Demand for heifers sees top lots up €30/head in Mayo

Saturday’s mart at Balla Mart, saw demand for heifers drive prices up €30/head on the previous week, according to Mart Manager Anthony Murphy.

He said trade all round was better, with bullocks and heifers up €20 to €40 on last week.

Store bullocks around 450kg and less were making from €600 to €790 with the weight, he said, while they averaged from 1.60 to 2.92c/kg.

One CH bullock 480kg made €1290 or €810 with the weight.

The best examples, he said, of good quality heavy bullocks included a 735kg BBX that made €1725 – or €990 with its weight.

In the heifer ring there was some nice quality lots on offer this week and prices were up by approximately €30 a head on last week, he said.

“The stores remain a good trade averaging from €600 to €1,000 with the weight – that’s €1.77 to €3.05/kg. The best store heifer this week was a 495kg CHX for breeding that made €1510, or €3.05/kg.

“While in the strong heifers this week a 565kg Lmx that went for €1490 or €925 with the weight. They averaged from €1.39 to €2.64kg.”

There was 85 cows on offer this week at the Mayo mart with the top price was a six-year-old pair of Lim cow with a lim heifer calf at foot that made €1,580 while in the dry cows there was a 3.5-year-old 1050kg Charolais that made €1750.