Camera at the Mart: solid store cattle trade at Enniskillen

Camera at the Mart attended the weekly cattle sale at the Ulster Farmers Mart, Enniskillen, last week.

With heavy rainfall in recent weeks leading to ground conditions deteriorating quickly, there has been a week-on-week increase in cattle throughput, with more farmers looking to offload animals ahead of the winter period.

Commenting on the sale, mart manager James Johnston said there was a solid trade for good-quality store cattle, with heavy fleshed cattle remaining a strong trade and lighter animals also being met with good buying interest.

In the bullock ring, prices on heavy-fleshed, factory-fit cattle were slightly firmer on previous weeks.

Stand-out lots saw a Charolais bullock weighing 836kg selling for £1,510, with a 786kg Charolais animal making £1,360.

Other noted lots saw an 810kg Limousin making £1,270, with forward Angus bullocks making well over £1,000.

Heavy bullocks sold in general from 185p to 208p/kg, with a 508kg Charolais making £1,060. Mid-weight bullocks sold from 215p to 237p/kg, with a 420kg Charolais animal making £1,000, while a 516kg Angus made £990.

Lighter types sold from 220p to 244p/kg, with a 360kg Charolais making £875, while a 394kg Charolais animal sold to £900.

There was more of an edge to the heifer trade, with a limited entry on offer. Short-keep heifers sold to 200p/kg for continental types, with a 540kg Charolais animal making £1,080, while a 530kg animal made £1,050 and a 510kg heifer sold for £1,060. Lighter heifers were a steadier trade, with prices of 189p to 203p/kg, depending on quality, with a 420kg Charolais making £850.

A big entry of weanling cattle saw a broad range of types being offered for sale and quality was heavily reflected in the prices paid.

Prices for bullocks ranged from £550 to £885 for a 385kg Charolais animal, with heifers selling from £500 to £805 for a 355kg Charolais.

Suckler cows sold to £1,520 for a Simmental with a bull calf at foot, followed by £1,500 for a Simmental with a heifer calf.

Limousin outfits also sold to £1,500, with in-calf animals making £1,500 for heifers. Fat cows sold to 160p/kg for a 690kg Charolais cow which made £1,095.

Read more

Chinese beef market access will be a game changer

Beef price: beef herd shrinking longer term but short-term numbers remain strong