Balla Mart held its weekly cattle sale on Saturday, with 700 lots going through three rings.

The sale saw a 96% clearance rate, with some older bullocks and heifers a little back on the previous week’s trading.

Young heavy bullocks were a super trade, with factory-fit bullocks reaching as much €1,000 with the weight.

Bullocks weighing 650kg and over met an average of €2.45/kg, with the top bullock price coming in at €2.74/kg.

Lighter bullocks saw a strong trade for quality, with some of these reaching up to €2.88/kg. However, some of the poorer stock struggled to make over €2/kg.

“The trade is still holding firm. However, we have seen a slight dip from where it was three weeks ago,” mart manager Stephen Hannon said.

This June 2019-born Charolais bullock weighed 685kg and sold for €1,880 (€2.74/kg).

This October 2019-born Limousin bullock weighed 645kg and sold for €1,670 (€2.58/kg).

This March 2019-born Limousin bullock weighed 705kg and sold for €1,610 (€2.28/kg).

This March 2020-born Limousin bullock weighed 445kg and sold for €1,200 (€2.69/kg).

This October 2020-born Charolais bull weighed 450kg and sold for €1,200 (€2.66/kg).

Bull weanlings met a slightly tougher trade though, as with the rest, quality sold. Bulls from 350kg to 450kg met an average of close to €2.40/kg, while bulls under 350kg met an average close to €2.50/kg.

Heifers

The heifer trade has slipped slightly in the last three weeks, with this being especially evident for any dairy-type stock.

Lots of feeding heifers went through the ring again, with heifers over 30 months old a little harder to shift this week.

Some heifers weighing over 600kg met an average of €2.30/kg while heifers over 500kg would have had a similar average, with some poorer heifers in this category bringing the average down.

Heifers in the 400-500kg bracket met an average of €2.35/kg, with some dairy-cross stock bringing the average back slightly.

This April 2019-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 500kg and sold for €1,190 (€2.38/kg).

This February 2019-born Limousin heifer weighed 605kg and sold for €1,370 (€2.26/kg).

This March 2020-born Charolais heifer weighed 560kg and sold for €1,360 (€2.42/kg).

This June 2020-born Aberdeen Angus heifer weighed 350kg and sold for €970 (€2.77/kg).

Weanling heifers

Weanling heifers met a good trade, with heifers weighing under 350kg selling for an average of €2.60/kg while those weighing up to 450kg sold for an average of €2.60/kg.

This was a promising trade for weanlings at the start of the autumn.

“The poorer-quality weanlings are proving harder to shift but prices are still where they need to be,” Hannon said.

Cows

Dry cows and sucklers also met a good trade, with factory- fit cows holding strong.

Cows don’t seem to have slipped in recent weeks like the younger cattle.

This 2011-born Aberdeen Angus cow weighed 680kg and sold for €1,300 (€1.91/kg).

This 2009-born Limousin cow weighed 785kg and sold for €2,070 (€2.63/kg).

Some factory-fit cows were coming into €1,800 at their ease, with a top price of €2,070 for a 785kg Belgian Blue cow.

Fit cows met an overall sale average of €2.20/kg.