Carrigallen Mart hosted its weekly sale of heifers, bullocks and dry cows on Monday night, with a number of top-quality lots meeting an excellent trade.

Numbers through the yard remained steady, with a total entry of 139 cattle for the sale.

Factory agents, Northern Ireland buyers and farmers were active both online and ringside, contributing to a clearance rate of 94%.

Top price on the night was fetched by a July 2017-born Belgian Blue cow that weighed 910kg and sold for €3,560 (€3.91/kg).

This was closely followed was a March 2016-born Belgian Blue cow that weighed 790kg and went under the hammer for €3,240 (€4.10/kg).

Heifers

A total entry of 69 heifers were forward for the sale, with demand remaining for slaughter-fit animals.

Lighter heifers weighing between 300kg and 400kg ranged in price from €1.14/kg to €2.53/kg.

Heifers weighing between 400kg and 500kg sold in the main at around the €2.51/kg mark, with heifers weighing 500kg to 600kg selling from €2.65/kg for Aberdeen Angus- and Hereford-crosses, with continental heifers a slightly stronger trade, selling from €2.70/kg up to €3.04/kg for top-quality lots.

Bullocks

There was a small entry of bullocks on the night, with those weighing 300kg to 400kg averaging at €2.55/kg.

Store bullocks weighing between 400kg and 500kg were trading between €1.97/kg and €2.84/kg, with forward store bullocks weighing over 600kg trading on average at €2.76/kg.

Dry cows

There were some exceptional prices achieved for dry cows, with a number of super-quality cows exceeding €3.00/kg.

Plainer lots were an easier trade, ranging in price from €1.32/kg to €2.28/kg, with a strong demand for heavy U grading cow, with prices from €2.60/kg to €4.10/kg for top-quality types.

Carrigallen Mart will host its next special sale of weanling heifers and bulls on Saturday 6 August.

In pictures

This January 2021-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 475kg and sold for €1,110 (€2.34/kg).

This July 2020-born Limousin heifer weighed 475kg and sold for €1,230 (€2.59/kg).

This March 2021-born Hereford heifer weighed 420kg and sold for €1,000 (€2.38/kg)

This April 2021-born Aberdeen Angus heifer weighed 390kg and sold for €900 (€2.31/kg).

This March 2021-born Aberdeen Angus heifer weighed 460kg and sold for €1,130 (€2.46/kg).

This June 2020-born Charolais heifer weighed 635kg and sold for €1,810(€2.85/kg).

This March 2020-born Limousin heifer weighed 560kg and sold for €1,700 (€3.04/kg).

This May 2020-born Belgian Blue heifer weighed 435kg and sold for €1,180 (€2.71/kg).