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A smaller show of cattle went under the hammer at Omagh Mart on Monday, as farmers made the most of good weather and prioritised field work.
With fewer cattle on offer, and a strong turnout of buyers, prime cattle were a strong trade, with prices heavily reflective of the quality on offer.
Attracting most interest were good-quality continental stores with plenty of flesh and good weight for their age.
Buyers were actively keeping an eye on cattle ages to qualify for payments under the Beef Carbon Reduction Scheme, which is currently a 30 month age limit, but reduces to 28 months from January 2025. Farm quality assurance was also a key factor in cattle commanding prices at the top end of the trade, as animals without such status saw heavy discounts applied.
In the bullock ring, a limited number of animals suited to a short finishing period were highly sought after, with prices peaking at £2,100 for a 786kg Charolais. That was followed with other leading prices of £2,030 for a Charolais-sired bullock weighing 776kg, along with an 806kg lot which made £2,000.
Bullocks weighing 600kg to 700kg sold in the region of 290p to 300p/kg, with a 680kg Charolais making £1,980.
Cattle weighing 500kg to 600kg generally were an easy sell, with a 544kg Charolais making £1,740, followed by a 556kg animal at £1,710 and plenty of stores moving above £1,600.
Heifers
In the heifer ring, the number of heavy-fleshed lots was extremely limited, with most animals forwarded in the 400kg to 500kg weight range.
Heifers topped £1,720 for a 625kg Charolais, followed by £1,680 for a 595kg Limousin animal, with plainer animals at similar weight making £1,500 to £1,600.
Mid-weight stores from 400kg to 500kg saw a 450kg Limousin sell to £1,350, while animals carrying less flesh were in demand, but at prices closer to £1,200.
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