Saturday’s sale at Headford Mart saw a slightly smaller entry of stock compared with last week. Despite this, there was quite a strong trade for almost all cattle types.

This Limousin heifer weighing 320kg and born April 2017 sold for €800 (€2.50/kg).

There was a good selection of cull cows on offer, with prices ranging mainly from €600 to €1,270. Heavy cows made the higher prices of €1,000 to €1,270.

Thin and older cows hit the lower prices. There was a good selection of in-calf cows, with a special entry of 17 from one farmer, all in-calf, and calving in February. These sold mainly from €1,400 to €1,640. Older thin cows with calves at foot sold from €1,100 to €1,300.

This five-star Charolais cow weighing 845kg, born 2007 and due the end of February to a Charolais bull sold for €1,640.

The bullock sale saw a low number of heavy and forward bullocks but the trade for those on offer was strong. Those over 500kg sold mainly from €2.00/kg to €2.20/kg for average-quality types, while better-quality types made over €2.25/kg. The best-quality bullock was a 525kg Belgian Blue that sold for €1,280 (€2.44/kg).

This Limousin cow weighing 795kg, born 2011 with three spins and due at the end of February to a Charolais bull sold for €1,450.

There were more Bullocks from 400kg to 500kg on offer and prices ranged mainly from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, with best-quality types making over €2.46/kg.

The store heifer trade was quite strong once again.

Heifers over 500kg sold mainly from €2.20/kg to €2.40/kg, with prices ranging from €365 to €790 over the weight. Plainer types made from €1.86/kg to €2.00/kg.

Top-quality heifers sold from €2.40/kg to €2.62/kg, with the highest price over the weight a 540kg Limousin heifer, which sold for €1,330.

This Limousin cow weighing 925kg, born 2009 and due at the end of February to a Charolais bull sold for €1,600.

There were fewer weanling heifers on offer than last week. Average-quality weanling heifers from 300kg to 400kg sold mainly from €2.30/kg to €2.40/kg, with better-quality heifers selling from €2.50/kg to €2.60/kg and up to €2.76/kg, which was paid for a €295kg Charolais heifer.

This Charolais cow weighing 745kg, born 2013 and due at the end of February to a Charolais bull sold for €1,550.

There was a good selection of weanling bulls on offer, with strong demand for better-quality types. Heavy bulls over 400kg sold from €1,000 to €1,130 and were met with strong feeder demand for the best-quality types. Bulls from 300kg to 400kg were a strong trade also where the quality on offer was good. The best demand was for Charolais and Limousin types. Prices of these ranged mainly from €2.40/kg to €2.60/kg, with some plainer types making from €2.10/kg to €2.30/kg. The best-quality types made from €2.70/kg to €2.90/kg.

The sheep sale saw hoggets making from €75 to €122, with most hoggets carrying flesh selling from €86 to €110. Cull ewes sold from €66 to €85 per head. In-lamb ewes sold from €100 to €188, with old broken-mouth ewes receiving the lower prices.

Next week will see a special clearance sale of 100 in-lamb ewes for sale and a special bullocks and weanling sale.

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