Balla Mart’s Saturday cattle sale went ahead as the worst of the weather had cleared up, with the sale starting at the delayed time of 11am to give customers and sellers more time for travel.

Approximately 300 lots passed through the ring, with the mart noting there was "a serious selection of dry cows, well fed, with flesh".

Prices in the bullocks were somewhat similar to the last sale before Christmas.

Store bullock quality was described as high, with bullocks weighing from 300kg to 400kg averaging €3.01/kg, with store bullocks from 400kg to 500kg averaging €3.21/kg, while heavier bullocks at 500kg-plus averaged €3.04/kg.

Again, quality was described as good in the heifer ring, with demand matching this. Lighter store heifers from 300kg to 400kg averaged €2.83/kg, with heifers from 400kg to 500kg averaging €3.04/kg, while 500kg-plus lots averaged €3.21/kg.

Dry cows this week weighing 500kg-plus averaged €2.85/kg, an increase on the pre-Christmas price.

The top price of the sale was a nine-year-old Charolais-cross cow weighing 970kg selling for €2,950(€3.04/kg).

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This Charolais-cross bullock born December 2022 and weighing 575kg sold for €2,000 (€3.48/kg).

This Limousin-cross bullock born May 2023 and weighing 500kg sold for €1,690 (€3.38/kg).

This Angus-cross heifer born May 2023 and weighing 585kg sold for €2,050 (€3.54/kg).

This Charolais-cross heifer born March 2022 and weighing 575kg sold for €2,120 (€3.69/kg).

This Charolais-cross cow born in 2016 and weighing 970kg sold for €2,950 (€3.04/kg).

This Simmental-cross cow born February 2017 and weighing 775kg sold for €2,070 (€2.83/kg).