Improved prices for store cattle and beef cattle at Markethill

Trade in all rings was very firm with prices for store cattle and beef cattle slightly improved on the week.

HEIERS

160 heifers included several pens of top quality forward feeding heifers which sold to a top of £260 per 100 kilos for 554k at £1440 from a Ballywalter farmer and for 5t12k at £1330 from a Newtownards producer. All good quality feeding heifers sold steadily from £220 to £251 per 100 kilos. Good quality beef heifers sold to £252 for 648k at £1635 for a Newry farmer followed by £246 for 674k at £1655 from a Newtownhamilton farmer. All top quality beef heifers sold from £220 to £241 per 100 kilos. Good quality middleweight heifers sold from £215 to £257 for 488k at £1255 from a Newtownhamilton farmer followed by £253 for 470k at £1190 for a Newtownards producer.

Forward heifers: Ballywalter farmer 554k £1440 £260.00; Newtownards farmer 512k £1330 £260.00; Ballywalter farmer 550k £1380 £251.00; Loughgall farmer 584k £1465 £251.00; Loughgall farmer 600k £1505 £251.00; Ballywalter farmer 584k £1450 £248.00; Gilford farmer 536k £1315 £245.00; Newtownards farmer 512k £1250 £244.00;

Beef heifers: Newry farmer 648k £1635 £252.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 674k £1655 £246.00; Tassagh farmer 670k £1615 £241.00; Newry farmer 686k £1625 £237.00; Loughgall farmer 644k £1475 £229.00;

Middleweight heifers: Newtownhamilton farmer 488k £1255 £257.00; Newtownards farmer 470k £1190 £253.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 468k £1135 £243.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 484k £1165 £241.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 452k £1085 £240.00; Newtownards farmer 494k £1170 £237.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 480k £1135 £236.00; Newtownards farmer 458k £1080 £236.00; Newtownards farmer 486k £1140 £235.00;

BULLOCKS

150 bullocks sold in a very firm trade with a packed gallery of buyers present. Forward feeding bullocks sold from £220 to £250 for 518k at £1295 for an Armagh farmer followed by £243 for 508k at £1235 for a Newtownhamilton farmer. Heavy bullocks sold to £233 for 688k at £1605 for a Banbridge farmer followed by £230 for 700k at £1625 from a Portadown producer. A Richhill farmer received £227 for 680k at £1545. Main demand from £215 to £226 per 100 kilos. Middleweight bullocks sold to £272 for 418k at £1135 from a Belleek farmer followed by £256 for 478k at £1225 for a Newtownhamilton producer. All good quality middleweights sold from £210 to £254 per 100 kilos. Good quality Friesians bullocks sold from £170 to £194 for 524k at £1015 from a Katesbridge farmer followed by £186 for 578k at £1075 from a Katesbridge producer.

Forward bullocks: Armagh farmer 518k £1295 £250.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 508k £1235 £243.00; Loughgall farmer 506k £1225 £242.00; Portadown farmer 624k £1505 £241.00; Portadown farmer 648k £1545 £239.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 520k £1235 £238.00; Castlewellan farmer 532k £1245 £234.00.

Beef bullocks: Banbridge farmer 688k £1605 £233.00; Portadown farmer 706k £1625 £230.00; Richhill farmer 680k £1545 £227.00; Portadown farmer 680k £1515 £223.00; Ballynahinch farmer 736k £1635 £222.00; Portadown farmer 648k £1435 £222.00.

Middleweight bullocks: Belleek farmer 418k £1135 £272.00; Newtownhamilton farmer 478k £1225 £256.00; Armagh farmer 490k £1255 £256.00; Rathfriland farmer 426k £1085 £255.00; Loughgall farmer 466k £1185 £254.00; Belleek farmer 430k £1085 £252.00; Belleek farmer 490k £1225 £250.00; Beleek farmer 476k £1185 £249.00.

Friesian bullocks: Katesbridge farmer 524k £1015 £194.00; Katesbridge farmer 578k £1075 £186.00; Katesbridge farmer 594k £1085 £183.00; Katesbridge farmer 552k £995 £180.00; Bessbrook farmer 608k £1065 £175.00.

WEANLINGS

210 weanlings sold in a steady demand with several very high prices recorded. Male weanlings sold to £371 for 340k at £1260 from a Dungannon farmer. The same owner received £341 for 370k at £1260. All good quality male weanlings sold from £240 to £315 per 100 kilos. Good quality heifer weanlings sold from £220 to £292 for 342k at £1000 from a Newtownards farmer followed by £290 for 276k at £800 from a Markethill farmer. A Newtownards farmer received £277 for 318k at £880. Top price of £1070 was paid for 398k at £269 for a Newtownards farmer.

Male weanlings: Dungannon farmer 340k £1260 £371.00; Dungannon farmer 370k £1260 £241.00; Armagh farmer 254k £800 £315.00; Markethill farmer 274k £800 £292.00; Dungannon 308k £920 £299.00; Armagh farmer 304k £790 £260.00; Kilkeel farmer 240k £700 £292.00; Dungannon farmer 282k £810 £287.00; Kilkeel farmer 270k £770 £285.00; Kilkeel farmer 244k £680 £279.00; Sixmilecross farmer 312k £790 £253.00; sixmilecross farmer 316k £800 £253.00; Newry farmer 336k £840 £250.00; Kilkeel farmer 310k £770 £248.00;

Heifer weanlings: Newtownards farmer 342k £1000 £292.00; Markethill farmer 276k £800 £290.00; Downpatrick farmer 278k £800 £288.00; Markethill farmer 246k £690 £281.00; Newtownards farmer 318k £880 £277.00; Dungannon farmer 332k £900 £271.00; Newtownards farmer 398k £1070 £269.00; Newtownards farmer 372k £1000 £269.00; Newtownards farmer 404k £1100 £272.00; Newtownards farmer 422k £1140 £270.00.

In the suckler ring a smaller entry sold in an excellent demand with a special entry of in calf heifers from a Tandragee farmer selling to a top of £2370 for a Lim followed by £2200 for a Lim. The same owner sold a Sim heifer at £1810, a Lim at £1600 and 4 more Lim x heifers at £1500 each.