Thursday’s general cattle sale in Kingscourt Mart, Co Cavan, included a total entry of 233 bullocks, heifers, weanlings and dry cows.

Quality lighter store weanlings and forward store cattle were dominating the trade, with factory agents, feedlot and Northern buyers battling hard ringside and online, resulting in a clearance rate of 99%.

This June 2021-born Limousin heifer weighed 440kg and sold for €1,250 (€2.84/kg).

Lighter store heifers were a really good trade, with heifers between 200kg to 300kg trading from €2.34/kg to €2.89/kg.

This February 2021-born Limousin heifer weighed 460kg and sold for €1,200 (€2.61/kg).

Heifers in the 300kg to 450kg weight bracket averaged at €2.70/kg, with top price in this weight bracket going to a March 2021-born Limousin heifer that weighed 440kg and went under the hammer for €1,380 (€3.14/kg).

This April 2021-born Limousin heifer weighed 450kg and sold for €1,380 (€3.05/kg).

Heifers weighing between 400kg to 500kg averaged €2.80/kg, with heavier heifers over 500kg making over €3.00/kg on serval occasions.

This June 2021-born Limousin heifer weighed 440kg and sold for €1,250 (€2.84/kg).

This March 2021-born Limousin bullock weighed 410kg and sold for €730 (€1.78/kg).

Weanling bulls

Lighter bulls in the 200kg to 300kg bracket averaged €2.60/kg, with bulls between 300kg to 400kg ranging in price from €1.22/kg for a Friesian cross up to €3.05/kg for a well-fleshed Limousin.

This March 2021-born Limousin bull weighed 410kg and sold for €1,250 (€3.05/kg).

Heavier bulls over the 500kg bracket were averaging €2.80/kg, with a number of well-fleshed types making over €3.00/kg.

This October 2021-born Limousin bull weighed 500kg and sold for €1,380 (€2.76/kg).

This September 2021-born Limousin bull weighed 525kg and sold for €1,450 (€2.78/kg).

Cull cows

A total of 20 dry cows were entered into this week’s sale and averaged at €2.20/kg, with top price of €2,240 going to an April 2018-born Limosuin cow that weighed 780kg (€2.87/kg).

This October 2021-born Limousin bull weighed 415kg and sold for €1,120 (€2.70/kg).

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, mart manager Lisa Keenan said: "Cattle are still a flying trade despite factories pulling prices over the last number of weeks. There is still a steady flow of cattle through the yard, with possibly a slight decline in numbers today due to farmers being busy with fodder.”

This January 2022-born Limousin bull weighed 325kg and sold for €850 (€2.62/kg).

This October 2021-born Limousin bull weighed 530kg and sold for €1,420 (€2.67/kg).

Kingscourt Mart will host its next general sale of cattle on Thursday 21 July.