius McAuliffe said: “Numbers are well up on previous years. Trade has also seen another lift in the past two weeks. There was a slight dip before this, but the weather turned it again.”

In the rest of the sale, heifers saw some of the best trade of day, but a lot of this was down to the quality on offer.

Forward lots passing 600kg saw some Limousin lots selling up to €2.50/kg. These more forward stock garnered more attention when they were born in 2020 over 2019.

Strong entry of bullocks

Lighter dairy beef heifers continued to hold the €2.10/kg mark, with some exceptional lots selling to €2.30/kg.

A strong entry of bullocks bred the same way were similarly priced, with a tad more received on occasion for the lesser-quality lots.

Bullocks weighing 450kg-plus saw trade again sell up to €2.50/kg for continental-bred stock.

Heavier bullocks north of 500kg sold in and around that €2.30/kg mark. One stand-out group was a pen of Angus bullocks weighing 650kg that sold for €1,450 (€2.23/kg).

The mart now looks forward to its special weanling sale set to take place on the bank holiday Monday.

In pictures

This rising five-year-old Charolais cow weighed 802kg and sold for €1,540 (€1.92/kg).

This 2007-born Blonde cow weighed 626kg and sold for €850 (€1.36/kg).

This 11-year-old Limousin cow weighed 654kg and sold for €940 (€1.44/kg).

This 10-year-old Angus cow weighed 652kg and sold for €720 (€1.10/kg).

This 2013-born Friesian cow weighed 658kg and sold for €800 (€1.22/kg).

This five-year-old Hereford cow weighed 678kg and sold for €1,010 (€1.49/kg).

This seven-year-old Friesian cow weighed 572kg and sold for €560 (€0.98/kg).

This six-year-old Friesian cow weighed 596kg and sold for €590 (€0.99/kg).

This 2013-born Charolais cow weighed 668kg and sold for €800 (€1.20/kg).

This 648kg Montbeliarde cow was born in 2015 and sold for €920 (€1.42/kg).

This 10-year-old Charolais cow weighed 844kg and sold for €1,480 (€1.75/kg).