Camera at the Mart attended the weekly sale of cattle in Camlough Mart last Wednesday, where another solid entry of animals was met with a more mixed trade.

Buyers were most active on lighter stores, as farmers look to get a headstart on buying smaller animals to utilise silage reserves before the grazing season kicks off in late March.

This Limousin heifer, weighing 560kg and born September 2018, sold for £1,075.

The cull cow trade was electric, with fierce competition on good-quality lots and younger animals carrying plenty of flesh.

In contrast, buyers were less keen on heavy fleshed cattle, with prices on lots over 700kg easing back on previous weeks.

This Simmental heifer, weighing 620kg and born March 2018, sold for £1,135.

Commenting on the sale, mart manager Brendan Reavey said that demand for lighter cattle is growing and currently exceeds supply.

He added that with a slowing down in the beef trade and plants applying penalties on overweight carcases, buyers are looking to source lighter cattle for feeding.

This Simmental heifer, weighing 620kg and born March 2018, sold for £1,135.

Brendan said when it comes to cull cows, it’s a seller’s market, as finishers and cattle agents compete directly for a limited pool of top-quality stock.

Prices being paid are similar to heavy bullocks, such has been the uplift in the cow trade.

Topping the trade for bullocks was a 785kg Limousin-bred animal which sold for £1,525. Other stand-out lots sold around the 190p to 200p/kg mark for well-bred continental types.

This Salers heifer, weighing 600kg and born April 2018, sold for £1,130.

Finishers were more active on cattle weighing 600kg to 650kg for intensive finishing, so that animals avoid penalties on overweight carcases.

Lighter stores were a super trade. At the upper end of the market, cattle weighing 280kg to 320kg were selling from 230p to 240p/kg, with plainer lots making upwards from 210p/kg.

Stores weighing 350kg to 380kg were a similar trade. Cattle weighing 440kg to 480kg sold to £995 for a 475kg Limousin, with a 480kg Charolais heifer making £965.

Heifers peaked at £1,340 for a 660kg Limousin-bred animal, with other stand-out lots making £1,150 to £1,300 for good-quality continental types.

This Blonde D'Aquitane heifer, weighing 520kg and born March 2018, sold for £870.

Simmental and Salers lots sold to £1,135, with lighter sorts at 500kg to 540kg making £1,000 to £1070 for a 520kg Charolais.

Fat cows sold to £1,410 for a 920kg Charolais.

This Limousin heifer, weighing 475kg and born May 2018, sold for £995.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 290kg and born December 2018, sold for £590.

This Charolais heifer, weighing 520kg and born October 2017, sold for £980.

This June 2016 Charolais cow and July 2019 born heifer calf, sold for £1,410.

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