The old adage that good cattle are an easy sell was certainly true at the annual Christmas fatstock sale in Keady Mart on 24 November, with a superb trade for slaughter fit animals throughout.
Specialist finishers packed the ringside, along with butchers and wholesalers, resulting in intense bidding competition which regularly pushed prices above the £2,000 barrier for heavy-fleshed stores.
The champion male, a May 2021-born Limousin weighing 785kg, sold for £2,600.
This Blue heifer, weighing 830kg and born in January 2021, sold for £2,270.
This Charolais heifer, weighing 845kg and born in February 2021, sold for £2,580.
The reserve male champion, a 790kg Limousin born in January 2022, sold for £2,620.
Cattle quality was exceptional across the sale yard and in the pre-sale show, an April 2021-born Charolais heifer from Gareth Hughes, Ballymacnab was tapped out as supreme champion.
Weighing 690kg, the animal sold for £2,500 and heads to Yorkshire having been purchased by renowned butcher, Tony Kitson.
The reserve champion was also an April 2021-born Charolais heifer weighing 690kg, forwarded by Malachy Dillon on this occasion with the hammer falling at £2,450.
This Charolais heifer, weighing 765kg and born in September 2021, sold for £2,200.
The supreme champion, a 690kg Charolais heifer born April 2021, sold for £2,500.
The housewife's champion, a 655kg Limousin born in December 2021, sold for £3,350.
Topping the day’s trading at £3,350 was the housewife’s champion, a December 2021-born Limousin heifer from Trevor McClure, Markethill, and again purchased by Kitson butchers.
Outside of the main prizewinners, heavy-fleshed heifers in slaughter-fit condition generally sold from £2,000 to £2,250. Standout prices saw a 1,025kg Charolais heifer making £2,790 with £2,270 paid for an 830kg Blue animal.
Limousin heifers sold to £2,220 for an 805kg lot. Other notable prices for lighter heifers saw a 700kg Blue animal making £2,100, with a 690kg Charolais make £2,100 and a 695kg Limousin sell for £2,070.
Bullocks
The champion male was a 785kg Limousin, born in May 2021 and saw the hammer fall at £2,600. That was followed with the reserve male champion, which topped the bullock trade at £2,620 for a 790kg Limousin born in January 2022.
This Blue heifer, weighing 565kg and born in April 2022, sold for £1,950.
This Charolais bullock, weighing 700kg and born in June 2021, sold for £2,290.
This Limousin bullock, weighing 750kg and born in March 2021, sold for £2,580.
The reserve champion, a 690kg Charolais heifer born in April 2021, sold for £2,450.
Other leading prices saw bullocks making £2,580 for a 750kg Limousin with £2,290 paid for a 700kg Charolais.
A small entry of suckler-bred Angus bullocks were highly sought after with prices peaking at £2,150 for an August 2021-born animal weighing 700kg.
Read more
UFU wants greater transparency on sustainability schemes
In pictures: junior champions light up Carrick fatstock
The old adage that good cattle are an easy sell was certainly true at the annual Christmas fatstock sale in Keady Mart on 24 November, with a superb trade for slaughter fit animals throughout.
Specialist finishers packed the ringside, along with butchers and wholesalers, resulting in intense bidding competition which regularly pushed prices above the £2,000 barrier for heavy-fleshed stores.
The champion male, a May 2021-born Limousin weighing 785kg, sold for £2,600.
This Blue heifer, weighing 830kg and born in January 2021, sold for £2,270.
This Charolais heifer, weighing 845kg and born in February 2021, sold for £2,580.
The reserve male champion, a 790kg Limousin born in January 2022, sold for £2,620.
Cattle quality was exceptional across the sale yard and in the pre-sale show, an April 2021-born Charolais heifer from Gareth Hughes, Ballymacnab was tapped out as supreme champion.
Weighing 690kg, the animal sold for £2,500 and heads to Yorkshire having been purchased by renowned butcher, Tony Kitson.
The reserve champion was also an April 2021-born Charolais heifer weighing 690kg, forwarded by Malachy Dillon on this occasion with the hammer falling at £2,450.
This Charolais heifer, weighing 765kg and born in September 2021, sold for £2,200.
The supreme champion, a 690kg Charolais heifer born April 2021, sold for £2,500.
The housewife's champion, a 655kg Limousin born in December 2021, sold for £3,350.
Topping the day’s trading at £3,350 was the housewife’s champion, a December 2021-born Limousin heifer from Trevor McClure, Markethill, and again purchased by Kitson butchers.
Outside of the main prizewinners, heavy-fleshed heifers in slaughter-fit condition generally sold from £2,000 to £2,250. Standout prices saw a 1,025kg Charolais heifer making £2,790 with £2,270 paid for an 830kg Blue animal.
Limousin heifers sold to £2,220 for an 805kg lot. Other notable prices for lighter heifers saw a 700kg Blue animal making £2,100, with a 690kg Charolais make £2,100 and a 695kg Limousin sell for £2,070.
Bullocks
The champion male was a 785kg Limousin, born in May 2021 and saw the hammer fall at £2,600. That was followed with the reserve male champion, which topped the bullock trade at £2,620 for a 790kg Limousin born in January 2022.
This Blue heifer, weighing 565kg and born in April 2022, sold for £1,950.
This Charolais bullock, weighing 700kg and born in June 2021, sold for £2,290.
This Limousin bullock, weighing 750kg and born in March 2021, sold for £2,580.
The reserve champion, a 690kg Charolais heifer born in April 2021, sold for £2,450.
Other leading prices saw bullocks making £2,580 for a 750kg Limousin with £2,290 paid for a 700kg Charolais.
A small entry of suckler-bred Angus bullocks were highly sought after with prices peaking at £2,150 for an August 2021-born animal weighing 700kg.
Read more
UFU wants greater transparency on sustainability schemes
In pictures: junior champions light up Carrick fatstock
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