Firm trade for heavy bullocks

A FIRM trade was maintained at the marts yesterday, particularly for the heavy and forward bullocks with heavy heifers also meeting with brisk demand.

Up to €500 over was paid for heavy continental bullocks at Kilkenny and at Blessington they sold for up to €450 over, while Bandon Mart experienced a brisk trade for the heavy heifers.

There were 950 head on offer at Kilkenny Mart where the top price in the bullock section was €1,360 paid for a 860kg Charolais bullock. Another lot of two continentals weighing 780kg sold for €1,270, a Charolais 735kg made €1,061 and a Charolais 700kg sold for €1,065.

There was a brisk trade for heifers at Bandon Mart where they had a good size sale, boosted by a plentiful supply of customers for the heifers.

The best of the heavy continentals sold for up to €230 over, while Hereford and Angus store heifers ranged €100 over to €170 over.

An Angus weighing 505kg made €700, an Angus weighing 400kg made €640, two Herefords weighing 512kg sold for €685, two Charolais weighing 380kg made €610, four Angus weighing 400kg made €535 and three Angus weighing 316kg sold for €495.

In the bullock section the heavier bullocks made up to €275 over. Light stores sold for €170 over to €280 over and Friesians ranged €70 over to €160 over.

Four Limousin weighing 582kg sold for €840, four Angus weighing 548kg made €770, three Charolais scaling 480kg sold for €760, five Friesians weighing 509kg made €670, seven Herefords weighing 463kg sold for €675, and four Angus weighing 365kg sold for €555.

At Blessington Mart there was a good trade for all types of cattle. Up to €450 over was paid for the best of the heavy continental bullocks, while forward lots sold for up to €415 over and the lighter stores made €180 over to €295 over.

Beef heifers ranged €250 over to €260 over and the light store heifers sold for €150 over to €285 over.