With beef prices over 600p/kg and milk holding steady over 40ppl, there was a 100% clearance across all classes of stock at Markehill Mart on Tuesday 18 February.

At the monthly dairy sale, 120 quality animals from all over NI were presented, clearly produced to a high standard.

This was reflected in the ring with the hammer dropping at a top price on the day of £3,650 for a fresh calved heifer.

Other leading prices saw £3,460 and £3,000 paid for good quality stock.

However, the main demand among buyers was for quality calved heifers in the £1,900-£2,400 price bracket.

Some year-old maiden heifers were also sold at £800-£1,100.

Cull cows

The weekly cull cow sale set the tone earlier in the day.

Well-fleshed Limousin cows were out in front with a five-year-old at 698kg making £2,080 or 298p/kg.

Another Limousin cow at 856kg made £2,420 or 283p/kg.

The main demand for fleshed cows was around the 255p/kg mark, while a 680kg Friesian cow made £1,590, 234p/kg.

Fleshed Friesian cows traded at a mid-point of 200p/kg, medium quality were generally selling for 165p/kg and leaner lots traded at 130p/kg.

Calf sale

The highlight of the calf sale was a four-week-old Charolais bull making £770.

A four-week-old Belgian Blue followed at £590 while a five-week-old Aberdeen Angus bull made £570.

Prices again reflected quality, with good quality bull calves ranging from £420 to £560, second quality were at £300 to £390 and plainer lots fetched £240 to £300.

Friesian bulls topped out at £300 for a six-week-old calf, while younger lots ranged between £240 and £300.

Heifer calves topped out at £540 for a six-week-old Charolais.

Good-quality heifer calves generally sold from £320 to £440, with second quality ranging from £240 to £300.

Markethill weekly sales