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Camera at the mart attended the weekly cattle sale in Dungannon Mart last week. Cattle numbers have eased off in recent weeks after a busy spring period.
However, there is still a good throughput of store animals given the time of year and sale numbers are on par with other years at the beginning of July.
Buyer demand remains strong, with a sharper edge to the heavier store trade and a good mix of finishers and cattle agents looking for short-keep animals.
Heavier fleshed cattle that will kill off grass in the coming weeks are a firm trade, as are cattle that will kill in autumn to early winter.
A small showing of lighter store cattle were a steady trade, with prices reflective of cattle quality.
Mart manager Trevor Wylie commented on the sale, stating that cattle being forwarded for sale are of good-quality.
He added that continental store cattle are an easy sell, with plenty of buyers on hand for forward steers and heifers.
The trade for bullocks saw a limited entry of heavy fleshed animals forwarded for sale. With fewer numbers on offer, buying competition was firm.
Prices peaked at £1,290 for a 580kg Charolais-bred animal, making 222p/kg. Other noted prices for forward bullocks saw continental types weighing 550kg to 600kg selling from £1,240 to £1,280.
Mid-weight store bullocks sold upwards from £900 to £1,100, depending on quality and weight, with lighter and plainer types a slower trade, with prices back to £700.
The number of forward heifers offered for sale was also limited and, again, this underpinned buyer demand.
Prices peaked at £1,170 for a 575kg Limousin-bred animal, which made 204p/kg. Other forward heifers sold to over £1,100. Mid-weight and lighter heifers sold from £650 to £900, depending on quality.
Weanlings sold to a top price of £890 for a Hereford bull calf which made 202p/kg, while weanling heifers sold to £720 for a 345kg Charolais animal which made 209p/kg.
Suckler cows sold to £1,330 for a Hereford cow with a Charolais heifer calf at foot. In the calf ring, drop calves sold to £360 for a Limousin heifer, with bull calves selling to £300 for a Limousin-bred animal.
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