Beef heifers sell to £1,440 at Markethill Mart

An entry of 550 store cattle and weanlings and sucklers at Markethill on Saturday 20th May continued to sell in an exceptionally strong trade with prices for weanlings and store bullocks seeing a further lift in returns.

HEIFERS: 120 store heifers sold in a very firm demand.

Beef heifers sold to a top of £237 per 100 kilos for a 608k Lim at £1,440 followed by £225 per 100 kilos for 608k at £1,365.

Main demand for forward heifers from £200 to £228 per 100 kilos.

Middleweight heifers sold to a top of £238 per 100 kilos for 406k at £965 followed by £234 per 100 kilos for 470k at £1,100.

Forward heifers: Portadown farmer 608k, £1,440, £237.00; Cullyhanna farmer 504k, £1,150, £228.00; Dungannon farmer 606k, £1,365, £225.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 578k, £1,260, £218.00; Ballynahinch farmer 608k, £1,310, £215.00; Armagh farmer 560k, £1,185 £212.00; Keady farmer 512k, £1,075, £210.00; Armagh farmer 546k, £1,145 £210.00.

Middleweight heifers: Aughnacloy farmer 406k, £965, £238.00; Portadown farmer 470k, £1,100, £234.00; Portadown farmer 454k, £950, £209.00; Loughgilly farmer 414k, £860, £208.00; Armagh farmer 458k, £950, £208.00; Portadown farmer 494k, £1,020, £207.00; Loughgilly farmer 426k, £860, £202.00; Armagh farmer 422k, £850, £201.00.

BULLOCKS: 160 bullocks sold in an exceptional demand.

Good quality middleweights sold to £249 per 100 kilos for a 426k Lim at £1060 for a Richhill farmer followed by £247 per 100 kilos for 434k Char at £1070 for a Downpatrick farmer.

All good quality middleweights sold from £210 to £242 per 100 kilos.

Good quality heavy bullocks were in exceptionally good demand selling to £238 per 100 kilos for 596k Lim at £1,420 for a Portadown farmer followed by £236 per 100 kilos for 580k Lim at £1,370 for a Lisburn farmer.

Main demand for good quality heavy cattle from £210 to £233 per 100 kilos.

Angus bullocks sold to £232 per 100 kilos for 614k at £1,425 from a Banbridge farmer.

Good quality Friesian bullocks sold from £150 to £184 per 100 kilos for 518k at £955 for a Tandragee farmer and up to £1095 for 604k (181 per 100 kilos) for a Glenanne producer.

Forward bullocks: Portadown farmer 596k, £1,420, £238.00; Lisburn farmer 580k, £1,370 £236.00; Crossmaglen farmer 610k, £1,425 £234.00; Lisburn farmer 596k, £1,390, £233.00; Lisburn farmer 512k, £1,190, £233.00; Banbridge farmer AA 614k, £1,425, £232.00; Banbridge farmer 600k, £1,380, £230.00; Lisburn farmer 586k, £1,335, £228.00; Richhill farmer 502k, £1,125, £224.00; Downpatrick £540, £1,200, £222.00.

Friesian bullocks: Tandragee farmer 518k, £955, £184.00; Glenanne farmer 604k, £1,095, £181.00; Stewartstown farmer 504k, £905, £179.00; Downpatrick farmer 514k, £890, £173.00; Katesbridge farmer 508k, £860, £169.00; Katesbridge farmer 546k, £920, £169.00; Katesbridge farmer 518k, £865, £167.00; Portadown farmer 536k, £895, £167.00.

Middleweight bullocks: Richhill farmer 426k, £1,060, £249.00; Downpatrick farmer 434k, £1,070, £247.00; Downpatrick farmer 454k, £1,100, £242.00; Richhill farmer 484k, £1,145, £237.00; Richhill farmer 414k, £975, £236.00; Downpatrick farmer 452k, £1,050, £232.00; Richhill farmer 452k, £1,040, £230.00; Downpatrick farmer 462k, £1,050, £227.00.

WEANLINGS: 175 weanlings sold in a strongest trade so far this year.

Good quality heifers sold from £230 to £321 per 100 kilos for 232k at £745.

Stronger heifer weanlings to £935 for 342k Lim for a Cladymore farmer.

Male weanlings sold from £220 to £275 for 318k at £875 for a Tassagh farmer.

Male weanlings: Tassagh farmer 318k, £875, £275.00; Richhill farmer 316k, £820, £259.00; Loughbrickland farmer 342k, £880, £257.00; Tassagh farmer 346k, £890, £257.00; Banbridge farmer 366k, £935, £255.00; Loughbrickland farmer 356k, £880, £247.00; Banbridge farmer 344k, £840, £244.00; Banbridge farmer 316k, £770, £243.00; Tassagh farmer 316k, £770, £243.00.

Heifer weanlings: Portadown farmer 232k, £745, £321.00; Loughbrickland farmer 220k, £620, £282.00; Loughgilly farmer 286k, £760, £266.00; Caldymore farmer 342k, £935, £273.00; Tassagh farmer 296k, £780, £264.00; Markethill farmer 286k, £750, £262.00; Portadown farmer 356k, £885, £249.00; Portadown farmer 318k, £790, £248.00.

75 lots of sucklers sold to a top of £1,720 for a Sim heifer and heifer calf others sold at £1,650, £1,460 and £1,450.

A pedigree Lim bull sold at £1,700 and a five year Char bull sold at £1,300.