Cattle trade showing a marked improvement at Markethill Mart

Beef heifers sold up to £398 for 560k at £2230 for a Portadown farmer, followed by £398 for 598k at £2340 for a Tandragee farmer.

Main demand for good quality heavy heifers from £329 to £387 per 100 kgs.

Lighter heifers sold up to £444 for 374k Limousin at £1660 for Sixmilecross farmer, the same owner received £436 for 390k at £1700, and also £431 for 418k at £1800.

Heavy bullocks reached £389 for 664 Limousin at £2580 for a Dromore farmer, followed by £376 for 748k at £2810 from a Tassagh farmer.

All good quality heavy bullocks sold from £348 to £373 per 100k.

Forward bullocks sold to £376 for 542k at £2040 for a Hillsborough farmer, followed by £369 for 586k at £2160 for a Dromore producer.

All good quality lots sold readily from £351 to £368 per 100k.A larger entry of grazing type bullocks sold in an excellent trade to a top of £462 for 312k BB at £1440 for an Armagh farmer.

The same owner received £433 for 328k at £1420 and £430 for 356k at £1530.

Heavy heifers

Portadown farmer 560k £2230 £398: Tandragee farmer 598k £2340 £391: Kilkeel farmer 514k £1990 £387: Cullyhanna farmer 526k £2030 £386: Armagh farmer 522k £2010 £385: Pomeroy farmer 546k £2090 £383: Armagh farmer 596k £2230 £374 and Tandragee farmer 574k £2070 £361.

Midweight heifers

Sixmilecross farmer 374k £1660 £444: 390k £1700 £436: 418k £1800 £431: Portadown farmer 492k £2050 £417: Armagh farmer 478k £1980 £414: Pomeroy farmer 474k £1940 £409 and Armagh farmer 414k £1660 £401.

Heavy bullocks

Dromore farmer 664k £2580 £386: Tassagh farmer 748k £2810 £376: Dromore farmer 676k £2520 £373: Loughgall farmer 628k £2270 £361: Warrenpoint farmer 648k £2340£361: Loughgall farmer 628k £2230 £355:622k £2190 £352 and Warrenpoint farmer 614k £2160 £352.

Forward bullocks

Hillsborough farmer 542k £2040 £376: Dromore farmer 586k £2160 £369: Newtownhamilton farmer 560k £2060 £368: Hilltown farmer 508k £1860 £366: Tandragee farmer 522k £1900 £364: Loughgall farmer 542k £1970 £364: 524k £1900 £363: 550k £1990 £362 and Dromore farmer 530k £1900 £358.

Midweight bullocks

Armagh farmer 312k £1440 £462: 328k £1420 £433: 356k £1530 £430: 362k £1550 £428: Warrenpoint farmer 406k £1680 £414: 368k £1500 £408: Loughgall farmer 500k £1930 £386 and Warrenpoint farmer 394k £1480 £376.

Weanlings

The 160 weanlings sold steadily with light males selling to £493 for 296k at £1460 from a Tynan farmer, followed by £454 for 370k at £1680 for a Dungannon farmer.

Stronger males sold to £478 for 414k at £1980 for a Rostrevor farmer and he also received £446 for 426k at £1900.

Good quality light heifers sold in a strong trade to a top of £523 for 258k at £1350 for a Whitecross farmer and a Markethill farmer received £523 for 306k at £1600.

Main demand for good quality male weanlings from £404 to £450 per 100k.

Heavier females sold to £468 for 436k at £2040.

Main demand for good quality heavier female weanlings from £361 to £422 per 100k.

Light male weanlings

Tynan farmer 296k £1460 £493: Dungannon farmer 370k £1680 £454: Markethill farmer 296k £1340 £453: Tynan farmer 326k £1470 £451: Keady farmer 222k £1000 £450: Portadown farmer 340k £1530 £450: Lurgan farmer 356k £1600 £449 and Newry farmer 310k £1380 £445.

Strong male weanlings

Rostrevor farmer 414k £1980 £478: 426k £1900 £446: Ardglass farmer 510k £2150 £422: 478k £1950 £408: 532k £2160 £406: 540 £2170 £402: 570 £2290 £402 and Dromara farmer 426k £1710 £402.

Light heifer weanlings

Whitecross farmer 258k £1350 £532: Markethill farmer 306k £1600 £523: Keady farmer 262k £1320 £504: Markethill farmer 314k £1580 £503: Dorsey farmer 368k £1840 £500 and Markethill farmer 304k £1460 £480.

Strong heifer weanlings

Rostrevor farmer 436k £2040 £468: Tandragee farmer 404k £1800 £446: Rostrevor farmer 412k £1740 £422; Tandragee farmer 440k £1800 £409: 432k £1720 £398 and Rostrevor farmer 498k £1980 £398:

In the suckler ring outfits sold to £4480 for a Limousin cow and her Limousin bull calf for a Banbridge producer.

A Portadown farmer received £2720 for a Charolais heifer and her Charolais heifer calf.

Several more at £2350 and springers to £2000 each.

Saturday cattle sale as usual on July 11th and July 18th.

No sale on Monday 13th July or Tuesday 14th July.

An entry of 1720 sheep at Markethill on Monday 6th July sold in an improved trade.

Of the 1250 lambs presented for sale heavy spring lambs sold readily with good quality heavy lambs selling to 752p/k for 25k at £188 for a Rostrevor producer, followed by 750/k for 24k at £180 for a Jerrettspass farmer.

An entry of 670 good quality midweights sold to 754p/k for 23.2k at £175 for a Newry farmer, followed by 726p/k for 21.9k at £159 for a Ballinderry producer.

Main demand from 707-720p/k.

A large entry of stores sold up to 942p/k for 12.1k at £114 for a Middletown farmer and a Kilkeel producer received 832p/k for 15.5k at £129.

Main demand from 702-822p/k.

A complete clearance of 470 cull ewes ranged from £186-£240 for well fleshed ewes, with second quality from £130-£184 and plainer ewes from £90-£128.

Heavy lambs

Rostrevor producer 25k £188 752p/k: Jerrettspass producer 24k £180 750p/k: Kilkeel producer 25.1k £186.50 743p/k: Keady producer 27k £195 722p/k: Lisnadill producer 24.2k £173.50 717p/k and Collone producer 25.2k £180 714p/k.

Midweight lambs

Newry producer 23.2k £175 754p/k: Ballinderry producer 21.9k £159 726p/k: Collone producer 22.5k £162 720p/k: Newry producer 22.9k £164.50 718p/k: Belleeks producer 23.1k £165.50 716p/k: Poyntzpass producer 22.2k £159 716p/k and Rostrevor producer 22.9k £164 716p/k.

Light spring lambs

Middletown producer 12.1k £114 942p/k: Kilkeel producer 15.5k £129 832p/k: Killeen producer 16.3k £134 822p/k: Bryansford producer 16.3k £132 810p/k: Killeen producer 16.3k £132 810p/k and Banbridge producer 16.2k £130.50 806p/k.