Kilrea Mart held its first special sale of suckler weanlings on Friday 20 September and positive buying trends within the beef trade filtered into the autumn calf sales.

Calves commanding prices at the upper end of the market were generally continental cross animals with weights ranging from 320kg to 380kg.

However, there was plenty of buyers for good quality continental cross calves weighing 260kg to 300kg, although the younger age and lighter weights were reflected in prices paid.

Male calves were an easy sell with buyers keen for bullocks and bull calves, although the number of males that had not been castrated were limited.

Prices for Charolais bullocks weighing 300kg to 380kg repeatedly sold above the £1,000 mark with standout lots hitting £1,230 for a 300kg animal born in April 2024.

Other noted prices saw £1,100 paid for another April-born calf weighing 350kg with £1,060 paid for a 310kg Charolais bullock.

Standout lots

Charolais heifers sold from £900 to £1,100 for calves weighing 260kg to 320kg, with standout lots seeing a pen of two 320kg animals, fully weaned off the cow, selling for £940.

Simmental males were also an easy sell and hit £1,100 on multiple occasions, starting with an April-born calf weighing 330kg and again for a February born 340kg lot.

Simmental heifers with breeding potential sold to £1,080 for a February-born calf weighing 310kg and £1,060 paid for a 360kg March-born lot.

Limousin males sold to £1,060 for a 350kg calf, while a big entry of suckler bred Angus calves were an easy sell, hitting prices of £1,010 for a 380kg bullock. Blue calves were a mixed trade with heifers making £780 to £860 for 280kg to 310kg lots, while bullocks hit £970 for a 330kg April-born calf.